▶Date of birth: 3 June 1850     Place of birth: At sea on board the British ship Sultanee in Port Louis, Mauritius

▶Father: Captain Henry Honyman Handley (1808 Gosport, Hampshire – 1890 Kensington, Middlesex), a Master Mariner    Mother: Sarah Mary nee Brown (1830 Calcutta, India – 1887 Kensington, Middlesex)

▶Spouse(s): Ada Constance Beckham (13 Aug 1859 Auckland, New Zealand – 13 June 1933 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire), daughter of Thomas Beckham (1810 Portsmouth, Hampshire – 1855 Auckland, New Zealand), Chief Justice of Auckland New Zealand & Henrietta Clinton, nee Baddeley (1825 Quebec, Canada – 1899 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire)  Date(s) of marriage: 28 Oct 1882  Place(s) of marriage: Darjeeling, Bengal, India

▶Occupation: Indian Civil Service 1870 – 1900

▶Lifestory: Francis Handley was born at sea on board the British ship Sultanee in Port Louis, Mauritius on 3 June 1850 and baptised 11 August 1850 at Calcutta Old Cathedral, Bengal. By 1861 Francis, his three brothers and two sisters were all living with their maternal Aunt, Mrs Ellen Allen, in Edenbridge, Kent and were schooled in Sydenham, Kent.

Francis joined the Indian Civil Service in 1870, serving in Bengal from 1872 in various capacities including First Inspector of Registration Office, joint Magistrate & Deputy Collector and District & Sessions Judge. He was also a Troop Sergeant in the Calcutta Horse. He retired to Cheltenham in 1900, becoming a Town Councillor in 1901 and a member of the Education Committee and Chairman of the Distress Committee. As too old for service at the outbreak of WW1, he acted as a Special Constable.

Extract from his obituary in the Gloucestershire Echo 28 January 1935: A member of the New Club, Mr Handley was one of the best-known figures in the society life of the town. He took a great interest in polo, often attending at Prestbury Park the matches of the Cheltenham Polo Club of which he was a non-playing member. He was likewise much interested in lawn tennis and badminton, of which he himself had been a good exponent.”

The family lived at Eslington, Thirlestaine Road when they first moved to Cheltenham. They purchased “Stanley Lawn”, Albert Road, when it was sold after the death of the previous owner, Mrs Watts, renaming it “Handley Cross” after moving in October 1911. Francis and Ada continued to live there until 1929 when they moved to other addresses in Cheltenham, Ada to Rylestone House, Montpellier Parade and Francis to 21 Royal Parade.

Francis and Ada had two sons, Lieutenant Guy Frederick Beckham Handley MC of the Coldstream Guards (29 July 1883 India –27 Aug 1918, killed in action at St Leger, France) and Commander Harold Francis Beckham Handley of the Royal Navy  (19 July 1887 Southsea, Hampshire – 9 January 1954 Folkstone, Kent). In June 1922 at Christ Church Cheltenham, Harold married Evelyn Gertrude Walsh (1886 Portsea, Hampshire – 1977 Malvern Place, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire), daughter of Naval Commander George Sarsfield Walsh (1860 Lisbon, Portugal – 1939 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire). The couple had no children, and as Guy had not married, this line died out.

▶Moved to Pittville from: Eslington, Thirlestaine Road, Cheltenham     Moved from Pittville to: 21 Royal Parade, Cheltenham 

▶Date of death: 28 January 1935    Place of death: Bayshill Nursing Home, Cheltenham

▶Date of burial: 31 January 1935    Place of burial: Cheltenham Cemetery

▶Notes: Probate 6 March 1935 (Gloucester) to Retired Captain Harold Francis Beckham Handley; effects valued at £13,302, 15s 7d.     ID: 14483

Contributor(s): Debbie Christopher