Roland George Francke 1883-1932

Canvey Councillor and Builder

 

Roland George Francke was born on 28th January 1883 in Hoxton, London to William Francke and his wife Emily Truscoat. Roland’s father and grandfather and two of his brothers were furriers in North/East London for many years.

 

Roland married his wife, Beatrice Fennell in 1906 when his occupation was stated as plumber. The couple’s two eldest children Albert and Thelma were born in Palmers Green in 1909 and 1911.

 

In 1912 the family along with Florence Fennell, the sister of Beartrice Francke (nee Fennell) travelled to Australia. Exactly the reason for their trip we do not know. What we do know is that one of Roland’s siblings had moved to Australia so we can speculate that they went to visit or went to live there themselves but did not like it. We do know for certain that Roland, his wife and by then three children travelled home to England arriving here aboard the 'Athenic' from Sidney on the 6 Sep 1916. It is believed their youngest daughter Emily was born in Gladesville Australia in c1916 and is recorded as being an infant aged 1 in the passenger list.

 

Photo:Postcard send to Lily Lyons from Roland on Canvey Island. The man with the saw is believed to be Roland

Postcard send to Lily Lyons from Roland on Canvey Island. The man with the saw is believed to be Roland

Karen Mills

By the 1920’s Roland and family had moved to Canvey Island where Roland set up a building firm. He had invited William Lyons, who was married to his wife's sister, Lily, to come with him to Canvey and build properties. Lily’s health was not good and she died in 1927 so William Lyons was unable to take part in the project. Roland went ahead and set up his business as ‘R. Francke, Gladesville, Oysterfleet, Canvey’. The name of the bungalow ‘Gladesville’ is named after the place where the family stayed in Australia. Beatrice’s father, Thomas Fennell was a carpenter. After spending sometime in the USA he returned on the 12th May 1925 aboard the 'Minnekahda' from New York and joined Roland at Oysterfleet.

 

The Essex record office hold records of 61 properties that Francke built during the years 1923-1926. The vast majority of them were built in the Fairlop Avenue, Lionel Road, Beatrice Avenue, Thelma Avenue and Roland Lane area off Long Road. Roland and his family moved into a property there called Inglenook, which I believe was on the corner of Fairlop Avenue and Long Road. Some of these roads were named after the family Roland Lane after himself, Beatrice Avenue after his wife, Thelma Avenue after his daughter. Many more bungalows must have been built in the years following 1926.

Photo:Rolands Grave in St Katherine's Churchyard  Text Box: Roland was also a Councillor but the time scale here we are not sure of. He was definitely a Councillor on the Canvey Island Urban District Council in 1929. He resigned from the council in 1930. For how long he was on the Council and how big his role was in the development of Canvey we have no idea. Roland died on the 27 Apr 1932 and is buried in St Katherine’s Churchyard. Probate was issued to his sister Maria Wilhelmina Searle to whom he left his estate, by this time she was running a guest house at ‘Inglenook’. She is recorded in Kelly’s directory for 1929 and 1933 as running a Boarding House. Inglenook, Long Road. How long she remained on the Island we do not know but she died in the Bournemouth area in 1957.

Rolands Grave in St Katherine's Churchyard

 

The Francke Family

Generation One

 

1.  William David FRANCKE, also known as David William, b. 1794 in Leipzig, Saxony, d. 5 May 1875 in 33 Oxford Road, Islington, Middlesex, probate 7 Jul 1875 to William Andrew Francke and George Whitehouse, resided 1841-1851 in 40 Skinner Street, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, occupation 1841-1851 Furrier.  He married Mary Ann PASSEFELL, 2 Jan 1825 in Islington, Middlesex, b. 1799 in Cripplegate, Middlesex.

                             Children:

                      i.     Eliza FRANCKE, b. 1827 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex.

                      ii.    Henry Theadore FRANCKE, b. 13 Apr 1829 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 10 May 1829 in St James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex.

                      iii.   Wilhelmena FRANCKE, b. 8 Feb 1831 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 6 Mar 1831 in St James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex.

                      iv.   Maria Amelia Brocklebank FRANCKE, b. 1833 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 28 Jul 1833 in St James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex.

                      v.    Mary Ann Elizabeth FRANCKE, b. 1838 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 28 Jan 1838 in St James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex.

            2.      vi.   William Andrew FRANCKE b. 16 Oct 1842.

 

 

Generation Two

 

2.  William Andrew FRANCKE, b. 16 Oct 1842 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 13 Nov 1842 in St James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, d. 8 Jul 1890 in 27 Ardleigh Road, Southgate Road, De Beaviour Town, Middlesex, probate 31 Jul 1890 in Emily Francke, resided 1842 in 40 Skinner Street, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, resided 1851-1861 in 40 Skinner Street, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, resided 1862 in 18 St Johns Street, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, resided 1865-1881 in 135 New North Road, Shoreditch, Middlesex, resided 1883 in 94 Englefield Road, London N, resided 1890 in 27 Ardleigh Road, Southgate Road, De Beaviour Town, Middlesex, occupation 1861-1881 Furrier, occupation 1883 Furrier.  He married Emily Mary TRUSCOAT, 23 Jun 1861 in St John, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, b. 1842 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex (daughter of George John TRUSCOAT).

                             Children:

                      i.     William George Seagrave FRANCKE, b. 10 Jan 1862 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 26 Oct 1862 in St James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, d. Sept qtr 1871 in Shoreditch District, Middlesex.

