Great x3 Half Uncle William Edwin Boobier

My Great x3 Half Uncle William (1850 - 1851) was the eldest half brother of my Great Great Grandfather Walter Boobier (1871 - 1924).

William was born on 28th August 1850, in Tiverton, to William Boobier (about 24), a stone mason, and Emma Boobier (nee Kimmings) (about 23), a laundress.

William's parents had married on 29th March 1850. Emma was already about four months pregnant with William junior at the time.

William was named after his father. He was baptised on 1st January 1851, in Tiverton.

William was the eldest of six children (five sons and one daughter):

• William Edwin Kimmings  1850 - 1851 (14 months)
• Thomas Philip  1852 -
• Emma Grace  1855 -
• Edwin John  1858 -
• William Edwin  1861 -
• George Albert  1864 - 
  
  

1851 Census:

Sadly, William passed away at only 14 months old in October 1851, in Tiverton. 

He was buried on 16th October 1851, in Tiverton.

Fifteen years later, William's mother Emma passed away, aged about forty. She was buried on 24th January 1867 in Exeter. William's father remarried. William senior (about 41) married Jane Mutter (about 30) in May/June 1868.

William had four younger half brothers:

• Robert  1869 -
• Walter  1871 - 1924 (53)
• Alfred  1873 -
• Frederick  1874 -

Great x3 Half Aunt Florence 'Florrie' Mabel Slack (nee Clapperton) (1889 - 1975)

My Great x3 Half Aunt Florrie (1889 - 1975) was a servant, housewife, mother of twelve, and the youngest half sister of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Wright (nee Bennett) (1871 - 1944).

Florrie was born on 30th May 1889, in Exeter, Devon, to James Clapperton (about 53), a Scottish veteran of the Crimean War and a draper's porter, and Sarah Ann Clapperton (formerly Bennett, nee Andrews) (about 45), a housewife.

I cannot find a record of marriage between Sarah Ann and James Clapperton, though they would live for years as husband and wife. 

Florence was baptised on 3rd July 1889, in St Sidwell's, Exeter.

Florrie had two old half siblings from her mother's first marriage to railway labourer James Bennett, who died after an accident at work:

• William  1868 - 1942  (73)
• Emma  1871 - 1944  (73)

Florrie was the youngest eight full siblings (four boys, four girls):

• James 1874 - 1936  (61)
• George Henry  1876 - 1952  (75)
• Albert 1878 - 1878 (2 months)
• Walter John  1880 - 1913  (32)
• Lily/Lilian Maude  1882 - 1958 (75)
• Minnie  1884 - 1956 (71)
• Ada  1886 - 1888  (1 year and 9 months)
• Florence 'Florrie' Mabel  1889 - 1975 (85)

1891 Census:

Florrie attended Holloway Street School. Then from 15th January 1899, she attended Rack Street Central School. Her address is given as 3 Prospect Place. Her older half sister Emma had married Frank Wright, whose family were living at 3 Prospect Place earlier on the 1891 Census. 

Before Florrie was even a teenager, her parents' relationship fell apart. They had been living apart for fifteen months, when James was charged with assaulting Sarah in 1899. By then, Sarah was living with her future husband, stone mason William Luscombe.

I cannot presently find Florrie (twelve) or her older sisters Lily (nineteen) or Minnie (seventeen) on the 1901 Census. They are with neither parent. 

On the evening of Sunday 8th April 1906, sixteen-year-old (though in the newspaper, said to be seventeen) Florrie, along with two friends, was arrested for using obscene language and jostling people on the High Street.

From the Western Times of 12th April 1906:

Three years earlier in 1903, Florrie's future husband Frank had also been arrested for jostling and annoying people in the high street of a Sunday night!

