LEW HERBERT
Fred Finch Leicester
Frederick John Finch Leicester (Fred) was born in London on 18th February 1899 and was the sixth child of Lily and William Finch.
Fred was educated in London. He moved with his parents to Manchester when he was fifteen. He joined the British Army in the First World War and served for three years in France, taking part in the Battle of the Somme. He was in hospital in Essex due to a war injury.After the war, he married Alice Mary Jones (Babs) on 21st September 1921 in Manchester. Their families had both lived on Barton Street when they were growing up.
Fred & Babs Finch Leicester
b. 18 February 1899
Wandsworth, London
d. 25 August 1975
New Zealand
b. 25 September 1900
London
d. 13 August 1980
New Zealand
21 September 1921
Manchester
ONE DAUGHTER
{Click here for Fred and Babs' family tree}
TAKEN BY J PORTER, 80 ALEXANDRA ROAD, MANCHESTER
BACK ROW: LEFT TO RIGHT: Ewart, ?
MIDDLE ROW: LEFT TO RIGHT: Vicar, Dora, William and Lily, Fred and Babs, ?, Mrs and Mr Jones?, ?, Vicar
FRONT ROW: LEFT TO RIGHT: Lew, Hubert, Walter, ?Fred and Babs emigrated in 1922 to New Zealand to join Fred's brother, Ted, who had gone out in 1912. They first lived in Havelock North and two years later moved to Hastings.
Fred became branch manager of The Hawkes Bay Herald, a morning paper. They had a son, Ralph, who died at birth. A few years later, their daughter, Vivien, was born in 1928.In 1931, Babs and Vivien went to England after the big Napier earthquake in New Zealand. Vivien met her English relatives for the first time: her grandparents (Lily and William Leicester Finch) and her cousins (Freda and Chris), and her Aunt Addie.
Early in the Second World War, Fred joined the National Military Reserve (the national defence corps established for service within New Zealand).
In his early years, he played Association Football in Hastings, a sport he had played in England. Fred was a keen and successful lawn bowler, achieving a number of major wins at tournaments.In 1937, two newspapers merged and Fred became manager of the Herald-Tribune and remained so until his retirement in 1972. Mr. Leicester became very well known throughout the business community of Hawke’s Bay and his knowledge of advertising and his ability in understanding customers’ needs in promoting publicity gave him a wide circle of friendly relationships.
Fred passed on 25th August 1975. Babs passed on 13th August 1980.
FRED & BAB'S DAUGHTER
b. 1928
New Zealand
