Local History: Rushey Green, Lewisham, London, SE6

[casalguidi]

The marriage wasn't difficult to find - somebody else would have posted it if I hadn't I'm sure - just seemed logical that he may have remarried as soon as he was free to do so

Regarding any possible death notice/obituary for Frederick James HUTCHINS I don't know where the local newspapers for the Wimbledon area would be - perhaps http://www.londonlibraries.org/library/39321/Merton%20Local%20Studies%20Centre can help.  Alternatively, searching the "Newspaper Catalogue Subset" of the British Newspaper Library at Colindale could help to determine which newspapers covered that area at that time.

Still no answer to your "real" question though.  I can't help feeling that Frederick James HUTCHINS and Fred Leighton could be the same man (maybe even George FRANCIS 1901 census too) either

Casalguidi

[Potter]

Thank you so much for helping me break down brick walls in my ancestry casalguidi.
I wonder whether Frederick James Hutchins committed some crime and moved away because he was on the run!
I see that ancestry have just added England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892, but this is not late enough to record any crime of his... however I did find Frances Gertrude Hutchins nee.Colmer's grandparents on there - they were indicted for murder (they made their fortune by being abortionists!) and given the death sentence, but reprieved through local public outcry in Yeovil... I already found out about this about 4 years ago - absolutely scandelous at the time! I already had numerous newspaper cuttings, but this gave me the official records.
Regarding the Leighton mystery - I don't really know where to go from here to establish the truth about the reason for my maiden name.

[casalguidi]

It's certainly a fascinating story!

Just a thought, you don't mention the source of your newspaper clippings so wondering if you have tried the archive of "The Stage" http://www.thestage.co.uk/

Casalguidi

[Potter]

I got my Newspaper Cuttings by spending hours...no it was days, at the Sheerness Library. I began as Phyllis Joyce said... in 1920... found nothing & spent several days working my way back to 1908, 07, 06... I felt very giddy, very tired & ill in the end, having sat for hours going through all the microfiche records!!!
I saw your post soon after you sent it last night and I have just completed typing put 10 records - including this Obituary (!) for Arnold Hugh Colmer...
 
1907 Hugh COLMER - Obituary with Fred LEIGHTON
Publication:The Stage Archive;
Date:Aug 29, 1907;    
Section:None;    Page Number:13

We regret to announce the death of  Mr.Arnold Hugh COLMER,

Manager of the Gaiety, Chatham, which took place at

St.Bartholomew's Hospital on Friday evening after a short illness.

Deceased was formerly Assistant Manager to Mr.Fred Leighton

at the Sheerness Hippodrome, but recently he took up the

appointment of Manager at The Gaiety, Chatham.

He was very popular with all the artists with whom he came

into contact.

Deceased was only    twenty-nine years of age, and a very sad

feature about his death is that he had only been married a

few months.

The funeral took place at the Isle of Sheppey Cemetery on

Tuesday (noon) from the residence of his brother-in-law Mr. Fred Leighton.

Wreaths were sent  by the permanent staff of the Sheerness Hippodrome,

the staff at the Gaiety, Chatham; 

the artists this week at the Sheerness Hippodrome,

the local Lodge of the R.A.O.B., of which deceased was a respected member,

and others.


NB. I have come across the R.A.O.B. before, they are The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes.
The  R.A.O.B. is a social and benevolent organisation whose aims are to aid members in need and the widows and orphans of deceased members, to support external charitable and philanthropic groups at national and local levels and to encourage communication, support and well-being amongst its members.
Eg. They were very active in WW1 in providing Ambulances.

See attached family wedding photograph of a blood relative on my grandmother's HOSKINS side with a full company of RAOB... sorry about the poor quality.


So again you have been extremely helpful Casalguidi   

Thanks so very much!

[Potter]

Just to explain... the reason why I have had to type out all the newspaper cuttings is that the STAGE ARCHIVE website does not allow you to download the images... it only gives links back to the website...
This was absolutely infuriating... and you don't find that out until after you pay! Still... it was only £5 for 24 hours... which is why I'm still up at 5am!
You can print out, and then I suppose you could scan the printed copy to end up with a much poorer digital image of the section... so I ended up transcribing it all.

