Great Great Uncle Harold Reginald Wright

My Great Great Uncle Harold (1914 - 1985) was a painter and decorator, father of two, and the youngest brother of my Great Grandfather Ernest 'Len' Leonard Wright (1905 - 1981).

Harold was born on 20th June 1914 in Exeter, Devon, to Francis 'Frank' George Wright (45), a tinsmith and plumber, and Emma Wright (nee Bennett) (43), a former domestic servant and housewife.

Harold was the youngest of ten children (eight boys and two girls):

• Francis 'Will' William  1891 - 1967  (76)
• George Charles  1893 - 1918  (25)
• Charles Arthur  1897 - 1897  (5 weeks old)
• Thomas 'Tom' Edwin  1898 - 1977  (78 or 79)
• Walter Henry  1900 - 1986  (85 or 86)
• Ernest 'Len' Leonard  1905 - 1981  (76)
• Samuel 'Sam' John  1908 - 1977  (68)
• Florence 'Florrie' Ellen  1910 - 1999  (88)
• Doris May  1912 - 1991  (79)
• Harold Reginald  1914 - 1985  (70)

Seventeen years before Harold was born, his older brother Charles passed away, aged only five weeks, in March 1897, in Exeter.

Harold was only one month old, when the First World War began. His older brother George served. After four years in the Territorial Royal Army Medical Corps, George, aged twenty-one, joined the 7th Reserved (Cyclist) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment as a private, on 17th December 1914. He served at 'Home' until only the 6th January 1915 - only twenty days later - when he was deemed unfit. George passed away, aged only twenty-five, in March 1918, at home in Exeter. Harold would have only been three years old at the time.

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1935, Harold (21), a painter and decorator, married Lucy May Greenham (19) in the St Thomas district.

Harold and Lucy had two daughters:

• Judith P M  1936 -
• Lydia M  1945 -

In March 1939, when Harold was twenty-five, his father Frank passed away, aged seventy, in Exeter.

1939 Census:

Whilst his older brothers were mainly too old to fight in the Second World War, Harold was only in his mid to late twenties. I wonder if he was called up.

The Wright Family, c.1940

Stood from left to right: Walter, Doris, Florrie and Harold

Sat from left to right: Sam, Tom, their mother Emma, Will and Len

In December 1944, when Harold was thirty, his mother Emma passed away, aged seventy-three, in Exeter.

At some point, Harold moved from his native Exeter to Weymouth, in Dorset.

In Apr/May/Jun 1985, Harold passed away, aged seventy, in Weymouth.