COOMBER, John
Born c1873; died 19 November 1918; buried 22 November 1918; age 46
John COOMBER was an Englishman and an Anglican, the son of Charlotte and Thomas Richard Coomber, 11 Railway Terrace, Lewisham, Kent, England.
In 1901 John married Marion HALL in Lewisham, Kent. The couple came to New Zealand sometime after the middle of 1906. They brought with them their first daughter, Emily Nellie Coomber who had been born in July 1906 (according to her school record). The family lived in Tory St and also at 2 Tui Street, an area of poor quality housing between Tory and Barker Streets in Te Aro.
Marion and John had another daughter and a son in New Zealand. Their daughter was born 22 February 1908, and named Alice Marion Coomber. In 1913, the third Coomber child was born, a son, named James Swan Coomber, who died five weeks later.
Nellie was enrolled in later 1913 at Mt Cook Infants School while the family was living at 118 Tory Street, Wellington. John and Marion may have separated about this time or shortly after, as there were reports in the local papers of courts ordering maintenance to be paid by a John Coomber for two children who had been placed in a home. There are also during the next few years reports of Marion being fined for using obscene language, being the subject of a prohibition order, and for loitering for the purposes of prostitution, the latter charge being hotly denied. On 23 March 1915 John Coomber was fined 10 shillings for threatening behaviour in Frederick Street and a few weeks later on 3rd April 1915 John placed an advertisement in the papers stating he would not be responsible for any debts incurred in his name from the date of the advert. His address was given as 31 Frederick Street.
When John, who was working for the Public Works Department as a labourer, answered the call for military service in November 1915 by signing up as a rifleman in the 10th Reinforcements of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade he gave his address as 118 Tory Street. After training in camp in New Zealand he was one of the 10th Reinforcements dispatched on the Willochra and Tofua on 4 March 1916, arriving in Egypt on 8th April. By May he was in France, where he served until he was wounded (shot in the right arm) in June 1917.
John did not find army service easy overseas; his army file records occasions he was disciplined for falling out of rank without permission, being drunk on duty, and being absent from his billet without permission. He sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm while in action and returned to New Zealand on medical grounds on the Remuera in August 1917.
His military personnel file recorded that he was legally separated from his wife.
John died of influenza in the Sydney Street Hospital, Wellington on 19 November 1918. He was buried in the second Anglican section three days later. His war service medals were held in trust for his older daughter, Nellie. Public Health provided the standard grant of £7 to assist with burial costs.
Although John and Marion’s relationship had been difficult, Marion inserted a loving memorial notice one year after his death, along with one from his daughters:
Born c1873; died 19 November 1918; buried 22 November 1918; age 46
John COOMBER was an Englishman and an Anglican, the son of Charlotte and Thomas Richard Coomber, 11 Railway Terrace, Lewisham, Kent, England.
In 1901 John married Marion HALL in Lewisham, Kent. The couple came to New Zealand sometime after the middle of 1906. They brought with them their first daughter, Emily Nellie Coomber who had been born in July 1906 (according to her school record). The family lived in Tory St and also at 2 Tui Street, an area of poor quality housing between Tory and Barker Streets in Te Aro.
Marion and John had another daughter and a son in New Zealand. Their daughter was born 22 February 1908, and named Alice Marion Coomber. In 1913, the third Coomber child was born, a son, named James Swan Coomber, who died five weeks later.
Nellie was enrolled in later 1913 at Mt Cook Infants School while the family was living at 118 Tory Street, Wellington. John and Marion may have separated about this time or shortly after, as there were reports in the local papers of courts ordering maintenance to be paid by a John Coomber for two children who had been placed in a home. There are also during the next few years reports of Marion being fined for using obscene language, being the subject of a prohibition order, and for loitering for the purposes of prostitution, the latter charge being hotly denied. On 23 March 1915 John Coomber was fined 10 shillings for threatening behaviour in Frederick Street and a few weeks later on 3rd April 1915 John placed an advertisement in the papers stating he would not be responsible for any debts incurred in his name from the date of the advert. His address was given as 31 Frederick Street.
When John, who was working for the Public Works Department as a labourer, answered the call for military service in November 1915 by signing up as a rifleman in the 10th Reinforcements of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade he gave his address as 118 Tory Street. After training in camp in New Zealand he was one of the 10th Reinforcements dispatched on the Willochra and Tofua on 4 March 1916, arriving in Egypt on 8th April. By May he was in France, where he served until he was wounded (shot in the right arm) in June 1917.
John did not find army service easy overseas; his army file records occasions he was disciplined for falling out of rank without permission, being drunk on duty, and being absent from his billet without permission. He sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm while in action and returned to New Zealand on medical grounds on the Remuera in August 1917.
His military personnel file recorded that he was legally separated from his wife.
John died of influenza in the Sydney Street Hospital, Wellington on 19 November 1918. He was buried in the second Anglican section three days later. His war service medals were held in trust for his older daughter, Nellie. Public Health provided the standard grant of £7 to assist with burial costs.
Although John and Marion’s relationship had been difficult, Marion inserted a loving memorial notice one year after his death, along with one from his daughters:
Hers said:
It's one sad year ago to-day
Since one I loved was called away;
Tho' days be dark and friends be few,
Oh, husband dear, I long for you
His daughters recorded:
One year has passed away, dear dad.
But your face will never fade;
For we love you just as dearly
Though you're in your silent grave.
It's one sad year ago to-day
Since one I loved was called away;
Tho' days be dark and friends be few,
Oh, husband dear, I long for you
His daughters recorded:
One year has passed away, dear dad.
But your face will never fade;
For we love you just as dearly
Though you're in your silent grave.
Marion continued to insert memorial notices in the Evening Post until 1927.
In 1920 she married again, to Percy Leonard BOOTH, with whom she lived at Belmont, a suburb of Lower Hutt.
In 1946 Marion Patricia Booth was buried with John after she died in April that year aged 71.
Researched and written by Jenny Robertson
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 96 E
In 1920 she married again, to Percy Leonard BOOTH, with whom she lived at Belmont, a suburb of Lower Hutt.
In 1946 Marion Patricia Booth was buried with John after she died in April that year aged 71.
Researched and written by Jenny Robertson
Grave Information:
Section: CH ENG2
Plot: 96 E