Many thanks to St. Sebastian church administrator Amanda Evans, who was able to confirm this record - Jan. 2012.

WRITTEN BY BRIAN MCLAUGHLIN: Fred's parents were Caleb Spratley and Maria Allaway.

Fred Spratley served in the English Navy as a career man, and he made the uniforms for the sailors. "Farbie" was his nickname. He had five daughters along with his wife, so at times the man went downstairs to his cellar, where he stored spirits and sang boisterous English Navy songs. In later years, after his wife Annie Jane died during World War II of Bright's Disease, he was institutionalized and died shortly afterward. His family had spent numerous generations in the Finchampstead, Berkshire area of England. In 1871 census, he is a 2-year old with his family in Finchampstead, his dad (Caleb) is listed as a labourer. Frederick is found in the 1881 census of Berkshire, England with his father He is 12 years old, living in Sandhurst, Berkshire as a scholar with his father Caleb Spratley. In his marriage record, Frederick is listed as a Seaman in the Royal Navy. His residence is 1 Thorne Villas, Archway Street in Barnes, Surrey. His father is listed as a farmer. It does not appear that they married in a church. Frederick and his wife were first cousins. Anne‘s father and Frederick‘s mother were brother and sister.

First hand knowledge -- Jacqueline Harrington Lowe was my grandfather's (Fred McLaughlin) first cousin through our great-grandma Nanny's sister May. Jackie was the only person in our American side of the Spratleys who ever spent time in England getting to know Frederick Spratley and Anne Allaway. In 1936, her family went back to England and spent three months with their family there. She was 12, and enjoyed meeting her relatives, which she said she envied other kids having. She remembers visiting her grandparents, which she called "Nan" and "Farbie" at "Little Montrose", the home that was purchased by Sir Spencer Spriggs and Gladys in the country -- and named after their estate, Montrose. She remembers it as a little white brick farm house. They had a black dog named Sally and a black and white cat named Wiggles. She remembers Farb as a very big and heavy man, with a very quiet sense of humor. He had trouble with his eyes. She said they spent a lot of time at the table drinking tea and eating French pastries. Farbie had an electric cart and it was said that he used it to get to the Pub to get his fill of ale in the afternoon. He had been medically discharged from the Navy after some sort of fall, crippling him. He told of being in India while in the Navy and being served Monkey Gravy. Said it wasn't that bad at all. After the Navy he worked as a decorator in big mansions and big estates because he "had an eye" for matching colors. They would live in the mansions while he would renovate them.

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84192047/frederick-spratley