Although these two families are unrelated, as far as I know, they have been brought together by these two super old photos that I have recently bought. I saw them on eBay being sold separately by the same seller, so of course I had to buy them both.

They had both been written on by the same person with the family name of Franklin on both.

The first couple above it says are Annie Franklin, daughter of Emma and James Franklin, who married William Laysell. After a bit of juggling around with the spellings of Laysell/Lazell, I could identify the correct family. So I began a family tree for the Franklin’s, starting with Annie and James.

Annie Emma Franklin was born on 28 March 1884 in Dagenham, Essex, her father was James, and her mother, Emma. She married James Thomas William Lazell on 27 April 1905. Annie died on 12 August 1947 in East Ham, Essex, England.

James Thomas William Lazell was born on 31 May 1883 in Billericay, Essex, his father was James and his mother was Mary. In 1901 James was working on goods waggons on the railway but then he became a Railway Ticket Collector by 1911 and was the same still on the 1939 register. James and Annie were living at 37 East Ham, Essex, England. James died in April 1951 in East Ham, Essex, at the age of 67.

Annie and James had one son William James Lazell, who was born on 9 January 1906 in West Ham, Essex. He married Dorothy Florence Butt in July 1930. They had one child Jean Iris Lazell 1933-2005, she married William J Argles in 1957. William died in July 1979 in London, London, at the age of 73.

I was astonished when I looked at the Find A Grave website as there was a Biography of Annie and her husband that confirmed everything that I had found out through researching the family tree.

“Annie Emma Franklin was born on the 28th of March 1884, in Dagenham, to James Franklin and Emma Purser. In 1891 the family were living at Thornton Farm, Dagenham, where her father was a farm servant. Annie was the youngest of seven children. In 1901 the family were living at Thornton Cottages, Dagenham. Her father was now listed as a horseman on the farm.
On the 27th of April 1905, Annie married James Thomas William Lazell at Romford, Essex. In 1911 family lived at 37 Clacton Road, East Ham. James was working as a railway ticket collector. They had one child, a son named William James Lazell.
James joined the Kings Royal Rifles during the Great War. Despite being wounded several times and being a prisoner of war, he survived the war and returned home to his family.
In 1921 Annie lost her father and in 1922 her mother passed away. In 1939 the family lived at 37 Welbeck Road, East Ham (Essex, England). James was still working as a ticket collector. Annie passed away in 1947, aged 63, her husband James passed away in 1951, aged 68. Both died in East Ham, Essex, England.
William James married Dorothy Butt in 1930. They lived in Hornchurch and had one daughter Jean born in 1933. Jean married William Argles” All by Steven Coulter of Iowa, America with James Seidelman of Wisconsin, America, adding this old photo of Annie, see below, a bit younger here than my photo. Thank you to them both for what they do to help us all. James Seidelman has written: “If I’m not related, I’d rather transfer to someone doing research or adding information. I feel this website is for sharing and caring…not hoarding and holding…enjoy!” Although there is an error with Annie’s death place that I’m trying to get altered, it says Eastham, Malvern Hills, Worcestershire, England and of course, it should be East Ham, Essex, England. My first edit was declined, but I’m not giving up!

The other couple mentioned on the back of the photo was Annie‘s parents James Franklin (1840-1921) and Emma (Purser)(1840-1922) Annie was one of eight children born to the couple. In 1861 on the census they were both living at the same place, Heath Place Farm, Onsett, Essex. The Randall family (Mary Randall, a widow in 1861) were tenants on the farm of 261 acres. Emma Purser, his future wife, was aged 21, a Cook. Meanwhile James Franklin at 19 was a Carter on the Farm, they married 5 years later on 6 October 1866.

Although the second photo is not of the Franklin family, it has a definite link to the family and of course, I love it because it’s a wedding photo and now I can firmly date it!

So with this photo, I had to start another family tree with George and Lily Brown, as it was a common surname I wasn’t banking on being able to find and confirm this couple, but I concentrated on any George Brown’s in Essex. I eventually got lucky looking through any of George Brown’s who might be mentioned as being a Coal Merchant in British Phone Books records for 1909 on Ancestry:

George Burness Brown was born in 1879 in Aveley, Essex, his father, Robert, was 28 and his mother, Agnes, was 28. He married Lily Elizabeth Francis on 3 August 1903 in Romford, Essex. He died on 16 June 1931 in Essex at the age of 52. He left over £1792.00 in his will to his wife Lily, the equivalent of £152,982.42 in today’s money.

Lily Elizabeth Francis was born on 23 April 1880 in Great Leighs, Essex, registered as Elizabeth Lily Francis, her father was William and her mother, Eliza. Lily died in January 1953 in Romford, Essex, at the age of 72, she was living still in Ardleigh Green, Hornchurch at the time of the 1939 register. I have found no children of the couple. I wonder if they met through the connections of the family with the Railway and Coal?

Here’s the small family tree for them: George Burness Brown Tree

I also did a little more research on the Franklin tree and was able to identify Ada and James Franklin. James Frederick Franklin was born on 16 March 1873 in Orsett, Essex, his parents were James and Emma, mentioned in the first photo, and James Frederick was one of Annie’s brothers. He married Ada Alice Chambers in 1900 in Romford, Essex. They lived at no 1 Thornton Farm Cottages, Dagenham, Essex, his Occupation was an Agricultural Labourer, or Ag Lab as is often written on the census records. The couple had six children. He died on 8 September 1952 in Essex at the age of 79 and was buried in Havering, Essex.

This is the link to the small Franklin family tree on Ancestry: Annie Emma Franklin Tree

I was quite amazed when I saw this photo on someone’s public family tree on Ancestry, it says it was taken James Franklin (1842-1921) in 1895, the father of Annie from the first photo and James Frederick Franklin, friends of the couple in the second photo. It’s not often you come across fabulous old photos like this and how wonderful for the owner to share with everyone.

Till next time then…….