He appeared in the 1901 Census with his older brother Edward. He was living at British Street, Bromley aged 18 and working as a pot man.
He is noted as the nephew of the head of household but after much gnashing of teeth it would seem it is a mistake and he was a lodger.
There is no evidence to his whereabouts from 1901 – 1908. It is possible he was still in London at this stage, maybe living with one of his French Aunties. Certainly his brother Arthur had their Aunt Matilda's address (The Hawthornes, Vincent Road, Croydon) as a contact and maybe as his next of kin, when he joined up to fight in World War I.
In 1908 I have the first postcard addressed to F.A.I.. It is dated 28th August and says
‘Hope you are well, In haste’ Min 
(at first glance it looks like Mum but as we know she died 10 years earlier)
F.A.I. was working at the Royal Station Hotel York
The card was posted from Malton which is north east of York.
On 23rd November 1908 he was sent another postcard from Edinburgh, unfortunately I can not make out the signature, but the message reads
‘ Just a P.C. to remind you of old times we often speak of you and wished you was back again- how are you getting on, it will soon be thanks (possibly Thanksgiving??) Kind regards from ????’
So it would appear he was in Edinburgh too in those missing years
Some 95 years later I spent a week in the Royal Station Hotel on a residential course. I was truly in awe at the place. Each evening I would sit out in the gardens to relax, little did I know then that my grandfather had probably once sat in those gardens too!
(another addition to the ‘to-do list’, revisit the Hotel with the knowledge I have now)
In 1909 I have no record of F.A.I.s whereabouts. His sister Ivy sent a card from Clonmel, Tipperary on 4th October 1909 so it is thought she settled over there as there are later postcards from her from Ireland. Also in 1909, one of his French Aunties died aged 75 years. She was buried with her Father and Mother at Camberwell Old Cemetery (......more about this later)
In F.A.I.s writings our ‘Min’ appears in 1912 at Whitley. Ok this is out of chronological order but felt is was right to introduce her piece from the book now.
Some 95 years later I spent a week in the Royal Station Hotel on a residential course. I was truly in awe at the place. Each evening I would sit out in the gardens to relax, little did I know then that my grandfather had probably once sat in those gardens too!
(another addition to the ‘to-do list’, revisit the Hotel with the knowledge I have now)
In 1909 I have no record of F.A.I.s whereabouts. His sister Ivy sent a card from Clonmel, Tipperary on 4th October 1909 so it is thought she settled over there as there are later postcards from her from Ireland. Also in 1909, one of his French Aunties died aged 75 years. She was buried with her Father and Mother at Camberwell Old Cemetery (......more about this later)
In F.A.I.s writings our ‘Min’ appears in 1912 at Whitley. Ok this is out of chronological order but felt is was right to introduce her piece from the book now.
‘ After Thoughts’
Do you remember friend of mine that day
When you and I took a stroll together
You charmed away my care with sayings droll
And witty so with fun and laughter gay
When you and I took a stroll together
You charmed away my care with sayings droll
And witty so with fun and laughter gay
The moments quickly flew till shadows grey
Over tread the fields contented and heart whole
I listened to your voice perhaps I stole
That boyish heart of yours I cannot say
What thoughts lay hidden ’neath your myrtle no right
Had I or wished to be more than a chum
Just then but your blue eyes were strongly bright
And parting…. Since you left me in the lane
I’ve longed for you and wish you would come
I listened to your voice perhaps I stole
That boyish heart of yours I cannot say
What thoughts lay hidden ’neath your myrtle no right
Had I or wished to be more than a chum
Just then but your blue eyes were strongly bright
And parting…. Since you left me in the lane
I’ve longed for you and wish you would come
Oh boy do take me through the fields again
1899 ~A lawn mower, a motor driven vaccum and a home refrigerator was patented
1900 ~7" single-sided records started being manufactured in Montreal/ Picasso painted "Moilin de la Galette."
1901 ~Queen Victoria died at age 82/ The Wild Bunch, including Kid Curry, carried their last American robbery, taking $65,000 from a Great Northern train. Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and his lover Etta Place had fled to New York.
1902 ~ A French football team played an English team for the first time -Paris lost, 4-0, to Marlow FC/ The Boer War ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging, a brutal war of attrition launched by Lord Kitchener forced the Boers to give in.
1903 ~Argentina banned the importation of American beef, because of sanitation problems/ Niagara Falls ran out of water because of a drought/ First Tour De France
1904~Helen Keller graduated from Radcliffe College at age 24/ A woman was placed under arrest for smoking a cigarette on New York’s Fifth Avenue
1905~ Largest diamond, Cullinan was found in South Africa/ The Rotary Club was founded/Jules Verne died
1906~ Bakerloo line opened/ The Census of the British Empire showed England ruled 1/5 of the world
1907~Bubonic Plague broke out in San Francisco/Taxis began running in New York
1908~Count Zeppelin announced plans for his airship to carry 100 passengers
1909~ Picasso sculpted the head "Fernande," the first cubist sculpture/ Francis Hodgson Burnett wrote "The Secret Garden."
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