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Name	Henry Francis (Frank) ADKINS[8]
Birth	14 Nov 1878, Kings Norton, Staffordshire UK
Death	20 Aug 1950, Paternoster House, Ottery St Mary, Devonshire UK[46] Age: 71
Burial	Ottery St Mary parish church
Occupation	Solicitor with Douglas Wenham; later accountant with William Wenham
Education	Attended Rossall School, Fleetwood, Lancashire UK. See notes
Father	Thomas ADKINS (1850-1921)
Mother	Ellen SOTHAM (1843-~1937)

Spouses:

1	Elizabeth Mary Barbara RATCLIFF[8]
Birth	26 Oct 1880, Edgbaston, Warwickshire UK[16],[17]
Birth Memo	Registered: Vol. 6C Pg. #446
Death	30 Dec 1921 Age: 41
Death Memo	Breast cancer; day of death not certain
Father	John Francis RATCLIFF (1849-1915)
Mother	Elizabeth Mary SMITH (1855-1880)

Marriage

11 Apr 1907, St Alphege Church, Solihull, Warwickshire[45]

Children:	Dennis (Den) (1909-2005)
	Katharine Mary (1912-2002)
	Elizabeth Nancy (Nan) (1915-2002)
	Frances Patience (Pat) (1918-2011)

2	Ida Laura TOWNSEND
Birth	27 Dec 1888
Death	19 Oct 1972, Brockhill Nursing Home, Broadclyst, Devonshire, UK Age: 83
Burial	Ottery St Mary parish church

Marriage

12 Sep 1923, Parish Church, Solihull UK

Children:

Evelyn Laura (1925-2007)

Notes for Henry Francis (Frank) ADKINS

[10]1881 Census - Living in New Road Woodleigh, Kings Norton, Staffordshire UK
Lived at Grays, 5 Church Hill, Solihull Warwickshire UK to 1929
Lived at Eastcroft, Herbert Road, Solihull to January 1939
Lived at Paternoster House, Ottery St Mary, Devonshire UK from January 1939 until his death.[11]
While at Rossall School he won a book prize of Dickens' Curiosity Shop which is endorsed 'Rossall School H. F. Adkins 1st Arithmetic examination Xmas 1896 from CBD. The book has been returned to the school for its historic archive.
Frank's ambition was to be an accountant. However, his father wanted him to become a solicitor so he joined up with Douglas Wenham, a relation of his brother in law (sister Evelyn's husband). As independent solicitors they were not successful and the partnership failed, perhaps also because his heart was not in it. He then took the opportunity to become an accountant under the management of his brother in law William Wenham. He provided accounting services for various people and companies and was paid secretary of Oulton Golf Club. He moved the family to Ottery St Mary on the outbreak of war in order to protect them from the danger of bombing. From then on he was frequently away from home in the week. The family had a presence in that part of Devon until 2000 when his son Dennis moved up to Cheshire.
17 Aug 1916: 33559 Private in the Worcestershire Regiment[45]

Notes for Elizabeth Mary Barbara (Spouse 1)

I have a number of very touching letters and notes written to her children by Barbara when she knew that she was about to die of cancer.

Notes for Ida Laura (Spouse 2)

Prior to marriage she was the Nanny/Governess to the children of Henry Adkins' previous marriage.
On death of Henry she moved to the Vicarage, Ottery St Mary, Devonshire UK and later to (another cottage), Ottery St Mary [11]
She was brought up in Cheadle?, Staffordshire.
The picture was taken at a family gathering on the lawn at Mickleover Vicarage (her sister's home) in 1948 when she was 59. The girl behind is her daughter Evelyn then aged 23

Database record last updated 4 Nov 2011

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