Initials and wedding date only - can I trace them?

[Rob Thomson]

Hello,

I'm a complete newbie to genealogy so apologies in advance for any silly questions!

We recently bought a lovely old oak chest from a local charity shop. When we got it home we found a small silver plaque under the lid which says:

ENG & HRW
From all employees at 9 Vyse Street on the occasion of your marriage
January 9th 1940

Is there any way that we can find out who ENG and HRW were?

Vyse Street is in Birmingham's jewellery quarter. Assuming they were married locally, is it possible to search the marriage register by date? I suppose there may also have been something in the local papers, is it possible to search old copies of the Birmingham Mail etc?

Any ideas or helpful hints would be gratefully received.

Many thanks, Rob.

 

[davelambert271]

possibility

England & Wales marriages 1837-2008 Transcription

Year Of Marriage
1940

Marriage quarter
Jan/Mar

EDITH N GARDNER married
HENRY R WRIGHT

District
BIRMINGHAM

County
Warwickshire

Country
England

Volume
6D

Page
1597

Record set
England & Wales marriages 1837-2008

Category
Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records

Record collection
Marriages & divorces

 

[davelambert271]

Just a little more

I can't see any children to this marriage.

They were living at 326 Handsworth Wood Rd, Birmingham between the at least the years 1945 and 1950
dave

 

[Rob Thomson]

Hello,

Thank you SO much for that! We really, really appreciate you taking the time to find that information. Isn't the internet wonderful?!

Given the date we had wondered if the wedding was due to the husband joining the armed forces and/or being sent off to fight. That's a big assumption I know, but it's strangely wonderful news (strange because our only connection is an old oak chest) to know that Mr. and Mrs. Wright survived the war.

So the next question is how our chest ended up in a Weston-super-Mare charity shop.

Can I ask how you've got access to this info? Is there a particularly good site I should join? The history of our chest is a nice curiosity, however my family history is a mess that I should really be trying to untangle.

Thanks again,

Rob.

 

[davelambert271]

There are several sites. They all have a different way of searching and whilst they all have Census and BMD records, they all have different sets of records, so what you can find on one may not be on another. I think only one of the sites I have access to managed to find the marriage record, searching on initials only.

I suggest you take advantage of free periods on several sites to see which suits you. Just make sure you cancel in good time.

You could always post your brick walls on this forum.

Back to Mr and Mrs Wright. Perhaps in their old age they moved to Weston and died there. If no children their belongings would be sold. How sad

dave

 

[juliejtp]

Hi,

Following on from Dave's information.

Probate:-

Wright Edith Nelly otherwise Edith Nellie - 14 Chelswood Ave Weston-Super-Mare - died 3rd February 1965 - probate Birmingham 16th August - to Wilfred Mulloy retired chief detective - and Philip Smallwood electrical engineer - £13504.

Edith's death registration gives her year of birth about 1890.

 

[Rob Thomson]

Thanks! This is wonderful.

So Edith was a fair bit older than I'd imagined, and that explains why they didn't have any children.

Is there any trace of Henry after 1950?

Also, wasn't £13,500 was a fairly big chunk of cash back in 1965? My parents bought their first house for £3000 in 1967!

Cheers, Rob.

 

[gibbo]

I found this
The London Gazatte
22 April 1955

It gives some information on Henry and he was a manufacturing jeweller.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40459/page/2398/data.pdf

Hope the link works

 

[juliejtp]

Hi,

Henry's death registration gives his year of birth about 1878.

 

[juliejtp]

Hi,

Henry was married before.

1911 census - 18 Radnor Road - Handsworth - Birmingham

Henry Robert Wright age 33 traveller jewellery manfacturer born Birmingham
Edith Mary wife age 31 born Birmingham
Mary K daughter age 6 born Handsworth Staffs
Robert S son age 4 born Handsworth
Margaret A daughter age 2 born Handsworth
Edith J daughter age 2 months born Handsworth
Martha Wainwright servant
Florence Griffiths servant

 

[juliejtp]

Marriage

1902 - Apr/May/Jun - West Bromwich

Henry Robert Wright
Edith Mary Richardson

 

[juliejtp]

Hi,

A possible for Edith Nellie Gardner in 1911

16 bk (back?) Beehive Terrace Haslingden - Lancashire

Ellen Gardner head age 43 widow occupation cotton weaver born Stroud Gloucestershire
Edith Nellie daughter age 21 occupation cotton weaver born Davenport Devonshire
Charlie son age 14 occupation warehouse lad born Stroud Gloucestershire
Wilfred son age 13 occupation Giverin? twister cotton born Stroud Gloucestershire
Minerva daughter age 11 born Stroud Gloucestershire

 

[juliejtp]

Hi,

Henry's probate.

Henry Robert Wright - of 14 Chelswood Avenue - Weston - Super - Mare
died 25th Feb 1953 at The General Hospital Weston-Supe-Mare -probate Birmingham 15 September to Edith Nelly Wright widow - David Henry Wright manufacturing jeweller and Wilfred Swann motor accessories manufacturer - effects £15467 4s 6d

 

[Rob Thomson]

Thanks again - this is all great.

 

[ptjw7]

Amazing what can be gleaned from some initials and a date, wonderful stuff.

Only wish my family was so obliging.

Peter