Frank Donald PICKETT was born in 1887 in Hastings, Sussex, his birth being registered in the December quarter of that year. His parents were Eustace PICKETT and Emily Alexandra/Alexandra Emily VENN. The 1891 census has Frank living at 6 Bunkers Hill, West End, Brighton along with his parents, older brother Eustace and younger siblings Mabel and John. (Piece 813, folio 121, page 16) Emily died in 1893 and Eustace senior married Annie WEST in 1896. Move forward to the 1901 census (Piece 934, folio 33, page 16) and Eustace and Annie can be found in Brighton with Mabel, John and their children Alice, Inez and Reginald. Eustace junior is at the Gordon Boys Home, Chobham – a training school for boys in civil, naval, or military life, according to their preferences. He went on to be killed in action in 1914. However, I can find no trace of Frank. There is a marriage that took place in the June quarter of 1915 between an Annie E BROWNING and a Francis D PICKETT in Brighton. However, I am not convinced that this is him. His birth was registered as Frank, he is in the 1891 census as Frank – why Francis now? There is a Francis D PICKETT with wife Annie in Brighton in 1939 but his date of birth is 19th August 1884, so I really don’t think that this is the right chap. I am therefore looking for Frank in: 1901 1911 1939 register His death All help gratefully received.
FMP has a service record for Francis Donald Pickett b1885 Sussex Yeomanry #3154 If you haven't got access let me know This is the one with wife Annie though
Mmm, it is possible that he elongated his name to Francis for his wedding, I have found more than one Fred who decided to be Frederick occasionally, even though they were registered as Fred. However, the age difference is an issue. Is there any reason why he may have made himself older? e.g. wife being a bit older. I have found that that happens when there is a slight difference in age.
Thanks @MollyMay I have had a read. All seems to pan out - apart from that birth year. @Elsiesgirl - not sure about the age of Annie BROWNING as I have not delved into her records yet. Off I go.....
An Annie Eliza BROWNING had her birth registered in Steyning RD (next to Brighton) in 1877 - 10 years before Frank was born, so maybe there was something in it....
There is a death in 1958 for him and age 70 so yob as 1888, so he really didn't seem to have any idea of his true yob
I have tried and come up with zilch, I thought in 1901 he might have been in the military, as his record said he had served 3rd battn Royal Sussex reg. shame there were no dates.
Well he wasn't with Annie in 1911 - she was a widow when she married Frank. She is still with her husband (died 1912) Sidney Austin, and children. Frank and Annie did have children mmn Browning Still nothing for Frank though
The 1939 Register has that Francis D PICKETT with a birthday of 19th August 1884 (rather than 1887) with the wife Annie E J PICKETT. They have a daughter by the name of Iris, born 1918 with the mmn of BROWNING. So..... If Annie was married before, why did she marry Frank under the name of BROWNING rather than AUSTIN? I was also trying to find Annie in previous censuses. According to 1939, she was born 2nd October 1889 and she is a 15-year-old kitchen maid in Steyning in 1901. (935/42/24)
I think that we have 2 Annie BROWNINGs here: One (Annie E) was born in 1877 in Steyning and wed Sidney AUSTIN in 1899 The other (Ann Elizabeth J) was born in 1887 in Steyning as well. She wed Francis PICKETT. I may go and lie down in a darkened room for a while....
She is a servant in Hove in 1911 for one Nesbit Coghlan (you don't get many of those to the pound) b1845 and his family. RG14 PN5184 SN70
In 1891 she and one Florence Browning (b1866) Laundress are boarding with George W Dunn (good grief I have loads of them - phew not born Sussex though) in Hartington Terrace, Portslade, Steyning RG12/823/5/4 It looks like Florence is the mother, GRO confirms no mmn on reg. the J is for Jane
There are 7 births registered in Brighton to Pickett mmn Browning, starting in 1912 (1912,14,16,18,20,23,30) - so it looks like 2 different Pickett/Browning couples 1920 Roy D H (D=Donald from his death reg. in 1984), looks a likely candidate though Edit - should have looked at the 1939 then I would have know Roy was theirs
There is a marriage on the GRO Index in June qtr 1954 at Brighton reg district for a Frank D PICKETT to a Doris FIELD. Is he one and the same chap as the Francis D PICKETT and therefore did Annie E die prior to 1954? As MollyMay has said, there does only seem to be one Frank/Francis D PICKETT around. 1939 Register shows Francis D PICKETT living at 26 Kingsley Road, Brighton, born 19 August 1884, a Petrol Pump Attendant, living with wife Annie E J, born 2 October 1889, two children Iris M & Roy D H plus 3 redacted records. The Iris Mabel's birth registrations shows mother's maiden name as BROWNING. I cannot find an appropriate birth registration in 1889 for an Annie E J BROWNING, so it seems that both dates of birth are incorrect on the 1939. The only other Frank D PICKETT I can find on the 1939 Register is one born 12 December 1898, a Baker's Roundsman, living in Harrow. Francis Donald & Annie PICKETT are shown in the 1928/29/30 Electoral Registers of Brighton living at 60 Edward Street/58 Islingword Road/18 Albion Hill. Francis Donald PICKETT is in the 1911 census of Brighton shown as unmarried, aged 25, a Pot Man, born Brighton, lodging in the household of Richard STRONG & his family, a Baker, at Lavender Street. Not too sure that this is much help either Jan. Janet
FMP cannot have transcribed the 2nd page of the Strong census entry - he does not appear in their index, but is there when you know where to look
