I always have many draft Blogs that need finishing for one reason or another. But I thought I would just pick out at random some of my old Wedding photos that have writing on. So I picked out 6 from one of my Wedding photos storage boxes marked ‘writing on’ and this is the first one.

Mr and Mrs A W Wells, who married on 30 August 1925, St Pancras, London.

It didn’t take me too long to identify this lovely couple as Edith Grace Cozens who was born on 15 June 1902 in Pancras, Middlesex, her father was Benjamin Frederick Cozens, born 11 April 1876 in Marylebone, London and her mother was Grace Elizabeth (Burns) born 1878 in Pancras, Middlesex.

Arthur William Wells was born on 18 May 1900 in Weybridge, Surrey, his father, William Wells was born in 1866-(d before 1939) in Penge, Surrey and his mother, Alice (Downer), was born in 1864 in Dormansland, Surrey.

Arthur died on 24 December 1962 at the age of 62 in Hammersmith, London and Edith died on 18 March 1976 in Prittlewell, Southend, Essex, at the age of 73. Maybe she moved to Southend from London after Arthur died.

The couple had married in Pancras, London. They had two children during their marriage, a son and a daughter.

Occupations for the Wells Family. Arthur was a Chartered Accountant for a bank at the time of the 1939 Register and also a special constable no 18502. His mother Alice was living with him and his family, presumably a widow. Arthur’s father William was a Butler, as was his Grandfather Thomas (b1836) William was a Butler at the very early age of 25 on the 1891 Census, also on the 1901 Census and here below is the 1911 Census for the family. In the two previous Census, Alice is on her own with her children, as William I assume would have had to ‘live in’ and in the 1901 Census she had an occupation as a ‘Lodging House Keeper’. My theory is that they were a clever couple, just having the four children and being very careful with their money to give their children a good education and a great start in life.

Cozens Occupations. Edith‘s father Benjamin was a French Polisher. “A labour-intensive job, French Polishing became popular from the mid 18th century and refers to a wood finishing technique that resulted in a high gloss surface“. Benjamin’s father Charles James Cozens was a Cab Driver “He drove a type horse-drawn buggy known as a hansom cab which replaced hackney carriages as an early taxi service. Cab is short for cabriolet“.

Lots more ‘Old Occupations’ here: https://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/glossary/Dictionary-of-Old-Occupations-Index.html

I’m pleased to be able to share these photos out of a ‘new to me’ book, one of a set of three I bought recently, showing photos of a Hansom Cab with Drivers.

This is the book the photos are from, the two others I have are also by Gordon Winter, The Country Years and The Golden Years, super books:

When I realised that Mrs A W Wells maiden name was Cozens I thought ‘I’m sure I’ve had that name before?’ and I was right! Back in April 2020 I wrote this Blog: https://lynnswaffles.com/2020/04/09/mary-ann-ledger%e2%9d%a4samuel-edmund-cozens/

I’ve not found a connection yet between the two Cozens trees, but you never know!

Here’s the small family tree I’ve compiled on Ancestry for Arthur William Wells and Edith Grace Cozens: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/tree/182296160/family?cfpid=362365833762&fpid=362366570544

Are you a descendant of this couple?

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter holiday🐇🐣🌷

Till next time then………