John Royal Godfrey

Elma

Elma

Well-Known Member
In a bid to save money I don't have access to newspapers anymore. I was wondering if there is anything out there about my relative John Royal Godfrey 1837-1897. He lived in Street/Glastonbury, Somerset. I know a lot about hime with other records etc but I am particulary interested to see if he was a brass band leader? This is slightly complicated by his cousin also called John Godfrey 1833-1926 from the same area. I know he was a bandmaster, as were his sons Richard, Francis, George and William but this is not the family I want to know about.

My John Royal Godfrey also had children, Lemuel, Reginald, Ernest, Henry and William. I fear many people have got the two families muddled up, although I know Brass Bands were popular and there were several in the area at the time.

If anyone can help I would be very grateful.

With thanks Elizabeth
 
Is this of any use, from the Central Somerset Gazette 18th March 1955
Mr and Mrs C. R. Dickinson of Princess-avenue, Christchurch, who celebrated their golden wedding last week, were married at Glastonbury and went to Christchurch 25 years ago from Shaftesbury. Mr Dickinson was clerk to Shaftesbury Rural Council and Superintendent Registrar and clerk to the Assessment Committee. For some time Mr Dickinson was secretary of the Christchurch and New Forest Canine Society. He was also Secretary of the old Christchurch Carnival Committee for many years. and also served on the Regatta Committee. Mr Dickinson was born at Wells, where his father was in business. His wife is a native of Glastonbury and her father, Mr. John Royal Godfrey, was bandmaster and conductor of Glastonbury Town Band. At Shaftesbury Mr Dickinson was a founder-member of the Bowling Club and Sweet-Pea Society.
 
From a lengthy article on the Festival of the Wincanton Church Sunday Schools in the Western Gazette of the 15th July 1881 -
After the service, a procession was formed, headed by the Avalonian Brass Band, under the leadership of Mr J. R. Godfrey......
 
Shepton Mallet Journal dated 17 March 1905 reports the marriage on 7 March 1905 at St John's, Glastonbury, of Charles Roland DICKINSON of Wells to Gertrude, third daughter of the late John Royal GODFREY, of Wells, which ties in with what Molly May found for you. Also a report in the Central Somerset Gazette dated 2 May 1885 of the marriage at The Registry Office, Wells, on 26 April 1885 of Mr Robert TALBOT of Street to Emily eldest daughter of John Royal GODFREY of Glastonbury. Yet another article in the Central Somerset Gazette dated 5 October 1956 reporting the retirement from nursing of Miss Godfrey, daughter of the late Mr Reginald GODFREY & granddaughter of the late Mr John Royal GODFREY, one time bandmaster of the Glastonbury Town Band.

Janet
 
Apologies if you've seen this before -
Central Somerset Gazette 24th November 1894
An inquest was held on Monday, November 12th at the London hospital, on the body of Mary Godfrey, aged 29, the wife of a shoemaker, living at Connor-steet, South Hackney, who died in the hospital from terrible burns. On October 24th deceased, at the request of a neighbour, poured some paraffin oil on her copper fire for the purpose of making it burn. At the time she was not aware that the fire was alight. Directly the oil was thrown on the fire the flames caught her clothing, and she ran into the yard with her clothes in flames. She was seen by a doctor and afterwards taken to the London hospital. On the Saturday previous to her death, she was delivered of a child, which is now alive and doing well. The neighbour referred to denied that it was at her request that the deceased poured the oil on the fire. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. The deceased was the wife of Mr Reginald Godfrey, son of Mr Royal Godfrey, of this town, and she was the daughter of Street parents. Much sympathy is felt for the relations in Glastonbury and Street.
 
Thank you everyone. I am relieved that I now have the evidence that John Royal Godfrey was a Bandmaster.
I hadn't seen these newspaper reports and the one about Mary Godfrey's death was very sad. Interestingly her daughter Gertrude who must have been about three at the time of her mother's death went on to be one of the founder members of the Royal College of Nursing, which I am very proud of, being a nurse myself for some 40 years.
This has all been really helpful thank you.
 
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