Richard Fuller Story

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Richard Fuller and Frances Georgiana Robinson ©

Although no birth certificate has been located for Richard, his birthdate is recorded in a family Bible, held by a great-granddaughter. This tells us that Richard Fuller, the seventh child of John and Mary (nee Inwood), was born on the 22^nd October, 1866, in Great Bookham, Surrey, possibly at Balgdon Farm. It is believed Richard was baptized at St Barnabas Church Ranmore, Surrey, a month later on the on the 25^th November¹.

While the parents of Richard are clearly recorded in the register at St Barnabas as John (Labourer of Ranmore) and Clara, I am certain this is the baptism of my Richard, and that there was an error made by the officiating Minister George Heberden when entering the details. Or possibly Mary was also known as Clara, because several more children known to be John & Mary’s, are recorded in the same way, and to date no record of a Clara Fuller in the area can be found. Records indicate that Richard’s family were living on the Polesdon Estate from around the time of his birth, and possibly his father was an Agricultural Labourer on the Estate and his mother could possibly have worked in the manor house.

Richard age 4, appears on the 1871 Census² living at Polesdon Lacy, Blagdon Farm, with his parents John & Mary, and eight brothers and sisters, at this time he is recorded as being a Scholar. A record has been found which shows he attended the school which was part of St Barnabas Church at Ranmore, from 1876, several of his siblings have also been identified on this record. Polesdon Lacy runs very close to Ranmore Common where St Barnabas Church is located, and Blagdon Farm sits on the outer range of the estate, almost opposite the Church.

The 1881 Census² shows 14year old Richard, still living with his parents and eleven siblings, at Prospect Lodge, his occupation is recorded as Agricultural Labourer, possibly working with his father on the Estate.

It is not known just when Richard left school, or what his occupation may have been once he left home. On the other hand, we do know Richard worked for the London and South West Railway or London Brighton & South Coast Railway during his life, so it is quite possible he had found work in railways as a young man. The 1871 Census indicated his father John was an Engine Driver, although this may most likely have been an agricultural machine and not a railway engine, this or the development and building of railway stations in the area could have provided the catalyst. The lure of a more secure job, with a chance to improve his life, may also have been hard to resist. The 1901 Census imply several of his brothers were also railway workers, so maybe Richard was just following a family tradition.

It is not known what Rail Company Richard started with, but an Employee Record for Southsea Rail³ has been found and this indicates Richard moved from South Western Co. as a Porter in 1895. Then later possibly moving on to the London, Brighton & South Coast Rail around 1897. Southsea Rail and the London, Brighton & South Coast Rail were both amalgamated into the South Western Railway in 1923, and it is believed Richard continued working for this company until he retired, although at which station or depot is not yet known. In 1899, on his first wife Frances' death certificate⁴, Richard's occupation was given as Railway Station Foreman, this could possibly have been at Poole Station which is close to where they lived at the time.

We also know at least one of his sons-in-law, and a grandson in turn, worked for South Western Rail at Clapham Junction, and by 1903 the family had moved to New Malden, Surrey, living quite close to New Malden railway Station, which leads to the speculation this is where he possibly worked after about 1903⁵.

On the 2^nd May, 1887, at the age of 21, Richard married 19 year old Francis Julia Charlton, in Poole, Dorset⁶. This event is recorded in the family bible held by one of Richard’s great-granddaughters. This Family Bible also records that their first child Lillian Frances Julia was born on the 26^th June, 1888, in Sunningdale, Berkshire (she died unmarried in 1970), son Albert James arrived on the 12^th October, 1889, also at Sunningdale, and son Frank Richard was born on the 3^rd December, 1891.

The 1891 Census² shows Richard age 24, occupation a Railway Porter, living at Peverell Cottage, Sunningdale, Old Windsor, with wife Frances J, Lilian F. J. age 2, and Albert J age 1. A large village in the Royal Borough of Windsor, Berkshire, Sunningdale is 38km west of London. The name Sunningdale is thought to have come from the Saxon Chief Sunna, who controlled the Windsor Forest in the 5^th Century. By the 18t^h Century, the core of the old village was established with a scattering of cottages for the agricultural and domestic workers from the big estates around the southern end of Windsor Forest. The next key date in Sunningdale’s history is 1856, when the railway arrived to connect the village to both London and Reading, sparking a flurry of house building around the village. There were even plans to build swathes of housing across the recreation ground, and the woods and fields beyond it, as well as the neighbouring Broomhill Farm. However, these plans never materialised and today much of the surrounding landscape is protected Green belt⁷.

