Biography:
Frank Arthur Timson (484)
1889 –13/12/1935
Frank Arthur Timson (484)
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FRANK ARTHUR TIMSON; 1889 – 1936
Frank was the fourth of eight children born to Walter and Mary Timson. He was born in the second quarter of 1889. The family lived on Berkhamsted’s High Street where his father had a draper’s shop and that is where we find Frank, not quite two years old, living with his parents and three older siblings at the time of the 1891census. The family were still living at the same address in 1901. Frank was then 11 years old and was no doubt attending school, although the usual notation of “scholar” does not appear against his name, or indeed that of any of his siblings.
By 1911, however, Frank had not only left the family home, but Berkhamsteditself. We discover him boarding at 18 Oxford Grove in Ilfracombe, Devon. 18 Oxford Road was the home of William and Annie Jones and their six children. As well as the Jones family, four boarders were recorded at the property, one of whom was Frank.
Frank, age 23, had not followed in his father’s footsteps and become a draper. His occupation was noted as chemist, as is one of the other boarders. He was not however working in chemist’s shop; in the column specifying the industry or service within which he worked appears the word “research”, so he was evidently a research chemist.
We can surmise that Frank did not stay in Devon for long, as two years later in 1913 he married Amy Elizabeth Smither in Paddington, London and Amy gave birth to their first child, Sylvia Mary Timson on 19th May 1914. The birth was registered in Romford in Essex, which is presumably where Frank and Amy were then living.
The First World War broke out in August 1914, a few months after Sylvia was born. The National Archive at Kew holds a service record for a Frank Arthur Timson who was a 2nd lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers. Unfortunately, this record is not available online, but we do know from the London Gazette that officer cadet Frank Arthur Timson was commissioned as a temporary 2nd Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers on 1st August 1917.
Frank survived the war and returned home and Amy gave birth to a second child, Frank E Timson, early in 1914. The birth was registered in Edmonton.
Two of Frank’s brothers had emigrated, one to Canada and one to USA. When Frank’s father, Walter, retired in 1926 he travelled to North America, no doubt to visit his two sons. Frank’s mother did not accompany his father , but we learn from border crossing records between Canada and USA that Frank accompanied his father on his trip. The date of the border crossing was 22nd August 1926. We can also see from this record that Frank was then still working as a chemist.
Sadly, Amy died later that year on 29th September 1926. Whether Frank had returned from his trip to North America by then is not apparent. The address at which Amy died, presumably the family home, was 82 Station Road, New Southgate, Middlesex. Probate of her estate was granted to “Frank Arthur Timson, chemist.”
Amy’s death must have caused Frank to pause and re-evaluate his life, as we find that later in 1927 he had given up his career as a chemist and moved to Tilehurst near Reading. He became a hotel keeper at the Roebuck Inn where he was to live for the rest of his life. Pictures of the Roebuck Inn. The Roebuck stands on the bank of the Thames. The west wing dated from the 17th Century and it was expanded in 1882 to accommodate boaters and anglers. A photograph taken around 1900 from the river shows a substantial property.
Frank fell foul of the licensing laws in 1930 when he was summoned for supplying intoxicating liquor after permitted hours. A report carried by the Nottingham Evening Post on 12th August 1930 (quite why a Nottingham newspaper would publish an article reporting on court proceedings in Reading is a mystery) explained that police officers entered the hotel at 10.55 and found seven customers in the saloon bar with beer and whiskey on a table. Two gentleman and a woman were in the dining room eating supper. Frank’s defence was that drinks could be supplied if there was a bona fide meal and that the drink need not necessarily be taken in the same part of the hotel in which the meal was taken. The magistrates held that meals and drink should be served together in the same room. Frank was fined 40 shillings and costs.
On 9th May 1935, Frank remarried at the age of 46. His second wife was Laura Goldsworthy. Frank only lived for a short time after his second marriage. He died on 13th December 1936 at the age of 47. Although he had left Berkhamsted over 36 years earlier, his body was brought back to the town in which he was born and he was buried on 16th December 1936 in Rectory lane Cemetery. The kerbstones surrounding the grave in which Frank was buried carries the following inscription; “In memory of our father Frank Arthur Timson died 13th December 1936 aged 47 years.”
