Andrew Goldsbury

Andrew was born in 1890 (birth registered Jul/Aug/Sep), the son of Andrew and Lucy Goldsbury. There are discrepancies in the names of his siblings in the three census between 1891 and 1911. In 1911 Andrew senior declared on the census form that he and his wife had been married for 20 years and had had eight children born alive of whom only four were still living. This information is inaccurate as the eldest son Andrew was not in his parent's house on the night of the 1911 census, but there were four other children in the home; Harry (16), Lucy (12), James (10) and Thomas (7). According to the information on each census all their named children had been born in Nottingham. Tracing the family from the 1891 census onwards, in 1891 Andrew and his wife were living in a lodging house at 9 Bedford Street, Leicester, with their two children, Lucy (listed as 'Lizzie' in later census) aged 2 and Andrew aged 8 months. (This census creates further confusion as Andrew's wife is named as 'Lucy' but as 'Lizzie' in the next two census.) Andrew was a general labourer and his wife a shoe hand/machinist. Ten years later in 1901 the family was living at 106 Red Lion Street, Nottingham; there were five children, Lizzie (called 'Lucy' in the previous census) who was now 13, Andrew (11), Nellie (9), William (7) and Harry (5). William may have died in 1906. By 1911 Andrew and Lucy were living at 1 Water Street, Carter Gate, Nottingham, with their children Harry, Lucy (12) who was not named in the household on the previous census, and James (10) and Thomas (7) who would have been born after the 1901 census. The names of three siblings, Nellie, Jack and Harry, were put on the death notice of December 1917. Andrew was the husband of Rachel Goldsbury (née Marshall), whom he married in 1911 (Oct/Nov/Dec), and the father of Lucy (birth registered Jan 1912), Ellen (birth registered Oct 1913) and Rose (birth registered Mar 1916). At the time of his death in 1917 the family was living at 2 Harrison’s Yard, Carter Gate, Nottingham His brothers may also have served: Harry as 24175 Private Harry Goldsbury, Notts and Derby Regiment, later 116418 Labour Corps, and Jack in 2/5th Battalion, Notts & Derby Regiment (Private). Jack was probably taken prisoner on 21 March 1918 and repatriated on 26 November 1918.

Andrew was killed in action and is buried in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe (grave ref. III.A.24). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Payments were made to his widow on 18 February 1918 (£4 7s 7d) and 5 January 1920 (£9). Nottingham Evening Post notice (abridged) 17 December 1917: ‘Goldsbury. Killed in action November 18th, Private Andrew Goldsbury, Sherwood Foresters, No 2 Harrison’s Yard, Carter Gate. Sister Nellie, brothers Jack and Harry'. “GOLDSBURY. – In loving memory of Andrew Goldsbury, killed in action November 18th, 1917. – Dearly loved. – Sadly missed by loving wife and children, sister Nellie, brother Harry, Jack [1] (in Germany).” [2] [1] Pte. Jack Goldsbury, 2/5th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, probably taken prisoner on 21st March 1918, was repatriated on 26th November 1918. [2] 'Nottingham Evening Post,' 18th November 1918. Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918)