Violet Mabel# Griffiths

  Notes:

Wendy found chr info;29 April 1889 Christ Church, Gypsy Hill address 39 Colby Road Gypsy Hill.

1891 Census (Age 2) living at 340 London Road, Croydon with parents and siblings. PoB here given as Lambeth. Birth register has as Camberwell district.

1901 Census; living (age 12) in Hamble(?) Villa, Bridge Road, Worthing, East Sussex with mother and 2 brothers. NB: on here her birthplace is given as Linwood (?), Surrey.

In 1903 and 1904 fees for her education were paid by trustees of the Griffiths/Powis Wedding Settlement (unlike Cyril) it doesn't mention where she was though.

1911 Census; Living at Bancroft, Mitten Road, Bexhill On Sea with her mother.

From Wendy;
From The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser 27 March 1914
WRIGHT-GRIFFITHS. The wedding took place at St Peter's Church, Fort, Colombo at 12.30 pm on March 16, the Rev. A L Keith officiating, of Mr Christopher St John Wright of Kuala Lumpar, the youngest son of the late Christopher St John Wright, MRCS of Felsted, Essex and of Mrs St John Wright of Bexhill, England. and Miss Violet Mabel only daughter of the late Stephen Lewis Griffiths of the War Office, and Mrs Griffiths of Bexhill. The bride who wore a pretty dress of white crepe de chine with a hat trimmed with pink roses was given away by Mr P Hay Baker, while Mr H W Urquhart of Messrs Whithall & Co acted as best man. After the marriage ceremony which was a very simple one and the signing of the register which was attested by Messrs Hay Baker and Urquhart, the party proceeded to the residence of Mr & Mrs Hay Baker, "The Castle", Glennie Street ,Slave Island where a reception was held. Those present were Mr & Mrs P Hay Baker, Mrs Church, Mr H W Urquhart and Mr Subie. Later in the afternoon the bride and groom left for up-country for their honeymoon
Engagement announced in The Straits Friday Feb 27 1914 (and again April 24 after wedding!)!
Have found a Piers Hay Baker who was high up in P &O so probably him.
According to Ann's (curtailed) biog they honeymooned at Kandy, Ceylon.

1917; Was on the SS Maru with Christopher, embarked at Penang and disembarked London 26 March 1917 which means Violet was eight months pregnant. UK address was given as 12 Bedford Avenue, Bexhill.

1919; Wright, Violet St John (29) and Wright, Ann St John (1) travelled first class on the Yokohama Maru. They embarked at London and the ship was bound for Japan, they disembarked at Singapore and their final destination was the Federal Malay States. Christopher not on list.

1920; She left her husband (possibly due to his drinking) and ran off with a man possibly known as Leo. "They went, I believe, to India - or at any rate at some time they were in India, because I believe my mother died in India. However also at some time they were at Worthing, Sussex with Violet's mother who had left Bexhill."

Ann St John Wright biog : 1921; "Gladys Griffiths came to Tunbridge Wells and sat at a desk, signing papers. She was dressed in black. I am not sure what year this was. She gave me a doll, which I called Gillian (I think) and I thought it was marvellous. The first time I took it out, Auntie Kate and I held a hand each of the doll, to cross the road, and the doll dropped and broke her head. Grannie had it mended but it never seemed the same. Years later I found out that the doll had come from my mother."

In 1923 when she mortaged her Wix inheritance she gave her address as West View, Vicarage Road, Henley on Thames.

Probate Index; Violet Mabel St John Wright of Jungpana Tea Estates, Mahandi Post Office, Darjeeling, India (wife of Christopher St. John-Wright) died 29 January 1924, administration London 19 November 1924 to the said Christopher St John-Wright, Rubber Planter. Effects: £1318 12 9.

See under her father for her interest under parents marriage settlement.
And under Aunt Emma Powis for interests in her estate.

Violet married Christopher St John# Wright, son of Dr. Christopher St John # Wright MB, FRCS, LSA and Agnes Louisa# Bateman, on 16 Mar 1914 in St Peter's Church, Fort, Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Christopher St John# Wright was born on 5 Mar 1887 in Medical Superintendent's House, Islington Infirmary, died on 29 Jan 1940 in St. Columbus Hospital, Hampstead, London and was buried on 5 Jul 1940 in Hendon Park Cemetery, Mill Hill, London.)