EDGOOSE:
In search of Ancestry
EDGOOSE, Frank Arthur
1904 - 1993 (89 years) Has 76 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.
1873 - 1970 (96 years)-
Name EDGOOSE, Frank Arthur [1] Birth 13 Jun 1904 Church Lane, Aldershot, Hampshire, England 
[1] Gender Male Death 3 Dec 1993 Sandown, Isle Of Wight, England Person ID I467 Edgoose Last Modified 2 Jun 2026
Father EDGOOSE, Walter Leeder, b. 2 Sep 1871, Walsoken, Norfolk d. 28 Oct 1957, Aldershot, Hampshire, England (Age 86 years) Mother MILES, Naomi, b. 28 Jul 1873, Aldershot, Hampshire, England d. 13 Jun 1970, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England (Age 96 years) Marriage 14 Jul 1897 Aldershot, Hampshire, England Family ID F239 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 ENSOR, Dorothy Alice Rainford, b. 21 Jun 1906, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England d. 28 May 1998, Aldershot, Hampshire, England (Age 91 years) Marriage 8 Dec 1927 Horsham, Sussex, England Family ID F311 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
Family 2 HASDELL, Ethel Gladys, b. 28 Feb 1916, Milford, Surrey, England d. 3 Apr 2008, Victoria, Australia (Age 92 years) Marriage 1947 Family ID F312 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
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Biographies 
EDGOOSE, Frank Arthur (1904-1993)
Frank Arthur EDGOOSE was born at Church Lane, Aldershot, Hampshire, on 13 June 1904, son of Walter Leeder EDGOOSE, master builder, and his wife Naomi EDGOOSE formerly MILES. The informant on 9 July 1904 was his father W. L. EDGOOSE, Church Lane, Aldershot
(GRO September Q 1904 [MILES] Farnham 02A 119)
(Birth Certificate)
Walter Leeder EDGOOSE had married Naomi MILES at Aldershot on 14 July 1897.
The 1911 census of Albion Works, Church Lane, Aldershot, Hampshire:
Walter Leeder EDGOOSE, head, aged 39, builder and joinery manufacturer, born at Walsoken, Norfolk;
Naomi Edgoose, wife, married 13 years, aged 37, born at Aldershot;
Edith Naomi EDGOOSE, daughter, aged 12, at school, born at Aldershot;
Burt Walter EDGOOSE, son, aged 9, born at Aldershot;
*Frank Arthur EDGOOSE, son, aged 6, born at Aldershot;
Winifred Maud Julia EDGOOSE, daughter, aged 4, born at Aldershot;
Raymond Thomas James EDGOOSE, son, aged 2, born at Aldershot.
(RG14PN3117/RG78PN113/RD34/SD2/ED8)
Raymond Thomas James EDGOOSE said that he was closest to his brother Frank and sister Winnie, not just in age but because he found his much older brother Burt and sister Babs bossy and overbearing.
School records show that Frank was admitted to Aldershot County School on 15 September 1914 as a day-boy. Before that he was a pupil at the Boys' Collegiate School, Aldershot. His father W. L. EDGOOSE's occupation was listed as a builder of Church Lane, Aldershot. "Business" is the occupation he is said to have taken up after leaving school on 22 July 1921.
(National School Admission Registers and Log-Books 1870-1914)
On leaving school Frank went to work at the Farnham branch of the Midland Bank in preference to joining the family timber business, no doubt incurring the displeasure of his parents. In August 2001 his brother Raymond told of how Frank was madlly in love with a girl he expected to marry. When she jilted him he went to work at the bank as usual but left without warning two hours later, caught a train to Scotland, and enlisted in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, sending word that his younger brother Raymond was to have his top-of-the range motorcycle. The life of an army recruit was not to his liking and he persuaded his father Walter to buy him out. Raymond remembered how angry his father was at having to do so. There is not much doubt that these events were the beginning of Frank's estrangement from his parents in later years.
Still determined not to join the family business he found employment with LAKER's, the High Street outfitters shop in Horsham, Sussex, and was still working there at the time of his marriage. One of the LAKER family signed the marriage register as a witness, evidence that he was well thought of.
He married Dorothy Alice ENSOR by licence at the Congregational Church, Springfield Road, Horsham, on 8 December 1927. He was described as a 23 year old bachelor, a draper's assistant of 39 West Street, Horsham, and son of Walter Leeder EDGOOSE, timber merchant. Dorothy was a 21 year old spinster, a dressmaker of 19 Albion Terrace, Horsham, and daughter of Lewis George ENSOR, petty officer, RN, deceased. Witnesses were W. L. EDGOOSE, L. M. LAKER, and Naomi EDGOOSE.
They had two children, a son who was born at Horsham in Sussex in 1932, and a daughter who was born at Gosport, Hampshire, in 1936. By this time Frank was employed by the Prudential Assurance Company Limited as an agent selling insurance policies. His wife Dorothy remembered how hard he worked and, as a consequence, how little she saw of him. They moved to Southsea where they stayed until the outbreak of World War II.
From the 1939 Register of 24 Taville Road, Portsmouth C.B., Hampshire:
*Frank A. EDGOOSE, born 13 June 1904, married, superintendent assurance company.
(RG101/2276A/014/41)
Their marriage deteriorated rapidly after they moved to Aldershot in 1939, Dorothy complaining that Frank's parents looked down on her. They formally separated in 1941 or 1942 and neither of them had any further contact with Walter and Naomi.
Frank lived in a flat near the Christian Science Church in Godalming in Surrey for a time during the war. His nephew Michael remembers that he, his parents and sisters, were entertained to tea there one afternoon and met Frank's children, Jean and Stuart.
