Saturday, 26 July 2025

Great x3 Aunt Bessie T Wright

My Great x3 Aunt Bessie (1870 - 1???) was the youngest sister of my Great Great Grandfather Francis 'Frank' George Wright (1868 - 1939).

Bessie was born around 1870 in Exeter, Devon to William Wright (about 49), a man of many occupations but at the time of Bessie' birth a labourer in an iron foundry, and Sarah Wright (nee Emberry) (about 41), a housewife and later an outdoor servant and laundress.

Bessie's birth doesn't appear to have been registered by her parents; nor, can I find a baptism. The only record Bessie appears on is the 1871 Census, as a one year old, living with her parents and older siblings. 

What happens to her? Why is her life was little recorded? Was she fostered/adopted as a baby (thus maybe born/baptised with another name, which she may have reverted to later in life?)? Were her parents really her grandparents (the illegitimate child of one of the older children?)? Was she the illegitimate child of a neighbour or friend? Was she in any way ill or disabled (lived in an asylum or home away from the family)? Did she die young? Did she move far away young? 

There's no record of her attending Rack Street School with her older sibling closest in age Francis, in the 1870s.

Bessie was the youngest of eight children (six sons and two daughters):

  • Thomas William  1849 - 1931  (82)
  • Henry John  1851 - 1915  (63)
  • Frederick Emberry  1854 - 1913  (59)
  • Ellen  1857 - 1948  (91)
  • Walter Charles  1861 - 1940  (78)
  • Alfred Frank  1864 - 1936  (71)
  • Francis 'Frank' George  1868 - 1939  (70)
  • Bessie T  1870 - 1??? (?)

1871 Census:

Great x3 Uncle Alfred Frank Wright

My Great x3 Uncle Alfred (1864 - 1936) was a French polisher, piano polisher at a music warehouse, father of one, and an elder brother of my Great Great Grandfather Francis 'Frank' George Wright (1868 - 1939).


Alfred c 1900

Alfred was born on in Jul/Aug/Sep 1864 in Exeter, Devon to William Wright (about 43), a man of many occupations but at the time of Alfred's birth a labourer, and Sarah Wright (nee Emberry) (about 35), a housewife and later an outdoor servant and laundress.

Alfred was baptised on 5th October 1864 in St Mary Major, Exeter.

Alfred was the sixth of eight children (six sons and two daughters):

  • Thomas William  1849 - 1931  (82)
  • Henry John  1851 - 1915  (63)
  • Frederick Emberry  1854 - 1913  (59)
  • Ellen  1857 - 1948  (91)
  • Walter Charles  1861 - 1940  (78)
  • Alfred Frank  1864 - 1936  (71)
  • Francis 'Frank' George  1868 - 1939  (70)
  • Bessie T  1870 -

1871 Census: 

1881 Census: 

1891 Census: 

On 19th December 1896, Alfred (32), a French polisher, married Rosina Davey (38), a housemaid, in St Mary Major, Exeter. The Wright family had lived on Sun Street in the 1860's, as had the Davey family. Did Alfred and Rosina know each other from a young age? 

Around 1891, Rosina worked as a housemaid on Baring Crescent near Heavitree, Exeter. Around 2015, as a young woman, when I worked in a nursery around the corner, I would often slowly walk along the curve of Baring Crescent, gazing up at the large majestic Georgian houses, in wonder and want. I would be cold, with numb fingers and toes, in the dark of the early morning on my way to work, while the occupiers of the houses, privileged, were still asleep in the warm. I remember one had a rocking horse in the window - I had always wanted a rocking horse as a child but never had one. Such wealth is another world.

At the time of marriage, Alfred was living at 3 Prospect Place, Rack Street. Whilst Rosina lived in Heavitree. 

Alfred and Rosina had one son, born when Rosina was in her early forties. Sadly, he died as a baby:

  • Alfred Edward  1901 - 1901  St Thomas  28 Union Street  (3 months)


Photograph of Sarah in old age (centre) with most of her adult children, c 1900


Standing left to right: Alfred, Walter, Frank and Frederick

Sitting left to right: Thomas, Sarah and either Ellen or Thomas' wife Mary

1901 Census: 

1911 Census: 

1921 Census: 


25 - 28 Union Street, St Thomas, Exeter.
Alfred and Rosina lived in 28 around 1901, 25 around 1911
and then 27 from 1912 - at least 1926

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1936, Alfred passed away, aged seventy-one, in the district of St Thomas.

