Gallery

The Wedding of Ernest George Edmund Soles

and Francis Emily Leedham circa 1914

The photograph includes the following family members:

1) EGE Soles, Master Butcher, 1891 - 1973. Sitting 5th from left

2) Frances E Leedham, Farmer's daughter, 1889 - 1956. Sitting 4th from left

3) Elizabeth (Lizzie) Leedham, brides mother, 1863 - 1925. Sitting 3rd from left

4) William Leedham, stepfather of bride. Standing centre behind Frances

5) John Edward Soles, Master Butcher, father of the groom, 1862 - 1929. 1st row standing, 4th from left

6) Emily Soles, mother of the groom 1871 - 1917. Sitting 3rd from left

7) John Alfred (Jack) Soles, brother of the groom, 1890. Standing, 3rd from left

8) Norman William Soles, brother of the groom, 1909--? Child sitting on grass in front of groom

9) Unknown but thought to be the uncle of the groom, William Soles, 1856...? Back row between groom and mother

10) Dora Ann Soles, sister of the groom, 1893-- 1942? To the left of no. 9

11) Mrs Bradley, (Mary Jane Fletcher) grand mother of the bride, 1842-- 1938. Sitting 2nd, from left

12) Mrs Polly Leedham, auntie of the bride. Sitting, 1st on the left

13) Joseph Bradley Leedham, brother of the bride. Standing, far left

See beneath the photo for detailed information on the individuals

For further information contact:

Background information on wedding group

1)   E G E Soles ran a butchers shop, 1920 1928 at 12 Market St Tamworth, he also ran a butchers shop in Coventry St Nuneaton, 1931 1939.

2)   Frances E Leedham a farmers daughter, worked most of her working life on the farm, for no pay, this was a common practice in farming families, work now, there will be jam tomorrow, but Frances was unlucky, she lost out through no fault of her own.

3)   Lizzie Leedham, her first husband William Leedham died in 1891, he was a carrier and beer house keeper, after his death she ran the Seal Inn at Neatherseal single handed for a few years, she then married her diseased husbands cousin also named William Leedham. Will was a local farmer.

5)  John Edward Soles a master butcher ran his butchers business at Wilnecote on the A5 until he retired about 1928. His father John Soles (coal merchant) was a brother of Edward Oscar Soles who emigrated to U S A with brother William in 1842 and started an American Soles clan.

6)   Emily Soles was the second wife of John Edward, the first wife died in child birth

7)   John Alfred (Jack) Soles a butcher is said to have had business interests in Ireland during W W 2, perhaps he died there.

8)   Norman William Soles a butcher ran a meat round in Tamworth for a few years and also worked as a slaughter man for Ernest G E for a short time. Norman married a widow in London in 1938, at that time he described himself as a chef, I have been unable to trace him since that date.

9)   Unknown but thought to be William Soles Uncle of the groom.

10)  Dora Ann Soles her second husband was Evan Lloyd a farmer they lived at Rugby.

11)  Mrs Bradley she was Lizzies mother it is said that when Lizzie married her first husband William Leedham,she descovered, on the day of her marriage, that her mother was not married to Mr Bradley, she had lived with him and taken his name, so Lizzie and her sister Polly were illigitimate. This must have put a bit of a damper on the proceedings. William George Bradley was a worker in German Silver, he made pen nibs and metal buttons he had his work shop at home, he appears to have been a skilled die maker,

William "made" a lot of money, its not a far cry from making metal buttons to coins and that is what he did, he also ran a flour mill, the counterfeit money was hidden in sacks of flour, until he could dispose of it. William George Bradley b 1841 was committed to Leicester and Rutland Lunatic Asylum about 1885, he died there in 1887.His Asylum medical does not make pleasant reading.

Grannie Bradley was well provided for, as a widow she always lived on her own means.

12)  Mrs Polly Leedham the brides auntie

13)  Joseph Bradley Leedham brides brother 1891----1975, a farmer.

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