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Ada Fry was my paternal step great grandmother. She was married to Harry Collins and they were married in Braintree, Essex. Ada was a captain in the Salvation Army. I believe that she was born c1870 and she was still alive, but widowed, in c1960. That is all I know. I cannot find her on any census. Can anyone help me with any information. :-(

So this is the Collins marriage?

Marriages Dec 1929
Collins Harry Strait Braintree 4a 2050
Strait Ada Collins Braintree 4a 2050

This was found before, but deleted. I'm reinstating it as there is every possibility it could be this one if you're not absolutely definite about Braintree.



Marriages Dec 1925
Collins Harold A G Fry Rochford 4a 1552
Fry Ada H L Collins Rochford 4a 1552

That was me, Ozibird.

I deleted mine when I saw your Braintree one.

Thinking about it now, Janet does mention the surname Fry so it could be a possibility?

I wonder if this is Ada from the 1925 marriage ????

Births Mar 1898 (>99%)
Fry Ada Henrietta L Paddington 1a 65

Yes, it's a difficult one as we don't know if Fry was a married name or a maiden name.

I think the only way forward for Janet is to buy the certificate which should clear that up for her.

Ozi

Do you have the marriage certificate to see if her father is shown?

Possible 1901 census for the birth above????

FRY, Peter Head Married M 29 1872 Shoeing Smith Willesden, Middlesex VIEW
FRY, Rose H Wife Married F 30 1871 Paddington, London VIEW
FRY, Ada Daughter F 3 1898 Paddington VIEW
FRY, May Daughter F 0 (4 MOS) 1901 Willesden, Middlesex VIEW

Piece: 1221
Folio: 130
Page: 8
Registration District: Hendon
Civil Parish: Willesden
Municipal Borough:
Address: 96, Kilburn Park Road, Willesden
County: Middlesex

You could try the Sally Army records

http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/heritage

Born 1898 is a fair way off born c1870. Methinks it's another Ada.

Ozi

These are the Ada Collins deaths after 1960

dob 1870 +/- 2

Ada Florence K Collins 1871 Oct-Nov-Dec 1970 New Forest Hampshire

Ada Collins abt 1872 Jul-Aug-Sep 1960 Hampstead London

Ada F Collins abt 1872 Apr-May-Jun 1967 Christchurch Hampshire

I posted that birth (if it is her?) to see if we could either confirm or eliminate the marriage I found.

Again, the marriage certificate for Ada and Harry would hopefully give her age?

I think that Ada was born or lived in Rochford, Essex. When she met Harry Collins her surname was Fry. Unfortunately I do not know if she was married before she met Harry. As far as I know she did not have any children. Harry Collins was a bookbinder. I was born in 1953 and can remember her when I was a little girl. She was living in a house in Rayne Road, Braintree, Essex. I hope this information is of help and throw a little more light on trying to find out a little bit more about Ada. :-(

Do you know if she had any middle names?

I see that Harrys wife died in 1927 in Braintree. Ada Strait was born in Braintree in 1881 (3rd quarter), I would suggest you order the Collins Strait marriage cert and see if it is your Grandfather.

This could be Ada's death??


England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
about Ada Collins



Name:Ada Collins

Birth Date;abt 1882
Date of Registration:Jan-Feb-Mar 1968
Age at Death:86
Registration district:Chelmsford
Inferred County:Essex
Volume:4a
Page:713

Don't know if it's of any relevance but I found a newspaper article in the Chelmsford Chronicle of Friday 16 November 1917. It's about the funeral in Braintree of a Mrs Baldwin - amongst the mourners was her servant Ada Strait.

That would be these in 1911:

BALDWIN, William Head Married M 62 1849 Stationer And Printers Manager Essex Bocking Braintree
BALDWIN, Elizabeth Ann Wife Married35 years F 62 1849 Essex Takeley
STRAIT, Ada Servant Single F 29 1882 General Servant Domestic Essex Shalford Braintree

RG number: RG14 Piece: 10421 Reference: RG14PN10421 RG78PN554 RD201 SD5 ED2 SN212
Registration District: Braintree
Sub District: Braintree
Enumeration District: 2
Parish: Braintree

Address: High Street Braintree County: Essex

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
about Harry Collins


Name:Harry Collins

Probate Date:10 Dec 1949

Death Date:10 Oct 1949

Death Place:Essex, England

Registry:Ipswich

Harry Collins deid 10th Oct 1949

Address was 67 Rayne Road, Braintree, he left his monies to widow Ada Collins and Gertrude Lillian Collins, Spinster and arthur Ernest walton, School master.

£1994 0s 8d.

looks like Arthur Walton was his son in law;

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriages Sep 1920 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Collins Mabel E Walton Braintree 4a 2358

Walton Arthur E Collins Braintree 4a 2358

So was Gertrude Lilian Harry's daughter from first marriage?

1911:

COLLINS, Harry Head Married M 40 1871 Bookbinding Essex Braintree
COLLINS, Alice Wife Married16 years F 41 1870 Essex Bocking
COLLINS, Edith Daughter Single F 15 1896 Dressmaker Essex Braintree
COLLINS, Bertha Daughter F 14 1897 Domestic Servant Essex Braintree
COLLINS, Mabel Daughter F 11 1900 Scholar Essex Braintree
COLLINS, Gertie Daughter F 9 1902 Scholar Essex Braintree

RG number: RG14 Piece: 10425 Reference: RG14PN10425 RG78PN554 RD201 SD5 ED6 SN74
Registration District: Braintree
Sub District: Braintree
Enumeration District: 6
Parish: Braintree

Address: 66 Victoria St Braintree Essex County: Essex

If Harry was a Book Binder, then he may have known this family for a long time and also the servant??


1911 England Census
about William Baldwin


Name:William Baldwin
Age in 1911:62

Estimated Birth Year:abt 1849
Relation to Head:Head
Gender:Male
Birth Place:Bocking, Braintree, Essex
Civil parish:Braintree
County/Island:Essex
Country:England

Street Address:80 High Street, Braintree

Marital Status:Married

Occupation:stationer & Printers Manager

Registration district:Braintree

Registration District Number:201

Sub-registration district:Braintree

William Baldwin62
Elizabeth Ann Baldwin62
>>>>>>>>>>Ada Strait29

Ada was also with the Baldwins in 1901.

Have to say I'm not 100% convinced about Ada Strait ..... (sorry!)

Was wondering if this was just a really big coincidence?

From the New York Geneva Times, Saturday September 8th 1923:

Under Salvation Army in the Churches section -

"Sunday evening at 8 o'clock a farewell service will be held at the Salvation Army rooms for cadets Anna French and ADA FRY who are leaving the city".