Ancestry Help! -Frank Lees

[JudiM]

I have recently started is in Ancestry . Com. Having a great with it, but am getting increasing frustrated trying to pin down records for my Grandfather Frank Lees. I've found his & Gran's marriage details, as well as the birth records for my Dad & his sister (and her death record as she died in childhood). I can find my Gran's death record but nothing for my Granddad. It's almost as if outside his marriage & children's births he didn't exhist!

Although I can find numerous electoral & address records for various family members, Gran & Granddad don't seem to appear anywhere - maybe they never voted? They lived at the same address from 1940, so it's not as if they could appear on records for lots of different areas.

I know where they lived (in Shirley) & I know my Granddad died around 1991, though it could be a year or 2 either side. I know he was cremated at Robin hood Cemetery in the April as Dad made the faux pas of arranging the funeral for Gran's birthday!!!! I've asked my Dad, but he can't remember the year either.

Any suggestions? I'm not 100% sure of his birth year, but think it was 1914. I may have to order a copy of their marriage certificate to be fine out.

 

[MWS]

There's a birth for a Frank Lees reg Aston, Jun qtr 1915. Mmn Buckingham.

And a death reg Jun 1989 Bham. Dob 2 May 1915.

 

[pjmburns]

Shirley records are not on Ancestry. I had to search the erolls at Solihull library as my Grandad was born and lived all his life in Shirley.
If you provide as much info as you can - Grandmother's name, marriage date etc than members will help your search

 

[Jason Ellis]

Shirley records are not on Ancestry. I had to search the erolls at Solihull library as my Grandad was born and lived all his life in Shirley.
If you provide as much info as you can - Grandmother's name, marriage date etc than members will help your search

Janice,
How strange, as you may remember I am also stuck on a Frank lees, although mine is about 30-40 years earlier than Judi's. I will certainly join in the chase when Judi gives us some more information to work on. It is far from uncommon for a forename to be passed down the generations.
Jason

 

[pjmburns]

Just had a thought - were you looking for a death reg in Solihull? If your Grandad died in a Birmingham hospital then his death would be reg in Birmingham which could point to the death referred to in post #2.

 

[Eric Gibson]

My mother's sister Lilian Coughlin married a William Lees, their daughter Margarette did a big family tree but I think she concentrated on the Coughlin side more than her dad's. I'll see what I can find.

 

[JudiM]

There's a birth for a Frank Lees reg Aston, Jun qtr 1915. Mmn Buckingham.

And a death reg Jun 1989 Bham. Dob 2 May 1915.

Aston would be the birth area, but at this stage I'm unsure of his mother's ma is an name. Will have to try & find out somehow.

June 89? He was cremated in April, & I'd have thought his death would have been registered before that, unless it's for the quarter ending June. I'll look.

 

[JudiM]

Janice,
How strange, as you may remember I am also stuck on a Frank lees, although mine is about 30-40 years earlier than Judi's. I will certainly join in the chase when Judi gives us some more information to work on. It is far from uncommon for a forename to be passed down the generations.
Jason

Could be a relative. Unfortunately, I'm none to familiar withstand side of the family. Dad's only sister, Joyce, died in childhood so there are no aunts, uncles or cousins.

 

[JudiM]

Shirley records are not on Ancestry. I had to search the erolls at Solihull library as my Grandad was born and lived all his life in Shirley.
If you provide as much info as you can - Grandmother's name, marriage date etc than members will help your search

Thanks. He was born Aston way, but they moved to Shirley in 1940 when my Dad was still a baby. They remained at the same address. My Gran's name was Grace Mary (maiden name Grundy). I have found her records, including the marriage, but not much for Granddad.

 

[sospiri]

Judi,

June is generally the last month of the quarter, i.e. April-May-June. I prefer to use terminology such as 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4 Qtr, but the General Register Office sets up those designations.

Maurice

 

[MWS]

They were living at 78 Cradock Road on 1939 electoral roll. Grace and her mom are on the 1939 register at that address but Frank isn't there. Possibly enlisted?

 

[Alberta]

In 1939 78 Craddock Road,Saltley
Grace Lees b 12 th june 1915 was with her mother Alice Grundy b 1879

Frank Lees registered 1915 was born to Frederick William Lees and Sarah Buckingham
in 1939 they are at
23 Craddock road both born 1879
Fredericks occupation Wood machinist.

In 1901 Frederick living with his mother sophia in Gt Lister street, Sarah Buckingham is a boarder

1911 27 Craddock Road
Frederick Lees 32 Wood machinist
Sarah 32 Cycle worker
Harry 7
Phyllis 9 months.

 

[JudiM]

In 1939 78 Craddock Road,Saltley
Grace Lees b 12 th june 1915 was with her mother Alice Grundy b 1879

Frank Lees registered 1915 was born to Frederick William Lees and Sarah Buckingham
in 1939 they are at
23 Craddock road both born 1879
Fredericks occupation Wood machinist.

In 1901 Frederick living with his mother sophia in Gt Lister street, Sarah Buckingham is a boarder

1911 27 Craddock Road
Frederick Lees 32 Wood machinist
Sarah 32 Cycle worker
Harry 7
Phyllis 9 months.

