James Goldie
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James Goldie, true birth surname Jones, was one of 4 children, the eldest brother of 2, he had 1 elder and 1 younger sister. His father Pryce Matthew Thomas Jones Jnr. born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, was an only child, the son of Pryce Matthew Thomas Jones M. D. of Newarthill, Lanarkshire, (Giessen 1851) Medical Attendant at Newarthill Colliery and Janet H. Bolloch, born circa 1853, also of Lanarkshire. After her husband’s demise Janet, affectionately known as Jessie, remarried to Robert Goldie of Lanarkshire, born circa 1857, four years her junior. They had a son, Peter born in circa 1880 in Scotland before they transferred to England where there daughter Jessie was born at Seghill in 1881, whilst they were living at 13, New Square, where Robert was employed as a coal miner. Between 1881 and 1891 they had a further 6 children, Robert Jnr, Ann, John, Marian, Catherine (Kate) and William. From Seghill they moved to Bedlington and by 1901 to 6, West View, Walbottle, Northumberland, living in Ashington by 1911.
Pryce Matthew Thomas Jones had married in 1895 in the district of Tynemouth, Northumberland, to Annie Miller Hall, born 1875 at Chevington, Northumberland. Their daughter Jessie was born that same year, October 20th in the district of Morpeth as were James Jones Goldie, January 2nd 1897, Mary Miller 1899 and Robert Jones Goldie, April 3rd 1900. In 1901, living at 42, Medway Street, Hirst, Ashington, where he was employed as a coal miner/horseman below ground at the colliery, they were entered into the census of 1901 as the Jones family, Pryce and his children using on this occasion, Goldie, as a middle name.
At the age of 14 years, in 1911, James Goldie Jones was living with his grandmother, step-grandfather and family at 42, Medway Street, the house having been vacated by his parents and siblings. Robert Goldie and his full blood sons were all employed as colliery workers/hewers, James (14) as a pony driver, whilst his aunt Kate (20) remained at home with her mother.
When war was declared in 1914 James must have lied about his age as he was 17 years 6 months of age, still too young to enlist. He did so, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, under the surname Goldie but was also known to the Army as Jones. As Private 1566 he was posted to the newly formed 20th Battalion (Tyneside Scottish) Northumberland Fusiliers, raised as a Palls battalion part of Kitchener’s New Armies. The recruits trained at Newcastle before moving to Alnwick camp in the grounds of Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, January 29th 1915, then on to Ripon, Yorkshire, in June 1915 as part of the 34th Division, and lastly arriving at Salisbury Plain for final training in late August 1915.
Private Goldie departed with his regiment as of January 1916 attached to the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division which congregated at La Crosse, east of St Omer. After a period of trench familiarisation they made their way to the Somme in preparation for the forthcoming battles. The opening battle of the Somme due to commence June 29th 1916 was delayed until July 1st by bad weather. The 20th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers were in action on the first day during the Battle of Albert. At 7.28am two huge mines were detonated under the German lines, one to the south and one to the north of the village of La Boisselle which signalled the beginning of the attack. The 20th Battalion had 500 yards to cover under heavy machine gun fire, nevertheless, capturing Scots and Sausage Redoubts. The battalion lost 26 officers and 564 men.
The 20th Battalion remained on the Somme but did not participate in any other major battles, due to heavy casualties sustained on July 1st 1916 as part of the 102nd Brigade it was transferred to the 37th Division between July 6th and August 22nd. They left the Somme moving to the Arras sector in the run up to the Arras Offensive, April 9th-May 16th 1917, seeing action at the Battle of Arleux, April 28th-29th, then involved in day to day trench warfare.
Having risen through the ranks, the now, Lance Sergeant James Goldie, initially reported as missing, after extensive investigations as to his whereabouts was struck off and is presumed to have died, May 5th 1917.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of nearly 35,000 names inscribed on the Arras Memorial, within Faubourg d”Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France, which commemorates soldiers of the British, South African and New Zealand Forces who have no known grave, the majority of whom were killed during the Battle of Arras. He was 19 years of age and single.
His mother, entered in records as Mrs. Annie G. Jones of 7, Sweetbriar Place, Morpeth, Northumberland, received all monies due to him from the Army, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal and from documents available, possibly a pension.
Prior to the death of James his parents had lost their daughter Jessie Goldie Jones in 1904, aged 9 years. Robert Goldie Jones was too young to serve during WW1 and died at Islington, London in 1952 aged 52 years, details as regards Mary Goldie Jones, unknown.
Annie Miller Jones nee Hall died aged 89 years in 1964 registered at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. Details as regards Pryce Matthew Thomas Jones as yet, unconfirmed.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
James Goldie is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01
