Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The archive comprises material pertaining to Frederick Porter Wensley (1865-1949) [FPW] and his family. FPW rose from humble origins in Somerset (his father was a cobbler) to become arguably the greatest British detective of his age. His early career was pursued substantially in the East End of London and the family lived for much of this period at 98 Dempsey Street (just off the Commercial Road) in Stepney - moving in 1913 to a new suburban development in Palmers Green.
The archive tells the story of FPW's marriage to "Lollie" [Laura] Martin (1869-1943) and their three children Frederick Martin Wensley (1894-1916), "Edie" [Edith] Mercy Wensley - later Cory (1897-1974) and Harold William Wensley (1899-1918). That the collection has survived is largely due to Edie who after the death of her brothers in the 'Great War' took upon herself the task of keeping the memories of the family alive. Edie's own story is then taken forward. The correspondence gives a remarkable insight into her social life, development, marriage to another detective 'Bert' [Herbert] Cory (1893-1946) and the upbringing of FPW's only grandchild Harold Frederick Wensley Cory (1927-1997).
The Wensley Family archive thus overlaps with the earlier part of the Cory (see above) Family Archive. The former relates to London whilst the latter relates to the family's period of residence in Salisbury, Wiltshire.