I don't know what gaol she would have been held at but the National Archives has the Home Office Prison records series PCOM2 which goes up to 1951. Findmypast have those records but only up to 1935. On FMP you don't need to know the prison to search them.
There would be no support on release other than what the parish /workhouse provided if she applied for it.
Results 41 to 50 of 50
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17-04-2019, 7:31 AM #41
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20-05-2019, 6:56 PM #42
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- Aug 2018
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The death of FLORENCE TREASA FRAY-COGGINS
I am posting a résumé of what I know, hopefully people will be interested, maybe somebody can help to add to the info I have.
After all the years of searching for this lady the brick wall still stands at 1938, as you read the following I really wish I could have met her.
As you will see she was hot averse to making up stories/lying.
Florence Fray life history as known.
Florence Treasa Fray Born 2/12/1901 Hartlepool, I have the birth certificate
Brother, Frederick Frances b 11/7/1903 Hartlepool, I have the birth certificate.
1911, living in Reading, Sherwood street with brother and parents.
8/10/1914, her mum, Agnes Fray dies aged 36.
1916 approx, when fifteen, was employed as a housemaid by the Marchioness of Bute,(not proven) and afterwards by the Hon, Mrs. Hastings, Bilton, Rugby
Feb 1918 While in this situation she was found guilty of stealing jewellery, she was bound over and sent to a Salvation Army home, where she stayed nine months. During, the next twelve months she was at Thorpe.
17/9/1921 Florence had a child, Ronnie Fray, no father,(55 Hesley Lane Ecclesfield) I have the birth certificate.
The Illustrated Police News, 23 March 1922
SERVANT GIRL'S LIVELY IMAGINATION
Convicted at Rotherham of obtaining goods by false pretences, Florence Fray, a young woman, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. A strange story was told by Detective - sergeant Shore, who was called to speak as to the prisoner's career. The girl, he related, when fifteen, was employed as a housemaid by the Marchioness of Bute, and afterwards by the Hon, Mrs. Hastings, Bilton, Rugby. While in this situation she was found guilty of stealing jewellery, and in February, 1918, was bound over and sent to a Salvation Army home, where she stayed nine months. During, the past twelve months she had been at Thorpe. In September last she gave birth to a child, and had since obtained an order again the father for 10s. per week. During the last few weeks prisoner had been to several solicitors in the borough and asked them to make inquiries respecting a large sum of money which had been left her by relatives in New York. She stated that she and other members of the family, including her father and mother, were passengers on the Lusitania when the boat was sunk. All the other members of the family were drowned. On March 1 she admitted to witness that the story concerning the Lusitania was false.—Sentence was passed as stated.
In 1923 she had Eric Coggins, the same address as Ronnie (55 Hesley Lane Ecclesfield) by this time she was living with Frederick Wilmer Coggins (born Nov 1881) in Rotherham, they did not marry.
Frederick had 5 children by his previous marriage, he did not actually marry.
After this time she had 4 more children, Hilda 14/1/1924(birth not registered), Roy 1927, Jeoffrey 1930, A Girl 6/4/1932 all raised as Coggin/s in Rotherham.
Moved to Blackpool with Frederick Wilmer, Walter and Doris from previous marriage, plus, Eric, Hilda, Roy, Jeoffrey and a girl.
On 20/6/1936 Florence married Edwin Harold Coggins in Rotherham(Frederick Wilmer’s younger cousin) she was living at the Duke of Wellington inn as a cook/domestic. She lied about her age knocking four years off and lied about her father being deceased, he die in 1943.
The Leeds Mercury Saturday 26 February 1938
FALSE DECLARATION CHARGE
Married Woman's Alleged Pose as Spinster
Huddersfield, Friday
Alleged to have made a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a marriage certificate, Florence Coggins whose address was given as Butter Row, Linfit lane, Kirkburton, was remanded on bail at Huddersfield Borough court today.
Chief inspector Chadwick said that three months ago Coggins came to Kirkburton in service, there she became friendly with a coal miner, Charles Booth, and they arranged to marry.
She told Booth her name was Doris Coggins, her age 31, and that she was single. (all 3 statements are lies)
On January 24 Coggins went to the registrar's office at Huddersfield and gave notice of the marriage. She signed a declaration saying she was a spinster.
Later as a result of information, the Registrar questioned Coggins. She strongly denied that she was married, the Registrar did not believe her, and told her she must bring a birth certificate before the marriage was performed.
In Rotherham the Registrar obtained a certificate of marriage dated June 30, 1936 between Harold Coggins and women alleged to be Florence Coggins.
Inspector Chadwick read a letter addressed to the "Superintendant Registrar," which he thought could be proved to be in the woman's hand-writing.
The letter read: I am not the woman you want for a marriage which is taking place at Huddersfield, I am the wife of Edwin Harold Coggins, I have been told to write to you by the Registrar here at Rotherham.
After her arrest, Inspector Chadwick alleged, she had acted as house keeper for a man named Coggins for ten years.
