Frederick Strutt

He is named 'Fred' on the Birth Index, but his first name is given as 'Frederick' on other documents. Frederick was born in 1893, the son of Henry and Caroline Spriggs Strutt. His mother, Caroline Spriggs Brown, was born in Thistleton, Rutland, in 1852 and baptised in the parish church on 8 April 1852. In 1871 she was living with her uncle, John Spriggs, and his family in Exton, Oakham; her occupation was described as governess. Caroline married John Thomas Holmes in 1871, marriage registered in Oakham (O/N/D). She later moved to Oxton and in 1881 was recorded on the census as Caroline Holmes, married, a domestic servant and boarder in the household of Henry Strutt. Also in the home was a one year old child, Minnie Strutt Holmes, described as the daughter of the head of household. Caroline and Henry were married in 1881 (J/A/S) and had at least seven children: Minnie, Margaret E., Percy, Ellen (Nelly), Harry, Carrie/Cassie and Fred. Another child, a two year-old named Bertie, described on the 1901 census as their son, may be the 12 year-old Bertie who is listed on the 1911 Census as a grandson. By 1891 Henry (48), an agricultural labourer, and Caroline were living at 6 Sandy Lane, Oxton, with their six children, Minnie (11), Margaret (7), Percy (5), Ellen (4), Harry (1) and Carrie (3 weeks). The family was still living on Sandy Lane in 1901; six children were in the household on the night of the census: Percy (15), who was a cattle lad on a farm, Ellen (14), Harry (11), Carrie (10), Fred (7) and Bertie (2). Fred's father, Henry, died in 1906 (A/M/J) aged 63 and in 1908 (O/N/D) his mother married Joseph Archer. Joseph, who was also born in Oxton, was a farm labourer At the time of the 1911 Census, Caroline (59) and Joseph Archer (59) were living in Oxton with two of Caroline's children by her second marriage: Carrie (20), a domestic servant, and Fred (18), a blacksmith's apprentice. Also in the household was Bertie Strutt (12), described as their grandson, and a boarder, George Footitt (69) a widowed farm labourer. There is a record of payments made by the Army to Frederick's legatees: his mother, Caroline Archer, sisters Nellie Houldershaw, Carrie Cooper, Minnie Barnes and Margaret Sulley and brothers Percy and Harry. There is no mention of Bertie Strutt who appeared on the 1901 and 1911 census and as no record has been found of his death this suggests that he might have been the son of one of Frederick's siblings. Caroline Archer died in 1940 aged 87.

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