From the Western Times of 13th May 1903:

On 18th January 1907, when Florrie was seventeen, her father James passed away, aged seventy-one, in Exeter. His death was reported in the Western Times on 23rd January 1907:

His funeral took place on 24th January 1907 at Exeter's Higher Cemetery. Owing to his military service, his funeral was highly attended and reported in the Western Times on 25th January 1907:

Florrie's older sister Minnie (left) and Florrie (right)

At the time of Florrie's wedding in 1910, Florrie was living with her older half sister Emma. Emma's husband Frank acted as witness at Florrie's wedding

On Christmas Day 1910, Florrie (21), a servant, married Frank Slack (26), a tanyard labourer, in Exeter.

Florrie and Frank had twelve children (including two sets of twins!?) (ten boys and two girls)

• Florence May  1911
• Frank  1912
• Louisa 'Lucy' Ivy I  1915 - 1922  (7 years old)
• Walter 'George' George  1918
• Frederick 'Jack' John  1921
• Albert  1922 - 1922 (2 weeks)
• William  1922 - 1922 (1 day)
• Leonard James  1924
• Cyril Leslie  1926
• Raymond Clifford  1927
• David  1930
• Peter A S  1930

At the time of the 1911, the young couple resided at 8 Prospect Place, Exeter.

In 1913, Florrie's older brother Walter passed away. In the Royal Marines for thirteen years, Walter had served on many ships, before being invalided out on 16th November 1911. Eighteen months later, he passed away, aged thirty-two, in April 1913. At the time of his death, Walter was living with their older brother George in Barnstaple.

His death was reported in the North Devon Herald of 10th April 1913:

Florrie's husband Frank (service number 7274) had enlisted as a private in the Devonshire Regiment, aged eighteen, on 12th January 1903. But he was discharged only three months later, on 15th April 1903, having paid £10.

Her service records give a brief physical description of Frank as a young man: he was 5'6'', with a fresh complexion, brown hair and grey eyes.

Frank (service number 457368) reenlisted in the First World War. He served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Frank was a prisoner of war. He was captured on 21st Mar 1918 at St Quentin. Thankfully Frank survived the war and returned home to his family in Exeter.

Florrie and Frank, most likely with their eldest children:
Florence (right), Frank (middle) and baby Lucy, c 1916

By the time of 1921 Census, the Slack family were living at 24 Prospect Place, Rack Street, Exeter. Frank worked at the Tremlett Paper Mills - now the pub and restaurant The Mill on the Exe, which I have dinned at without realising I had a distant familial connection.

1921 Census:

On 20th Sep 1922, Florrie's daughter Louisa passed away, aged seven, of tuberculosis. She was buried on 3rd October 1922, in Exwick Cemetery.

Sadly two weeks later, Florrie would also see her baby twin sons - Albert and William - buried in the same cemetery.

On 18th October 1922, William (one day old) and Albert (two weeks old) were buried, in Exwick Cemetery.

Florrie would have a second set of twins - David and Peter - in 1930. 

Florrie and Frank

Two days after the start of the Second World War, on 3rd September 1939, Florrie and Frank's son Jack (service number 7356200), eighteen, enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps (in which his father had served in the last world war). He served until 1946 and reached the rank of Corporal. After the war, he worked as a nurse.

1939 Census:

Florence (left) and her older sister Minnie (right), later in life, outside 'Sidwell'

Frank and Florrie, outside their home 'Sidwell', c 1939

As seen on the 1939 Census, the Slack family lived in 'Sidwell' - a semi-detached house on King Street, Exeter. The other half of the semi was called 'Regalia', but known locally as 'Reglia'.

On 25th April 1942, the houses were sadly destroyed in a bombing raid. But amazingly, they were steadily rebuilt "very much as they were" after the war. Around 1955, the Slack family moved back in. However, they chose to move into - not their former home of 'Sidwell', but 'Reglia'.

On 7th January 1956, Florrie's husband Frank passed away, aged seventy-one, at the family home of Regalia.

Frank was buried on 11th January 1956, in Exwick Cemetery.

In 1966, Florrie and Frank's son Cyril and his family emigrated to Australia.

Florrie outlived all of her older siblings.

On 13th April 1975, Florrie passed away, aged eighty-five, in Exeter. 