Son William Arthur was born on the 1^st July, 1894, in Bournemouth, Hampshire and another son, Richard, on the 13^th August, 1899. Unfortunately baby Richard died just 6 days later, and shortly after the baby’s death, Frances J also died, leaving Richard with four young children to care for.

Bournemouth, is in Hampshire and is approximately 5km north-east of Poole, Dorset and until the late 1700s the area where it now stands was just heath land where cattle grazed⁸. But by the end of the Century spending time at the seaside became very popular among the rich and middle classes, with many new resorts being built. By the mid-1800s a little village had been established at Bournemouth and the population had grown to over 1500 by 1860. The railway arrive in Bournemouth in 1870 and by 1881 the population had risen to over 150000. Today, Bournemouth is a popular holiday destination with a population of over 190000.

Records indicate Richard and his family had moved to Poole Dorset by 1899, but it is not known where they lived. However, we do know he was living at 69 Greene Road in August 1900⁶. It known these cottages are quite close to the Railway and it is thought the houses, or rooms in them, were possibly made available for railway workers. The 1901 Census² gives the occupants of No.69 as a Gibbs family, but to date I have found no familial connection to this family. It is quite possible that Richard was merely a boarder at No.69, although if so it would lead to the question of where were his children? On the other hand, we do know that No. 67, just next door, was the home of his future wife’s cousin Frances (nee Notley) and her husband James Hibberd. Frances and Frances Georgiana’s mothers were sisters and it is reasonable to assume Frances G would probably have known Frances J & Richard and it is plausible to further speculate that she may have moved from her employment at the time, in order to help care for Richard’s young children.

Poole is a large town on the south coast of Dorset, the town's name thought to be a corruption of the Celtic word ‘bol’ and the Old English word ‘pool’ meaning a place near a pool or creek⁹. Founded around the 12^th Century on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by water, the town began to emerge as an important port in the 13^th Century, prospering with the introduction of the wool trade. In later centuries the town had built some very important trade links and at its peak in the 18^th Century it was one of the busiest ports in Britain. During WWII, the town was one of the main departing points for the D-Day landings of the Normandy Invasion. Poole today is a busy and popular tourist destination, with its large natural harbour and abundance of historical attractions.

On the 18^th June, 1900, Richard and Frances Georgiana Robinson were married⁶. The ceremony was held at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Poole, in the County of Poole and Dorset. Richard, a 33year old Widower, gave his occupation as Railway Porter (Foreman), there was no occupation given for Frances who was a 22year old Spinster. Richard gives his father as John Fuller an Estate Steward, Frances Georgiana’s father is given as Edwin Arthur Robinson (Deceased). Witnesses were Frances’ Uncle James Hibberd and Mr J Gore, who was possibly Frances’ cousin. According to their Marriage Certificate, Frances had formerly resided at Morden Villa, Wimbourne Road, Longfleet, Poole. It is presumed that as she actually mentions her previous residence at the time of her marriage she must have only recently left it.

The 1901 Census² shows Morden Villa as the residence of William Boller, a Grocer/Shopkeeper/Employer, with a large family and a single servant. We have no information regarding Frances movements before her marriage, but we can speculate that maybe Frances may have been a servant, nursemaid, or perhaps even a governess for this family before her marriage?

Frances Georgiana was the second child of Edwin and Dinah (nee Notley)¹⁰. Born on the 11^th March, 1878, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where her father, a Private and Chapel Orderly, was serving in the 97^th Regiment. She was baptized in the Garrison of Halifax, where Edwin was stationed, on the 27^th March, in the same year as her birth².

Little more is known about Frances’ early life, but it is believed the family stayed in Canada until around 1880, when they returned to England and her father was discharged from the Army¹¹. Appearing on the 1881 Census² in Staunton Worcestershire, Nr Hackerson, Frances is living with her parents, older brother Edwin, younger sister Harriet, and Uncle Joseph Robinson.

Listed as Francis Georgia ‘Nobson’ on the 1891 Census², Frances G was a servant in the household of farmer James Shiner, at Woodland, Blagdon, Somerset. Her parents were also living in Blagdon, Somerset, with younger sister Harriet Elizabeth and younger brother Joseph, her older brother Edwin was an Agricultural Labourer living nearby in Charterhouse, Somerset. It is not known just when Frances G moved to Poole.

