LIFE

recorder GRAMCO/HMV (aa / ab / ac from 11 Aug 1910; before that aa / ab / ac was I. R. Holmes' series)
Made recordings in ab/ac series from December 1910 to 9 June 1914

1881 CENSUS (123 Tavistock Crescent, Kensington, Middlesex):
Charles HANCOX (29y; b. Kenilworth, Warwickshire, ENGLAND) Engine driver (i.e in charge of a stationary engine)
Jane HANCOX (32y; b. Barnstaple, Devon))
- Jane HANCOX (6y; b. London, Middlesex)
- William (4y; b. London, Middlesex)

WCH schooling - Infant School: Campbell Street School, Paddington


1886
WCH secondary school: Camden Street School from 25 October 1886 to 28 July 1888
CH - 'stoker'
104 Park Street Camden - actually Charles' place of work which was a timber merchant named Henry Seeger.

1891 CENSUS (Paddington, London, Middlesex):
Charles HANCOX (39y) Apprentice brass finisher / Engine driver
Jane HANCOX (41y)
family name misspelt in census as 'Hancock'
residence: 151 Harrow Rd, Paddington London

1901
WCH - Electrical Brass Polisher
CH - Engineer & saw sharper
151 Harrow Rd, Paddington London


1911
WCH - Engineer (Tool Maker)
CH - Engineer (Saw Mill)
6 8 Sellons Avenue, Harlesden, London

1901 CENSUS (Paddington, London, Middlesex, 31 March 1901):
Charles HANCOX (49y)
Jane HANCOX (52y)
- Jane HANCOX
- William HANCOX (24y; b. Notting Hill, Paddington, Middlesex)

1911 CENSUS (Willesden, Middlesex, ENGLAND):
= Mary Jane HANCOX (61 y; mother at same address?)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1911 CENSUS (Willesden, Middlesex, ENGLAND):
William C. HANCOX (34y)
Louise HANCOX (32y)
- William G. HANCOX (2y)

William HANCOX (46y)(engineer)
SS "MAJESTIC"
dep.: 19 Oct 1922, Southampton
arr.: 24 Oct 1922, New York
residence: Mrs. L. Hancox, 9 Lancaster Gadns, West Ealing, London W 13



William Charles HANCOX (46y)
Louise W. HANCOX (43y)
+ William Gilbert HANCOX (15y)
+ Marjorie Louise (11y)
+ Sigrid Frances (8y)
+ Pauline Joan HANCOX (6y)
SS "MEGANTIC"
dep.: .. Aug 1923, Liverpool
arr.: 2 Sep 1923, Montreal, Quebec
Immigration year of William C., wife Louise and William G. (son) and 3 daughters: Marjorie L., Sigrid F. and Pauline J. : 2 Sep 1923


recording engineer BRUNSWICK (April 1924)
(source: American Big Band Database - Walter G. Haenschen, p. 4)

The April 1924 issue of Talking Machine World magazine, in an article on page 104, states that Walter "Gus" Haenschen was in St. Louis, along with Brunswick recording engineer C. Hancox


For some reason or other the name C. HANCOX is not included in the list of BRUNSWICK PERSONNEL produced on the DAHR (Discography of American Historical Recordings) website.

1925: New York, State Census, 1925 (New Rochelle, Westchester, New York):
William HANCOX
Louise HANCOX (46y)
- Gilbert W. (sic!) HANCOX (16y)
- Sigrid F. HANCOX (11y)

1930 CENSUS (12 Soundview Ave (?), New Rochelle City, Westchester, New York):
William C. HANCOX (53y) ...............
Louise W. HANCOX (51y)
- William G. HANCOX (21y)
- Marjorie L. HANCOX (17y)
- Sigrid F. HANCOX (15y)
- Pauline J. HANCOX (13y)

1940 CENSUS (12 Soundview Ave, New Rochelle City, Westchester, New York, 12 April 1940):
William C. HANCOX (62y; b. London) Recording engineer // Radio
Louise HANCOX (60y; b. London)
- Marjorie HANCOX (26y; b. London)
- Pauline HANCOX (23y; b. London)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1940 CENSUS (Queens, New York, 8 April 1940):
William L. GREGORY (28y; b. MEXICO)
Sigrid GREGORY (25y; b. ENGLAND)
- Abigail (HANCOX) GREGORY (5m/0y)
- Deborah GREGORY (PHILLIPS)

Sound engineer with the World Broadcasting Corporation (WBC)
World Broadcasting System, Inc., was an American recording service for the radio industry founded in 1929 by Percy L. Deutsch (1885–1968), with key in investors and creative artists (Walter) Gustave Haenschen and Milton Diamond (both of whom had worked with Deutsch at the Brunswick Record Company) and was originally was based in New York.[1] The company recorded and, through its subsidiary, World Program Service, distributed discs to radio stations for broadcast. The discs themselves were 16 inches in diameter, vertically incised, recorded at 33 1/3 r.p.m., and would play for 55 minutes per side on average. These recordings, which were made especially for radio studios that could not afford to maintain a studio orchestra, were not sold to the public. (source: WIKIPEDIA)

It is clear that William Charles Hancox is identical to the other PIONEER on this website (C. HANCOX), who worked for Brunswick.
Although we have no irrefutable proof, the amount of circumstantial evidence is overwhelming.
While still in England W. S. Darby and W. C. Hancox both worked for The Gramophone Company.
Darby returned 1922/1923/1924 to the States to work for Brunswick and his colleague W. C. Hancox emigrated in 1923 to the USA.
At the time of emigration both families lived in (West) Ealing, Middlesex, ENGLAND.


HANCOX - William C., 67y, sound engineer with World Broadcasting Corporation, New York, [died] at his home in that city 24 October 1943. Surviving are his widow, the former Louise Washbrook, a son and three daughters (source: Billboard of 6 Nov 1943, p. 30)

To be sorted out: William Charles Hancox also in:
- US New York City Directories, 1821-1989
- New York State Census (1925)
- United States Border Crossings from CANADA to United States, 1895-1956
His exact date of birth is still unknown...
Louise Hancox SSDI: d. 26 Nov 1878, (no location cited) - .. Nov 1972, Bergen, NJ (needs confirmation from ANCESTRY)