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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: ZoeA on Sunday 09 June 13 06:04 BST (UK)
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Hi, I am looking for any information on Thomas Fradley - His mother was Eliza Ann Williams I believe, and his father was Benjamin Fradley. My Grandmother Elizabeth (Betty) Fradley was the daughter of Thomas Fradley as mentioned, and Drucilla Matilda Garrett. I have seen on old posts that Thomas Fradley had been married twice and I wondered if his First Wife was Jane Agnes Grainger (or Granny Grainger as my Grandma would call her) My Grandmother Elizabeth Fradley married John Thomas Astbury (Both have now passed) I am doing the family tree and am getting really confused with the Thomas Fradley side. Elizabeth had a brother Ben and sisters Edith, Rhoda and Drusilla, all I believe are now passed also. Any help is greatly appreciated! :)
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Ok let's get a bit of background here :)
Marriages Dec 1/4 1905
Thomas Fradley
Drucilla Garrett
Registration district Congleton vol 8a page 540
So we are looking for a possible first marriage of a Thomas Fradley to a Jane Alice Grainger prior to 1905
Here's one, but whether he is the same Thomas Fradley that married Drucilla we will have to find out. The easy but costly way is to buy Drucilla's marriage cert which would say if Thomas was a widow.
On same page FreeBMD
Marriages Jun 1/4 1890
Thomas Fradley
Jane Agnes Grainger
Northwich 8a/416a
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The Thomas Fradley who married Drucilla Garrett was born 1885 in Bunbury Cheshire so he can't be the Thomas Fradley who married Jane Agnes Grainger in 1890 because he would have been 5 years old! :)
Their daughters Edith born c 1908 and Elizabeth 1910.
I see from the census that Thomas b1885 was a boatman on the canals.
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Ah a Grainger does fit in to your tree but as a stepfather to some Fradley children. it will sort itself out as we go back in the censuses.
1901 RG13 piece 3345 folio 102 page 30
Canal Boat "Edward"
William Grainger 33 Narrow boat master born Middlewich Cheshire
Eliza Ann Grainger 36 wife Bunbury
Thomas Fradley 17 stepson Bunbury
Joshua Fradley 14 stepson Bunbury
Henry Fradley 9 stepson Rode heath
Martha Fradley 11 step/dau Northwich
Eliza Ann Fradley 7 step/dua Rode heath
William Grainger 2 son Middlewich
Maud Grainger 4 months daughter Middlewich
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1891 RG12 Piece 2847 Folio 68 Page 17
Oak Street Odd Rode Cheshire
Benjamin Fradley 29 canal boatman born Stoke on Trent Staffordshire
Eliza Ann Fradley 27 Bunbury
Thomas Fradley 7 Bunbury
Joshua Fradley 5 Bunbury
Samuel Fradley 3 Odd Rode
Martha Ann Fradley 1 Burland Cheshire
Marriages Jun 1/4 1883
Benjamin Fradley
Eliza Ann Williams
Congleton vol 8a page 398
Eliza's second marriage to William Grainger
Marriages Jun 1/4 1898
Eliza Ann Fadley
Eliza Ann Fradley
William Grainger
Congleton vol 8a page 537
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This is the Thomas who married Jane Agnes Grainger in 1890 but no relationship established with your William Grainger as yet.
1901 Piece 2604 Folio 55 Page 47
Boat Samaria? Shelton Stoke upon Trent
Thomas Fradley 32 Barge boatman
Jane A Fradley 28 Beeston Cheshire
William Fradley 4 Middlewhich
Arthur Fradley 2 Middlewich
Benjamin Fradley 11 months Middlewich
Birth - name spelling a little out but Chester includes Beeston district
Births Jun 1/4 1872
Jane Agnes Grange
Chester 8a/389
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This is William the second husband of Eliza Ann (mother of Thomas Fradley) He has been married before but no indication whether Ellen 5 is his daughter or the daughter of one of his siblings.
