Sir (Frank) Wyndham Hirst
(died 1972), SolicitorSitter in 1 portrait
by Elliott & Fry
bromide print, 1953
NPG x89759
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David Buckley
02 February 2020, 21:21
I think in the 1950's he lived in or near Magdalene Road in Wandsworth. I remember him as a very carefully dressed elderly gentleman. My cousin and I (aged 8 & 9 in 1959) were trying to raise money with by selling pictures cut out of an old calendar - we'd set up shop on a chair outside our house - Sir Wyndham regretted that he had no small change, but offered to buy our entire stock for half-a crown. Naturally we 'shook hands' on the deal and legged it to the local corner-shop to spend the proceeds before any unwelcome family intervention. How could I ever forget him!
Annie Cree
23 March 2016, 09:13
He appears in the memoir of P Y Betts entitled "People Who Say Goodbye": the author was his neighbour, and they became family friends, holidaying together etc.
Helen Truran
06 March 2021, 18:45
Frank Wyndham Hirst K.B.E was the son of Thomas Benjamin Hirst [Manager Iron Works] and Alice Mary Truran. The latter, the daughter of Matthew Truran JP and Jane Catherine Trick of Oakroyd House, Merthyr Tydfil. Born in Dowlais, Glamorgan, Frank was one of three brothers; Thomas Truran Hirst and George Littlewood Hirst. His brother George Littlewood Hirst went to Emmanuel School Wandsworth and played for Wales and Newport Rugby Club. He later became one of the principals of Messers Ruthers, fruiters of Bargoed.
Thomas Benjamin Hirst [father] was the Blast Furnace Manager for GKN and seven years as manager of Blaenavon Iron and Steel Company. Also, Director of the Dowlais Gas and Coal Company.
23rd June 1915 Frank married Mary Westwood Williams at St Mary Magdalene, Wandsworth Church. In 1949, Frank [Assistant Public Trustee] succeeded Sir Reginald Whitty as Public Trustee on 19th Sept. The position carried responsibility for £249m and more than 20,000 wills. He entered the Public Trustee Office in 1913 and became Assistant Public Trustee in 1944.He was paid £3000 a year. He was awarded a C.B.E on 1st June 1953 [London Gazette]. Later awarded OBE and KBE. He was Trustee of Llandow Relief Fund. On his maternal grandmother's side, Frank w is descended from Iolo Morgannwg [Iolo Williams is his second cousin]. His aunt Mrs Tom Parry of Caerleon was Mayoress.
He was born in 1888 and died in 1972 [Wandsworth]. After his death, his wife lived in Somerton [Somerset] before she died in Yeovil Hospital in the 1970s.