John Frederick PARSONSON

[mdkiwi]

I am trying to find some more information about a gentleman called John Frederick PARSONSON (born on or about 25 March 1880 in Yorkshire (2q1880 Doncaster 9C/757) to John and Martha.  He married Evelyn Cecilia HILL in New Zealand in 1906, and they had three children by 1917.  He was employed as a law clerk in Christchurch.  In January 1919 he was widely reported as having been admitted to Christchurch hospital with a mysterious gunshot wound to the chest.  Thereafter he essentially vanishes.  His wife's death certificate records her as a widow (in 1955), but there isn't a probate file.
I have been contacted by a gentleman in Australia who thinks that John Frederick PARSONSON might have reinvented himself as Phillip Edward John STANLAKE, who died in Western Australia in 1962.  Apparently there is no evidence, anywhere, of a Phillip Edward John STANLAKE before about 1920, despite his own claim that he served in the South African War and in World War I with the West Yorkshire Regiment.  Some of the other identifying details tend to match. 
So we are wondering whether he might have officially changed his name, and if so, where that might be reported.  We are also quite keen to get hold of any police records in respect of the mysterious gunshot wound to the chest.  Does anyone know how we would go about doing that?
I would be very grateful for any suggestions.
Regards

[minniehaha]

For others who may be searching, here are newspaper reports of the incident.......

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SUNCH19190113.2.48.3?end_date=31-12-1919&items_per_page=10&page=2&query=john+parsonson&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1919

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19190113.2.80?end_date=31-12-1919&query=john+parsonson&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1919

Minniehaha.

[Jamjar]

The birth year is correct:

PARSONSON, JOHN  FREDERICK mmn RIMMINGTON 
GRO Reference: 1880  J Quarter in DONCASTER IN THE COUNTIES OF YORK AND NOTTINGHAM  Volume 09C  Page 757

1916 1962 Stanlake Phillip Edward John Male 82 Perth

It’s a rather specific set of names to change ones name too, any connection to the Parsonson family.

Jamjar

[mdkiwi]

No clue about the names.  Also no clue why all his kids with his second wife have "Wentworth" as a middle name.
We have a working theory that he borrowed certain biographical details from his brother-in-law William James HARDHAM (who actually did serve in South African and WWI and died conveniently young with no offspring).  He has a wikipedia page.

[minniehaha]

The birth of his children shows a third Christian name........

1917/6712   Parsonson   Derek John   Evelyn Cecelia   John Frederick   -   
1907/17555   Parsonson   Berys Dashwood   Evelyn Cecelia   John Frederick   -   
1910/17416   Parsonson   Denys Leighton   Evelyn Cecelia   John Frederick Fillingham


Minniehaha.

[minniehaha]

Probably not helpful but details re the death of his wife........

https://christ-church.org.nz/rootspersona-tree/parsonson-evelyn-cecelia/


Minniehaha.

[mdkiwi]

Thanks. 
You've found his three kids by his first [legal] wife in NZ.  He had four more with his second [maybe not quite so legal] wife.

[mdkiwi]

And yeah, one of his nephews (born 1905) also had Fillingham as a middle name so I am guessing it is a family thing.

[minniehaha]

Major P. E. J. Stanlake [1931]:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100124275?searchTerm=%22p.%20e.%20j.%20stanlake%22&searchLimits=exactPhrase=p.+e.+j.+stanlake|||anyWords|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1919-01-01|||dateTo|||sortby

Birth of a son [1931]:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/21705168?searchTerm=%22p.%20e.%20j.%20stanlake%22&searchLimits=exactPhrase=p.+e.+j.+stanlake|||anyWords|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1919-01-01|||dateTo|||sortby


Minniehaha.