Helena Friese-Greene

[Romantic Spirit]

I wonder if anyone knows any personal information about the first wife of the famous Victorian photographer and inventor, William Friese-Greene? Although she was always called Helena her actual birth names were Victoria Mariana Helena Friese. Her father was apparently a German Baron. In particular, I would be most grateful to know about her date of birth, date of death and where she is buried?

[JenB]

According to this website she was born in 1854 and died in 1895.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSob=c&GSlh=1&GRid=63895662&

[suzard]

Death reg FreeBMD
Helene Victoria M Greene
age 44
Dec qtr 1895
Fulham
1a 214

Suz

[JenB]

According to this website she was born in 1854 and died in 1895.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSob=c&GSlh=1&GRid=63895662&

I think perhaps this is your own information that I am giving you 

[Romantic Spirit]

Suzard that is odd because I have a subscription with Ancestry.com and except for their marriage I could find no records at all for her. The reason being they did not recognize their adopted full surname, but just her husband's surname as you have discovered. This is certainly her though and I am extremely grateful for your information! I must thank JenB too because not only are you right both times but you very kindly gave up time for me! Many many thanks!

[suzard]

The marriage reg is on ancestry too - I think Victoria is the first name given -and William had a middle name

Shout if you need more info

Suz

[jorose]

books.google.com has a couple hits which suggest Helena was the step-sister of a colleague of William, called "Josty".
This is probably Daniel Josty, b. Swizterland, listed in 1881 as an artist.

[Romantic Spirit]

Both William Green and Helena Friese lived near my home. He courted her at the house in which she was staying that faces Queens Road, Bristol where he was an apprenticed photographer.

Although there was an article on the Internet which stated she was the daughter of a Swiss Baron this, I have since  proved, is untrue. There were no Barons in Switzerland in her lifetime and Friese is a German name which comes from Lower Saxony. This last fact awoke an old memory. A photographer and expert local historian I once knew stated she was German and on a visit to her aunt because of her constant ill health. In Victorian times there were very many Germans living in Bristol. Since her family obviously had above average financial means and Baron is a fairly common title in Germany I think it probable her father did have this title.

I really appreciated Jorose's assistance. Many thanks! The origin of the Swiss error which I quoted from a website is obvious. In 1951 the British all star cast film, "The Magic Box", about the life of William Friese-Greene was made. I have seen this many times and also read about its production. Helena was stated in the film as being Swiss because WWII was still very fresh in the British public's mind and the producers considered this much more acceptable than the fact that she was German which could have reduced popularity.

Can anyone inform me how I could discover where she is buried, please? When she died she was apparently living in Fulham, London.

[Valda]

Hi

It doesn't look as if William decided on Friese-Greene until after his first wife's death. He and his second wife and two sons can be found using that surname in Dovercourt Essex on the 1901 census.

1891 census RG12 5 folio 11
9 Bristol Gardens Paddington
William E Green 35 Head Married Artist Bristol
Lena Green 37 Wife Married Switzerland
Ethel Green 14 Daughter Bath
Eda Friese 36 Sister-in-law Single Living on own means Switzerland
Clara Friese 34 Sister-in-law Single Living on own means Switzerland


Births Jun 1876   GREEN  Ethel Adelaide    Bath  5c 684

6th January 1897 All Saints, Fulham
Forrester Seely Barnes 22 Bachelor 223 New Kings Road Parsons Green John Forseter Barnes Pianoforte maker
Ethel Adelaide Steele Greene 20 Spinster 223 New Kings Road Parsons Green William Edward Greene Photographer
Both signed
Witnesses William Edward Greene and Charlotte Barnes

1901 census RG13 1214 folio 130
43 Hazeldean Road Willesden
Forrester Barnes 25 Head Married Photographer Kentish Town London
Ethel Barnes 24 Wife Married Bath Somerset
William Barnes 3 Son Chelsea London
Harold Barnes 2 Son Chelsea London
Percy Barnes 19 Brother Photographer Marylebone London

Ethel and Forrester with an ever growing family are in Essex on the 1911 census (free search)
In 1917 when their son William Edward Barnes was killed in the First World War, Ethel and Forrester were of 117 Southview Drive Westcliff on Sea
 
 
Forrester S Barnes died aged 73 in Southend on Sea in 1948

It isn't easy to find a burial in London. The guide on the London and Middlesex board lists all the cemeteries and the who administers and keeps the records

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,403485.0.html


Regards

Valda