Fort Buildings
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:40 pm
Hallo everyone, my name is Ian and I'm a retired special needs art teacher in Enfield North London. One thing I decided to do with my spare time was to find out more about my mothers family, because I was Fostered in 1945 when she died. It has been a series of revelations as I've put the story together bit by bit. I found out for example, that my Grandad Henry Richard Goozee, lived at 78 Alscot Road and was killed on August 21st 1918 near Arras. He's buried at Douchy Les Ayette.
He was a Cooper by trade and so was his father, who worked for Sarson's in the Vinegar Trade. I'm trying to follow their footsteps and visit those places that they might have known and lived. 78 Alscot Road has been knocked down but it would be nice to know which bit of the road was nearest to the house. My great grandfather was called Joseph Henry Goozee and when he came to Bermondsey from Osterley he settled into Fort Buildings with his wife, Jane Rebecca nee' McGuiness. He followed the trade, and there would have been an enormous demand for barrels in the district. Tanners, Brewers, Dyers, Vinegar trades all needed Coopers.
So the first question is: in what bit of Alscot Road did my mum live and the second question is where was Fort Buildings. I've found Fort Road which used to be Fort Street, but Fort Buildings are usually said to be at a Southwark Park Road address, on the other hand they might have been in Leroy Street. So I'm puzzled.
Finally, my search has been easier than most because of the odd surname of my ancestors, so if anyone knows of a Goozee, probably a Nee' Goozee as most of the blokes seem to have been killed off in the wars, I'd be pleased to hear from them. By the way Goozee means 'the people who took care of the Geese' in the same way that there are lots of Miller's, Baker's, Smith's and indeed Coopers in the towns and villages of England.
With Thanks, Ian Wilson
He was a Cooper by trade and so was his father, who worked for Sarson's in the Vinegar Trade. I'm trying to follow their footsteps and visit those places that they might have known and lived. 78 Alscot Road has been knocked down but it would be nice to know which bit of the road was nearest to the house. My great grandfather was called Joseph Henry Goozee and when he came to Bermondsey from Osterley he settled into Fort Buildings with his wife, Jane Rebecca nee' McGuiness. He followed the trade, and there would have been an enormous demand for barrels in the district. Tanners, Brewers, Dyers, Vinegar trades all needed Coopers.
So the first question is: in what bit of Alscot Road did my mum live and the second question is where was Fort Buildings. I've found Fort Road which used to be Fort Street, but Fort Buildings are usually said to be at a Southwark Park Road address, on the other hand they might have been in Leroy Street. So I'm puzzled.
Finally, my search has been easier than most because of the odd surname of my ancestors, so if anyone knows of a Goozee, probably a Nee' Goozee as most of the blokes seem to have been killed off in the wars, I'd be pleased to hear from them. By the way Goozee means 'the people who took care of the Geese' in the same way that there are lots of Miller's, Baker's, Smith's and indeed Coopers in the towns and villages of England.
With Thanks, Ian Wilson