1891 RG12 Piece 2842 Folio 76 Page 22
Booth Lane Newton Cheshire
George Granger 58 Builder's lab Middlewich
Elizabeth Granger 54
James Granger 29 gen lab
William Granger 25 Widow Unemployed through illness
Frederick Granger son 21 Boatman
Josiah Granger son 12 scholar
Emily Granger dau 9
Ellen Granger 5 granddaughter
All born Middlewich
Still haven't connected him to Janes Agnes Grainger
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Hi Crisane! wow great information thank you!
I am in the midst of doing my family tree - But the name Thomas Fradley is really getting confusing. Both Thomas Fradley, married to Drucilla, and Thomas Fradley Married to Jane Agnes Grainger do both exist in my family, the part I am really unsure about is that both of these Thomas Fradleys have Benjamin as the Father - when I look through the Census on Marriages - however as you have rightly pointed out the Dates do not match. Here is the path I was following...
William Fradley born 1775 married Margaret
They had a Son - Benjamin Fradley born 1795 - married Elizabeth Hassal
Ben and Elizabeth have a son - Benjamin Fradley born 1838 - then the trail kind of runs dry - I thought this Benjamin might be the father of Thomas Fradley - but I can't find any Son or wife connection to Eliza Ann Williams. If I could find a Benjamin who had two sons - Benjamin and Thomas then it would be much easier.
My Dad thought that Thomas Fradley and Jane Ages Grainger were his Great Grandparents - but I think this is wrong, as my Dads Mums Dad was Thomas Fradley and his father according to the Census was Benjamin - so you can see how it is getting lost...
Thank you for your time, really appreciated. :) :)
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The Boatman part is Very interesting too - I have Thomas Fradley married to Jane Agnes Grainger - both of them listed as Boat man and Boat woman - So it is also interesting to read from you that Thomas Fradley married to Drucilla was also a Boatman - the Canal boats were in the family, my Nanas brother Ben also worked on the canals.
I did also find that Benjamin Fradley (born from William Fradley) did have a brother called Solomon Fradley - he eventually had a Son - Thomas Fradley born 1823 - so I was in the frame of mind that the Thomas Fradley who married Jane Agnes Grainger was in fact a Great Uncle...not Great Grandfather.
I did find a post from 2009 on this forum which my relatives were posting on but I don't know who they were...they had all the information - hoping they may check on here now and then...I think the post is closed so I can't contact them now. It was in that post I discovered Thomas Fradley apparently was married twice. ???
:)
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Hi Crisane - actually I think you have solved the problem for me - Granny Grainger was not the Jane Agnes Grainger - she was Eliza Ann Grainger/Fradley - mother of Thomas Fradley - his Dad still being Benjamin. I think the Thomas Fradley and Jane Agnes Grainger are maybe distant relations but not what my Dad initially thought! Thank you for your help, am pretty sure this is it. :)
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Yes you've got it! :D
I just realised that I hadn't posted the death of Benjamin Fradley, the father of your Thomas, 1st husband of Eliza Ann Williams. The age is a little out with the 1891 census but that is no big deal.
Deaths Jun 1/4 1896
Benjamin Fradley age 37 Congleton 8a/197
The Ellen Granger, granddaughter, age 5 who was with William and his parents in 1891 (before he married Eliza) is still with her grandparents in 1901 but is down as their daughter. I wonder if she was william's duaghter and stayed with them after his remarriage?
