Frank Stratfull

FRANK STRATFULL was the son of William Stratford and Ann Menday he was born 30 April 1877 at Drayton Lock, Drayton Beauchamp, Bucks., and died Sunday 12 December 1920 during Military Service in Manitoba, Canada. He married LIZZIE SMITH 1 April 1899 in Tring Parish Church, Herts., she was the daughter of GEORGE WALTER SMITH. She was born Abt. 1881, and died Unknown.

Frank was registered at birth as just Frank Stratfull, but always seemed to be known as Richard Frank Stratfull, except for when his death was registered - he was then given as Frank Richard Stratful (one "l").

Richard Frank and Lizzie Stratfull had three daughters who were all born in Watford, Herts. They were Dorothy Gwendolen Stratfull, Myrill Lucy May Stratfull and Evelyn Blanche Stratfull. Evelyn was born 31 August 1905 at 122 Chester Road, Watford, Herts., it is known that after that date the family emigrated to Canada. It was thought that as Richard Frank died in 1920 that this Stratfull line had died out.

However, we know now that Richard Frank and Lizzie Stratfull had two sons who were born to them in Canada. Richard George Stratfull was born 13 April 1907, and William James Stratfull was born 11 April 1910. So we know that the family emigrated between 31 August 1905 and 13 April 1907.

Richard George Stratfull & William James Stratfull moved to California, USA which is where we now find the American Stratfull's. Dorothy Gwendolen Higginbotham (nee Stratfull) and Evelyn Blanche Brown (nee Stratfull) also moved to California, Myrill Lucy May Barnett (nee Stratfull) died in Canada, so we can assume she stayed there along with her mother Lizzie Stratfull.

A record has also been found of a marriage between Dorothy Gwendolyn Stratfull & John Gorver Holland on 12 January 1921 in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. We do not know what happened to this marriage.

Richard Frank was a plasterer by trade. We know that he joined the 79th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 20 September 1915, as shown on his Attestation Paper.

Thumbnails of Attestation Papers - click on image above for full view

The World War I service papers for Private Richard Frank Stratfull - Regimental no. 152688 have been obtained from the National Archives of Canada and most of the following information is an extract of the information we have on his military service.

Some personal information was given on his Attestation papers about his physical appearance. He was given as height 5'4.5", 36" chest, fair complexion, blue eyes, fair hair, scar on instep on left foot due to a burn, scar on back of left hand and scar on right eyebrow. He was considered as fit. His religion was given as Church of England.

The Medical History Sheet for Richard Frank Stratfull dated 20 September 1915 shows no sign of medical problems. It states that his physical development was good, that he had been vaccinated as a child against smallpox (he had two smallpox vaccination marks on his left arm - this suggests he was right handed). He was given anti-typhoid inoculations.

His Attestation Papers were signed on 20 September 1915, on 14 April 1916 he sailed from Canada aboard the SS Lapland, and continued from Halifax, Nova Scotia on 21 or 24 April 1916 still aboard the SS Lapland. On 4 May 1916 he arrived in England and on 12 July 1916 was transferred to the 17th Battalion at Sandling, Kent. When he joined the military he gave his wife as his next of kin and she was living at 1025 8th Street, Brandon, Manitoba. Later, she was at no. 1031 8th Street.

There were then two medical incidents on his records. From 24 February 1916 to 29 February 1916 he suffered a "brush burn" and from 2 September 1916 to 4 September 1916 he was suffering from "strained muscles of the abdomen". On both these occasions he was at the Brigade Hospital at E. Sandling.

Then from 16 March 1917 to 21 March 1917 he was in the Tring Military Hospital whilst based at Bramshott, Hants. This third reference to a military hospital was due to a poisoned leg sustained whilst on leave.

On 7 April 1917 Richard Frank Stratfull made a military will in which he left all his possessions to his children (cutting his wife from any inheritance).

Thumbnail of Military Will - click on image above for full view.