In Apr/May/Jun 1936, Alfred's widow Rosina passed away, aged seventy-seven, in the district of Exeter.

They passed away within months - if not within weeks or days - of each other.

Monday, 21 July 2025

Great x3 Uncle Walter Charles Wright

My Great x3 Uncle Walter (1861 - 1940) was a printer compositor, father of nine, and an elder brother of my Great Great Grandfather Francis 'Frank' George Wright (1868 - 1939).


Walter. c 1900

Walter was born on 12th October 1861 in Exeter, Devon to William Wright (about 40), a man of many occupations but at the time of Henry' birth a mason's labourer, and Sarah Wright (nee Emberry) (about 32), a housewife and later an outdoor servant and laundress.

Walter was baptised on 3rd November 1861 in St Mary Major, Exeter.

Walter was the fifth of eight children (six sons and two daughters):

  • Thomas William  1849 - 1931  (82)
  • Henry John  1851 - 1915  (63)
  • Frederick Emberry  1854 - 1913  (59)
  • Ellen  1857 - 1948  (91)
  • Walter Charles  1861 - 1940  (78)
  • Alfred Frank  1864 -
  • Francis 'Frank' George  1868 - 1939  (70)
  • Bessie T  1870 -

Walter grew up in Prospect Place off Rack Street, in the West Quarter of Exeter.

1871 Census: 

On 24th June 1880, when Walter was eighteen, his father William passed away, aged fifty-nine, at the family home. His mother would find work as an servant to support her family.

1881 Census:

In Apr/May/Jun 1883, Walter (22), a printer compositor, married Eliza Holman (23), in Exeter.

Walter and Eliza had nine children:

  • Walter Henry Thomas  1883 
  • Beatrice Maud(e)  1885
  • Ethel  1887 - 1889  (2 years old) 
  • Arthur Horace  1889 - 1889  (3 months old)
  • Edith Mary  1890  
  • Francis Arthur  1893  
  • Albert Henry  1894 - 1894  (3 weeks old)  
  • Leonard Stanley  1897 - 1918  (21 years old)
  • Reginald George  1899

Sadly, three of their children passed away in infancy. 

Firstly, Arthur passed away, aged three months. He was buried on 22nd August 1889 in St Mary Major, Exeter. Then, Ethel passed aged aged two. She was buried on 10th September 1889 in St Mary Major, Exeter. Arthur and Ethel passed away within a few weeks of each other - did they pass away from the same illness? 

Five years later in 1894, Albert passed away at only three weeks. He was buried on 8th August 1894 in St Mary Major, Exeter.

1891 Census:


Photograph of Sarah in old age (centre) with most of her adult children, c 1900

Standing left to right: Alfred, Walter, Frank and Frederick

Sitting left to right: Thomas, Sarah and either Ellen or Thomas' wife Mary

1901 Census:

In the summer of 1906, Walter's nine-year-old son Leonard, along with brothers Percy and George Taylor, were charged with stealing plums from the garden of Peter Slader in Archibald Street. They were spotted, chased and threw the fruit away as they ran. Their parents - the Taylors father, as well as Walter - were ordered to pay £5 each, and bound over to be responsible for the boys good behavior for six months. It may well have been Walter who expressed that 'the school authorities gave the children to much holiday'.

From the Western Times of 24th August 1906:

1911 Census:


Walter's wife Eliza

Walter's eldest daughter Beatrice

All four of Walter and Eliza's surviving sons served in the First World War...

On 4th September 1914, just over one month after the start of the First World War, Walter and Eliza's nineth child and youngest son Reginald (244530), aged only fifteen, enlisted as a private, in the 3rd Battalion of the King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment (its primary role was to train and supply infantrymen for active service with the regular and service battalions, which were fighting overseas). 

On 6th October 1915, aged sixteen (though giving his age as nineteen), he joined the Wessex Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps - they were mounted support troops and stayed in the UK for the war. However, Reginald did serve in France for nearly three months near the end of the war, from 19th August 1918 to 2nd November 1918. He served again at 'home' (UK) from 3rd November until his demobilisation on 19th February 1919. He survived the war.

Reginald was 5'7''. His not being short may have meant he looked a few years old than his actual age. 

On 13th November 1915, Walter and Eliza's sixth child, Francis (209197), aged twenty-two, enlisted in the navy as a mechanic. Although in the navy, he did service in land operations. Francis was 5'4'', had dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion. His character was given as 'very good', and he rose from air mechanic to leading mechanic. In June 1917, he was reported missing and then a prisoner of war in Giessen, Germany. He was repatriated from Germany on 14th December 1918. On 7th May 1919, he joined the RAF reserve. After the war, he lived in Southampton and worked as a marine engineer for the Fairey Aviation Company. His son Raymond would follow in his footsteps as a marine engineer. 

Walter and Eliza's eldest child, Walter (3859, later 324460) served in the Royal Guernsey Engineer Militia - he did not serve overseas. He was discharged on 17th December 1916. On 2nd January 1917, aged thirty-three, her enlisted as a sapper in 166th Field Company, the Royal Engineers. He was a skilled rivetter. Serving in France, he was appointed acting lance corporal on 23rd April 1917 and promoted to corporal on 28th August 1917. He survived the war. He had been a gas fitter before the war, and worked as a gas manager after the war. He was 5' 4 1/2''.

Interesting Walter junior was living on Cecil Road (No 3) in St Thomas, Exeter, at the time of the 1911 Census. Over a hundred years later, in the early 2020's, my boyfriend would also live on Cecil Road.

On 24th April 1918, Walter and Eliza's eighth child, Leonard (62347), was killed in action, aged twenty-one. He was a private in the 2nd Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. He is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial, France. In 1920, his married sister Beatrice would name her next born son, Leonard Stanley, after her brother.

1921 Census:

Come the 1939 Census, Walter's wife Eliza is recorded as blind. 

1939 Census: 

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1940, Walter passed away, aged seventy-eight, in Exeter.

In Apr/May/Jun 1946, Walter's widow Eliza passed away, aged eight-six, in Exeter.

Sunday, 20 July 2025

Great x3 Aunt Ellen Spencer (nee Wright)

My Great x3 Aunt Ellen (1857 - 1948) was a tailoress, housewife, mother of eight, and the elder sister of my Great Great Grandfather Francis 'Frank' George Wright (1868 - 1939).

Ellen was born on 29th May 1857 in St Mary Major, Exeter, Devon to William Wright (about 36), a man of many occupations but at the time of Ellen's birth a labourer, and Sarah Wright (nee Emberry) (about 28), a housewife and later an outdoor servant and laundress.

Ellen was baptised on 14th June 1857 in St Mary Major, Exeter, alongside her older brother Frederick. At the time of their baptisms, the family lived on Sun Street, Exeter.

Ellen was the fourth of eight children (six sons and two daughters) and the eldest daughter:

  • Thomas William  1849 - 1931  (82)
  • Henry John  1851 - 1915  (63)
  • Frederick Emberry  1854 - 1913  (59)
  • Ellen  1857 - 1948  (91)
  • Walter Charles  1861 -
  • Alfred Frank  1864 -
  • Francis 'Frank' George  1868 - 1939  (70 years old)
  • Bessie T  1870 -

1861 Census: 

1871 Census: 

On 23rd December 1879, Ellen (22), a tailoress, married Charles Jerome (later Spencer) (23), a sailor. At the time of their marriage, both parties were living on Rack Street - were neighbours. They must have meet whilst Charles was serving on HMS Cambridge, a gunnery ship off Plymouth, from 28th January 1878 to 4th February 1880.

Ellen and Charles had eight children (one passed away by 1911 Census):

  • Rosina  1881 
  • William Charles  1886  
  • Ernest Alfred  1888  
  • Walter Henry 1890  
  • Alice Maude 1892 
  • George Horace  1894 
  • Lillian  1899 
  • ?

(On Censuses, Ellen and children have surname of Spencer, though on marriage Charles' surname is Jerome. However, his father's name is not given. Charles was born in Swallowfield, Berkshire, 1856. On his baptism record only his mother's name is given (Sarah Jerome). 1871 Census, living in London. Step father is Charles Spencer!) 

Charles join the navy on New Years Day 1873, aged sixteen. His service papers give a brief physical description: he was 5'1'', but grew to 5'3''; had dark brown hair, blue eyes and skin that went from fresh to dark with service. He had an anchor tattooed on the back of his left hand. His character was repeatedly given as very good or excellent. He served mainly on guard ships in British harbours, from 1st January 1873 to 6th November 1885:

  • St Vincent (a training ship)  1st January 1873 - 9th October 1873
  • Excellent (shore establishment or 'stone frigate') 10th October 1873 - 6th January 1874
  • Hector (stationary guard ship, part of Southern Reserve Fleet) 7th January 1874 - 17th April 1874
  • Duke of Wellington  (guard ship, flagship at Portsmouth) 18th April 1874 - 20th May 1874
  • Druid (North America and West Indies)  21st May 1874 - 22nd October 1876
  • Terror (Bermuda)  23rd October 1876 - 10th November 1877
  • Encounter  11th November 1877 - 28th November 1877
  • Duke of Wellington (guard ship, flagship at Portsmouth) 29th November 1877 - 1st December 1877
  • Royal Adelaide (either depot ship or royal yacht)  2nd December 1877 - 27th January 1878
  • Cambridge (gunnery ship off Plymouth) 28th January 1878 - 4th February 1880
  • Resistance (Mersey guardship) 5th February 1880 - 14th June 1880
  • Defence (Mersey guardship) 15th June 1880 - 1st September 1881
  • Cambridge (gunnery ship off Plymouth) 2nd September 1881 - 9th January 1882 
  • Thalia  10th January 1882 - 10th April 1882
  • Boadicea  11th April 1882 - 18th September 1883
  • Flora  (Harbour Service) 19th September 1883 - 3rd October 1883
  • Boadicea  4th October 1883 - 24th October 1883
  • Flora  (Harbour Service)  25th October 1883 - 2nd November 1883
  • Boadicea  3rd November 1883 - 25th July 1885
  • Cambridge (gunnery ship off Plymouth)  26th July 1885 - 30th September 1885
  • Shannon (Reserve)  1st October 1885 - 6th November 1885

Afterwards he joined the coast guard as a boatman in Kerry, Ireland.

Come the 1881 Census, Ellen was living alone at 7 Okehampton Street (next to St Thomas workhouse), in Exeter, working as tailoress. Meanwhile, her husband Charles was onboard ship.

1881 Census:

Ellen must have been living in Kerry, Ireland in the late 1880's for her children, William and Ernest, were born there in 1886 and 1888. However, she was back in her native Exeter with her widowed mother and younger brothers, come the 1891 Census.

1891 Census: 

Ellen was back in Kerry, Ireland come 1892 (when daughter Alice was born). They then moved to Enniscrone (where George was born) in 1894 and Doohoma (where Lillian was born) in 1899 and were still there come the 1901 Census. At least five of Ellen's children were born in Ireland, with only eldest Rosina and middle child Walter born in Ellen's native Exeter. 

1901 Census:

At some point in the first decade of the 1900's, Ellen and her family moved from Ireland to Itchen, Hampshire, where Ellen's husband and sons, now young men, worked as labourers for shipbuilders.

1911 Census: 

In the 1910's, all of Ellen and Charles' children - apart from married daughter Alice - left their parents' home.

On 11th April 1911, their youngest son George (764, later 352117), aged 17, enlisted as a gunner in the 1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteer, Hampshire Royal Garrison Artillery. The unit saw no action, but protected the Portsmouth area. He was taller than his father, at 5'6''. His character was given as 'very good' and he was said to be 'a steady man'.

On 8th July 1915, he was temporarily released for duty with J I Thornycroft (Engineering Ship Builders). George was re-engaged into service on 10th April 1916. He was discharged on 22nd March 1917. He served only at 'home' e.g. the UK.

Ellen's husband Charles and all four of her sons worked for John I Thornycroft & Company Limited. They would have therefore been in a reserved occupation and her sons would not have been conscripted in the First World War, for their occupation would have been considered vital to the war effort.

Advertisement for John I Thornycroft, 1916

1921 Census:

On the afternoon of Monday 19th February 1923, Ellen's husband Charles, aged sixty-six, died. He had been working as a driller's mate on the S.S. Majestic. He left the ship carrying a tool bag on his back and drilling post in his left hand (by one account weighing over 2 stone, but by another estimated in all to weigh about 4 stone!). His son George saw his father in the stoke hole, carrying such, before he left the ship. Charles walked half a mile carrying these, before he collapsed and died of heart failure.

From the Hampshire Advertiser of 24th February 1923:


Come the dawn of the Second World War, widowed Ellen was still living at 14 Oakbank Road, Southampton, with her married daughter Alice, her husband and children, and her widowed daughter Rosina.

Ellen's daughter Alice and her husband Alfred Ernest Baldwin. May 1916

1939 Census:

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1948, Ellen passed away, aged ninety-one, in the district of Southampton.

Great x3 Uncle Frederick Emberry Wright

My Great x3 Uncle Frederick (1854 - 1913) was a tailor, father of one, and an elder brother of my Great Great Grandfather Francis 'Frank' George Wright (1868 - 1939).


Frederick Wright. c 1900

Frederick was born in Jul/Aug/Sep 1854 in Exeter, Devon to William Wright (about 33), a man of many occupations but at the time of Frederick's birth a labourer, and Sarah Wright (nee Emberry) (about 25), a housewife and later an outdoor servant and laundress.

Frederick was baptised on 14th June 1857 in St Mary Major, Exeter, alongside his younger sister Ellen.

Frederick was the third of eight children (six sons and two daughters):

  • Thomas William  1849 - 1931  (82)
  • Henry John  1851 - 1915  (63)
  • Frederick Emberry  1854 - 1913  (59)
  • Ellen  1857 -
  • Walter Charles  1861 -
  • Alfred Frank  1864 -
  • Francis 'Frank' George  1868 - 1939  (70)
  • Bessie T  1870 -

1861 Census: 

1871 Census: 

On 24th June 1880, when Frederick was twenty-five, his father William passed away, aged fifty-nine, at the family home in Prospect Place.

1881 Census: 

In his twenties, Frederick moved away from his family in Exeter and moved to the Teignmouth area.

1891 Census: Lodging with Mann family, headed by butcher Albert Mann, at Parson Street, West Teignmouth.

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1892, Frederick (38), a tailor, married Lucy Trout (34), in the district of Newton Abbot.

Frederick and Lucy had one daughter:

  • Violet May  1894  


Photograph of Sarah in old age (centre) with most of her adult children, c 1900


Standing left to right: Alfred, Walter, Frank and Frederick

Sitting left to right: Thomas, Sarah and either Ellen or Thomas' wife Mary

1901 Census: 

1911 Census: 

In Jul/Aug/Sep 1913, Frederick passed away, aged fifty-nine, in the district of Newton Abbot.

After her husband's death, Lucy ran a lodging house at 17 Somerset Place. In 1921, one lodger, Alfred Shears, committed suicide - he was found hanging, with his throat cut (thankfully not at Lucy's home).

Frederick and Lucy's only daughter Violet would marry Ernest Huggins, from Norwich, Norfolk, in 1917. He was a sergeant in the Army Education Corps. His job took his family to Wiltshire.

Frederick's daughter Violet would name her firstborn son Frederick after her father.

By 1939, widowed Lucy was living with her married daughter and her family, in her son-in-law's native Norwich, where he was now working as a school master.

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1942, Lucy passed away, aged eight-three, in the district of Newton Abbot. She outlived Frederick by nearly thirty years.

Great x3 Uncle Henry John Wright

My Great x3 Uncle Henry (1851 - 1915) was a tin plate worker, father of nine, and an elder brother of my Great Great Grandfather Francis 'Frank' George Wright (1868 - 1939).

