Roger Michael Wreford

Today's photo is of a rather cute little young man, Roger Michael Wreford born at the end of 1901.

• Subject: Roger Michael Wreford
• Date: 1902
• Photographer: R K Durrant & Son, 46 Fleet St, Torquay
• Found: UK

First stop was FreeBMD to find his birth registration:-

Births Dec 1901
WREFORD  Roger Michael     Toxteth Park  8b 181

With the 1911 census now being online (although far too expensive to actually pay to look at a census page yet) I was able to find Roger Michael in the index living in Newton Abbot, Devonshire, aged 9. Onto the 1901 census where an entry for a couple of boarders in Hornsey, Middlesex looked promising:-

• 3 Park Villas, Hornsey, Middlesex - Class: RG13; Piece: 1244; Folio: 69; Page: 4.
• Charles H Wreford mar 34 Church of England clergyman born Clannaborough, Devon
• Agnes A Wreford mar 33 born Mold, Wales

It was the A A of Agnes' name that caught my eye, the same initials as on the back of the photo. Back to FreeBMD for their marriage:-

Marriages Jun 1899
Lewis  Agnes Ada    Chester  8a 755   
Wreford  Charles Herbert     Chester  8a 755

Then back to the 1911 to find that Charles Herbert and Agnes Ada Wreford were also living in Newton Abbot. Of course this isn't proof they are Roger Michael's parents but it seems like a fairly good guess.

I do know for sure that Charles Herbert was the son of John Wreford and his wife Rahel Matilda nee Braund who were married in 1857:-

Marriages Dec 1857
Brannd  Rahel Matilda     Yeovil  5c 813   
Wreford  John     Yeovil  5c 813

Charles Herbert was living with his parents in the 1891 census in Clearbrook, Devon. His father John was the Magistrate for Devon aged 75 born in Nymet Rowland, Devonshire, his mother had the unusual name of Rahel Matilda Braund. I thought it was a misspelling of Rachel but apparently not:-

RAHEL MATILDA BRAUND
Christening:  16 AUG 1832   Hatherleigh, Devon, England
Parents:
  Father:  WILLIAM HOCKIN BRAUND 
  Mother:  RAHEL

But then again perhaps Rachel is correct:-

WILLIAM HOCKING BRAUND
Marriages:
  Spouse:  RACHEL HEARN
  Marriage:  04 APR 1826   Shebbear, Devon, England

Who knows? On her daughter's baptism in the parish records and her marriage entry and death entry on FreeBMD her name is spelt Rahel in all instances, one wouldn't think it could be transcribed wrong three times, could it?

I wasn't able to find out who Sarah was but perhaps a sister of Agnes Ada who was a little harder to research before her marriage to Charles Herbert.

• References:
• ©ancestry.com
• FreeBMD
• International Genealogical Index
• Australian Descendants of Michael Harney

As before, if anyone is connected to this family and would like the photograph of Roger Michael please contact me by leaving a comment. You will find what I've found on this family in my Strangers in a Box Family Tree.