Image from Julie Goucher Guildford & District collection

Purchased for my Guildford & District Collection, this was sent from Frederick Wait whilst he was serving from the Front in 1916.

So, Who was Fred?…..

A search of the Marriages for a B Turner in Guildford 1916+ to a Fred revealed one such entry. The marriage of Bertha A Turner to Frederick W Wait in the September Quarter of 1917 at Guildford. (Ref 2a, 201).

Working backwards to the 1911 Census. Did that reveal more of Bertha? The index revealed one entry for a Bertha E Turner. I took a chance and looked at the data. It didn’t pay off, and revealed a Bertha Elizabeth Turner residing at 144 Walnut Tree Close Guildford, not far from the childhood home of my Grandmother who grew up at number 114, though my Grandmother wasn’t born until December 1912 – Isn’t research curious?.

Anyway, A quick look through the First World War records didn’t prove obviously helpful, neither did the Commonwealth War Graves website.  So I still didn’t know who Fred was. A quick search of the 1911 Census for him and I was surprised. It revealed one entry; just one.

Frederick William Wait, Single and aged 20 years born 1891 Guildford. On overseas military duty and recorded as in the 7th Dragoon Guards and stationed at Hislop Barracks, Trimulgherry, Duccan, India. Not what I had expected, but I do know that regiments based in India, and elsewhere across the Empire were sent to fight in France, for King and country.

Now, I have not looked more into Frederick Wait since I originally wrote the majority of the text in 2011. There is still more to explore about Fred and his life after the postcard was sent to Bertha Turner.

I don’t descend from Fred and/or Bertha, but would like to find out more about the couple and perhaps return the postcard to the family. If you descend from the couple please drop me a note.