You will find the birth registrations of Drusilla, Benjamin and Rhoda on FreeBMD along with Edith's and Elizabeth's. Drusilla and Rhoda's you can search using mother's maiden name as they ere registered after 1911
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This is Benjamin (father of your Thomas) before he married Eliza Ann Williams. Looks like Eliza and benjamin named one of their boys after Benjamin's brother
1881 RG11 Piece 3536 Folio 91 Page 41
On the boat "Elizabeth" Odd Rode Cheshire
Benjamin Fradley 20 boatman born Stoke on Trent Staffordshire
Joshua Fradley 18 boatman born Stoke on Trent Staffordshire
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John 18 months and Benjamin 1 month(future father of Thomas) are the children of Benjamin 23 and Ann but the relationship to the head of household should be grandson. I can't see a marriage for Benjamin and Ann? 1855 -1865 on FreeBMD
1861 RG 9 Piece 1938 Folio 41 Page 26
Penkhull Staffordshire
Benjamin Fradley head 65 boatman
Elizabeth Fradley wife 68
Benjamin Fradley son 23 boatman
Ann Fradley dau in law 21
Charles Fradley 14 boatman's boy
John Fradley 18 months son
Benjamin Fradley 1 month son
All born Staffordshire
1871 but Benjamin age 11 not with them
RG10 Piece 3700 Folio 52 Page 28
On canal on boat Newton Middlewich
Benjamin Fradley 32 Captain Stone Staffordshire
Ann Fradley 30 assistant Dunnington Wood Salop
Joshua Fradley 8 Stoke
Elizabeth Fradley 6 Tollend Staffordshire
Sarah Fradley 6 Astley lancashire
Thomas Fradley 2 Not known Cheshire
Mary Ann Fradley 3 Months Middleich Cheshire
I can't find Benjamin born c 1861 in 1871 on either ancestry or FindMyPast
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Benjamin snr and Benjamin jnr not at home - off on canal somewhere? But I can't pick them up as yet
1851 HO107 Piece 2006 Folio 17 Page 26
North Street Stoke on Trent
Elizabeth Fradley 56 Married, Stoke
Mary Ann Fradley 24 dau Stoke
Sarah Fradley 16 boatman Stoke
Mary Ann Snape 13 visitor Barsham Staffordshire
Charles Fradley 4 grandson (he is son in 1871) Stoke on Trent
Harriet Fradley 11 months granddaughter Stoke on Trent
Can't find them on 1841
So what we have is Benjamin Fradley born c 1796 Staffordshire married an Elizabeth ? born Staffordshire
Their son Benjamin born c1838 Staffordshire married an Ann ? born c1840 Staffordshire (can't find marriage on FreeBMD
Their son Benjamin born c1861 Stoke on Trent Staffs married Eliza Ann Williams born c1864 Bunbury Cheshire.
Their son Thomas born c1884 married Drucilla Garrett. Their children Edith, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Rhoda and Drucilla
:)
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If you go to familysearch.org and enter Benjamin Fradley, England and no other details you will get many records for possible births and marriages. :)
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Hi Crisane,
This information is amazing thank you for finding it - I passed lots of it on to my Dad, he never knew he had a Great Grandad Benjamin! And it cleared up who the real Granny Grainger was! :) plus all the other relatives that went with them both, I did manage to find two photos one of Elizabeth Fradley Daughter of Benjamin and of her husband. I have discovered that Fradley information is much easier to find than all the other family names in my Tree - I will check out the familysearch.org for the others too. Thank you again! you have been wonderful! :)
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No worries, I enjoyed the search :)
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Re the Fradleys. I have a John Fradley b 1859 in Wolverhampton, married Eliza Harrison. I think these must be linked because John Fradley's father, also John is shown as born in Middlewich. This Fradley family were also canal boatmen (as were the Harrisons)
In 1891 and 1901 John and Eliza are living in Odd Rode, Cheshire.
I have links to both of Eliza's parents, George Harrison and Mary Northwood.
Angela
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Hi Zoe
Just seen your posting, well my connection to the fradley tree is that Edith Thomas's daughter was my grandmother. Edith married a Francis Pepper they had my mum Elizabeth and 2 sons my uncles Bill and Jim, they looked after Thomas in fact he died in my nan's house. His house is in Rode Heath if you didnt know. Can I ask what your connection is?
Looking forward to hearing from you
Yours
Janet
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hello all, delighted to see these comments/questions. This is one of my lines and the most fascinating. Benjamin Fradley (1838) was the father of my Gt grandmother Elizabeth (1864) most of that line from Odd Rode Thurlwood but of course they moved around
Someone asked about BJ in 1851 - I was told that he was in jail in 1851!
I would love to share more info/photos/dates and stories
does anyone know about the primitive methodist chapel in Thurlwood (now destroyed) and the engraved font.....?
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hello there, I am interested in how we fit together via Fradleys
my great grandmother was Elizabeth 1864
are you based in NZ? we lived there for 2 years a while back and loved it