She married his nephew and lived only two months with him.
She did not tell Booth she was already married.
After the statement had been read, the woman collapsed in the dock and had to be assisted out of court.
Later at Leeds Assizes, Wednesday 23 March 1938 She was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
Edwin remarried 27/3/1954 Emily Bagnall in Rotherham, he states on the marriage certificate that he is a widower.
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21-10-2019, 8:33 PM #43
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I have looked at the National Archives,Home Office Prison records series PCOM2.
Cannot make head nor tail of the result, it returns number and letter codes that mean nothing to me as a layman.
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23-10-2019, 6:31 AM #44
Hi Paul,
Did you read through this TNA Guide? As I understand it you need to know which prison Florence was in then first off contact the local archives.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...-prison-staff/Alma
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23-10-2019, 10:32 AM #45
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As she was tried at Leeds Assizes the actual trial records are held by the National Archives. If it hadn't been at the assizes the trial records would probably be held by the local record office.
However, the local record office may hold records of the lists òf prisoners scheduled to stand trial at the assizes, and these can hold quite a bit of information, but that varies depending on location and era. They are sometimes called the Calendar of Prisoners.
The website for the local record office is https://www.wyjs.org.uk/archive-service/ and you would need the Leeds office. Their online catolgue is not available at the moment so I haven't been able to look in that for you, but I would give them a call.
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23-10-2019, 2:42 PM #46
That's very helpful, Megan. Thank you
Alma
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16-08-2020, 7:22 PM #47
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- Aug 2018
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I have contacted the following resources, all have referred me to another or responded they do
not have the information.
West Yorkshire Archive Service.
Huddersfield Borough Quarter. (recommended by West Yorkshire Archive Service.)
The National Archives. (recommended by WY Leeds Archives)
Wakefield branch of the West Yorkshire Archive Service.
[email protected]. (recommended by West Yorkshire Archive Service)
Any advice going forward.
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30-07-2021, 7:57 PM #48
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- Aug 2018
- Location
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- 15
I Recently tried another long shot, as there is no trace of her after 1938 I checked the list of people recruited into the SOE (special operations executive) to aid the war effort, again no luck.
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09-01-2022, 3:38 PM #49
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- Aug 2018
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I have updated part of Florence's history to include the 1921 census as she is entered as American (yet more lies)
Florence Fray life history as known.
Florence Treasa Fray Born 2/12/1901 Hartlepool, I have the birth certificate
Brother, Frederick Frances b 11/7/1903 Hartlepool, I have the birth certificate.
1911, living in Reading, Sherwood street with brother and parents.
8/10/1914, her mum, Agnes Fray dies aged 36.
1916 approx, when fifteen, was employed as a housemaid by the Marchioness of Bute, and afterwards by the Hon, Mrs. Hastings, Bilton, Rugby
Feb 1918 While in this situation she was found guilty of stealing jewellery, she was bound over and sent to a Salvation Army home, where she stayed nine months. During, the next twelve months she was at Thorpe.
1921 census, 24th April, Florence Fray born New York, USA, citizenship American. 55 Hesley Lane Ecclesfield. (house keeper ) living with Frederick Wilmer Coggins (born Nov 1881) they did not marry, also in the household, children from his previous wife, Alberta Sargan, Frederick ,Doris ,William and Walter.
17/9/1921 Florence had a child, Ronnie Fray, no father,(55 Hesley Lane Ecclesfield) I have the birth certificate.
The Illustrated Police News, 23 March 1922
SERVANT GIRL'S LIVELY IMAGINATION
Convicted at Rotherham of obtaining goods by false pretences, Florence Fray, a young woman, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. A strange story was told by Detective - sergeant Shore, who was called to speak as to the prisoner's career. The girl, he related, when fifteen, was employed as a housemaid by the Marchioness of Bute, and afterwards by the Hon, Mrs. Hastings, Bilton, Rugby. While in this situation she was found guilty of stealing jewellery, and in February, 1918, was bound over and sent to a Salvation Army home, where she stayed nine months. During, the past twelve months she had been at Thorpe. In September last she gave birth to a child, and had since obtained an order again the father for 10s. per week. During the last few weeks prisoner had been to several solicitors in the borough and asked them to make inquiries respecting a large sum of money which had been left her by relatives in New York. She stated that she and other members of the family, including her father and mother, were passengers on the Lusitania when the boat was sunk. All the other members of the family were drowned. On March 1 she admitted to witness that the story concerning the Lusitania was false.—Sentence was passed as stated.
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10-01-2022, 10:40 AM #50
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- Oct 2007
- Location
- Wiltshire
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- 731
Paul, this is just a reminder that the census of 1921 was actually taken on 19 June, not April 24 as the form indicates. Industrial action which would have affected the results of the census was threatened by coal miners to take place about the time designated for the census in April, and so the authorities responsible for the census delayed it by 2 months or so. They did not reprint the forms, probably because of the costs involved. They did not delay sufficiently enough to pick up my uncle who was born early July! pwholt
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