Geoffrey John Duncan Stobie (1897 - 1930)

Born 31 Jan 1897 in Hawera, Taranaki, New Zealand

Ancestors

Husband of Eliza Annie (Stent) Cooke — married 30 Dec 1922 (to 31 Jul 1930) in Tarakahe, Motueka, New Zealand

Died 31 Jul 1930 at age 33 in Kotinga, Tasman, New Zealand

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Biography

Geoffrey Stobie was the son of William John Stobie and Margery McGregor of Hawera.

He joined the Territorial Force, 12th Nelson Regiment.

Geoffrey enlisted WWI at the age of 20 - serial no 46210 - NZEF - Canterbury Infantry, 12th Company - rank Private.

On February 6 Geoffrey Stobie and the men of the 26th Reinforcements were given a send off by friends and family before their departure to England.

He embarked on the Turakina 26 April 1917 from Nelson to Wellington. From there his unit sailed on the Tahiti to Plymouth, England. It was September 1917 when they marched into Etaples.

Private Geoffrey Stobie was promoted to Lance Corporal, 31 October 1918.

Geoffrey was gassed during active service and spent time in a London hospital recovering. He took a rest period and during this time he received formal art training at Slade Art School in London which he put to good use in his cartoon depictions of Army life. He rejoined his unit in the Field Ambulance at Rouen by October 1917. By March 1918 Geoffrey was readmitted to hospital at Boulogne.

He returned to New Zealand on the SS Hororata leaving Plymouth in July 1919.

Postwar, Geoffrey worked as a Farmer for a time and lived at upper Takaka. He also continued to draw his cartoon's and must have had a great sense of humour. Today his depictions of life during the war are held by NZ Archives in their War Art collection.

In the 1920's, Geoffrey was employed as a Chemist in the Takaka Cement works plant. During this time he also married Eliza Annie Stent.

They had 4 children in their short marriage.

Being gassed during the War affected Geoffrey's health and he later developed Tuberculosis.

Geoffrey Stobie died age 36 and was buried at Kotinga Cemetery in the Tasman district. BLK D PLOT 140. Geoffrey John Duncan Stobie is recorded on the new 'Takaka District War Memorial'.^[1]

Place of Burial: Block D, Plot 140, Tasman, New Zealand

Sources

1. ↑ https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/takaka-war-memorial

• Find A Grave: Memorial #117504485
• https://www.tasman.govt.nz Recorded as G J D Stobie

• "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG6V-YYB4 : 4 January 2018), Duncan Geoffrey John Stobie, 1897; citing Birth, New Zealand, registration number 1897/1458, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington.
• "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG6K-2Q75 : 4 January 2018), Geoffrey John Duncan Stobie, 1930; citing Death, New Zealand, registration number 1930/7331, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington.
• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGC-3MBH : 13 December 2015), G. J. D. Stobie, 1930; Burial, Takaka, Tasman District, Tasman, New Zealand, Kotinga Cemetery; citing record ID 117504485, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
• "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKYR-RF7C : 21 February 2019), Geoffrey John Duncan Stobie, 1930; citing , Wellington Probate Files [First Sequence], 1843-1939, record number 47003, Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office; FamilySearch digital folder 100846420.

• http://warart.archives.govt.nz/GeoffreyStobie
• Archives New Zealand: R22499773
• Archives New Zealand: R7821874
• http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C90866?n=GEOFFREY%20STOBIE&ordinal=0&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch

• https://ancestry.com.au NZ Electoral Rolls

• 1920's cartoons courtesy of a family member
• Image - GJD Stobie - Courtesy of P Snellgrove
• https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz : Nelson Evening Mail' 5/2/1917 Empires Call out of copyright

• https://www.geni.com/people/Geoffrey-Stobie/6000000046475439191