Edward Godson

Edward Godson was born in 1884 at Caunton and was the son of Walter a domestic gardener and Sarah Elizabeth Godson née Drabble of Ossington Village. His father Walter was born in 1857 at Caunton and died in 1913 aged 56 yrs, his mother Sarah Elizabeth Drabble was born in 1863 also at Caunton, they were married on 14th January 1884 at St Andrews Church at Caunton, they went on to have 15 children, sadly three were to die in infancy or early childhood, their surviving children were , Edward b1884 Cunton, May b1888 Caunton, Walter b1890 Cunton, Annie b1891 Caunton, Wilfred b1893 Farndon, Bertha b1895 Farndon, Fred b1897 Staunton, Harold b1899 Staunton, Herbert b1900 Staunton, Leonard b1903 Shelton, Mable b1906 Collingham and Edith Mary b1908 Ossington. In the 1911 census we find his family living in the Village of Ossington and are shown as Walter 54 yrs a domestic gardener, he is living with his wife Sarah 48 yrs and their children, Fred 14 yrs scholar, Harold 12 yrs scholar, Herbert 11 yrs scholar, Leonard 8 yrs scholar, Mable 5yrs scholar, and Edith Mary 3 yrs. In the same 1911 census Edward has left the family home and is a boarder at Winthorpe, Newark and is shown as being 25 yrs of age , single and a gardener , he is living with William Burch 37 yrs a maltster and his wife and children. Edward married Florence Sarah Cree (born 1st August 1883 ) in 1914 their marriage was recorded in the Newark Registration District. They lived at Farndon Fields, Newark, Commencing 25th March 1918 his widow was awarded a pension of 13 shillings and 9 pence a week.

Worked as head gardener to Colonel Darwin of Elston Hall

Ossington Nottinghamshire.

Private Edward Godson enlisted at Newark on 6th July 1916, he initially served with the service number 29329 in the South Staffordshire Regiment. He later transferred to the 26th Company Labour Corps being issued with service number 15353 . Landing in France on 27th July 1916 and died from shell wounds on 15th September 1917. He is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military cemetery.