Private William James GODLIMAN (1875–1898)

William James Godliman was born in Chelsea on 18 July 1875 according to his school record, but his parentage is uncertain: he was not registered under that name.

When he entered St Augustine's School on 26 September 1882 his father's name was recorded as Frederick Godliman, but young William was then living at 56 Denmark Road, Willesden, which was the address of his grandmother Sarah Bell. The 1881 census shows him at the age of five living there with his grandmother, who was aged 55 and working as a laundress, helped by two of her daughters. (Possibly the elder daughter, also Sarah Bell (22) was William's mother.) Meanwhile Frederick Godliman, an unmarried labourer of 22 who may have been William's father, was living with his parents at 1a Hayden Mews, Kensington.

At the time of the 1891 census William, aged 13, was an inmate at the London County Council Industrial School in Feltham, Middlesex. This was a reformatory school for boys and they had to cultivate 70 acres of land there. (Boys who were orphans were sent there, as well as those caught begging or committing a crime.)

On 21 September 1895 at the age of 20 years and 3 months William James Godliman, described as a groom, signed up to join the 2nd Battalion of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry. He stated that he was already serving in the militia (Middlesex Regiment). He was sent to India, and was awarded the India Medal later in 1895.

In 1897/8 he served as a Private (regimental no. 5097) both on the Punjab Frontier and at Tirah. He died of enteric fever on 8 May 1898 at Firozepur and was buried there the next day.

He was posthumously awarded the India Medal with two clasps.