She was buried on 17th April 1975, in Exwick Cemetery

Frank and Florrie share a final resting place.

Florrie and Flank's grave

Great x3 Half Aunt Ada Clapperton

My Great x3 Half Aunt Ada (1886 - 1888) was a younger half sister of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Wright (nee Bennett) (1871 - 1944).

Ada was born around July 1886, in Exeter, Devon, to James Clapperton (about 50), a Scottish veteran of the Crimean War and a draper's porter, and Sarah Ann Clapperton (formerly Bennett, nee Andrews) (about 42), a housewife.

I cannot find a record of marriage between Sarah Ann and James Clapperton, though they would live for years as husband and wife. 

Ada was baptised on 11th August 1886 in St Sidwell's, Exeter. At the time, the family were living at 2 Cheeke Street, Exeter.

Ada had two old half siblings from her mother's first marriage to railway labourer James Bennett, who died after an accident at work:

• William  1868 - 1942  (73)
• Emma  1871 - 1944  (73)

Ada was the seventh of eight full siblings (four boys, four girls):

• James 1874 - 1936  (61)
• George Henry  1876 - 1952  (75)
• Albert 1878 - 1878 (2 months)
• Walter John  1880 - 1913  (32)
• Lily/Lilian Maude  1882 - 1958 (75)
• Minnie  1884 - 1956 (71)
• Ada  1886 - 1888  (1 year and 9 months)
• Florence 'Florrie' Mabel  1889 - 1975 (85)

Ada's life was cut tragically short...

On the evening of 11th April 1888, Ada was only a toddler, out of her mother's sight for barely a minute while she fetched water from a neighbour's house, and watched over by an older brother, George, aged eleven; but in a passing moment a younger brother, Walter, aged eight, left the front door open and little Ada wandered out, as a tram was going passed. The tram-driver braked suddenly, but too late. 

From the Western Times on 17th April 1888:

The layout of Paris Street and its smaller surrounding streets changed after the Second World War. 

This old map from Exeter Memories highlights the changes. The modern Paris Street is in blue, whilst the old Paris Steet is in red. I have also highlighted the old Cheek Street in yellow. Where the old Cheek Street and old Paris Street met (see yellow circle on modern map) was where Ada was likely knocked down.

The likely location is now on Bampfylde Street (built after the Second World War). I get off the bus at Exeter Bus Station every work day and walk down along this street nipping across onto Sidwell Street (on map going down along yellow line and left onto short end of red line) passing the likely location where my ancestors lived and where my great aunt died.

Photos of Trams on Paris Street in the early 20th Century

On 15th April 1888, Ada was buried, in St Sidwell's, Exeter.

Great x3 Half Aunt Minnie Thomas (nee Clapperton) 1884 - 1956

My Great x3 Half Aunt Minnie (1884 - 1956) was a housewife, mother of nine and a young half sister of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Wright (nee Bennett) (1871 - 1944).

Minnie was born in Jul/Aug/Sep 1884, in Exeter, Devon, to James Clapperton (about 48), a Scottish veteran of the Crimean War and a draper's porter, and Sarah Ann Clapperton (formerly Bennett, nee Andrews) (about 40), a housewife.

I cannot find a record of marriage between Sarah Ann and James Clapperton, though they would live for years as husband and wife. 

Minnie was baptised on the 29th September 1884, at St Matthew's, Exeter. At the time, the family were living at 69 Clifton Street.

Minnie had two old half siblings from her mother's first marriage to railway labourer James Bennett, who died after an accident at work:

• William  1868 - 1942  (73)
• Emma  1871 - 1944  (73)

Minnie was the sixth of eight full siblings (four boys, four girls):

• James 1874 - 1936  (61)
• George Henry  1876 - 1952  (75)
• Albert 1878 - 1878 (2 months)
• Walter John  1880 - 1913  (32)
• Lily/Lilian Maude  1882 - 1958 (75)
• Minnie  1884 - 1956 (71)
• Ada  1886 - 1888  (1 year and 9 months)
• Florence 'Florrie' Mabel  1889 - 1975 (85)

On the evening of 11th April 1888, when Minnie was three, her younger sister Ada was tragically killed - knocked down by a tram.

