The Benton FamilyHenry HOWE 1826-1899Henry HOWE was the fifth child of Thomas Christopher HOWE and Hannah Williams, born 1826 in Glossop in the Peak District of England where his father was a draper. Thomas was the son of the local vicar, the Rev Thomas Christopher HOWE, who baptised Henry on 21 May 1826. In around 1840, when Henry was 13, Thomas and Hannah emigrated to Melbourne, Australia. . before emigrating to Australia with most of his family in about 1840. They took 5 of their 9 living children with them, leaving Henry, his brother Rowland and his sisters Matilda and Eliza behind. This is the story of Henry, left behind in England
Henry HOWE 1826-1899Henry was baptised at Glossop on 21 May 1826.
Henry married Louisa Caroline SKARRATT at Claines, Worcester in 1861, so clearly did not accompany his parents to Australia. Henry is not with his brother Rowland and sister Eliza who were with their grandfather Rev Christopher HOWE in the 1841 census nor with his sister Martha with the WILLIAMS grandparents in Nottingham. The marriage report tells us he went to California for a while but returned before 1861. This would explain Henry's absence from the 1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses. The notice of marriage in the newspaper comfirms we have the correct Henry HOWE.
Claines is a small village southwest of Manchester. Shortly after the marriage Henry and Louisa moved into Manchester. They were living there by 1862 when their first child was born. Henry and Louisa had six chldren.
It is difficult to piece together Henry's life, especially as he seems to be absent from the 1871 census, unless he went back to California for a while. But by 1881 he was living at 1 Beaumont St, Broughton but Louisa and 2 of the children were living in Blackpool at 12 Alexandra Rd, Layton.
Louisa's time in Blackpool was short-lived. By mid 1881 Louisa was living at 1 Beaumont St where she died on 15 August but according to the probate records Henry was at 67 Hilton St and 1 Todd St, Manchester. Both these addresses are very close to Beaumont St. Henry was now a cigar merchant.
By 1891 Henry was living with his son Alban at 80 George St, Moss Side Manchester.
Henry Howe does not appear in the 1901 census, suggesting he had died by this date. The only death record that fits the facts (location date and age) is a death in June quarter 1899 registed at Chorlton (8c/538). The Children of Henry HOWE and Louisa Caroline SKARRATTAlban Henry HOWE 1867-1936Alban Henry was the fourth child of Henry and Louisa, but the first to survive to adulthood. He was born 19 August 1867 and baptised at Christ Church Harpurhey, Manchester on 24 November 1867 together with his younger brother Harold.
Alban Henry is not in the 1871 census but he is in the 1881 census living with his father Henry. In 1891 he is living with Elizabeth (WATERS) and they have a young daughter Ethel Marian. His father Henry and brother Bertram are also living with them. By 1901 Henry had died.
Alban and Elizabeth had three children, but it appears that they did not marry until 1926. Some time between 1901 and 1911 they moved to Belfast where their youngest child was born:
Who was Elizabeth Jane Anne Louisa WATERS?Elizabeth, or Nellie in the census records, was born 18 July 1867 to Thomas Mawson WATERS and Margaret (HARGREAVES), and baptised in Manchester Cathedral on 16 August 1867. Nellie was the third of nine siblings. Her father Thomas was a photographer, who lived first in Woodside, Windermere but later moved to Manchester.
Move to BelfastSome time between 1901 and 1906 Alban and Nellie moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland. They were recorded in the 1911 census at New Lodge Road, Belfast. It appears their daughter Ethel Marian had died by this time but they now had Nellie Louisa, aged 4.
The next event in Alban's life was his marriage to Nellie on 5 August 1926. We can only guess at the circumstances of the delay of 37 years. Alban was recorded as a bachelor and Nellie a spinster at time of marriage so no suggestion they had been married before.
Nellie HOWE died at their home, 202B Crumlin Rd Belfast on 30 July 1935 and was buried at the City Cemetery, Glenalina Section. Alban died a few months later on 22 Jan 1936 and is buried with Nellie in plot Q1/184. Ethel Marion HOWE 1869-1943Ethel Marion was born 6 February 1869 and baptised 5 May 1869 at Manchester Cathedral.
Ethel and her family are not in the 1871 census. In 1881 she is with her mother Louisa living in Blackpool. From 1891 onwards she was working as a teacher of cookery and dressmaking. She lived most of the rest of her life with her aunt and uncle - Rev James WENT who was a headmaster at various schools around Leicester.
Ethel Marion died in Buxton in late 1943. She had never married. