Teignmouth,Devon-UK 1803-1885 Henry was born at 30 Higher Brook Street,Teignmouth,in 1803 and was baptised at West Teignmouth church 22nd March,1804,on his first birthday. He became a farmer,with a butcher's shop first on the Strand (in 1844) Teignmouth,and afterwards at 41 Northumberland Place.He rented land at Holcombe,between Teignmouth and Dawlish. According to his daughter in law's report,his wife and daughter's were foolishly extravagant;whether owing to that or his own incapacity he got into serious financial difficulties.In 1865 his son Frederick,who had saved a little money on which to start his married life used it to buy his fathers passage to Australia where Henry Drake's eldest son Edward gave the old man a home until his death in 1885. Henry's wife went to Liverpool with her unmarried daughter Ellen and died there about 1882. Frederick Drake,an affectionate son to his father,and a devoted father himself,never mentioned her and did not attend her funeral,which would seem to confirm the family gossip that she was not a satisfactory wife. On the other hand,his Australian grandson, Henry.E.Drake had been told by his father (Edward Drake) that Henry Drake had a fine singing voice which caused him to be in much demand at smoking concerts,and that in responding to these demands he neglected his business. He died at his son's house,Oak Park,Glennies Creek,New South Wales,in 1885,and is buried at Camberwell,via Singleton, NSW , Australia |