Ada was only a toddler, out of her mother's sight for barely a minute, while she fetched water from the house next door, and watched over by older brother George, aged only eleven. In a passing moment Walter, aged eight, left the front door open, going out to play with friends. Little Ada ran out, just when a tram came pass. The tram-driver braked suddenly, but too late. 

From the Western Times on 17th April 1888:

1891 Census:

When Minnie was a teenager, her parents' relationship fell apart. They had been living apart for fifteen months, when James was charged with assaulting Sarah in 1899. By then, Sarah was living with her future husband, stone mason William Luscombe.

I cannot presently find Minnie or her sisters Lily or Florrie on the 1901 Census, when they would have been about nineteen, seventeen, and twelve years old. They are with neither parent.

On Christmas Day 1902, Minnie (18) married Albert 'Bert' Thomas (23), a bombardier (and later a corporal and then a sergeant) from Lancashire, in her native Exeter. Minnie's older sister Lily acted as witness.

Minnie and Bert had nine children (four sons and five daughters):

• Walter  1904  
• Minnie Elizabeth  1905  
• Amy Letitia  1906  
• Joseph 'Harry' Henry  1907  
• Lillian Florence  1909 
• Phyllis B  1911 
• Ena Caroline  1914  
• Frederick Arthur  1917 - 1917 (1 month)
• Claude Oliver  1918  

Bert (Service number 34796) was in the 68th Battery of the Royal Horse and Field Artillery. 

His service record gives a brief physical description of him, when he enlisted aged nineteen, in 1899: he was 5'4'', with a fresh complexion, light brown hair and grey eyes. His character is repeatedly given as "exemplary". He is described as "sober, honest and trustworthy".

Unfortunately, it is difficult to read a lot of Bert's service record due to writing fading and paper being damaged. But we know he served until 1920 - for over twenty-one years! Including the First World War.

The family moved around a lot, likely due to Bert's work as a soldier. This can be observed in the varied locations in their children's births...

Around 1905, they moved from Exeter, Devon, to Trowbirdge, Wiltshire, where Minnie and Amy were born (in 1905 and 1906). Then around 1907, they moved to Templemore, Tupperary, Ireland, where Joseph and Lillian were born (in 1907 and 1909). Then by 1911, they were living in Chertsey, Surrey, where Phyllis was born. Then by 1914, in Barkham, Berkshire, where Ena was born. Then by 1917, they were living in Dublin, Ireland, where Frederick and Claude were born (1917 and 1918). And by 1925, where living in Bridgewater, Somerset, where Joyce was born.

On 18th January 1907, when Lily was twenty-three, her father James passed away, aged seventy-one, in Exeter. His death was reported in the Western Times on 23rd January 1907:

His funeral took place on 24th January 1907 at Exeter's Higher Cemetery. Owing to his military service, his funeral was highly attended and reported in the Western Times on 25th January 1907:

Minnie (left) and her younger sister Florence (right)

At the time of the 1911, Minnie and her young family were living at Minden Barracks in Deepcut, Surrey.

1911 Census:

Some of Minnie's children

Minnie and some of her children

In 1913, Minnie's older brother Walter passed away. In the Royal Marines for thirteen years, Walter had served on many ships, before being invalided out on 16th November 1911. Eighteen months later, he passed away, aged thirty-two, in April 1913. At the time of his death, Walter was living with their older brother George in Barnstaple.

His death was reported in the North Devon Herald of 10th April 1913:

Minnie and her family, c 1915.

On 15th February 1917, Minnie's baby son Frederick passed away, at only one month old, in Dublin, Ireland.

At the time of the 1921 Census, Minnie, with her baby toddler Claude, was visiting her older sister Lily, in Guildford.

