OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

FRANK RUSSELL YEO (1881-1936)

Frank Russell Yeo was the only son of Mr John Yeo (1841-1918), the founder of Messrs John Yeo and Company Limited, drapers, of Plymouth.  He was born in Plymouth in 1881 to Mrs Julia Yeo, formerly Miss Julia Longley, of Canterbury, Kent.  Frank had three older sisters: Edith Margaret Yeo, born in Plymouth in 1877; Lilian Julia Yeo, born 1878; and Kathline Mary Yeo (sic), born 1880.  His parents, who were living in Hartley, Compton Gifford, then outside the Borough of Plymouth, had a domestic servant and a nurse maid to help run the household.

Mr Frank Russell Yeo married Miss Evelyn Mary Kateley at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Plymouth, on January 14th 1914.  She presented him with a son, Colin John Russell Yeo, on May 16th 1915.

During the Great War Mr Yeo was commissioned as a Lieutenant with the Devon Royal Garrison Artillery (Territorial Army) and served in France with the 117 Siege Battery.  When the Battery commander, Major C B Bullough, was killed in action, Mr Yeo was   promoted to that command.  He subsequently became very involved with the Royal Artillery Old Comrades' Association.  He was serving in the forces at the time of his father's death on Tuesday May 7th 1918 and was unable to attend the funeral.  It was at that time he inherited the business of Messrs John Yeo and Company.  The business employed 200 full-time staff at that time.

Following his return home at the end of the Great War two more children followed, Michael Thomas Russell Yeo on May 10th 1920 and Jennifer Nancy Russell Yeo on October 23rd 1923.

In 1925 Mr Yeo and Mr Beckly were joined by Mr William Edwin Beckly MC, and on November 9th 1928 the business was made into a limited liability company, Messrs John Yeo and Company Limited, of which Mr Yeo was chairman.  In 1930 the Company was listed as general drapers, milliners, costumiers, outfitters and house furnishers and their premises stretched between Bedford Buildings, Bedford Street; Bank Buildings, Bank Street; Cornwall Buildings, Cornwall Street; and Market Buildings, East Street.  In Bedford Street they were sandwiched between Messrs E Dingle and Company Limited and Messrs Popham's Limited.

Mr John Henry Beckly (1863-1932) died on the evening of Thursday December 22nd 1932 and this was soon followed by the death of Mr Frank Russell Yeo on Monday November 16th 1936.  He died at his home, The Old Rectory, Thurlestone, Devon.  During his lifetime Mr Yeo had been a Justice of the Peace on the Kingsbridge Bench, a board member of the Prince of Wales's Hospital, Plymouth, and of the Council of Social Service; president of the Plymouth Girls' Evening Club; vice-president of the Plymouth Young Men's Christian Association; and an active member of the Thurlestone, Tavistock and Yelverton Golf Clubs.  He was involved with numerous philanthropic organisations in the Town.

At the same time as the funeral service was being held at the Ancient Parish Church of All Saints', Thurlestone, a memorial service was also being held at the Anglican Church of Emmanuel, Compton Gifford.  The Reverend R L West led the service at All Saints, where Miss D Edgcumbe played the organ.  HIs widow and three children attended the service along with Doctor and Mrs Cadman, Mr J Price, and Mr and Mrs Edwin Beckly.  The Reverend R Carnegie Knox led the service at Emmanuel Church, supported by Doctor Harold Lake on the organ.  Both services were attended by large numbers of representatives of Plymouth businesses and sporting and charitable organisations.  The Reverend Knox referred to Mr Yeo's 'uprightness and integrity in business'.

The control of Messrs John Yeo and Company Limited was now in the hands of Mr William Edwin Beckly (1898-1986).