John Goucher

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Ash Place, Chillington Street, Enoch Goucher, Express & Star, France, John Goucher, Midland Counties Express, Monmore Green Council School, South Staffordshire Regiment, Tower Street

John Goucher article in the Express & Star, 8 June 1915

The announcement of the death of Acting Corporal Goucher, along with his photograph, appeared in the Express & Star on 8 June 1915. The article was very brief, stating that he belonged to the 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment, and that he was killed in action after being at the Front for ten months. He left behind a widow and child living at 3 Court, Tower Street, Wolverhampton. His entry on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site confirms his first name as John, and that he died on 18 May 1915. The Midland Counties Expressof 25 November 1916 gave his wife’s address as 5 Pipers Row, and stated that he had attended Monmore Green Council School as a child.

The son of Daniel and Elizabeth Goucher, John was born in Wolverhampton in 1887. In the 1891 census, the family are at 2 Ash Place, Wolverhampton, including John’s brothers Enoch, Daniel (who died aged 10 in 1896) and Emmanuel (who died in 1918). By 1911 the parents and sisters are at Court 1, Chillington Street, Wolverhampton, but both John and Enoch were with their regiments in Lichfield. John married an Athalia Baker in 1913 and their daughter, Constance I. Goucher, was born later that year.

He is commemorated at Le Touret Memorial in France.