Richard and Frances G’s first child, Florence May, was born in June 1901¹², by which time they were living in Shillito Road, Branksome, Dorset, and according to the 1901 Census², Richard’s occupation was still Foreman Railway Porter. Wife Frances G, age 23, and his sons Albert 11 and William 6 were with him. Richard’s daughter Lillian was living at Great Bookham with her grandparents John & Mary Fuller, and his son Frank has been located living with a Samuel & Susan Woolridge, in Silverstoke Hampshire.

Brankesome is a suburb of Poole, Dorset, and with the development of the railways the area continued to grow, served by the new Victorian line between Wimborne, Poole and Bournemouth. It is believed that there was a Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway locomotive depot in Branksome and possibly Richard was stationed there for a while. Branksome today is a complex area of wealthy estates and working class homes, many of which are from the Edwardian period.

By 1903, Richard and Frances had moved to Wellington Road, New Malden in Surrey¹⁰. Here their son Edwin John was born, and Richard’s occupation had changed to Railway Inspector. At some stage the family moved to 131 Blagdon Road, New Malden, possibly to accommodate the growing number of children or to be closer to where he was stationed, it is here the family stayed until Richard’s death.

The 1911 Census² shows Richard and Frances at Winnall, 131 Blagdon Road, New Malden, Surrey, his occupation is recorded as Railway Inspector. Living with them were: Edwin 1903-1966, he married first in 1926 to Florence Ethel Victoria Atkins (1906-1929), and in 1942 to Violet Freeman; Florence 1902-1974; Dorothy 1905-1989; Ethel 1906-1983 and Nora 1911-1921. This record indicates that Richard had 7 children in total, two of whom had died by 1911. However, further research show that Richard had fathered 9 children by 1911, but records of only one child, Richard 1899-1899, dying before this Census has been found. Later records also show that Richard and Frances had another daughter, Elsie, 1913-1931.

15km from London, New Malden was originally part of Surrey¹³ and was established entirely as a result of the railway in 1846. 3km to the south is the village of Old Malden, whose origins go back to Anglo-Saxon times, the name being old English for Mael + duna, meaning ‘the cross on the hill’. New Malden became part of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in Greater London in 1965.

Son William was to die on 20^th August, 1916, from injuries he received while serving overseas in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps during WWI and he is buried in the Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, France¹². It is sobering to read the correspondence between the War Officeand Richard following his son's injury and death. It must have been an extremely trying time for Richard and Frances' family, as well as for the hundreds of other people who faced the same tragedy and sorrow of losing loved ones during this time of War. Richard and Frances also lost their daughter Nora in 1923 to complications following appendicitis.

It is not known just when Richard retired from railway service, but he died on the 25^th March, 1938, at his home in New Malden³. The cause of death is recorded as Nephritis and Valvular Disease of the Heart. He was 71years old and his occupation was given as Railway Inspector (Retired), the Informant was his son Albert, who was present at his death. Nephritis refers to inflammation of one or both kidneys. Richard was buried in the Kingston Cemetery, D Section, Grave 1407, on the 29^th March, 1938¹⁴.

Shortly after her husband’s death Frances Georgiana moved with her son Edwin John Fuller into a cottage provided by the All England Lawn Tennis Club Wimbledon, where he was the head groundsman. She lived there caring for her son and granddaughter Joan until 1944, when Edwin re-married. Frances then moved to Grafton Road, New Malden, to live out the rest of her life with her daughter Florence and her family.

Dying at home on the 27^th November, 1951, Florence was age 73, the cause of her death was recorded as Cerebral Thrombosis, the Informant was her daughter Florence⁴. Cerebral Thrombosis is the most common type of Stroke which is caused when a blood clot forms in an artery and blocks blood from reaching the brain.

Frances was laid to rest with her husband Richard on the 1^st November, 1951¹⁴. There is a kerbed memorial to Richard and Florence surrounding their grave¹⁵. It is not known who had this erected.

Although I was quite young when Frances died, I do have vague memories of her as a kindly lady, with a ready smile, a comfortable lap, and a never ending supply of loving hugs. I am told I always referred to her as 'Black Granny' because after Richard's death she always dressed in black.

References:
1. Parish Baptism Certificate

2. 1871-1911 Census via Ancestry.co.uk http://home.ancestry.co.uk/

3. PRO Kew. Railway Employment Records 1883-1963

4. Death Certificate

5. Oral Family History

6. Marriage Certificate

7. A Brief History of Sunningdale http://www.sunningdale-pc.org.uk/BriefHistoryOfSunningdale2014.pdf

8. A Brief History of Bournemouth http://www.localhistories.org/bournemouth.html

9. The Dorset Page http://www.thedorsetpage.com/

10. Birth Certificate

11. British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920 & Discharge Papers

12. Family Papers