ID: MSD

TitleThe Strahl family on Mersea
AbstractRene and Germaine Strahl lived in Mersea. They had moved to England from France and were directors in England of the French Guerlain perfume company. They lived in London for many years before getting a house on Mersea.

Rene was Swiss and was born 1895. He married Germaine Barre in 1924 in Pancras, London - Germain was from Paris.

The Strahls lived in "Leeward" in Empress Avenue, which later became No.61 and first appear there in 1939 (Rene is named Richard Arthur in the 1939 Electoral Roll, but most documents have him as Rene Albert). Leeward was an impressive house with battlements but has since been demolished and replaced. They had a house in London - in Perivale, a short walk from Guerlain's English factory and office. They would drive down to Mersea on Fridays and return to London Sunday or early Monday.

Rene Strahl had a boat - the GANNET, previously owned by Ken Gowen. The family thought the boat was destroyed soon after they sold it - it was on dry land when a fierce storm passed through. But John Milgate said that towards the end of its days it was in a mud berth near Simmonds caravan park, and was inhabited by some students.

During WW2 the family shared their time between Perivale, Mersea, and another house at Pertenhall in Huntingdonshire. Rene settled into Mersea life and was a member of the Peldon Home Guard..
Germain and Rene had two chidlren - a Raymond Gerard born c1927 and daughter Michelle Jeanne born c1934. Raymond married Isabella Roe at Abberton in 1951 and Michelle married Robert Schranck at West Mersea in 1954. Michelle has sent us a number of pictures of her wedding - see "Related Images" further down the page.

With thanks to
Michelle Schranck
Pauline Winch

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Peldon Home Guard - Beyond the Photo

SourceMersea Museum
IDMSD
Related Images:
 Arriving at the church. L-R Anne Herrington, Michelle Strahl, Rene Strahl, Ann Craig.
 Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck West Mersea Parish Church.
</p><p>Photograh from a Halstead school friend.  MSD_001
ImageID:   MSD_001
Title: Arriving at the church. L-R Anne Herrington, Michelle Strahl, Rene Strahl, Ann Craig.
Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck West Mersea Parish Church.

Photograh from a Halstead school friend.

Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Michelle Schranck
 Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck West Mersea Parish Church. Reverend T.G.R. Hughes.  MSD_003
ImageID:   MSD_003
Title: Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck West Mersea Parish Church. Reverend T.G.R. Hughes.
Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Michelle Schranck
 Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck West Mersea Parish Church. Photograph in the Church Porch.
 L-R Rene Strahl, Anne Herrington, Robert Schranck, Michelle Schranck, Germaine Strahl, Ann Craig  MSD_005
ImageID:   MSD_005
Title: Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck West Mersea Parish Church. Photograph in the Church Porch.
L-R Rene Strahl, Anne Herrington, Robert Schranck, Michelle Schranck, Germaine Strahl, Ann Craig
Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Michelle Schranck
 Anne Herrington left and Ann Craig right.
<br<Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck West Mersea Parish Church.  MSD_007
ImageID:   MSD_007
Title: Anne Herrington left and Ann Craig right. Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Michelle Schranck
 During a speech at the Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck. Mr Rainbird on the right.  MSD_009
ImageID:   MSD_009
Title: During a speech at the Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck. Mr Rainbird on the right.
Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Michelle Schranck
 Rene Strahl, Ann Craig, Mr & Mrs Carlo Chapuis. 
Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck at West Mersea.
</p><p>
Carlo Chapuis was a director of Comoy Pipes. He and his wife Germaine lived in Broomhills Road. Louis (a brother?) Chapuis was also a director. He and his wife Adrienne lived in Beach Road.
 Germaine and Rene Strahl were directors of the French Guerlain Perfume company. They lived at Leeward in Empress Avenue and also had a house in London.  MSD_011
ImageID:   MSD_011
Title: Rene Strahl, Ann Craig, Mr & Mrs Carlo Chapuis. Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck at West Mersea.

Carlo Chapuis was a director of Comoy Pipes. He and his wife Germaine lived in Broomhills Road. Louis (a brother?) Chapuis was also a director. He and his wife Adrienne lived in Beach Road.
Germaine and Rene Strahl were directors of the French Guerlain Perfume company. They lived at Leeward in Empress Avenue and also had a house in London.

Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Michelle Schranck
 Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck at West Mersea.
 L-R Rene Strahl, Leo Michael-Smith, Carlo Chapuis, Mrs Ashcroft.  MSD_013
ImageID:   MSD_013
Title: Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck at West Mersea.
L-R Rene Strahl, Leo Michael-Smith, Carlo Chapuis, Mrs Ashcroft.
Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Michelle Schranck
 Bill Craig and Fid Harnack at the Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck, West Mersea.  MSD_015
ImageID:   MSD_015
Title: Bill Craig and Fid Harnack at the Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck, West Mersea.
Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Michelle Schranck
 Mr & Mrs Buckingham at the Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck, West Mersea.
 Robert Buckingham was Director and Chairman of Rowhedge Ironworks.  MSD_017
ImageID:   MSD_017
Title: Mr & Mrs Buckingham at the Wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck, West Mersea.
Robert Buckingham was Director and Chairman of Rowhedge Ironworks.
Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Michelle Schranck
 Howard and Betty Winch at the wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck West Mersea Parish Church.
 Margaret Stephens on the right - she lived next door to the Winch Family down Empress Avenue.  MSD_021
ImageID:   MSD_021
Title: Howard and Betty Winch at the wedding of Michelle Strahl and Robert Schranck West Mersea Parish Church.
Margaret Stephens on the right - she lived next door to the Winch Family down Empress Avenue.
Date:17 July 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Pauline Winch