John Harold GOODENOUGH (1884 - 1934)
Royal Welch Fusiliers
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1914-15 Star
A Casuality of The Great War.
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Private John Harold Goodenough
Royal Welch Fusiliers
1914-15 Star
John Harold Goodenough was born
at Portland, Dorset on the 23rd July 1884, son
of William David Goodenough, a coastguard of Guernsey
and Mary Ann Goodenough (née Picot of Jersey).
His parents had married at St. Saviour, Jersey
on the 21st May 1865.
John Harold worked as a general
labourer and was living with his parents at Portland
at the time of the 1901 census.
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On the 9th August 1912 he married
Alice Maud Du Feu at The Registrar's Office in
the Island of Guernsey.
Entry No 62. 1912 August ninth. John Harold Goodenough.
Major. bachelor. miner. Of 6 Piette Road St. Peter
Port. Father William David Goodenough (deceased),
Mariner. Alice Maud Du Feu. Major. spinster. Of
Crofts Lane, Vale. Father Philip John Du Feu,
Gardener.
Married in the Registrar's Office according to
the law by Licence by me A.H. R...? Registrar.
John Harold Goodenough, Alice Maud Du Feu. Wits:
Philip John Du Feu, Ruth Emily Wright.
The couple moved to Bridgend, Glamorgan,
Wales where John was employed in the coal mines
and they had seven children, Doris, Philip, David,
Lillian May, Emily, Robert and Clifford.
On the 30th December 1914, John
followed the call to fight for King and Country
and enlisted as a Private Goodenough J.H. 19218
Royal Welch Fusiliers. His regiment saw action
on The Marne, Ypres and The Somme. In April 1916,
he was invalided home suffering from shell shock
and neurasthenia. (Now known as Post Traumatic
Stress Syndrome).
He was discharged from the army on the 31st May
1916 and awarded The Silver War Badge No 4820.
This badge was given to all soldiers who were
disabled and honourably discharged.
John also awarded the 1915 Star, the British War
Medal and the Victory Medal.
He never forgot the horrors he had
experienced in France and found it very difficult
to find a job or settle down to Civilian life.
The family moved to London and finally
as he was unable to find work he took his own
life on 21st November 1934 at 8, Lonsdale Road,
Southall. Middlesex.
Registration District Uxbridge. Sub-district Hayes.
County of Middlesex.
Entry No. 91. 21st Nov. 1934 8 Lonsdale Rd. Southall
Norwood U.D. John Harold Goodenough. Male. 51
years. Coal-miner 8 Lonsdale Road Southall. Cause
of death Suicide by domestic Coal Gas poisoning
whilst temporarily of unsound mind. No P.M. Registered
by Cerificate received from Reginald Kemp Coroner
for West Middlesex. Inquest held 23rd November
1934. Twenty third November 1934. J.N.Warren Deputy
Registrar.
He was buried in Southall-Norwood
Cemetery. Grave No 113 Sub. Section 0. Ground
Section C..
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The West Ealing Gazette published details
of the Inquest :-
FOUND DEAD IN SCULLERY.
Southall Man's gas suicide.
"Too old wherever I go".
A verdict of "suicide whilst of unsound mind"
was recorded at the inquest at St. John's Hall, Southall,
yesterday, on a Southall man who was found dead in the
gas-filled scullery of his house on Tuesday morning.
Mrs Alice Maud Goodenough, of 8, Lonsdale road, Southall,
identified the deceased as John Harold Goodenough aged
51. He had been in a bad state of health ever since
the war, when he was invalided home suffering from shell
shock and neurasthenia after 18 month's service with
the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Of recent years he suffered
from carbuncles, and being out of work was generally
in a low , depressed state. He never threatened to take
his life, but frequently said that he was of no use.
He did not come to bed on Monday night, and on going
downstairs on Tuesday morning witness found a note on
the table. Frightened to read it, she called neighbours.
The West Middlesex Coroner ( Mr. R. Kemp J.P. ) then
read the note as follows:-
"Dear Maud, don't blame me for what I am about
to do. If I had work this would not have happened. I
find I am too old wherever I go. I guess I am to blame.
I think if I had lived any longer it might have been
something worse."
Full of Gas.
Mr. George Ernest Burton, of 9, Lonsdale Road, said
the deceased had always seemed depressed. Called shortly
after six on Wednesday morning he found Mr. Goodenough
lying on the floor. His head was covered up and the
room was full of gas. One tap of the gas stove was on.
Another neighbour, Mr William Nicholson, of 6, Lonsdale
Road, related how he had the doors and windows opened
and shut the gas off at the main. Pulling away the clothes
that covered the body he found a gas pipe leading from
the copper with gas still coming from it.
Dr. H.Smith gave evidence that he saw Goodenough at
about 6.30 lying on the floor in the scullery. There
was still a smell of gas and a pipe by his head. He
had been dead for some hours, the cause of death being
coal gas poisoning.
In recording the verdict stated above, the Coroner said
there was no doubt that the deceased had died from coal
gas poisoning, and that it was a case of suicide whilst
temporarily of unsound mind. Deceased had been in a
depressed state and suffered from neurasthenia.
POSTSCRIPT
After his tragic death his family went their various
ways. His daughter Lillian May (born 15 JAN 1916 at
Bridgend) married James Mayburn Burton, son of their
neighbour when the family were living in Lonsdale Road,
on the 31st October 1936 at St. John's Church, Southall.
James Mayburn Burton was my wife's uncle.
John Harold's widow, Alice Maud, returned
to Guernsey, where she died in 1982.
Death Register.
Entry No 156. 1982 March twelfth 2 a.m.. Alice Maud
Du Feu widow of John Harold Goodenough.
Age 89. Parents Philip Du Feu, Alice Brehaut. Died at
Residence Flat 11 La Quelle ( ? Guelle) Flats, La Vrangue
St. Peter Port. Cause of death 1 (a) Congestive cardiac
failure. (b) Coronary heart disease. Dr B. P. Webber.
Registered 16th March 1982.
REFERENCES: BMD certificates, photos
and medal card in the possession of Michael Gater. No
trace of Army Service Records which were probably destroyed
with many others in the London blitz.
Mike Gater
Channel Islands FHS
2014