Genealogy Chat

Name Miss Florence Margaret Ritchie
Topic Human Interest
Residence Date 23 Nov 1932
Residence Place London, London, England
Publication Date 23 Nov 1932
Publication Place London, London, England
Newspaper Title Daily Mirror

help reading this information as don't have ancestry please

From Findmypast (same newspaper):-

Amateur Rider to Wed

Notice of marriage has been given at a London Register Office of Mr. Francis Augustus Simpson, the amateur jockey who has on several occasions won the Newmarket Town Plate.
In the notice Mr. Simpson is described as a widower living at Clermont House, Newmarket, Suffolk.
His bride is Miss Florence Margaret Ritchie, living at Hornton Court, Kensington.

Hope that helps.

Kath. x

From British Newspaper Archive , under "Search" at top right of this GR page:

AMATEUR RIDER TO WED
Notice of marriage has been given at a London register office of Mr Francis Augustus Simpson, the amateur jockey, who has on several occasions won the Newmarket Town Plate.
In the notice Mr Simpson is described as a widower, living at Clermont House, Newmarket, Suffolk.
His bride is Miss Florence Margaret Ritchie, living at Hornton Court, Kensington.

RACE FOR A BRIDE
AMATEUR JOCKEY'S TRIUMPH - 62 WEDS 31 - HER PROMISE TO MARRY IF ...

A romance of the turf in keeping with the best traditions of film fiction was revealed yesterday.

The Birmingham Gazette learns that Mr Francis Augustus Simpson, an electrical manager of Newmarket, and the winner as an amateur jockey of several Newmarket Town Plates, was married secretly last week at Brompton Oratory, London, to Miss Florence Margaret Ritchie, who for some time was confidential secretary to Mr E C Cresswell of Newmarket.

Mr Simpson is 62 and his bride 31. Last year, it is stated, Miss Ritchie promised to marry Mr Simpson if he won the Newmarket Town Plate.
Mr Simpson was a triumphant victor - and he claimed his prize, the couple being married a few weeks afterwards, on 12 December.
The marriage was kept secret. Nothing would induce the couple to divulge the date, although it was learned that the ceremony would take place at Brompton Oratory.
"They even kept the date dark from us" an official of the Oratory told a reporter.

"Usually an appointment is made for a wedding about a week beforehand and it is never entered in the appointments book later than a day before, but so anxious were Mr Simpson and Miss Ritchie to keep their secret that they only made the appointment at 9am on the Monday and were married exactly an hour later."

Birmingham Daily Gazette 21 Dec 1932

Bit more detail in this report...very romantic.


another report in the Daily Mirror 21 Dec, adds

"Even then they took every precaution. They entered at the back of the sacristy, were married in one of the side chapels and avoided going out of the main enterance by slipping out of a back door. No one but the priests saw them come and go."



Reports on Francis' death state he won the Newmarket Town Plate 15 times
Another report says he won it 17 times and was the only man to ride against the ladies.

1939 Register
Woodend The Avenue, Newmarket, Newmarket U.D., Cambridgeshire, England

Household members (4 people)
First name(s) Last name(s) Birth date Sex Occupation Marital status Schedule Schedule sub number
~??? Simpson 20 Dec 1879 Male Electrical Engineer (Retired) A Married 110 1
Florence M Simpson 27 Mar 1899 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 110 2
Margaret M Turner (Simpson) 10 Mar 1937 Female Under School Age Single 110 3
Frances J Taylor (Simpson) 19 Apr 1939 Female Under School Age Single 110 4

Ancestry's version of 1939:

Francis A Simpson
in the 1939 England and Wales Register
Name Francis A Simpson
Gender Male
Marital Status Married
Birth Date 20 Dec 1869
Residence Date 1939
Address Woodend the Avenue
Residence Place Newmarket, Suffolk, England
Occupation Electrical Engineer (Ret) A Pr
Line Number 35
Schedule Number 110
Sub Schedule Number 1
Enumeration District Tyec
Borough Newmarket
Registration District 206-2.
Household Members (Name) Gender Birth Year
Francis A Simpson Male 1869
Florence M Simpson Female 1899
Margaret M Simpson Female 1937
Frances V Simpson Female 1939


1879 has been written in above 1869 - but 1869 is correct.


