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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Topic started by: Nicola_G on Thursday 23 June 16 14:31 BST (UK)
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I'm trying to trace the family of 2nd Lieutenant Frank Edward Wrench and have come to a bit of a brick wall.
As far as I can tell, Frank was born in 1877 in Holborn. His father was Edward John Wrench. His wife was Alice Emma Wrench nee (Bethell). She was born in Sept 1875 in Milland in Sussex. Her parents were Eliza and William Bethell. She possibly died in 1977 in Cleveland, England, although I'm not 100% on this.
Frank and Alice married in 1897 in Horley in Surrey. They had two children, Frank Edward Wrench Jnr born in 1898 in Swaffham in Norfolk and Doris Eva Wrench born Feb 1903 in Watford.
Frank Snr began his career by travelling to Canada and served as a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman. He returned from there in 1917 and served in WW1 as a driver in Egpyt. Aged about 30 he gained his commission.
He went back to the UK, and he and Alice set up home in Borth in Cardiganshire and Frank ran a car business. From what I can gather, possibly a chauffeur service/a garage type of service and I think I've found evidence of this in Borth. (they seem to have lived in a variety of places around the UK).
Frank apparently suffered from 'nerves' and a couple of years later he goes to London and sells his car business. He takes passage back to Alexandria in Egypt. Where he registers with the British Consulate and goes back to writing articles for local newspapers.
Alice is desperate, Frank has gone without telling where he is, he doesn't collect his pension and she has no money to feed the family. In Alexandria Frank meets some marines from Borth and he asks them when they go home, to tell Alice where he is.
Alice gets this message and writes to the British Consulate asking for Franks address. The Consulate say they have no record of him. Frank meets his batman Hugh Young from the war years. He asks him to go back to the UK to tell Alice where he is. A while later Frank gets a telegram from Hugh saying that alice has died (she had an illness that meant she might die at any time - possibly polio).
Grieving Frank meets a lady called Alexandra Mallia a local Alexandrian woman (not sure if local relates to Egyptian born or ex pat). They get married, the Consulate doing the ceremony.
Shortly after Frank receives a letter from Alice - she's not dead. He also receives a warrant from the British consulate suing him for bigamy.
Frank returns Alexandra to her family, explaining that Alice his wife is actually alive and he and Alexandra can't live together. Alexandra is also pregnant and Frank pays her lying in and also maintenance for 5 years.
Frank pays for Alice and Doris to come to Alexandria (1925) and they all set up home together. I can't find any record or Frank Jnr at this point. Is he dead? Did he die in the Spanish influenza epidemic?
Alexandra takes Frank to court, but a notice not to prosecute is issued and life goes on as normal for 5 years.
Frank (about 52 by this time) finds a good job in Cairo and all is well. then he gets another warrant from the British Consulate, Alexandra has taken him to court again, claiming she is a deserted wife.
Frank's solicitor says that Alexandra can't be a deserted wife, as she wasn't married in the first place. Alice gives testimony as to Frank's nerves etc and how he has come back from Cairo under his own steam. Another notice to prosecute is issued and he is found guilty of bigamy this time and sent to Corrodino prison in Malta, taken there by the SS Flaminian.
I can't find a death record for Frank - did he die in Corrodino? Or maybe Alexandria? Did Alice go back to the UK?
Doris married a man called Private A Rank was was South African and was in the CC corp. From my initial research this seems to have been a coloured corp. Private Rank is buried in Cairo.
I can't find a record of Doris coming back to the UK. Did she died in Egpyt? Did the whole family stay there? or go to Malta to be with Frank? What happened to Frank Jnr?
Also there are several Frank Wrench's in Canada, with different professions and I'm not sure whether they're all Frank Snr, or both Frank Snr & Jnr or a different Frank altogether. I'm getting really confused now.
I can't seem to get any further with this and would love any help that people might be able to give. I have lots of docs that I've pulled off the internet so can hopefully match dates etc.
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Hi,
How wonderful to have found out so much already, he certainly had a very colourful life.
There is this death
GRO Consular Death Indices 1946-1950
Frank E Wrench age 70 Alexandria(consulate) vol 40 page 75
I thinkyou can obtain the certificate fro the GRO>
Cathy
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Wow Cathy, thanks very much. What does GRO mean? How would I get the certificate from them?
Thanks
Nicola
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Its the General Register office
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/
Cathy :)
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See How to order a certificate for an event which took place overseas
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/most_customers_want_to_know.asp#Overseas
Stan
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Great, thanks :-)
Nicola
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Mrs. A Wrench age 47 and Miss D E Wrench age 20, leave from Liverpool bound for Port Said on 15 August 1923. The ship Elysia, address given 1 Brighton Cottages Alstone Lane, Cheltenham.
Frank Jr is not with them
Possible death for Alice Emma Wrench March Quarter 1956 district of Cuckfield Sussex age 80
Added:
Frank Edward Wrench son of Frank Edward and Alice Emma was born 7 September 1898 and baptized the same day at Swaffam.
Fathers occupation Porter, Home Parish The Union Swaffam.
Perhaps someone from Swaffam can tell if this is a Pub or does it mean the workhouse.
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Frank Edward Wrench was born 10 June 1876 and baptized 9 July 1876 at St Marks Clerkenwell, son of Edward John Wrench and Emily. Address Myddleton Square. #100 in register.
