Leonard Arthur Creswell 64262 General Fitter Air - help please

[mark1965]

Hi - would like some help getting some info on my gt uncle above. Archives says not digitised and nothing on MIC - if anyone could get me a few more details.

Generally - born Birmingham 1888 married 1924 Aston, Died 1924 Aston age 36. Occupation - jeweller.
Family story is that he was observer/gunner in RFC (dubious) an!d his first wife Mary(?) killed herself by drinking sulphuric acid as she was caught embezzling money from her job to fund the white feather campaign. Any help much appreciated.

Thanks, Mark

[philipsearching]

FreeBMD has an entry which could be worth following up:
Death Mar qtr 1918, Mary Cresswell, age 26, Aston vol6d p554

There are two only two marriages on FreeBMD  for Leonard Cresswell between 1903 and 1918 but I am, not sure either of them is your Leonard:
Dec qtr 1906, Basford (Notts/Derbys) vol7b p459, - on same page Mary Ann HORSLEY
Mar qtr 1909, Droxford (Hampshire) vol2c p199, - on same page Mary ROUGH

Good luck!
Philip

[cath151]

Possibly he married Amy Sanders June quarter 1920 Aston
His probate record of 1924 would support this.
Can t say I can find anything out about his wife in the papers you woud think there may have been an inquest

Cathy

[mark1965]

Hi - yes this is him married to aunt Amy. They had a son William Leonard born 1921 who died in 1925 ish of diptheria.

Story about first wife might be apocryphal. I was told he was a gunner in the RFC but looks like he was a fitter - ho hum. How could I get hold of his probate record please.

Thanks, Mark

[Drosybont]

This looks like the inquest on his first wife, Birmingham Gazette, Saturday 2 March 1918:  "At the inquest in Birmingham yesterday on Mary Creswell, aged 26, postwoman, Anglesey-street, Aston, a verdict of 'Suicide while temporary insane' was returned."

Drosybont

[philipsearching]

How could I get hold of his probate record please.

If you mean his will, the National Archive guidance is on the link below:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/willafter1858.htm

All the best
Philip

ps - splendid find on the newspaper, Drosybont! - I tried a search and came up with nothing

[cath151]

Yes well done Drosybont, I looked but could nt find anything.
His probate record is on Ancestry, just basic details, not his will.

Cathy

[newburychap]

His record may not be digitised, but that doesn't mean it is unavailable. TNA will send you a copy - which shouldn't cost too much as RAF records from WW1 are often a single page (I think they will give you a quotation before you need to commit).  Or you could go to Kew and copy it yourself.