2. His Background

F.A.I. was born in Upton, West Ham in early 1884. He was the 3rd of 9 children (Edward Charles, Emily Caroline Ethel, F.A.I., Mabel Mary Josephine, Ivy Louise, Arthur St John, Albert Cecil Anthony, Maud St Francis and Florence St Agnes).


There is no trace of him or his family in 1891. I guess they either opted out or were out of the country at the time. In his writing he has mentioned Ireland as his 'home land', maybe they were over there at the time. Certainly his sister Ivy moved to the Emerald Isle in the early 1900s.


In the 1901 Census he was noted a lodger, living with his brother Edward in London and was working as a 'potman'.

The family had dispersed by this time as his mother Caroline had died a few years earlier following the birth of Florence. She was 41. Obviously his father (also Edward) was not modern dad and didn't care to raise his children.

The 3 younger girls were placed in St Melltus Franscian Convent, Hanwell and the 2 older girls were working and lodging in a tobacconists, Albert had died shortly after he was born. There is no sign of Arthur or their father in 1901.


According to the wedding certificate, his father was originally a Tea & Wine Merchant, working I suspect with 3 of his brothers (Augustus, Albert and Arthur.. the 3A's) who were noted through the census returns as Wine Merchants. I often wonder if after his time in France, their father didn't happen to secure a few good business deals of fine French wines for his boys.
Later his father, was noted as a school master and with each of his sibling's births came a different address ...... Upton, Walthamstowe, Hackney, Plaistow and Mile End.


F.A.I.'s paternal grandfather was a Professor of Languages and a Linguist, born in Dorset. In fact I think he was given the longest profession description ever in the 1861 Census;


'Assistant Master of the Bangor Endowed School, Professor of the French Language & University Graduate of the University of France'


Around 1834/5 he and his wife Caroline, moved to Brest in France. (what a journey that would have been!) Here is where he obviously learnt his trade. They had 6 of their children there and in 1847 they returned to the UK and a further 5 children were born. (what an even harder journey that would have been with 6 children in tow)


Although F.A.I.'s paternal Grandparents had died by the time he was born, he would certainly have grown up in an interesting family environment, having French Aunts and Uncles who were also teachers and it naturaly follows an educated enviroment too!

My dear Granny, told tales of Grandads mother, Caroline, being a French lady and a school teacher, also that her father was a wealthy merchant and she had been swindled out of the family fortunes by a wicked step mother whilst away at Boarding School in Switzerland!!
Part of the tale is true .... she was called Caroline.
She did, however, have an unusual middle name of Berenger (quite posh) and she had sister-in-laws who were indeed French and teachers, but alas she was illegtimate and I have no way of tracing her father.


So that is a brief background to F.A.I.'s start in life...............dragged around London by an educated father and hearing tales of life in France.

F.A.I.s Grandfather