Annie Shakespeare b about 1869 Smethwick

[sp1]

Following on from this post:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=20171&p=199235#p199235

Annie Shakespeare married 30 Oct 1889, Harborne, to Francis Watkins Keen. Unfortunately that detail is from a submitted entry on IGI - does anyone have access to the Harborne registers? However, it looks correct judging by details found on census and FreeBMD.

Now, here's the interesting bit:
Francis Watkins Keen was born about 1864, Smethwick, son of Arthur Keen, born abt 1835, Barthomley or Wynbunbury, Cheshire (he gives both in different censuses), so would appear to have been bapt 22 March 1835, Wynbunbury, s of Thomas & Mary Keen.

What's this bit got to do with the Black Country you're thinking.....
Ever heard of GKN (Guest, Keen & Nettlefold), well Arthur Keen was THAT Keen!
Some more about him here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_ ... usinessman)
Note, for some reason this link only seems to work if you click the bit that says 'Do you mean Arthur Keen (Business Man) on the page that comes up - can't see why?

So now we also have birth and death dates for him, and can expand a little on what Wikipedia says about his origins, if that's correct - the Dictionary of National Biography entry might be interesting, but I can't access it. Sorry I can't post the census (using mobile), but he was working for the railway in Smethwick at one point (census) so that tallies!

Did anyone notice the bit about him buying the Dowlais Iron Company in 1899 for £1.5 million - the mind boggles! In 1899! - that must be billions in today's terms - not bad for a railway clerk from Smethwick (ok - so he was born in Cheshire, son of a farmer), and his son married the granddaughter of an Iron Roller from Brierley Hill! - ok, so her father was a solicitor, but Benjamin Shakespeare, his father, seems to also have done modestly well, starting as an iron roller, and ending as manager of an iron works - I think he describes himself as an Iron Master later on, but that may have been a bit pretentious, although the probate of his will describes him as a Gentleman.

[sp1]

For completeness, the mother of Francis Watkins Keen was Hannah, born about 1838, Liverpool. If Wikipedia is to be believed she was Hannah Astbury, dau of Thomas Astbury (1810-62).

[Northern Lass]

Thanks added that

is there a marriage for Arthur keena and Hannah Astbury?

[Jimmy]

Marriages Sep 1858.
Astbury Hannah. King's N. 6c. 623.
Green Thomas. Kings N.. 6c. 623.
Keen Arthur. Kings N. 6c. 623.
Scott Sarah. Kings N. 6c. 623.

[Northern Lass]

Thanks

moving to arc.