1921 Census:

Meanwhile, her family were living back in her native Exeter.

After his long military service, Minnie's husband Bert became a grocer.

1921 Census:

By 1939, Minnie and Bert had moved to Manchester (near Bert's native Salford). Living with them is fourteen-year-old Joyce Thomas (possibly a granddaughter). Bert had changed careers and was working as a court warrant officer. 

1939 Census:

Minnie's sister Florence (left) and Minnie (right), later in life

Minnie (left) with Bert (right), later in life, with an unknown girl between them

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1956, Minnie passed away, aged seventy-one, in Manchester.

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1972, her widower Bert passed away, aged ninety-three, in Manchester.

Minnie's children later in life

Standing Left to Right: Lillian, Claude, Phyllis, Walter, Harry
Sat Left to Right: Ena, Amy, Minnie

I must thank closer relatives of Minnie, who have shared photos of her and her close family. It has been a rare delight to see faces of my relatives in the past, as often working class families, such as mine, do not have many.

Great x3 Half Aunt Lily/Lilian Maud/e Brown (formerly Cutler; nee Clapperton) 1882 - 1958

My Great x3 Half Aunt Lily (1882 - 1958) was a housewife, mother of four and a younger half sister of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Wright (nee Bennett) (1871 - 1944). 

Lily was born on 27th September 1882, in Exeter, Devon, to James Clapperton (about 46), a Scottish veteran of the Crimean War and a draper's porter, and Sarah Ann Clapperton (formerly Bennett, nee Andrews) (about 38), a housewife.

I cannot find a record of marriage between Sarah Ann and James Clapperton, though they would live for years as husband and wife. 

On 4th December 1882, Lily was baptised in St Sidwell's, Exeter.

Though baptised 'Lily Maud', on half of records she seems to go by 'Lilian' and also spell her middle name with an 'e'.

Lily had two old half siblings from her mother's first marriage to railway labourer James Bennett, who died after an accident at work:

• William  1868 - 1942  (73)
• Emma  1871 - 1944  (73)

Lily was the fifth of eight full siblings (four boys, four girls):

• James 1874 - 1936  (61)
• George Henry  1876 - 1952  (75)
• Albert 1878 - 1878 (2 months)
• Walter John  1880 - 1913  (32)
• Lily/Lilian Maude  1882 - 1958 (75)
• Minnie  1884 - 1956 (71)
• Ada  1886 - 1888  (1 year and 9 months)
• Florence 'Florrie' Mabel  1889 - 1975 (85)

On the evening of 11th April 1888, Lily's younger sister Ada was tragically killed - knocked down by a tram.

Ada was only a toddler, out of her mother's sight for barely a minute, while she fetched water from the house next door, and watched over by older brother George, aged only eleven. In a passing moment Walter, aged eight, left the front door open, going out to play with friends. Little Ada ran out, just when a tram came pass. The tram-driver braked suddenly, but too late. 

From the Western Times on 17th April 1888:

At the time of the 1891 Census, eight-year-old Lily was not at her family home, but a patient at an Eye Infirmary on Magdalen Street, Exeter.

1891:

Did Lily have something wrong with her eyes? She is never listed on a census as blind, but she might have needed glasses or an operation on her eyes maybe to be spending the census night at the Eye Infirmary.

When Lily was a teenager, her parents' relationship fell apart. They had been living apart for fifteen months, when James was charged with assaulting Sarah in 1899. By then, Sarah was living with her future husband, stone mason William Luscombe.

I cannot presently find Lily or her younger sisters Minnie or Florrie on the 1901 Census, when they would have been about nineteen, seventeen, and twelve years old. They are with neither parent.

On 15th July 1905, Lily (22) married William Thomas Cutler (23), a soldier from Chobham, Surrey. They married in Exeter.

William (4485) was a private in the Royal Horse and Field Artillery. He enlisted on 14th February 1900, aged eighteen.

His census records gives us an idea of his appearance as a young man: he was 5'7'', had a fair complexion, light brown hair and greenish hazel eyes.