View this burial in the cemetery
FRANK ARTHUR TIMSON; 1889 – 1936
Frank was the fourth of eight children born to Walter and Mary Timson. He was born in the second quarter of 1889. The family lived on Berkhamsted’s High Street where his father had a draper’s shop and that is where we find Frank, not quite two years old, living with his parents and three older siblings at the time of the 1891census. The family were still living at the same address in 1901. Frank was then 11 years old and was no doubt attending school, although the usual notation of “scholar” does not appear against his name, or indeed that of any of his siblings.
By 1911, however, Frank had not only left the family home, but Berkhamsteditself. We discover him boarding at 18 Oxford Grove in Ilfracombe, Devon. 18 Oxford Road was the home of William and Annie Jones and their six children. As well as the Jones family, four boarders were recorded at the property, one of whom was Frank.
Frank, age 23, had not followed in his father’s footsteps and become a draper. His occupation was noted as chemist, as is one of the other boarders. He was not however working in chemist’s shop; in the column specifying the industry or service within which he worked appears the word “research”, so he was evidently a research chemist.
We can surmise that Frank did not stay in Devon for long, as two years later in 1913 he married Amy Elizabeth Smither in Paddington, London and Amy gave birth to their first child, Sylvia Mary Timson on 19th May 1914. The birth was registered in Romford in Essex, which is presumably where Frank and Amy were then living.
The First World War broke out in August 1914, a few months after Sylvia was born. The National Archive at Kew holds a service record for a Frank Arthur Timson who was a 2nd lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers. Unfortunately, this record is not available online, but we do know from the London Gazette that officer cadet Frank Arthur Timson was commissioned as a temporary 2nd Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers on 1st August 1917.
Frank survived the war and returned home and Amy gave birth to a second child, Frank E Timson, early in 1914. The birth was registered in Edmonton.
Two of Frank’s brothers had emigrated, one to Canada and one to USA. When Frank’s father, Walter, retired in 1926 he travelled to North America, no doubt to visit his two sons. Frank’s mother did not accompany his father , but we learn from border crossing records between Canada and USA that Frank accompanied his father on his trip. The date of the border crossing was 22nd August 1926. We can also see from this record that Frank was then still working as a chemist.
Sadly, Amy died later that year on 29th September 1926. Whether Frank had returned from his trip to North America by then is not apparent. The address at which Amy died, presumably the family home, was 82 Station Road, New Southgate, Middlesex. Probate of her estate was granted to “Frank Arthur Timson, chemist.”
Amy’s death must have caused Frank to pause and re-evaluate his life, as we find that later in 1927 he had given up his career as a chemist and moved to Tilehurst near Reading. He became a hotel keeper at the Roebuck Inn where he was to live for the rest of his life. Pictures of the Roebuck Inn. The Roebuck stands on the bank of the Thames. The west wing dated from the 17th Century and it was expanded in 1882 to accommodate boaters and anglers. A photograph taken around 1900 from the river shows a substantial property.
Frank fell foul of the licensing laws in 1930 when he was summoned for supplying intoxicating liquor after permitted hours. A report carried by the Nottingham Evening Post on 12th August 1930 (quite why a Nottingham newspaper would publish an article reporting on court proceedings in Reading is a mystery) explained that police officers entered the hotel at 10.55 and found seven customers in the saloon bar with beer and whiskey on a table. Two gentleman and a woman were in the dining room eating supper. Frank’s defence was that drinks could be supplied if there was a bona fide meal and that the drink need not necessarily be taken in the same part of the hotel in which the meal was taken. The magistrates held that meals and drink should be served together in the same room. Frank was fined 40 shillings and costs.
On 9th May 1935, Frank remarried at the age of 46. His second wife was Laura Goldsworthy. Frank only lived for a short time after his second marriage. He died on 13th December 1936 at the age of 47. Although he had left Berkhamsted over 36 years earlier, his body was brought back to the town in which he was born and he was buried on 16th December 1936 in Rectory lane Cemetery. The kerbstones surrounding the grave in which Frank was buried carries the following inscription; “In memory of our father Frank Arthur Timson died 13th December 1936 aged 47 years.”
Relatives
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