Address: Brenchley, Kent

How he became a farmer is not known. According to his baptismal record his father was labourer, presumably a farm labourer. John almost certainly started out as a farm labourer probably around the age of 14. The first record of him being a farmer is the 1851 Census (neither he or his parents can be found in the 1841 Census) where he is shown as a bachelor farming 30 acres in Brenchley. Given his background the farm would have been rented. By the time of the 1861 Census he had married Gertrude Goodman and moved to Bushes Farm in Chevening where he is farming 95 acres and employing a man and a boy. He remains at Bushes Farm until his retirement sometime between September 1884 when he was granted a letter of administration on his wife Gertrude's estate and his death in Tottenham in December 1886 gradually increasing his acreage and number of employees. In the 1871 Census he is farming 149 acres and employing 2 men, and in the 1881 Census 150 acres and employing 4 men and a boy.

Address: near Dunks

John was living alone and farming 30 acres

He would have been present and also some or all of their children.

Cause: pneumonia

Address: 20 Richmond Road, Wood Green

His daughter Gertrude who reported his death is shown as living at the same address, She may as an unmarried daughter been looking after him when he retired from farming but why he moved from Chevening to Tottenham on his retirement is not known

Address: Tottenham, Middlesex

Gertrude Goodman (1832-1884)

Henry Botten (1855- )

Gertrude Botten (1862-1948)

Address: St Pancras, Middlesex

John Goodman was the bride's father and Elizabeth Botten was the groom's mother.

Address: Bushes Farm

The household consisted of John, his wife Gertrude, their children John (age 7), Harry (age 6), William (age 3) and Anna (age 1), an agricultural labourer William Castleden, and a general servant Eliza Gasson. John is farming 95 acres and employs a man and a boy.

Address: Bushes Farm, Ide Hill

The household consisted of John, his wife Gertrude, their children John (age 17), Henry (age 16), William (age 13), Hannah (age 11), Gertrude (age 8), Ann (age 6) and George (0 months), John's father who also called John, and a servant Jane Ansett. John is farming 149 acres and employes 2 labourers. His older sons John and Henry probably helped as well.

Address: Bushes Farm

The household consisted of John, his wife Gertrude, their children Gertrude (age 18), George (age 11), Charles (age 8) and Albert (age 4), Frederick Fish (age 15) described as a farm servant but may be the boy employed by John, a boarder Henry Gadsby who is described as a painter but whether a house painter or an artist is not known, and Edward Shoosby also described as farm servant but may be one of the farm labourers employed by John. John is farming 150 acres and employing 4 men and a boy.