The 1901 Census shows William living at Topsham Barracks in Exeter. It was likely his service that brought him to Devon, meaning he and Lily could meet. 

Lily and William had four children (2 sons and 2 daughters):

• William 'Willie/Will' Thomas  1906
• Beatrice 'Beattie/Beat' Lilian  1907
• Gladys Mabel  1909 
• Walter George  1910 - 1947 (36)

Their first child, William, was born in Exeter. But the family must have moved to William's native Chobham in Surrey around 1908, for the younger three children were born there.

Before they left Exeter, Lily and William attended the funeral of her father. 

On 18th January 1907, when Lily was twenty-four, James passed away, aged seventy-one, in Exeter. His death was reported in the Western Times on 23rd January 1907:

His funeral took place on 24th January 1907 at Exeter's Higher Cemetery. Owing to his military service, his funeral was highly attended and reported in the Western Times on 25th January 1907:

The little family then lived at Tower Cottage, Little Heath, Chobham.

William was a labourer, bricklayer and army reservist.

On 29th April 1910, Lily experienced tragedy again, when William was killed at work. 

He passed away, aged only twenty-seven, at Woking, Surrey, from internal haemorrhaging. He and his fellow workmen had been employed in pulling down an old building, when the chimney unexpectedly fell down on top of William and one other man. William was injured, but conscious and taken to hospital. Sadly, he passed away there, within a few hours of the accident.

He left behind a young widow in Lily, aged twenty-seven, and three young children aged zero to three. Lily was about seven months pregnant at the time. William never got to meet his youngest child.

From the Woking News & Mail of 6th May 1910:

"In never fading memory of a devoted wife and children; for dear daddy, from Willie, Beattie and Gladys" 

Under the Workmen's Compensation Act, Lily and the children received £173 7s 5d - "a third of which it was proposed should be invested for the widow and the two thirds to be invested for the four children". 

According to the Bank of England's Inflation calculator, this amount seems to be about two years pay for a working man in 1910. 

From the Surrey Advertiser of 15th October 1910:

Sweetly the 1911 Census shows Lily and the four children living next door to William's parents and siblings. They are not without support.

1911 Census:

In 1913, her older brother Walter passed away. In the Royal Marines for thirteen years, Walter had served on many ships, before being invalided out on 16th November 1911. Eighteen months later, he passed away, aged thirty-two, in April 1913. At the time of his death, Walter was living with their older brother George in Barnstaple.

His death was reported in the North Devon Herald of 10th April 1913:

Before she was thirty, Lily had lost two siblings, her father and husband.

Three years after William's untimely passing, Lily remarried.

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1913, Lily (about 31), a widow with four young children, married Canadian Leander William Brown (about 36), a steel erector and later brewery lorry driver, originally from Prince Edward Island. They married in the district of Chertsey, Surrey.

Though Leander's father and mother had both been born on Prince Edward Island, they were originally of Scottish ancestry and still Presbyterian. Lily herself was half Scottish.

At the time of the 1921 Census (and possibly again later in the 1939 Census), Leander was away working. Meanwhile, Lily's younger sister Minnie and one of her children were staying with Lily and her children.

1921 Census:

 

1939 Census:

I wonder if Lily was getting some income from renting rooms, as there are four individuals living with the Brown-Cutler family.

At the dawn of the Second World War, Lily's eldest son William would have been thirty-three and her younger son Walter would have been twenty-nine. Did they serve in the war?

On 13th January 1947, Lily's youngest child, Walter, passed away, aged thirty-six, in Guildford. Lily, and her other children - Will, Beat and Gladys - remembered Walter. They posted an 'in memoriam' in the local newspaper on the anniversary of his death every year into the 1950's. They put "In loving memory of a dear son and brother [...] Gone but not forgotten."

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1951, Lily's second husband Leander passed away, aged seventy-four, in Surrey.

In Apr/May/Jun 1958, Lily passed away, aged seventy-five, in Surrey.