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frankcom leslie

Snowball

master brummie
Leslie Frankcom was my uncle. Born February 1909 in Tilton Road, Aston. At a very early age, he was said to be a "toddler" he was playing with other local children giving each other rides in a wheelbarrow. Leslie fell out of the barrow and suffered some sort of head injury. According to family folk lore the doctors said that they could operate to fix the problem (whatever it was) BUT if they were unsuccessful the child might remain a vegetable for the rest of his life. His parents elected to not proceed with the surgery and since then Leslie had a reduced mental capacity. In later years when I knew him in the 1950's he could neither read nor write but spoke well enough without difficulty so he was not totally dependant on others. I belive that Leslie lived in some sort of an institution for most of his life but I don't know which one or where it was. Has anybody got any advice on where I could start this particular search ?

Any advice or help would be very much appreciated, Snowball (in Australia).:cool:
 
Re: Looking for leslie frankcom

G'day Snowball,
As Leslie Francom was born in Aston,the first place that springs to my mind is,The Aston union Infirmary,Slade Rd Erdington,it later became Highcroft Hospital,and it is now being turned into apartments.My gran died in there with dementia,her mother was a long stay,patient who died in there in 1909.They didn't understand mental illness them day's,and seemed to dump everyone together.:rolleyes:
It might be a good place to start,the records may be in Birmingham City archives.
Happy hunting.
 
Re: Looking for leslie frankcom

Hi snowball.
In the 1911 census Leslie and his family (father George, mother Margaret and older brother Joseph) were at 1 back of 19 Tilton Road.
In the online electoral rolls, the Frankcom family are at 2 back of 19 Tilton Rd (someone else at 1/19) from 1920 to 1950 at least, but Leslie only appears once, in 1930. That is the year he would have been 21 and eligible to vote. Presumably institution inmates are not, he does not appear anywhere else.
 
Re: Looking for leslie frankcom

Thank you Ray and Lloyd. Any advice on how I can access those records Ray ?, I presume these are kept at the Birmingham City Library Archives, are the archives on line at all ?

Regards, Snowball (in Australia)
 
Re: Looking for leslie frankcom

I had an uncle who was in Highcroft Hall for 63yrs of his life. I have his records that my brother obtained and I think it was from the Health Trust of that area.
 
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