Frank Underwood, born 1861 at Brighton, was the son of John Harmer’s sister Zilpah and her husband Henry Underwood. This makes him John’s nephew.
Frank trained as a clerk with a local firm of solicitors, eventually becoming a Managing Clerk. But his personal life was somewhat more intriguing.
Frank’s first marriage and children
Frank’s first wife was Clara Esther Boxell, who was born in 1858 at Brighton. She was the daughter of Joseph Boxell born 1831, a watchmaker, and his wife Ellen born 1835, and like Frank grew up in Upper North Street, living first at number 85 and by 1881 at number 91. Frank and Clara were married on 17th September 1888 by the Rev. E. J. Morgan at St. Nicholas Church, Brighton (Sussex Agricultural Express Saturday 22 September 1888) when they were about 27 and 30 years of age. The couple had two sons:
Douglas Frank (1st Nov 1889 – 28th June 1974)
Harold Walter (28th May 1892 – 28th Dec 1965)
The family of four lived variously at 112 Springfield Road, where we find them in the 1891 census and in the street directories until 1892, and 23 Bentham Road – where we find them in the 1901 census and in the street directories until 1903. It would be interesting to locate the family between 1893 and 1900.
In the spring of 1908 Clara died suddenly of ‘apoplexy’ at the age of 49.
Frank’s second marriage and children
The lady who would become Frank’s second wife was baptised Ellen Little on 24th June 1882 at Bridport, Dorset [Dorset, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906]. In the 1891 census, when she was 8, Ellen was living with many other young girls at Chapel House in Athelstone, Warwickshire, a ‘Sisterhood’ for preparing domestic servants. Sounds like a riot of fun! By 1901 she was living at Camberwell with her widowed father Henry. Henry died in 1903, which is probably when Ellen moved to Brighton. It seems likely that she entered domestic service, possibly becoming employed by Frank and Clara Underwood.
Ellen gave birth to a son, Frank Little, on 10th January 1907 at Brighton, and it seems that he was fostered locally. I can find no trace of him in the 1911 census.
Frank and Ellen married between Oct and Dec 1908 at St. Luke’s Church on Queens Park Road, Brighton, just six months after Clara’s death. Frank was 47, whilst Ellen was 26. Frank first appears at 166 Springfield Road, known as Font Hill House, in Pike’s 1910 street directory, suggesting that he, Ellen and his two children by Clara had moved there the previous year. Indeed, a move to a (relatively) new street where none of the neighbours would be likely to know their backstory must have been a breath of fresh air for the newlyweds.
After their marriage the couple went on to have four children:
Philip Henry Underwood (5th Jan 1909 – 24th Aug 1972)
Frederick George Underwood (14th Nov 1910 – Jan 1975)
Zilpah Eileen Underwood (23th Nov 1913 – July 1971)
Irene Grace Barrett née Underwood (26th Mar 1920 – Q 1995)
Frank Junior
When he was about seven years old Frank was reunited with his mother, Ellen and joined the Underwood family at 166 Springfield Road and legally became an Underwood. He went on to marry fellow Brightonian Ellen Doris Treasure (born 1906) in 1929 at Lewes, and they had a son, Barry Frank Underwood, born 16th March 1933 at Freshfield Road, with whom I was privileged to have established communication; sadly Barry departed this life in February 2021.
Frank Junior, by the time of his death being of 22 Gloucester Place, Brighton, passed away on 9th March 1979 aged 72. His wife Ellen had sadly passed away at Brighton in 1960, aged just 53.
Frank Senior’s death
Frank passed away on 30th March 1926, when he was 64 years old. Probate for his estate, which was valued at £1783, passed to his sons Douglas (civil servant) and Harold (solicitor’s clerk). In the same year 166 Springfield Road passed out of the Underwood family’s ownership.
Ellen Underwood’s death
Ellen survived Frank Senior by 15 years, passing away at Horsham Hospital on 16th April 1941. Her last address was Windyridge, Rudgwick, Horsham, where she was living with her daughter Zilpah Eileen. Probate for her estate, which was sadly valued at nought, passed to her son Frank Junior, Borough Surveyor’s Clerk.