By the way, I already knew that there was a Fred Leighton at Gorleston from here:
http://www.gtyarmouth.co.uk/Bygones/Old_Gorleston/body_index.htm
Old Gorleston  by  A.A. Hart
One of the first to bring entertainment to the town was a man named Fred Leighton who lodged at Granny Roberts on Springfield Road. It was he who in 1911 started the Perriot show in a marquee on Beach Road, near the King William 1V pub. He carried on for a few weeks each summer until the outbreak of the First World War.

RESULTS

1907

1.  The first result for Fred Leighton was that 1907 Obituary... I was delighted!
The other 9 are as follows...

1910

2.  Olympia Skating Rink - Manager, Mr Fred Leighton
Publication:The Stage Archive;    
Date: Mar 3, 1910;    

1911

3.  Concert & Entertainment Notes - the Stage Archive
The Gorleston Pierrots, run by Mr.Fred Leighton.
Thursday , August 24, 1911
Page: 1

4.   CONCERT ARTISTS & ENTERTAINERS
Thursday, September 21, 1911
Page: 15
THE "VARSITIES"
Gorleston-on-Sea, wish to Thank Mr.Fred Leighton, Proprietor and Manager


5.  THE  VARSITIES (Variety & Perriot Party)
Date:Oct 19, 1911;    
Page Number:15       
Alfresco Pavilion, Gorleston-on-Sea
Sole Proprietor & Manager,
The Nook, Springfield Road, Gorleston-on Sea

Same again one month later...

6.  Publication:The Stage Archive;
Date:Nov 9, 1911;    
Page Number:17       
THE  VARSITIES (Variety & Perriot Party)
Fred Leighton,
Sole Proprietor & Manager,
The Nook, Springfield Road, Gorleston-on Sea
All coms, re.bookings 1912 and engagements


1920

7.  Publication:The Stage Archive;
Date:Jun 17, 1920;    
Section:None;    Page Number:20
Wanted Engagements (Variety Artists)
WANTED, July 12, 19 (precede Cork),
DAVE CAIRNS, Character Comedian.
- All coms, 29 Cumberland St., Edinburgh.
Thanks Fred Leighton Esq. for contract.

1938

8.  "The Shanklin Theatre Orchestra will be under the direction of Fred Leighton"
Publication:The Stage Archive;
Date:Jun 23, 1938;    
Section:None;    Page Number:8    
CHIT CHAT
Shanklin Season


9.  Shanklin Theatre - Mus.D Fred Leighton
Publication:The Stage Archive;    
Date:Jul 28, 1938;    
Page Number:11    
SHANKLIN THEATRE
(R.M.,  John Brettargh;   S.M.,  G.J.Baguley;
Mus.D., Fred Leighton)


10.  Publication:The Stage Archive;    
Date:Aug 11, 1938;
Section:None;    Page Number:7
SHANKLIN THEATRE
R.M.,  John Brettargh;   S.M.,  G.J.Baguley;
Mus.D., Fred Leighton

Could the 1938 entries be for another Fred Leighton???

If not,  I wonder why the big gap of 18 years?
From:1920... just 3 months before Reg Hutchins, son of Fred & Louisa was born!
To: 1938 when this Fred Leighton is an Orchestral Director

Fred Hutchins could not be in Wimbledon & Shanklin at the same time, but he could have been using the Stage Name Fred Leighton and dropped it when his 4th child was born (4 including the unknown one that died).

But the question remains... if Fred Leighton was a Stage Name... surely it is not usual for this to also be transferred to all the family?

