Gerald Osmond Hubert Mollett

Richards

Gerald

origins

From old German, meaning spear and rule.

variations

Geraldo, Jaret, Jarret, Jared, Gerard

abbreviations

Gerry, Gary

Osmond

origins

An old English name meaning divine protection. It is also a surname, so it is possible he gained this name from a friend or associate of the family

variants

Osman, Ormond

abbreviations

Oz, Ozzy - I’m guessing here!

Hubert

origins

Teutonic meaning heart, mind and bright. Interesting that he chose the last of his names to pass to his older son.

variations

Hubbard, Umberto

abbreviations

Bert, Berty

Gerald Osmond Hubert Mollett

b 4/1/1882 20 Grummant Rd., Camberwell

m Maude Beatrice Magee 12/1/1904 Camberwell

d 31/12/1917 Axbridge, Somerset

Children

Florence Elsie - 1904-1928

Hubert Stanley - 1906-1978

Roland Harold - 1911- ca 1980

?Violet 1913-?

?Harry 1914-?

Documentation

Birth certificate

Marriage certificate

Death certificate

Census for 1891, 1901, 1911

Birth certificates of all the children

I wish I had a photograph of my grandfather but I suspect we are never going to find one, so the picture above will have to stand in. It is taken from the publicity material for a film, Nocturne, and is really a bit over the top, but it suits my internal vision of Gerald.

My grandfather died very young - he was 35 when he died - the age of my son now, so young - a life just beginning in today’s terms but in those days, like many, he already had a wife and young family. My father was 11 when he died - almost at high school age. Born into a well-off, respectable and boring Victorian family in prosperous south London, his life seems to have ultimately taken a tragic turn when he met his future wife, Maude Beatrice Magee.

Superficially his life was boringly ordinary - an accountant no less - or rather an accountant’s clerk - he never seems to have qualified as a chartered accountant. So perhaps a bit of a failure? The fact that he was the youngest son of a youngest son may have had something to do with it. A lot of this story will parallel his wife’s, but I shall try to tell their overlapping story from a different viewpoint.

At least he escaped the horrors of WW1.

Having said that I have no photos I do have these two, but I do not really know who they are. Well I am reasonably confident that the one on the left is of Gerald. It comes from the group of photos shown below it which is of Gerald's father and his sons - we assume they are his sons. It's the right number. The extracted photo is the youngest looking, so must be Gerald. The one on the left is more problematic. It comes from the one below and may well be Gerald with his mother. The lady resembles some other photos of a younger Caroline. So are these two rather beautiful looking boys Gerald? If you know more, please email me.