Children
Douglas Frank (1st Nov 1889 – 1974)
in the 1911 Douglas, 21, gave his occupation as ship owner’s clerk. In September 1915 he qualified as a wireless operator and began working for the Post Office. During WWI he actively served his country as a SRP (serper) with the Royal Engineers, reciving a Victory Medal.
Douglas married Williamina Katherine Armstrong (born 5th Jan 1893) in the Mar Q of 1916, and moved to 256 Old Shoreham Road where they would remain for the rest of their lives. Williamina died in 1973, followed by Douglas on 28th June 1974
The couple had one child, a daughter Rita Vera C. Underwood, who was born on 8th May 1917. In the 1939 Register Rita was still had home with her parents and working a a typist for an insurance firm. Rita married Reginald Frank Ernest Simmonds at Hove in Sep Q 1948. I have not been able to establish if they had any children. I do know that they lived at Cherry Mead Lane, Cagefoot, Henfield, and that Reginald passed away on 27th April 1975 followed by Rita in 1981.
Harold Walter (28th May 1892 – 28th Dec 1965)
Harold married Grace Agnes Thorne (born 19th Dec 1891) in Jun Q 1921, and moved to 18 Edburton Avenue. Harold seems to have worked as a solicitor’s accountant his entire life. Between 1939 and 1965 the family moved to 30 Downsway, Southwick. Harold died at 43 Highlands Road, Portslade-by-Sea, when he was 73. Grace died in a nursing home at Southwick on 21st February 1973, when she was 82.
They had one son; Raymond Keith Underwood who was born 22nd June 1925 and went on to work as a catering manager. Raymond may have married Yvonne I. Ayton in the summer of 1951 at Brighton. I am not aware of any children.
Philip Henry Underwood (5th Jan 1909 – 24th Aug 1972)
Philip married Mercia I. Tully, in spring 1929 at Brighton. Philip and Mercia had two children; Philip Keith in 1929 at Brighton, and Robin in 1932 at Hendon. In the 1939 Register he is boarding at 9 Mayfield Crescent and working as a wages clerk for a gas company; although he was married his wife was not living with him. Mercia remarried in 1951 at Brighton, to a Norman S. Crosbee. When Philip Snr. passed away in 1972 he was living at 30 Buckingham Place, Brighton.
It is possible that Philip Jnr. married Rita A. V. Miles at Brighton in 1952,and had three daughters; Karen M (1958), Sara J. (1964) and Tracy Ellen (1968). I am also curious to trace a Philip K. Underwood, who married a Pamela Underwood at Brighton in 1972. It is possible that Philip Jnr. remarried.
Frederick George Underwood (14th Nov 1910 – Jan 1975)
Frederick has proved rather elusive so far! He may have married Dorothy Dodds at Brighton in 1933, and had a daughter with her, Rosalind, in 1938. This may be the Rosalind who married Anthony J. Cross at Hove in 1961. Frederick was still living in Brighton in 1975 when he passed away aged 65.
Zilpah Eileen Underwood (23th Nov 1913 – July 1971)
We know that Zilpah Eileen was still living with her mother in April 1941. Due to her unusual name, it is almost certain that she was the same Zilpah E. Underwood who married Leonard Frederick Richards (b. 25th Dec 1912) at Eton, Buckinghamshire in the Oct Q of that year. She was still married, and gave a Bradford address, and her occupation as secretary, when she returned alone to England from Beira, Mozambique in 1958. That Zilpah died in July 1971 at Droitwich aged (58) as did her husband Leonard (60), with her date of birth given as 23th Nov 1913. Leonard’s probate record states that he died between 23rd and 27th July 1971, at 16 Norbury House, Friar Street. I am sure therein lies a mystery, and probably a sad one.
Irene Grace Barrett née Underwood (26th Mar 1920 – Q 1995)
In the 1939 Register Irene is to be found lodging at 209 Ditchling Road, Brighton, and workng as a shorthand typist. A handwritten note indicates that she married a ‘Barrett’, and an Irene G Underwood did indeed marry a Frank W. Barrett at Birmingham in 1951. She passed away there in 1995.
