Born at Broad Lanes, Sedgely.

Thomas Howell 39 - father (working as a wheelwright labourer)

Ada Howell 38 - mother

Siblings:

• James Howell 15 (working as a crane driver)
• Leonard Howell 13
• (Ada) Teresa Howell 11
• Elizabeth Maud Howell 9
• Thomas Howell 6
• Christiana Howell 3

The family has moved to 35 Tame Street, Bilston.

Thomas Howell (father) age 48 was working as an engine driver

Ada Howell 47 - mother

Siblings:

• Albert Howell 23 (steel worker)
• Thomas Howell 16 (butcher's assistant)
• Christiana Howell 13
• Frederick Howell 11
• Arthur Howell 7

This entry explains how Tommy met Lou. He must have been working at Henry Sutton's butcher shop on Bilston High Street - the establishment where 'Lou' was living with her aunt Rebecca.

1916

(age 21)

1917

age 22

Marriage

Groom was age 19

The couple were known as Tommy amd Lou, not George and Rebecca.

George's surname was incorrectly recorded as Howells. He was age 22 and a soldier. He was living on the Willenhall Road - presumably at Edwin's Old Hall farm. His father Thomas is listed on the certificate as an engineer.

Rebecca was age 19 and also living on the Willenhall Road. Her father Edwin is listed as a farmer on the certificate.

1918

age 23

Birth of daughter

age 29

1925

age 30

Birth of son

Albert Leonard Howell born on 19/3/1925 - sister Ada was aged 7 years

By this time Louisa and Thomas owned a smallholding and collier's cottage: 39 Parkfield Colliery, Parkfields, Coseley, Staffordshire. This was termed 'The Cott' by the family. The cottages have long been demolished but a new Parkfield Colliery has been built, giving some idea of its location.

1927

age 32

Birth of a son

Birth of a daughter

Denis Donald Howell born in the first quarter of 1927.

Elizabeth (Betty) Howell born in the last quarter of 1927

1929

Age 34

Birth of a son

1930

Age 35

Death of a son

Birth of a daughter

Denis Donald Howell died in March 1930

Margaret Rose Howell born on 22/11/1930

sister Ada was aged 12 years, Brother Len was 5, sister Betty was 3 and Raymond was 1

1931

Age 36

Became a widower

In first quarter of 1931, Louisa's death was registered. She died in the Royal Hospital Wolverhampton of septicemia after a difficult breech birth.

Violet Ellen May Smith grew up on the same street as Tommy did when he was a child. They wuld have probably played together and gone to the same school. His sister, my grandmother, Elizabeth Hewitt told my mother that Tommy met up with Violet at the local pub abd struck up a friendship with her... I think it was a case of renewing a childhood friendship.

Violet already had a daughter, Nellie, who had been born out of wedlock in 1919. Nellie already had a life of her own by the time they married and did not want to come to live with them, or to be adopted by Tom.

Edward John Howell was born in the summer of 1939. He was always named for his grandfather, but didn't use that name, he was known as Johnny.

I met him once.... he had the same eyes as my mother, hazel (Howell eyes).

My mother remembers that he suffered a stroke and was not able to speak clearly. They tried to puzzle out his asking about someone called 'Bill', but after he died they realised he was probably trying to express a desire to 'make a will'.

He had promised his children from the first marriage part of the land he owned to build a house on, but nothing had been set down in writing.

Dying suddenly before the age of 60 had not been expected. This is a cautionary tale to those of you who have not yet written a will.

His estate would have been equivalent to about £142,000 today.

George died intestate. This is shown by the word 'Administration' in the entry. His property went to his wife of 17 years, Violet. No provision was made for his children from the first marriage, as the bulk of the estate was the property in which his wife lived until she died in 1963.

This caused family upset, as upon her death the property and assets all went to her biological children and nothing went to Tom's children from the first marriage.