            3.      ii.    Alfred Thomas FRANCKE b. 21 Nov 1863.

                      iii.   Frederick Whitehouse FRANCKE, b. 24 Oct 1865 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 19 Nov 1865 in St James Church, Clerkenwell, d. Mar qtr 1931 in City of London.  He married Ellen Maria DUNN, Sept qtr 1894 in Shoreditch District, Middlesex.

                      iv.   Emily Matilda E FRANCKE, b. 6 Jul 1867 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 4 Aug 1867 in St James Church, Clerkenwell.

                      v.    Matilda Mary A FRANCKE, b. 11 Apr 1869 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 2 May 1869 in St James Church, Clerkenwell.

                      vi.   Maria Wilhelmina FRANCKE, b. 15 Feb 1871 in Hoxton, Middlesex, baptized 12 Mar 1871 in St James Church, Clerkenwell, d. Sept qtr 1957 in Bournemouth District, Hampshire, resided 1918 in Not Canvey, resided 1929 in "Inglenook", Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex, occupation 1929 Searle Maria W (Mrs.), boarding ho. ‘Inglenook’, Long rd, Canvey Island, Essex, occupation 1933 Searle Maria W. (Mrs.), Boarding House. Inglenook, Long Road.  She married George Frederick SEARLE, Jun qtr 1900 in Islington District, Middlesex.

                      vii.  William FRANCKE, b. 24 Jul 1872, baptized 10 Nov 1872 in St James, Clerkenwell, Islington, Middlesex.

                      viii. Wilhelmena FRANCKE, b. 11 Mar 1874 in Hoxton, Middlesex, baptized 12 Apr 1874 in St James Church, Clerkenwell, d. Mar qtr 1966 in Surrey Northern District.  She married James Frederick B MEYRICK, Jun qtr 1898 in Hackney District, Middlesex.

                      ix.   Kate FRANCKE, b. 2 Mar 1876 in Hoxton, Middlesex, baptized 14 May 1876 in St James Church, Clerkenwell.  She married Thomas Stanley AIREY, Jun qtr 1902 in Edmonton District, Middlesex.

                      x.    Ethel FRANCKE, b. 258111879 in Hoxton, Middlesex, baptized 28 Dec 1879 in St James Church, Clerkenwell, d. Jun qtr 1880 in Shoreditch District, Middlesex.

                      xi.   Ellen FRANCKE, also known as Helen, b. 28 Nov 1879 in Hoxton, Middlesex, baptized 28 Dec 1879 in St James Church, Clerkenwell.

            4.      xii.  Roland George FRANCKE b. 28 Jan 1883.

 

 

Generation Three

 

3.  Alfred Thomas FRANCKE, b. 21 Nov 1863 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, baptized 13 Dec 1863 in St Thomas, Charterhouse, Finsbury, d. Dec qtr 1948 in Barnet District, Hertfordshire, occupation Furrier.  He married Rose Durrant WOOD, 2 Aug 1890 in St George's, Tufnell Park, Islington, Middlesex.

                             Children:

                      i.     Leonard Frederick FRANCKE, b. 1895, baptized 23 Oct 1902 in St Pauls, Canonbury, Middlesex.

                      ii.    Marjorie Grace FRANCKE, b. 13 Sep 1902, baptized 23 Oct 1902 in St Pauls, Canonbury, Middlesex.

 

4.  Roland George FRANCKE, b. 28 Jan 1883 in Hoxton, Shoreditch, Middlesex, baptized 15 Apr 1883 in St James, Clerkenwell, Islington, Middlesex, d. 27 Apr 1932 in Southend Municipal Hospital., buried 30 Apr 1932 in St Katherines Church Yard, Canvey Island, Essex, probate 6 Apr 1933 to Maria Wilhelmena Searle, resided 1883 in 94 Englefield Road, London N, resided 1891 in 27 Ardleigh Road, Hackney, Middlesex, resided 1901 in 66 Park Lane, Stoke Newington, London, resided 1906 in 29 Rathcool? Avenue, Hornsey, Middlesex, resided 1911 in 54 Tottenhall Road, Palmers Green, Middlesex, resided 1912 in Travelled to Australia, electoral reg 1918 in Not Canvey, electoral reg 1929 in 'Inglenook', Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex, resided 1932 in Fairlop Ave, Canvey Island, Essex, occupation 1906 Plumber, occupation 1911 Plumber Gas And Hot Water Fitter, occupation 1929 Councillor, Canvey Island Urban District Council, occupation 1929 Francke R & Son Builders, Oysterfleet Road, Canvey Island, Essex.  He married Beatrice FENNELL, 7 Jul 1906 in St Mary, Hornsey Rise, Haringey, Middlesex, b. March qtr 1885 in City of London (daughter of Thomas FENNELL and Sarah Mary HAYTER), d. Jun qtr 1958 in Thurrock District, Essex.

                             Children:

                      i.     Albert Roland FRANCKE, b. 11 Apr 1909 in Palmers Green, Middlesex, d. Mar qtr 1976 in Bournemouth District, Dorset.  He married Marjorie E LEWIS.

                      ii.    Thelma Beatrice FRANCKE, b. 1911 in Palmers Green, Middlesex.  She married William A SLACK, Jun qtr 1932 in Blean District, Kent.

                      iii.   Emily FRANCKE, b. 1916 in Gladesville, New South Wales, Australia.  She married Vernon E V COOMER, Jun qtr 1940 in Ilford District, Essex.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canvey Island Essex
Rounded Rectangle:

Roland George Francke