Frederick Ferris Vincent (1863–1946)
Mayor of Oxford 1921/2
Frederick Vincent in 1921/2 (Picture Oxon 0655090)
Frederick Ferris Vincent was born at Balsall Heath, King's Norton, Birmingham on 27 January 1863.
Frederick's father William Allder Vincent was born in Oxford in 1818 and baptised at St Aldate's Church on 21 February 1819. Frederick's paternal grandfather was Joseph Vincent (1796–1874), founder of the Vincent's printing business and proprietor of the Oxford University Herald, who married Louisa Elizabeth Allder at St Aldate's Church on 6 January 1818.
Frederick's mother Charlotte Raikes Boswell was born in London in 1819 and baptised at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Westminster on 4 January 1820. Frederickl's paternal grandparents were the mercer Thomas Boswell of 407 The Strand and his wife Harriet.
Frederick's parents William and Charlotte were married at Ss Peter & Paul Church, Milton-by-Gravesend, Kent on 9 July 1844, and his father brought his new wife back to St John Street, Oxford. Their eldest daughter Emma Allder Vincent was born there in 1845 and baptised at St Giles' Church on 23 July, with her father described as a bookseller.
Their next three children were born in Summertown: Cyril Mosson Vincent (1846), Caroline Louisa Vincent (1848), and William Allder Vincent (1850).
The 1851 census shows Frederick's father William (32), described as a bookseller's managing clerk, living in Summertown with Charlotte (31) and their children Emma (5), Cyril (4), and William (eight months), plus a servant.
Their next two children were born at Wolverhampton in Staffordshire: Louis Ramsay Vincent (1854/5) and Selina Frances Vincent (1856). Then they moved to nearby Tetenhall, where Henry Douglas Vincent was born in 1858 and Edward Boswell Vincent in 1860.
At the time of the 1861 census Frederick's parents were living at 27 Ladypool Lane in Aston, Birmingham with their children Emma (15), Cyril (14), William (10), Louis (6), Selina (4). Henry (2), and Edward (nine months), plus a servant. Frederick's father was described as a printer employing one man.
They must have moved to Kings Norton in Birmingham, shortly after that census, as Frederick himself (their ninth and last child) was born there the following year.
At the time of the 1871 census Frederick (8) was living at The Limes, Alcester Lane End, Kings Norton with his father William (52), who was described as a newspaper proprietor, his mother Charlotte (51), and his siblings Emma (25), Louis (16), who was a printer's apprentice, Selina (14), Henry (12), and Edward (10), plus one servant.
They appear to have returned to Oxford soon after that census, and Frederick was educated at Christ Church Cathedral School.
At the time of the 1881 census Frederick (18) was apprenticed as a printer to his father (who was described as a newspaper proprietor) and was living over the shop at 90 High Street with his parents, his brother Edward (20), who was an Oxford undergraduate, and and his sister Selina (24). His other brother Cyril (who was himself to be Mayor in 1915) had already married and moved to the Cowley Road, but still worked in the family business.
As a young man, Frederick was a keen rower and organized the City bump races.
His mother Charlotte Raikes Vincent died in Oxford at the age of 67 in March 1886 and was buried in Holywell Cemetery.
At the time of the 1891 census Frederick (28), described as a newspaper reporter, was living at 90 High Street, Oxford with his father William (72), described as a printer & publisher, a female cousin, and one servant .
On 9 July 1891 at St Mary's Church, Birmingham, Frederick Ferris Vincent (28) married Mary Elizabeth Britten (23). She was the sister of Sir Edgar Britten, Commodore of the Cunard Line, and was born in Fulham in 1867.
Frederick returned to Oxford with his wife, and they had six children:
- Edgar Court Baxter Vincent (born at High Street, Oxford on 14 July 1892 and privately baptised by St Mary-the-Virgin Church on 3 August and received into the church on 8 August)
- Basil Britton Vincent (born at Brendon House, Warwick Street, east Oxford in 1893 and baptised at All Saints’ Church on 11 October)
- Lorna Mary Emma Vincent (born at Warwick Street, east Oxford in 1895 and baptised at St Mary-the-Virgin Church on 9 June)
- Frederick Norman Allder Vincent, known as Norman (born at Summertown and baptised there on 2 February 1898)
- Helen Phyllis Hands Vincent, known as Phyllis (born at 191 Banbury Road in 1900 and baptised at Summertown church on 27 June)
- Winifred Elaine Vincent (born in Summertown on 30 May 1902).
