Florence Caroline Frost was born 3rd November 1875 in Hammersmith Middlesex and baptised 18th June 1876 to Caroline Lovell and Harry Frost.
Harry Frost was a bricklayer. Florence was the third child of fifteen. She was admitted to Junior school on 27 August 1883 (home address, 64 Stoneleigh Street), and was previously at St Clements Road infant School.
She married Frederick John Tranter 29th July 1900, at ‘St Nicholas and All Angels Church’ Chiswick. Frederick was a Grocer in a family business, so presumably Florence was expected to work in the business too.
Florence and Frederick had seven children, the first, a daughter, Florence Beatrice, whose birth and death were both registered Dec Quarter 1900. Although this was before the birth of next child, Winifred Alice (Nana) on January 7th 1902, at 116 Great Church Lane, she was always acknowledged in the family as ‘Beatrice’.
Next birth was Frank Albert, born 9th April 1903, he married Winifred de Bank 1933, and died April 1973.
Horace Frederick was born 7th November 1904, baptised at St. Pauls, Hammersmith 8 January 1905, but died July quarter 1905. 116 Great Church Lane.
Next Frederick Herbert ‘Bert’, born 12th September 1906, baptised 26th September at St Paul’s Hammersmith, again 116 Great Church Lane. With father Frederick given as Traveller. Herbert died 1966.
Edgar William ‘Ted’ was born October Quarter 1908, sadly dying within a few months of marriage to Mabel Edington in Fulham from a kidney complaint.
Finally Frederick William ‘Fred’ was born 11th September 1911, and died December quarter 1989. ‘Uncle Fred’, could perhaps be described as rather eccentric, but led a fascinating life, at one point being a Baptist missionary in Africa. He was later a proof reader at a printing house.
Florence was known as a rather ‘no nonsense’ lady, and considered to be ‘the boss’ in the marriage. As the oldest daughter in a large family, and whose mother took in laundry to makes ends meet, she would no doubt have been expected to look after the younger children, and help around the home. According to the 1891 census helping out with the laundry too.
She married aged 25, which was quite late by the standards of her forebears, and was pregnant at the time, as her first child was born less than 6 months after the wedding. The baby died soon after birth, and was obviously mourned, as she was remembered in the family. Florence would have been expected to help in the family grocery business, hard and heavy work, long hours,to be fitted in with family life and the birth of six further children by 1911. One of whom, Horace, died before the age of one, and another Edgar suffering from an ongoing kidney complaint, must have often been ill. He died in 1936, twenty years before his mother. With hindsight, it may be considered that Fred the youngest suffered with Aspergers Syndrome, and may have displayed perplexing behaviour.
To supplement the family income, Florence took in laundry, and sold groceries from her home.
The 1939 register describes husband Frederick as ‘disabled’, so Florence must have been caring for him for some years before his death.
Florence died September 1958 in Ealing, at the age of 83. Her husband Frederick having died four years earlier in 1954.
I guess that Florence could be classed a ‘Formidable Female’
This cabinet, stood in the corner of Nana’s lounge during my childhood. I did have a run in with it aged six, when I climbed up, to take something off the top. The cabinet was front heavy, and the door swung open falling on to me. Nana’s best China slid out and smashed. I don’t think I was particularly popular, but after this, it was screwed to the wall.
It had belonged to Florence Caroline, and would have been a popular style at the time.
Apparently it is ‘Black Japanned’, from around 1900 (popular style at the time of Queen Victoria’s mourning of Albert, and her death in 1901). Probably taking pride of place in the house of Florence. Nana inherited it from her mother, then it went to Mum, after Nana’s death. I have it in my house now, following a downsize house move by my parents.