Francis Augustus Simpson
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
Name Francis Augustus Simpson
Registration Date 1870
Quarter of the Year Jan-Feb-Mar
Regisration Place Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, England
Volume 3b
Page 568

thank you so much was not my Florence Margaret Ritchie as in 1939 she was married to my grandad alfied james ritchie :-D

Are these your grandparents

1939 Register
34 Arnold Road, Barking And Dagenham, Dagenham M.B., Essex, England

First name(s) Last name(s) Birth date Sex Occupation Marital status Schedule Schedule sub number
Alfred J Ritchie 05 Sep 1892 Male Painter House Married 278 1
Florence M Ritchie 31 Jul 1900 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 278 2

If correct couple this could be their marriage - her surname was Robinson. With the marriage being in 1930, unlikely that the newspaper article would refer to her.

Were you just wanting to confirm the names in the article

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Sep 1930 (>99%)
Baker John H Cross Stepney 1c 441
Ritchie Alfred J Robinson Stepney 1c 441
Robinson Florence M Ritchie Stepney 1c 441

2nd bride missing from this record

Marriages Sep 1930 (>99%)
Baker John H Cross Stepney 1c 441
Cross Jane E M Baker Stepney 1c 441
Ritchie Alfred J Robinson Stepney 1c 441
Robinson Florence M Ritchie Stepney 1c 441

Your grandmother?

1921 Census Of England & Wales
71, Salmon Lane, Limehouse, London & Middlesex, England
Household members (6 people)
First name(s) Last name Relationship to head Sex Birth year Age in years Birth place Occupation Employer
Christian Eberlein Head
Male 1887 34 Limehouse, London, England Bread Baker Employer, Own A/c
Fanny Eberlein Wife
Female 1892 29 Limehouse, London, England Home Duties -
Catherine Eberlein Daughter
Female 1916 4 Limehouse, London, England - -
Ivy Eberlein Daughter
Female 1919 2 Limehouse, London, England - -
>>Florence Margaret Robinson Servant
Female 1900 21 Limehouse, London, England General Domestic Servant Private
Baby Eberlein - Female 1921 - Limehouse, London, England -


1911 Census For England & Wales
6 Brenton St Limehouse, Limehouse, London & Middlesex, England
Household members (5 people)
First name(s) Last name Relationship to head Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Charles William Robinson Head
Married Male 36 1875 Metal roller Limehouse
Jannetta Robinson Wife
Married Female 32 1879 - Limehouse
Florence Margaret Robinson Daughter
Single Female 10 1901 School Limehouse
Charles William Robinson Son
Single Male 7 1904 School Limehouse
Jannetta Robinson Daughter
Single Female 4 1907 - Limehouse


1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census
4, Condor Street, Limehouse, Stepney, London & Middlesex, England
Household members (3 people)
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Charles W Robinson Head
Married Male 26 1875 Lead worker Limehouse, Middlesex, England
Janneta Robinson Wife
Married Female 22 1879 - Limehouse, Middlesex, England
Florence Robinson Daughter
- Female 0 1901 - Limehouse, Middlesex, England



ROBINSON, FLORENCE MARGARET EVANS
GRO Reference: 1900 S Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 400

Possible for Alfred James

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census
13, Lower Wood Street, Woolwich, London & Kent, England

Household members (3 people)
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Alfred Ritchie Head
Married Male 28 1873 Machine hand (r arsenl) Scotland
Jessie Ritchie Wife
Married Female 27 1874 - Brighton, Sussex, England
Alfred James Son
Single Male 8 1893 - Woolwich, Kent, England



RITCHIE, ALFRED JAMES CHAMBERS
GRO Reference: 1892 D Quarter in WOOLWICH Volume 01D Page 1220