FREDERICK GEORGE FRASER 1827 – 1890
ROSINA FRASER 1836 – 1924
Frederick was born in Chelsea in 1827; he was the son of James Thomas Fraser a gardener and Margaret Preston. His father died in 1838 and his mother in 1845, they had been living in Aylesbury but by 1851 Frederick had made his way to Wrexham and was lodging with the Smith family in College Street, where he was a watchmaker, On 20 July 1852 he married Catherine Owen at St Peter, Liverpool. Catherine was the daughter of William Owen, a whitesmith. By 1851 her father had died, and Catherine was at home in Brook Street, Wrexham with her mother Ann.
Frederick had a shop on Town Hill but in 1855 he announced he was moving.
“SELLING OFF!! CLOCKS, WATCHES, JEWELLERY, &c., at F. FRASER`S, TOWN HILL. F FRASER, being about to leave his present premises, and having taken the New Shop In High-street, (next door to Mr. Smith, Draper,) is disposing of his present Stock of WATCHES, CLOCKS, JEWELLERY, &c., at a considerable reduction in price, prior to his opening his New Premises with an entirely new and carefully selected Assortment of FANCY ARTICLES, WATCHES, CLOCKS, &c. Parties furnishing will find this a most desirable opportunity for making their purchases. A variety of Articles suitable for Birthday Presents kept constantly on sale.”
In November he was in his new premises.
“NOTICE OF REMOVAL. F. FRASER, WATCHMAKER, SILVERSMITH, JEWELLER, ETC.,
In tendering his grateful thanks to the Nobility, Gentry, and other Inhabitants of ‘Wrexham and its Vicinity, for past favours, begs respectfully to inform them that he has REMOVED TO HIGH-STREET, next door to Mr. Smith’s, Draper, where he hopes to merit a continued share of their support”
By 1861 Frederick and Catherine had a daughter Frances 7, and sons William 5 and Henry S aged 4, his nephew John Fraser from Aylesbury was his apprentice at the age of 14.
In October 1871 Frederick placed a notice in the Wrexham Advertiser. It seems Catherine was spending too much!
Public and Legal Notices NOTICE I, FREDERICK FRASER, of 42, High Street, Wrexham, hereby GIVE NOTICE that I will not be answerable for any debt, or debts, incurred by my wife, Catherine Fraser, from and after this date. As witness my hand this 13th day of October 18 FREDERICK FRASER.
Catherine died in 1876; her death was announced in the papers.
“On April 18th, at High Street, Wrexham, Kate, wife of Mr Frederick Fraser, jeweller, aged 47.”
On 23 July 1878 Frederick remarried to Rosina Hanmer in St Giles, Rosina was the daughter of Thomas Hanmer and Martha, in 1851 the family were at the Coach and Horses on High Street where Thomas was the publican. It was No 25. Between 1861 and 1867 they had moved to the Turf as Thomas died there that year in November. He was 60 and was buried in Bangor Cemetery. Martha stayed on as the licencee and hotel keeper for many years, but Frederick and Rosina moved in shortly after he gave up his High Street business in 1890.
Frederick died 26 October 1890 at the Turf hotel keeper £648 17s 9d
DEATH OF MR F. FRASER. It is with extreme regret that we record this week the death of another well-known and respected tradesman in the person of Mr F. Fraser, of the Turf Hotel. It is only a few weeks since that Mr Fraser concluded the sale of his High- street jewellery business to Mr A. W. Butt, of Chester, and in the ordinary course of events he looked like living for many years to enjoy the fruits of his labors, as the host of the hotel at the Racecourse, to which place he removed about twelve months ago. A serious illness in December prostrated him for some time, and a relapse in August still further reduced his vitality. A visit of a fortnight or so to Rhyl in September, however, seemed to set him right, but last week he was again laid up, and the illness taking a fatal turn, he died early on Sunday morning at the age of sixty-three. The immediate cause of death was tumour of the liver. He was attended during his illness by Dr Edward Davies. The deceased originally came to Wrexham from Luton, Bedfordshire, as an assistant to the late Mr Heywood, jeweller, &c., High-street. He commenced business on his own account in 1852, as a jeweller and watchmaker, in Temple-row, from which place he removed to Town-hill, and subsequently to 42, High-street, where he remained until the present year, when, as already stated, he disposed of his business to Mr Butt. He was twice married, his second wife being Miss Hanmer (daughter of the late Mr Thomas Hanmer, of the Turf Hotel) who survives him. The funeral took place at the New Cemetery, on Wednesday afternoon, the burial service being conducted by the Rev Vaughan Jones.
Rosina and her mother stayed at the Turf until Martha died in 1898 aged 93. Rosina then moved to Kings Millls, where she was living at the Poplars in 1911, she died on 17 May 1924 at Hanmer House, Kings Mills.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF FREDERICK GEORGE FRASER, JEWELLER, WREXHAM, WHO DIED OCT 26TH, 1890, AGED 63 YEARS. ALSO ROSINA FRASER, WIFE OF THE ABOVE, WHO DIED MAY 17TH, 1924, AGED 87 YEARS.
Gravestone Transcription.
Researched by Annette Edwards. February 2019. Gravestone photographs by Graham Lloyd.
Grave ref: Wrexham Cemetery J-02775.