Granddad certainly enlisted, so it would make sense.

But I didn't think Gran's birthday was June, she did die around 20 years ago now, so maybe I'm getting the months mixed up!

I have ordered a copy of their marriage certificate so I will have more details as to dob & parents names when that comes through.

 

[JudiM]

This is them on the right. The man with the child (presumably his) is a boxing colleague of granddad's. No idea who the guy photobombing at the back is

 

[Brasscaster]

This is them on the right. The man with the child (presumably his) is a boxing colleague of granddad's. No idea who the guy photobombing at the back is

JudiM, you mention that your grandfather had boxing friends. There are several news reports of a Frank Lees, an amateur boxer belonging to the Metropolitan Amateur Club, Saltley. However, one of the reports is of a fight in 1928 when your Frank would have been only 13 years old.

 

[Alberta]

Judi , Grace Mary Lees died Birmingham 2004 and her birthdate given as 12th June 1915

 

[Jason Ellis]

Hello Judi,
I have spent the morning working on www.familysearch.org to find out if we are related. Apparently not, but I have expanded upon some excellent work previously done by others and now have a fairly good family tree for you as follows:
James Lees (1760-1828) married Sarah (b 1780) before 1800 and they had:
John Lees (b 1802) married Harriet Davis (b 1808) before 1836 and they had:
Frederick Lees (1845-1898) married Sarah Augustus Wadley (b 1852) in 1870 and they had:
Frederick William Lees (1879-1948) married Sarah Buckingham (b 1879) in 1901 and they had:
Frank Lees (1915-1989) married Grace Mary Grundy (1915-2004) in 1937
and the rest I think you know.
Jason

 

[JudiM]

Hello Judi,
I have spent the morning working on www.familysearch.org to find out if we are related. Apparently not, but I have expanded upon some excellent work previously done by others and now have a fairly good family tree for you as follows:
James Lees (1760-1828) married Sarah (b 1780) before 1800 and they had:
John Lees (b 1802) married Harriet Davis (b 1808) before 1836 and they had:
Frederick Lees (1845-1898) married Sarah Augustus Wadley (b 1852) in 1870 and they had:
Frederick William Lees (1879-1948) married Sarah Buckingham (b 1879) in 1901 and they had:
Frank Lees (1915-1989) married Grace Mary Grundy (1915-2004) in 1937
and the rest I think you know.
Jason

Shame we are not related!

Thank you for the information. I possibly have a photograph of Sarah Wadley. I know it's Granddad's grandmother, but I don't know if it's the maternal or paternal grandmother.

He gave me the picture along with some others, including the one I posted yesterday & just told me it was his grandmother.

 

[JudiM]

JudiM, you mention that your grandfather had boxing friends. There are several news reports of a Frank Lees, an amateur boxer belonging to the Metropolitan Amateur Club, Saltley. However, one of the reports is of a fight in 1928 when your Frank would have been only 13 years old.

Yes, he was quite the boxer! I remember a box with all his cuttings & there were several awards & trophy's as well. He had a punchbag in the garage & I'd wear his gloves & he'd teach me how to throw a punch.

Sadly a lot of the cuttings got thrown away by Gran after he died, so It's nice to see some again.

He was a very slight man & boxed at the lightest weights & after WWII he had a limp, so in later years I guess he looked a lot frailer than he was. When he was around 70 a young lad tried to mug him in the toilets of the Saracens Head & he knocked him out with one punch

 

[Alberta]

Re. your photo of Sarah Wadley
Frederick W Lees married a Sophia Augusta Walker in Droitwich
Sophia Augusta was registered Wadley but her mother was Sophia Walker and her father Henry Wadley who died in 1856
they do not appear to have married and so after he died Sophia Walker married Henry Millman in 1859 although describing herself as widow.

In 1861 census there are Millman children and Sophia Wadley 9 and William Wadley 5

It always surprises me that our ancestors had to leave behind such tangled webs for us to unravel.
On the 1851 census Sophia is Henry Wadleys 'wife', he is 12 years older than her,when she married Henry Millman as a widow called Walker I wonder what name she gave for her father and didn't Mr.. Millman wonder why her children were named Wadley. This is what makes genealogy so fascinating and infuriating.

 

[JudiM]

Re. your photo of Sarah Wadley
Frederick W Lees married a Sophia Augusta Walker in Droitwich
Sophia Augusta was registered Wadley but her mother was Sophia Walker and her father Henry Wadley who died in 1856
they do not appear to have married and so after he died Sophia Walker married Henry Millman in 1859 although describing herself as widow.

In 1861 census there are Millman children and Sophia Wadley 9 and William Wadley 5

It always surprises me that our ancestors had to leave behind such tangled webs for us to unravel.
On the 1851 census Sophia is Henry Wadleys 'wife', he is 12 years older than her,when she married Henry Millman as a widow called Walker I wonder what name she gave for her father and didn't Mr.. Millman wonder why her children were named Wadley. This is what makes genealogy so fascinating and infuriating.

Brilliant I think a lot of people didn't go through the formality of marriage - just as they do now. They would have considered themselves so too, even though they didn't have a bit of paper saying so. I'd like to think Sophia's 2nd 'husband' knew all about her past & was happy to give her & her children some stabilty.