The registration district is Holborn.
Edward John Wrench married Emily Connally 3 July 1875 at St Marylebone. His father John Holmes Wrench, wholesale exporter, and her father was Henry Connally, merchant.
Edward John Wrench was born 30 June 1854 and baptized 27 July 1854 at St Andrew Holborn, son of John Holmes Wrench and Maria Elizabeth.
Edward John Wrench died 16 October 1878, address 14 River Street, Myddleton Square, Optician. He died at 39 Grays Inn Road. Probate to Emily, widow of 14 River Street on 13 November 1878.
His son Frank Edward was only 2 years old.
1881 census Bromley Kent
Henry Oldham 26, Emily Oldham 29 born St Pancras, Frank Wrench 4 Stepson born Clerkenwell
Have not found the second marriage for Emily.
1891 census Frank Edward is a pupil at a boarding school in Ardingly Sussex age 14 born St Pancras
(this is actually where his mother was born)
1901 census he is in Scotland
When he married Alice Emma Bethell 27 November 1897 at Horley Surrey at St Bartholomew's his occupation was land agent.
When he signed up for WW1 he was 37 and living at 173 University Street, Belfast and was a motor lorry driver/mechanic. He states he has served on his majesty service The Royal North West Mounted Police and he purchased his discharge in 1897.
He must have returned right away as he and Alice marry November 1897
He sailed for Port Said on 15 April 1921 age 45 occupation Engineer. address Borth Cardinganshire South Wales. Ship Plessy, from London to Port Said.
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John Holmes Wrench, great grandfather to Frank Edward Wrench Junior died 10 April 1883, probate was 30 April 1883, executors Maria Elizabeth the widow only in widowhood, Edith Maria spinster daughter and Alfred Wrench the son.
Formerly of 39 Grays Inn Road, also the place his son Edward John died.
At the end of his life JHW he was an optician. It would be interesting to see if he left money to his orphaned grandson to go to boarding school.
Added: Found the 2nd marriage of Emily Wrench to" Harry" Oldham 1880 Croydon Registration District, Oct/Nov/Dec quarter ref Vol 2a 425.
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Thanks so much, where are you finding all the info? I tried Ancestry but didn't get this far.
Nicola
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Ancestry.com just narrow your searches and a few baptisms are on family search.
The baptism at Swaffam is on the Norfolk Family History Society website/ re transcriptions
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Findmypast, Newspaper section I did a search but as I no longer have a subscription I can only see part of a sentence so there is more to these articles..
4 December 1897 Sussex Agricultural Express is the wedding announcement of Frank Wrench son of the late Edward Wrench to Alice E Bethell daughter of W Bethell.
19 October 1878 Aberdeen Journal, Fatal Explosion. Edward Wrench Optician of 39 Grays Inn Road London was engaged in his laboratory --Wednesday---when a fatal explosion occurred causing his instant death.
It is carried in many newspapers, The York Herald has gruesome account.
The Lloyds Weekly Newspaper dated 20 October 1878 has an account of the inquiry into his death.
Now you know why he died so young leaving Frank Edward Wrench (senior) an orphan.
Doris Wrench --British nationals married overseas Egypt 1931-1935
Frank Wrench ditto 1921-1925 AND 1936-1940
Frank Edward Wrench British Army Service Records 1914-1920
Frank Wrench- London Gazette 1918
Frank Wrench 1911 Passenger lists to Halifax Canada
Perhaps your local library has a sub.
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Thank you so much for all the information. I phoned my aunt to tell her about everything you've discovered and she was astonished by it all and sends her thanks :-)
Nicola
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The two entries for Frank Wrench marrying in Egypt.
You know it is FEW senior in the 1921-1925 time period, could it be FEW junior in the 1936-1940 time period?
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Ah, I understand what you're saying, the 1921-5 must be the one where he married Alexandra Mallia. Brilliant :-)
Yes the 2nd one must be Frank jnr. It clicked yesterday why I couldn't find anything about Frank jnr when Alice & Doris went to Egypt. Because he was in Canada (as per the record you found). He then went directly to Egypt to be with the family. It makes so much more sense now. Thank you so much.
Nicola
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Hello there,
I was just doing a google search about my late father, Norman Frank Edward Wrench, and instantly hit on you post via Google. All details seem to fit. He was born in Alexandria in 1923? to an Italian/Maltese woman. My father left when I was very young, and started his third family, so I am amazed and astonished to discover more details. Things I have always known/half known, were the Canadian, Maltese and Alexandria and Italian connections, but not really how they fitted together. There is also talk of an Italian Countess in Lucca, Tuscany. My grandmother apparently lived in the Italian enclave in Alexandria, where she must have met my grandfather, who I never knew, but where my father, Norman Frank Edward was born
Can we talk further about this? I would love to learn more.
Many thanks, Kevin Martin Wrench
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How have you come to be researching this? Are we perhaps related? Kevin Wrench
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Hoping that I will at last get to know more about my grandfather Frank Edward, and my father Norman Frank Edward, and of course , the Alexandria/ Italian connections. Hope we speak soon, Best, Kevin Wrench
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There is now another thread here :)
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=751194.msg5994544#msg5994544
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Thanks Jen :-) I met up with Kevin last week :-) Amazing to meet a new relative I've never heard of before :-)