Francis Harry Evans

Francis Henry (also Harry) was the son of George Harry and Edith Evans (née Johnson). George was born in Bakewell, Derbyshire, in 1866 and his wife Edith was born in Langwith, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, also in 1866. They were married at Upper Langwith Holy Cross in 1890 (reg. A/M/J Mansfield) and had seven children between 1891 and 1907: Minnie b. Worksop, Lily b. Worksop, Francis Harry b. Worksop 1895 (A/M/J) bap. Worksop St Mary (priory) on 30 June 1895, Eliza Winifred b. Eckington Derbyshire, Roberta b. Bath Somerset, Joseph Thomas b. Shaftesbury Dorset and Arthur Cyril b. Truro Cornwall. George and Edith have not yet been traced on the 1891 Census but their first child Minnie was born later that year in Worksop. She was baptised at Norton Cuckney St Mary in 1891; the family was living in the village of Durham. In 1900 two of the children, Eliza and Roberta, were baptised at Bathford, Somerset; the family was then living in Warleigh. However, by 1901 George, a gamekeeper, and Edith were living in Silton, Shaftesbury, Dorset, with four of their five children: Minnie (9), Frank-sic (5), Eliza Winifred (3) and Roberta (9 months). Their second daughter, Lily, has not yet been traced on the census. George and his wife had moved to Philleigh, Cornwall, by 1911 where he was working as a cowman on a farm. Five of their seven children were in the home on the night of the census: Lily (18) of no occupation, Eliza, Roberta, Joseph (7) and Arthur (3). Minnie was a general servant in the household of Rev. William Fookes and his wife at The Rectory, Philleigh. Francis, who would have been about 16 years old, has not yet been traced on the Census. The WW1 Pension Ledgers record names Francis's mother, Edith, residence Philleigh, and Francis is commemorated on the Philleigh parish memorial. However, the later CWGC record gave his parents' address as Norton Cuckney, Mansfield. Francis' youngest brother Arthur attested in the Royal Artillery at Worksop in December 1925 (1065262). In 1939 George, a gamekeeper, and Edith were living in the Worksop area with their unmarried daughter Eliza Winifred and Thomas Johnson (b. 1858) single retired. Edith probably died in 1948 (reg. Worksop) and George in 1958 (reg. Worksop).