Henry was born in Jul/Aug/Sep 1851 in Exeter, Devon to William Wright (about 30), a man of many occupations but at the time of Henry' birth a boot and shoe maker, and Sarah Wright (nee Emberry) (about 23), a housewife and later an outdoor servant and laundress.

Unlike his siblings, it doesn't look like Henry was baptised.

Henry was the second of eight children (six sons and two daughters):

  • Thomas William  1849 - 1931  (82)
  • Henry John  1851 - 1915  (63)
  • Frederick Emberry  1854 - (59)
  • Ellen  1857 -
  • Walter Charles  1861 - (78)
  • Alfred Frank  1864 -
  • Francis 'Frank' George  1868 - 1939  (70)
  • Bessie T  1870 -

1861 Census:

1871 Census: 

On 3rd November 1878, Henry (27), a tinman, married Leonora Coombe (26), a tailoress, in St Mary Major, Exeter. At the time of their marriage, both Henry and Leonora lived on Prospect Place - were likely neighbours. They married in the presence of Edwin and Rosalina Coombe, Leonora's father and seemingly her sister.

Henry and Leonora had nine children, including seven daughters (according to 1911 Census, they had nine children, four of whom had passed away):

  • Florence Ellen  1879 - 1883  (3 years old)
  • Alice Emberry  1881  
  • Laura Coombe  1882  
  • Lily Rose  1884  
  • Lena Ethel  1885  
  • Mary Ann  1886 - 1986  (6 months)
  • Ada Pollie  1887 
  • ?  18?? - before 1911
  • ?  18?? - before 1911

I presently cannot find the names of two of their children, who passed away before the 1911 Census. They may have passed away very young, without being given names.

I also cannot find Henry and Leonora on the 1881 Census. Their one-year-old daughter Florence is staying with her maternal grandparents in Old Castle Street, Exeter.

The family were living at Prospect Place from the 1870s - 1883 (their address, when daughters Florence, Alice and Laura was baptised) They were living at Castle Street, Exeter, in 1884 (their address, when daughter Lily was baptised). They had moved to Albert Place by 1885 (their address, when daughter Lena was baptised). And were living back on Prospect Place by 1886 and beyond (their address, when daughters Mary and Ada were baptised).

From the Express and Echo of 22nd March 1883, announcing the death of Henry and Leonora's eldest daughter, Florence, aged three and half years:

From the Express and Echo of 2nd October 1886, announcing the death of Henry and Leonora's then youngest daughter, Mary, aged only six months:

1891 Census:

1901 Census: 

Interesting on the 1901 and 1911 Censuses, Henry is listed as an employer, rather than an employee, implying he may be running his own tin plate business.

Henry and Leonora's daughters seem to have gone into factory work as teenagers. In 1901, Alice (20) and Lily (17) both worked at a mineral water works; whilst Lena (16) was a tobacco factory hand. Second daughter Laura had no occupation listed; however, as her mother Leonora was working at home as a tailoress, it may have become Laura's responsibility to run the home.

In 1903, Henry and Leonora's daughter Laura (21) had an illegitimate daughter called Violet May Wright. After Laura's marriage and move to Wales, young Violet would continue to live with her maternal grandparents.

1911 Census: 

They lived on a square off of the famous Stepcote Hill. Living on the same Street, at 26 Stepcote Hill, at the same time, was my great x3 aunt by marriage Elizabeth Griffin (formally Vernon), her second husband Thomas Griffin, and children from both of her marriages. Thomas Griffin was a rather scandalous neighbour to have: a thief, who committed adultery and child neglect. Whilst Elizabeth ran their fried fish shop, let lodgings and worked as a charwoman.

In Jan/Feb 1915, Henry passed away, aged sixty-three, in Exeter. He was buried on 6th February 1915 in St George, Exeter.

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1920, Henry's widow Leonora passed away, aged sixty-seven, in Exeter. 

After Henry and Leonora's death, their married daughter Lily would continue to live at 10 George's Square, with her two daughters, as well as her niece Violet.