[Potter]

Other info I have gathered about Fred Leighton is...
1901 Fred HUTCHINS alias George FRANCIS, watchmaker at 6 Avondale Villas, Elvino Road, Lewisham
190? Fred LEIGHTON - Possible connection with the Chatham Empire
190?-1907 FRED LEIGHTON, 67 Shrimp Terrace, Marine Parade, Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent.
1905-1907 Fred Leighton, Manager & Licence Holder of The Sheerness Hippodrome
1908-1910 Owner/Management: King's - Gainsborough Theatre Co Ltd, lessees; Fred Leighton, Managing Director
1910  Olympia Skating Rink - Manager, Mr Fred Leighton
1911 Census - Fred Leighton Music Hall Manager, at 25 Ilford Hut, Ilford, Romford, Essex, England
1911 Fred Leighton at The Pavilion Theatre, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, Sole Proprietor and Manager
1914-1916 `Fred Leighton` is listed as Manager of Ilford Ice Rink in 5 British Phone Book`s
1916 Fred Leighton is Father on Marriage Certs.; 23rd July - Army Officer;  26th September - Theatrical Manager
1916 Leighton Address is 8 Herbert Road, Plumstead, London SE18 -unknown if Fred is living there.
1920 June 17 - Fred Leighton Esq. - Variety Artists Contract Manager -Eg. Dave Cairnes, Character Comedian
1920 17 Sep 1920 FRED HUTCHINS Watchmaker & Jewellers, 27 Lincoln Road, Sidcup, Chislehurst, Kent - has son Reg

Now I have found a marriage in 1922 which, if correct, could have been a bit scandalous, because my grandfather Tom Leighton`s mother-in-law`s maiden name was PALFREMAN (!!!)
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1983
Name: Fred Leighton
Name: Ella Palfreyman
Year of Registration: 1922
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Spouse`s Surname: Palfreyman
District: Stockport
County: Cheshire, Lancashire
Volume: 8a
Page: 50
Difficult to establish if it is our Fred Leighton as we don't know Date of Birth or parents!

We also know that he was involved in running London Theatres and found him listed under Albert Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Albert Theatre... but I can't find these notes now and can't remember when.

Getting very weary now... Still do not know if Fred Leighton is Fred Hutchins or not!

[Nick29]

Getting very weary now... Still do not know if Fred Leighton is Fred Hutchins or not!

Yes, but what a wonderful 5 year journey !  Stuff like this should be the successor to "Who Do You Think You Are", for ordinary people with fascinating stories ! 

[Potter]

Yes  Nick29  I have thought that a new series of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' for ordinary people with unusual stories would make a great new series... My family history on my mother's side is just as interesting - she became a missing person when I was three months old and I'm still discovering that interesting side... with stories of fortunes being stolen by a highwayman robbery on the Holmes side; the Bright family who were all brick-makers who brought their family up in an unusual hexagonal C17 thatched cottage which is now the smallest council house in the UK - see the Dutch House in Rayleigh! Watermen and Lightermen back to 1500's on my grandmother's Hoskin's Starkey & Sargent families and on my stepmother's Calvert side stories of anti-piracy and anti-slavery when they ended up in Quebec back in 1700's - I fortunately have managed to get records from the military church baptism & burial records there via a very kind fellow genealogist who lives in the area. Too many exciting stories to put here - and I thought that preparation for such a TV series or book would enable me to really get the whole untangled past into perspective.... I would love it!

[Potter]

What about this family - a few coincidences don't you think?

1901 - 6 Avondale Villas, Elvino? Road, Lewisham

George FRANCIS head mar 39 watchmaker b.Ireland
Gertrude wife 33 teacher pianoforte? (own account at home) b.Somerset Bath
Thomas son 7 b.Winchester Hants
May dau 5 b.Ireland

RG13/557 folio 13 page 18

Casalguidi

One of my relatives who lives nearby went to Lewisham local history library today where she tried to check on your Francis address...
She says...
They have electoral rolls so I looked up 1900/1. At 6 Avondale Villas Elvino Road I found William Brett.
At 4 Avondale Villas I found William Wright.
So I tried 1901/2 where at no6 I found William Wright and again in 1902/3 no6 William Wright.
By 1903/4 the house was unoccupied.
Nowhere looking up and down the various houses did I find Francis or Hutchins - though somewhere locally I did find a Hutchings.
Then I tried Kellys but the nearest they had was 1908 and I found nothing of use.
So, sorry, but your forebear remains an unknown.
I did check the census found the family George, Gertrude, Thomas + May, and looking at the other entries decided (as did the local historian who was being most helpful) that the properties were only small as none of them had more than one generally small family.
Your George Francis remains an enigma - or a pain in the neck which ever you'd rather!!!