A History of Preston
in Hertfordshire
Frank was the tenth child born to Alfred and Emily Wray on 17 July 1899 in Preston. He was baptized just over a year later, on 14 October 1900. He started school two days before his third birthday.
The couple had three children before Frank died, aged 36, from pneumonia. He was buried at St Martins Church, Preston on 15 October 1936.
Margaret (who was expecting her fourth child when Frank died) claimed parish relief
in 1936-
Frank earned a reputation as a good village cricketer, bowling in tandem with his
brother Sam. He was a right-
Frank enlisted in the army in 1917 when he was eighteen. That year he was sent to fight on the western front. He fought at the battles of the Somme, Cambrai, Ypres and Neuve Chapelle. He also took part in the retreat and advance of 1918, when he was wounded.
After the Armistice, he was sent into Germany with the army of occupation and served on the Rhine. He returned to England in 1920 when he was ‘demobbed’.
In the early summer of 1923, he married Margaret Campbell at St Martins, Preston. Margaret was from Scotland and a housemaid for Mr Vickers at Temple Dinsley.
The couple were living in the bungalows at School Lane, Preston from 1927-