Biography of Frank Swinnerton

Malcolm Smith's Family History Archive

Biography of

Frank SWINNERTON

[Ref. R.17]

Frank Swinnerton was born on 31 December 1913 at 101 Ponsonby Street in Liverpool. Being a two-up-and-two-down terraced house it had become very cramped, especially when sleeping for which they would 'top to tail'. Frank attended Granby Street school in Liverpool.

Frank was very conscious of his appearance, even as a young boy. One day was knocked over by a car and was taken to hospital to be checked over. The doctor required him to remove his shoes but he was reluctant then, when they were taken off the reason became apparent. His socks had been mended many times and were a patchwork of different colours, in fact, his mother sometimes made up a sock from several old ones. Poor Frank was mortified. He earned the nickname of The Duke because of his immaculate presentation.

Both Frank and his brother John were scallywags and were forever joking, often having their sisters weak with laughter. Frank always made sure he was at home on Sundays as his sister Edie would bake cakes for her fiancée Marcus who would visit. John would steal some of the cakes and make his sister very annoyed. Marcus remarked on how they always seemed to meet up on a Sunday.

Frank was in the police force for a period of about three years. He served two years in Scotland Road, Liverpool and another year in London's metropolitan police. He decided that he "did not enjoy matching heads to bodies at Victoria Station" so left. He had a number of other jobs that did not last long in his early days of working. Around 1934, his sister Edie's fiancée Marcus Parsons found him a job his workplace at EMI in Hayes but John only lasted one day and he decided to return straight home. He stopped at a roadhouse on the way out of London and whilst there, put his last shilling into a fruit machine and won. He decided to return to London where he saw an advertisement in the window of Perrings furnishing store for a salesman. He applied and got the job.

He married Gladys Audrey Rogers at St.Bede's Parish Church in Liverpool on 5 June 1937. At that time he was living at 8 Croxteth Grove and was employed as a Traveller.

Frank had found his vocation when he was employed by Perrings. He became friendly with William Perring and rose to be General Manager. Frank was a good salesman and well respected, having a good eye for furnishing a room. He won a prize at a Ideal Homes exhibition at Olympia for his design of a sideboard displayed on the Perrings stand. The sideboard was cleverly designed with three sections at the top for drinks, glasses and cutlery. That sideboard remained in his house until the death of Audrey, his wife. It is said that he also designed the interior of the exhibition house for some years.

Frank went into the army during World War 2 as a military policeman and underwent his training in Palestine. He served in the North African desert and the rationing of one cup of water per day led to his suffering kidney problems later in life. He was taken prisoner during the war when he was 30 years old and his brother Bill used to send him cigarettes. He was a Major at his discharge had been recommended for Lt.Colonel whilst serving. He had offered to replace his brother John as a prisoner of war as he was concerned at John's health but that was refused.

He liked a smart car and at various times owned a range of Rileys, an Armstrong Siddeley and a number of Jaguars.

Frank had intended to buy a house for his retirement in Farnborough where his sister Edie lived. He contracted cancer and came down to Barton-on-Sea to convalesce. He died in the Royal Marsden Hospital on 8 August 1961 and was buried in Roundwood Park Cemetery in Willesden, Middlesex. His wife Audrey passed away in 2002 and was buried beside him. Frank's brother Norman arranged and paid for their headstone.

Frank seems to have adopted the middle name of Rodney. It appears on his death certificate but on neither his birth or marriage certificates.

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