On 18 August 1917 he was struck off strength on posting to N.S.R.D (Nova Scotia Regimental Depot) on 15 October 1917 he was taken on strength at Buxton (could be Buxton, Derbyshire and near to Liverpool). He was given an examination by the Standing Medical Board at Bramshott on 17 September 1917, this stated that his disability was "myalgia", that it had not improved since his last board on 15 August 1917 and that it was not likely to improve within six months.

On 18 October 1917 he embarked for Canada from Liverpool on SS Grampian. On arrival in Canada he was from 5 November 1917 at the No.10 Casualty Unit at Winnipeg. Finally being discharged on 31 December 1917.

During the period of his military service Richard Frank had part of his pay paid to Mrs. L G Proctor who was the guardian of his children at the New Children's Home, Honey, Godfrey Avenue, Tuxedo Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

On 13 November 1917 the Department of Justice in Canada received the following letter from Richard Frank Stratfull.

Thumbnail of Department of Justice cover page - click on image above for full view

Thumbnail of letter written by Richard Frank Stratfull - click on image above for full view

On 20 November 1917 the Department of Justice sent the following reply to Richard Frank Stratfull.

Thumbnail of reply from the deputy Minister of Justice - click on image above for full view

It can be seen from these letters that Richard Frank Stratfull joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force at the exact time that his wife Lizzie had left him to live with an other man (September 1915). By 13 November 1917 his wife had a child from that relationship and their own five children where in the children's home in Winnipeg. From the time that Richard Frank signed his Attestation Papers it would seem that contact regarding his wife was via Messrs. McMurray, Davidson and McMurray - barristers of Electric Railway Chambers. It also appears that Lizzie obtained a court ruling to obtain some of her husbands pay around the beginning of 1917.

There was obviously disagreement over the court ruling that some of Richard Frank's money should be paid to his wife. From 25 July 1917 the court ruling was suspended and from 1st August 1917 money again was paid (at the rate of C$15 per month) to the care of his children at The Children's Home.

Up to 1973, divorces in Canada had to be passed through Parliament and were published in the Statutes of Canada. A search of the statutes for 1919 and 1920 was conducted and no reference to a divorce was found. Unfortunately, the volumes for 1917 and 1918 were not available, but it is not likely that a divorce would have been granted that quickly if Richard Frank Stratfull had applied for one. At his death three years later on 12 December 1920 Lizzie was still noted as his wife. Therefore, it is extremely unlikely that they ever divorced.

As stated above Richard Frank Stratfull was back in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from 5 November 1917. On 29 November 1917 his "Medical Theory of an Invalid" was written and approved on 14 December leading to his discharge on 31 December 1917.

Thumbnails of medical discharge papers - click on images above for full view.

Thumbnails of Proceedings non Discharge - click on images for full view.

Richard Frank Stratfull was obviously a very sick individual, he appears not to have been on active service during the Great War as he never moved from England to mainland Europe (the story that he was gassed in France is not true). He died on 12 December 1920 at the age of 43 (The Commonwealth War Graves information has his age incorrect as 45). He is buried at Brandon Cemetery Manitoba. It would seem that his last few years of live were probably not happy ones due to his illness, his wife deserting him and his children being in care.

We have managed to obtain photos of the headstone of Richard Frank Stratfull's grave. Please follow this link to his memoriam page and photographs of his grave - - it is significant that the inscription is from his children and not his wife.

We find it strange that at the time of his death (Sunday 12 December 1920) he was given as in military service and given a military headstone, when he was discharged at the end of 1917.

We wonder what happened to the relationship that Lizzie Stratfull was in and what happened to the child she had with that partner.

We also believe that Lizzie Stratfull took her children out of the care of the Children's Home, as within his military files there is a record of a change of address for Miss. D Stratfull (daughter) to 1031 8th Street, Brandon, Manitoba. This change of authority refers to letter dated 15 May 1922. So, presumably by this date Lizzie and her children were reunited.