Tracing the family of Reginald Farmer
We have received the following from Angelique Cremer in the Netherlands:
“For the English War Cemetery in Brunssum the Netherlands I am (still) looking for relatives of Reginald Farmer. Mr Farmer died during WW2 and is buried in the Cemetery. He was with the Worcestershire Regiment, 1st bn. His date of birth should be around 1915.
The only thing we know about him is that he mentioned his ‘Auntie Ada Hancox’ in his soldier’s Will. I realise she doesn’t have to be his actual aunt. Ada Hancox was living at 1 Woodlane Fairfield Bromsgrove in the 1940’s.”
Angelique would like to inform Reginald’s family that his grave is well looked after and that he will never be forgotten by the Dutch people.
To help trace the family of Reginald Farmer, we are trying to trace the family of Ada Hancox to see if Reginald was a family member.
The Community Association have been doing some research and have found the below leads. Do you know anyone who is mentioned, perhaps they or any memories that you may have may shed some light on our enquiries.
According to the 1911 census, a family by the name of George Ernest Hancox (28, born about 1883), Ada Selina Hancox (24, born about 1887) and Lizzie Hancox (48, born about 1863) lived in Fairfield. George Hancox is recorded as a Glassworker and Ada as Charwoman, but this has been crossed out.
In the first quarter of 1910, George Ernest Hancox married Ada Selina Evans, in the Bromsgrove registration District.
Ada Evans, according to the 1901 census, lived with parents and siblings, at Bournheath Glassworks, which would have been on Parish Hill. The family at the time consisted of: Thomas R Evans (40), Mary Evans (35), Ada Evans (14), Lilly Evans (11), Esther Evans (7), Albert Evans (5) and Ralph Evans (6 months).
It could be that after her husband’s death in 1940 (see below), Ada moved back to Fairfield to be nearer to her family, possibly living in one of the Wood Lane Alms Houses.
Unfortunately census records for 1921 are not yet online.
In the 1891 census, a family by the name Hancocks is recorded living in Belbroughton: Abratha Hancocks (68), Rose Hancocks (68), Elizabeth Hancocks (28) – Who we are assuming is Lizzie – John Hancocks (26), Earnest Hancocks (8) – we are assuming is George Ernest – Ellen Hancocks (4) and John Hancocks (2). It is quite possible that the enumerator spelt the family name incorrectly.
A further search (1939 War Register), we have found that a George E Hancox (56) and Ada S Hancox (53) – date of birth being about correct – lived in Brierly Hill, Staffordshire, George Hancox was an Agricultural Heavy Worker. The 1941 Probate Register records that a George Ernest Hancox (17 Queen Street, Wordsley, Staffordshire) died 20th December 1940, leaving £421 5s to his widow, Ada Selina Hancox.