FRANK PETERSEN

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This page would not have been possible without the help and support of Frank's family, in particular Vernon Maldoom.  Thank you

    The story starts as far back as 1881 when the above ship, THE SS LYDIA was run aground at Thornham. Originally a grain ship, she was carrying pit props from Arendal near Kristiansand in Norway bound for Britain.

    HELMER Petersen was one of the crew, an ethnic Norwegian from Svarteborg in the Diocese of Gothenburg (Göteborg) Sweden, close to the Norwegian border.

    HELMER stayed in Thornham and married Mary Ann Sadler, who was the daughter of John Sadler, Licensee of The Lifeboat Pub and one of many Sadler family who had lived and died in the Thornham area for generations.

    They went on to have 5 children, Helmer Sydney Petersen 1884-1885, Eva Carolena Petersen 1886-1952, Vincent Helmer Petersen 1889-1909,FRANK SADLER PETERSEN 1892-1917 and finally  Ivy Nellie Petersen 1895-1982,

    Frank joined the Royal Flying Corps (Airman 2nd class Service No 60624) and died (reason unknown) 27th March 1917 at The 1st Eastern Hospital in Cambridge.

His body was laid to rest in Thornham in a grave graced with a War Graves Commission headstone.

 

                                   

Mary Ann Petersen with                                     Frank Petersen                                                 Frank                            Lady unknown & Frank

 Helmer Petersen who

died in infancy

   

      FRANK PETERSEN FRANK                PETERSEN IN THE MIDDLE

FRANK IN UNIFORM

THORNHAM CHURCH LADS BRIGADE GUN CREW

   

   

NOT SURE IF FRANK IS IN THESE BUT THOUGHT THEY WENT WITH THE THEME OF THIS PART OF THE DISPLAY

 

   

      

JUST LOOK AT THE WORDS ON THE FRONT OF THE POST CARD / PHOTO.  HAND WRITING IS ON THE REVERSE

A SOUVENIR OF THE GREAT WAR 1914-15


5TH NORFOLK REGIMENT CAMP AT LOWESTOFT 1912

THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY FAMILY, THE OTHER SIDE OF FRANK PETERSEN'S FAMILY WAS THE SADLER FAMILY WHO FOR MANY GENERATIONS LIVED IN THORNHAM.

HERE FOLLOWS BUT A FEW PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SADLER FAMILY

   

                                          THE PICTURE ABOVE IS SEEN ON PUBLIC HOUSES PAGE             AUNT NELLIE

   

         BEATRICE MAY SADLER                                                      THE SADLER FAMILY EARLY 1890s

VINCENT SADLER

VINCENT & ELIZABETH SADLER

 

       

   

THE PICTURES IN THIS BOX SHOW VINCENT & BESSIE IN 1959

VINCENT & BESSIE WITH FAMILY 1962

       

THE ABOVE 3 PHOTO'S SHOW VINCENT SADLER CELEBRATING HIS 100 YEARS

 

MORE RELATIVES TO FRANK'S FAMILY ARE THE

WRIGHT FAMILY

Helmer Petersen (Frank's Father) married Mary Ann Sadler in 1883. They had 5 children. He died in 1895.
 
Widow Mary Ann Sadler (Frank's Mother) re-married in 1898 (Armine Wright). She went on to have 5 more kids, all born Thornham --
  1. William (Bill) Wright b1899 d1973 New Zealand
  2. Alma Rhoda Wright b1901 died unmarried not sure when yet
  3. Elsie Wright b1903 died not sure when yet
  4. May Wright b1904 died not sure when yet, Cobh, Ireland??
  5. Ruby Wright b1906 died Egham Surrey not sure when yet -- Son Michael Wright still with us but unmarried.

 

 

THE WRIGHT FAMILY OUTSIDE THE LIFEBOAT INN

       

                                                        ALMA WRIGHT                       TOM LIZZIE WRIGHT CEDRIC

(YEARS FOR ABOVE, NOT KNOW)

   

FAMILY OUTSIDE THE LIFEBOAT 1962

LETS NOT FORGET THAT THIS PAGE WAS STARTED TO LET YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT

FRANK PETERSEN

WHO IS BURIED IN THORNHAM CHURCH YARD. THE NEXT TIME YOU TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE CHURCH GROUNDS FIND HIS GRAVE AND THINK.

LIKE AT LOT OF YOUNG MEN AT THE TIME, HIS LIFE WAS CUT SHORT THROUGH WAR OR AS A RESULT OF THE WAR, HE WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THORNHAM'S HISTORY

R. I. P.

FRANK