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 1936-7.  She left the area in 1937.

Frank Wray

Frank earned a reputation as a good village cricketer, bowling in tandem with his brother Sam.  He was a right-handed batsman and an opening, fast-medium bowler, ‘a very useful all-rounder’. He was playing in 1920 when he took 6 wickets for 14 runs in one match and a ‘hat-trick’ of wickets in another game.  In 1923, (when the photograph left was taken) he scored 73 not out in one match and 33 and 5 -14 against another team. He was included by D Frost in his ‘Best-ever Preston XI’.

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 lived at 9 Council Cottages, Chequers Lane, Preston, (below) which was just opposite Frank’s mother’s home.

Frank and Margaret Wray’s wedding at St Marys Church, Hitchin in 1923

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Sources: A History of Preston Cricket Club by D Frost; the photographs of Maggie Whitby and Hazel L’Abraham.

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Frank Wray