Birth and death of grandfather HARRY FRAZER

[Frazer]

Harry Frazer, my grandfather, is registered in the 1881 census as being 15 years old, born in Brighton, therefore born c.1866. The 1901 census confirms this as does his wedding certificate - aged 25 on 27/1/1891 in Abbotsbury, Dorset - a corporal in the Dorset Regiment. Regimental records in Kew, are too fragmentary to be of use, according to a researcher. I know he was in Cairo in 1892 and India in 1896.
The family seem to have lived in Brighton until 1869 - three sisters were born there.
I found no trace of him in the FRC. My request to the ONS for birth between 1862-1867 produced no result either. Nor did a quick visit to the Lewes Records Centre.
I have searched online BMDs in vain.
Can anyone give me new ideas? Are Brighton Parish records available on CD?

[Colin Rowledge]

Was the family at 48 Leather Lane,London in 1881? If so, they departed Brighton around 1872 as sister Margaret was not born in Brighton when she was born c. 1873.

If the above is the right family, then they are in Brigton in 1871 - transcribed as FRAZAR - ref. RG10/1081/43/38.

No luck with his birth registration,though. Could he have born prior to his parents marriage and registered under his mother's maiden name?

[Colin Rowledge]

If you are still missing pieces on John David's mother and Harry's grandmother - Henrietta - you will find her in 1871 with family in Brighton She is transcribed also as FRAZAR

[Pamelawagster]

1911

Harry Frazer - 1866 - gym instructor.
Eliza - 1869
Harry - 1893
Sydney Frank - 1897
Malcolm - 1905
Horace - 1907
Edith - 1909

20 yrs married,7 chiildren born,5 living
Rg14 7687
Letchmore Heath, Watford.

If this is your family in 1911 ,then this is also worth looking at:

Death Reg
Harry Fraser age 76.
AMJ 1944
3A 1255
Watford ,Herts

Age is out by a couple of years ,but not unusual!

[AnjaliUK]

Sussex Online Parish Clerks
www.
sussex-opc.org/

has Brighton PRs on their site, but I couldn't find the one you were looking for. Not sure if it includes the whole of the PR or just a section. There's probably some other useful records on there for you though.

[janbooth]

It looks as if his parents were married in the December qtr 1861 at Brighton reg district - John David FRAZER & Kate FRENCH so son Harry would not appear to be born prior to their marriage. Interesting that both the births of his sisters were registered but seemingly not his.

Janet

[janbooth]

Further information via Ancestry is that they have his Army Service Record (many pages long) which makes fascinating reading and if you do not already have it I would immediately purchase it. It is definitely your Harry as the latter part of this document gives his father as John D FRAZER, Leather Lane, Holborn. He won the India Medal with two clasps, was promoted to Seargeant, gives several physical descriptions of him, his marriage details, wife and children's names and links him with the 1911 census record that Pamela found. He originally went in as an Engineer and was discharged due to ill health on 19 April 1898 (includes a letter written presumably in his own hand requesting his discharge) but when he was re-engaged in the Army Reserve in Sep 1914 he went in as a Physical Training Instructor and his job prior to then was a Gymnastic Instructor in Watford. He served 4 years until 25 October 1918.

HTH further

Janet

[Frazer]

Hello Colin
Yes, they were at that address in 1881, with Margaret aged 8. Harry and wife Eliza were married in 1891 and had a first son, also Harry, in 1892 so the mother's maiden name can't be a solution I'm aftraid.
Thank you for following the trail and the 1871 reference which I hadn't got.
Ian

[Frazer]

Thank you Pamela.
I hadn't seen the 1911 records but that is my family. The ages aren't quite right. Sydney, my father, was born in 1896 and Harry in 1892 for example - but that's par for the course in censuses. I will indeed follow up on the 1944 in Watford record. Very encouraging.

[Frazer]

Thank you Janet.
Interesting and puzzling. The brick wall is still intact!