TOPIC:

QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL
CLASPS: CAPE COLONY
CONDITION: VGF. DARKENING TONE. ORIGINAL RIBBON.
NICE SLANTING STYLE INSCRIPTION TO THE RIM.

Arthur Henry Goldsack was born in the first quarter of 1872 at Plumstead in England.
He attested to the Ordnance Store Corps at Woolwich on 5th November 1891 declaring his trade as that of Labourer.
He was , at the time, 19 years and 1 month of age, and 5' 5" in height, 115lbs in weight with a chest range of 33"minimum and 35"maximum.
He was of Church of England denomination, of fresh complexion, brown eyed and had dark brown hair.

His service history tells us the following:
HOME: 05/11/1891 TO 04/11/1898.
ARMY RESERVE: 05/11/1898.
HOME: 09/10/1899 TO 23/10/1899.
SOUTH AFRICA: 24/10/1899 TO 18/09/1903.
HOME: 19/09/1902 TO 04/11/1903.

His journey of self improvement in the military found that he passed the 3rd Class level of education on 6th November 1883 and then the 2nd Class level on 11th April 1894.

Arthur was promoted to Corporal on 1st March 1900 whilst in South Africa and Sergeant on 15th November 1900.

His next of kin was his mother Sarah Goldsack of 147 Maxey Road, Plumstead, London.

As we can see from his QSA medal, he was awarded the clasp Cape Colony. I was pleased to see the slanting style of inscription to the rim of the medal as opposed to the standard lettering, which adds appeal to medals from the AOC.

Long after completing his service of 12 years with the colours, the national UK Census of 1911 finds Arthur residing at 54 Frederick Place, Plumstead, Woolwich, London. He was now employed as a 38 year old Workshop Clerk and lived here with his 39 year old wife Jessie, and daughters Edith Jessie (3) and Mabel Doris (0). The census gives the year of their marriage as 1907.
We now move on to 1921, where the national census, sadly, shows Arthur as a widower of 48 years old with Edith Jessie now 13 and Mabel Doris 11.
Jessie Goldsack died in the fourth quarter of 1915. The family now living at 147 Maxey Road, Plumstead.

At the time of the 1921 Census, Arthur still has a connection with the military working as a Fireman Timekeeper at the Army Ordnance Depot, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich.

The electoral roll shows another change of address with Arthur living at 43 Alma Terrace, St.Leonard's

Arthur Henry Goldsack died on 8th August 1929 and was buried in Greenwich on 13th August 1929.