Frederick's father William Allder Vincent died at Blackhall Road in April 1899 at the age of 80 and was buried in his wife's grave in Holywell Cemetery.(His obituary in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 29 April stated that William had been apprenticed to Longman's, by virtue of which he became a freeman of the city of London, and following his father's death in 1874 had carried on his pringting business and had become proprietor of the Oxfod University Herald and the Oxford Guardian.)
At the time of the 1901 census Frederick Vincent (38), a letterpress printer and employer, was living at 208 Woodstock Road with his wife Mary (33) and their children Edgar (8), Basil (7), Lorna (5), Norman (3), and Phyllis (1). His widowed mother-in-law Emma Britten (67) was living with them, and they had an 18-year-old general servant and a 15-year-old page boy. Their youngest child, Winifred, was born the following year.
Frederick Vincent was elected as councillor for the North Ward in 1906.
At the time of the 1911 census Frederick (48), still described as a letterpress printer and an employer, was living at 1 Polstead Road with his wife Mary (43) their son Edgar (18), who was an architectural student, and Lorna (15), Frederick (13), Phyllis (11), and Winifred (8). His widowed mother-in-law Emma Britten had come to live with them, and they employed a 14-year-old housemaid.
In 1915/16 his older brother Cyril Mosson Vincent served as Mayor of Oxford.
Frederick Ferris Vincent Vincent was chosen to be Sheriff of Oxford for 1918/19.
The 1921 census shows Vincent (58), described as a printer and employer working at Joseph Vincent's stationery business at 109 High Street and living at 69 St Giles' Street with his wife Mary (53) and two of their children: Edgar (28), who was a Clerk in Holy Orders, and Winifred (19), who was still in full-time education.
Later that year he was elected Mayor of Oxford (for 1921/2). During his Mayoralty, the Rotary Club of Oxford was founded, and he was appointed its first President. He was also President of the Oxford Chamber of Trade and a Justice of the Peace.
Vincent was a Freemason, and served as Master of the Alfred and Annesley Lodge, First Principal of the Alfred Chapter and St Mary’s Chapter, Master of Alfred Mark Lodge, Alfred Mark Manners’ Lodge, and the Rose Croix Chapter. He also served a term as Grand Warden of Oxfordshire and Grand Standard Bearer of England.
Two of Frederick's children were married in the 1920s:
- On 16 August 1924 at St Cross Church, Oxford Frederick Norman Allder Vincent (26), a printer & stationer of 17 Norham Road, married Dorothy Ethel Kathleen Darley (26), a school teacher of 39 Bedford Street, east Oxford
- In 1927 in the Headington registration district, Lorna Mary Emma Vincent married Alfred W. Needham.
Vincent continued to serve as a councillor until 1927.
Frederick's eldest son the Revd Edgar Court Baxter Vincent (1892–1930)
Edgar Court Baxter Vincent gained his MA at Jesus College, Oxford and was ordained deacon in 1916 and priest in 1917. His first curacy was at Beaconsfield from 1916 to 1920, and he was then chaplain at Valescure from 1920 to 1921, and after that curate at Bentley. He then served as Chaplain of the Community of St Thomas-the-Martyr in Oxford.
He was then appointed Sub-Warden of St Deiniois Library in Hawarden, Flintshire. He was still based at this library when he died at St Thomas's Hospital in Lambeth at the age of 37 on 19 May 1930. His funeral was held at St Thomas-the-Martyr Church in Oxford, and he was buried at Holywell Cemetery in Oxford on 23 May 1930.
By 1936 Frederick Vincent was living at 120 Woodstock Road, Oxford.
In 1938 his wife Mary Elizabeth Vincent died at 165 Banbury Road at the age of 70. Her funeral was at All Saints’ Church on 15 March, and she was buried in Holywell Cemetery in the same grave as her eldest son.
The 1939 register shows Vincent, described as a master-printer (letterpress) living at Flat 4, 339 Banbury Road with a housekeeper.
† Frederick Ferris Vincent died at Flat 4, 339 Banbury Road on 22 April 1946 at the age of 83. His funeral was at St Michael and All Angels in Summertown, and he was buried at Holywell Cemetery in the same grave as his wife and son Edgar (E.330).
His effects came to £6,157 13s. 2d., and his executor was his son Frederick Norman Allder Vincent, master printer and stationer.
See also:
- Oxford Magazine 1921–2, p. 83: “New Mayor” (very short description)
- Oxford Times 26 April 1946, p. 8c (obituary)
- 1871 Census: [Kings Norton, Worcestershire]
- 1881 Census: Oxford (St Mary Virgin), 1501/66
- 1891 Census: Oxford (St Mary Virgin), 1167/78
- 1901 Census: Oxford (St Giles), 1380/138