In 1944 telephone directory Frank A. EDGOOSE was listed at 2 Warden Lodge, Austen Road, Guildford, Surrey.
He attended the funeral of his grandmother Julia Hannah EDGOOSE at Aldershot in 1946 and sat at the back of the church. His mother is said to have had tears in her eyes when she saw him there.
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE
WHO: Frank Arthur EDGOOSE (1904-2003) and Ethel Gladys HASDELL (1916-2008) by Licence.
Frank was 43 years old, "the divorced husband of Dorothy Alice EDGOOSE formerly ENSOR spinster", an insurance company district manager, the son of Walter Leader [sic] EDGOOSE Timber Merchant, and living with Ethel Gladys HASDELL at 2 Warden Lodge, Austen Road, Guildford. Ethel Gladys HASDELL was a 31 year old spinster, the daughter of Frederick Henry HASDELL deceased, a butcher's manager.
WHEN: 28 June 1947.
WHERE: Register Office, Surrey South Western.
WITNESSES:
E. A. HASDELL (1875-1968). [E. A. HASDELL was Emily A. HASDELL, born 21 March 1875. See 1939 Register of 32 Carlos Street, Godalming, Surrey.]
I. M. HOLTHAM [Irene May HOLTHAM, Laker family?] (1909-1992).
Fredrerick Henry HASDELL (1881-1945), father of the bride.
(GRO June Q 1947 Surrey SW 5g 2114)
His ex-wife Dorothy married Bob MILLER a year later.
(GRO September Q 1948 Aldershot 6b 108)
Frank was district manager for the Prudential Insurance Company, travelling all over southern England. Their first child Trevor Anthony was born in Chatham, Kent, in 1950 followed by their daughter Trudy Patricia Jane at Taunton in Somerset in 1953. The family moved to the Isle of Wight in 1956 when Ethel was 40 years old.
"Insurance Official
Mr. F. A. EDGOOSE Leaving Taunton
On Monday Mr. Frank Arthur EDGOOSE transfers from the Taunton office of the Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd., to the Ryde, Isle of Wight district office.
Mr. EDGOOSE began his insurance career as an agent in Horsham in 1930. In 1933 he was promoted to section superintendent at Gosport, and in 1937 he was made district manager at Southsea. In 1942 he moved to Godalming, in 1947 to Rochester, and came to Taunton in May, 1952. He is keenly interested in all insurance matters and has been regular at meetings of the Taunton Industrial Life Offices Local Committee."
(Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, Saturday 05 May 1956)
(British Newspapers 1710-1965)
That his brothers and sisters ostracised him at some time after he divorced his wife was perhaps a myth. Maybe he felt he was the black sheep of the family for refusing to work for his father's firm, and his marriage to Dorothy appears to have deteriorated after they moved to Aldershot - reasons enough to want to keep his distance. The rift lasted until 1955 when Frank visited Dungannon (his parents' house in Highfield Avenue, Aldershot) with daughter Jean, son-in-law Denis, and granddaughter Susan. A family photograph of the four generations was taken to mark the event.
In 1957 he and his wife Ethel decided to emigrate to Australia with their two children. The family was booked to sail on the Orsova leaving from Tilbury for Fremantle on 24 April 1957 but Trudy caught measles and their departure was postponed. The passage was rebooked on the Oronsay which was to leave Tilbury on the 6 June 1957 but the planned voyage did not take place even though their furniture had already been shipped. Apparently Frank thought Trudy's illness was a sign that they were not meant to emigrate.
His address in 1957 was Homestead, 15 Sandown Road, Sandown, Isle of White.
(Orsova passenger list)
An Index of the Will of Walter Leeder EDGOOSE (1871-1957):
01*Walter Leeder EDGOOSE, the Testator.
02 Naomi EDGOOSE, wife of the Testator, executor.
03 Edith Naomi EDGOOSE, daughter of the Testator, executor.
04 Burt Walter EDGOOSE, son of the Testator, executor.
05 Raymond Thomas James EDGOOSE, son of the Testator.
06 Winnifred [sic] Maud Julia EDGOOSE, daughter of the Testator.
07 Julia May EDGOOSE, sister of the Testator.
08*Frank Arthur EDGOOSE, son of the Testator.
09 O. M. FOSTER, Solicitor.
10 Pearl V. McLELLAND, Solicitor's clerk.
He attended his father's funeral at Aldershot on 1 November 1957 but sat apart from the family. His mother is said to have had tears in her eyes when she saw him sitting at the back of the church.
In 1968 he was still living at 15 Sandown Road, Lake, Sandown, Isle of Wight.
In 1979 the entry in the Isle of Wight telephone directory read "E.G. EDGOOSE, 23 Meadow Close, Lake, Sandown (tel. 404209).
He died at 11 Gordon Close, Sandown, Isle of Wight on 3 December 1993. The death certificate records that he was born at Aldershot, Hampshire, on 13 June 1904. His occupation was an Insurance Manager (Retired) of 11 Gordon Close, Sandown. The informant on 6 December 1993 was his Widow Ethel Gladys EDGOOSE present at the death. Cause of death was I(a) Carcinoma of Prostate.
(GRO December Q 1993 I.O.W. 5561B B55A 136)
"EDGOOSE Frank Arthur of 11 Gordon Close Sandown I of W died 03 December 1993. Probate Winchester 08 February Not exceeding £ 125,000"
(National Probate Registry 1994)
NOTES + QUERIES
I have recorded two incidents of Frank sitting at the back of the church in 1946 and again in 1957. I suspect that I heard about them from two sources and that one of them was mistaken,
(revised 13.06.2026)
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Sources - [S1] Edgo21.FTW.
- [S1] Edgo21.FTW.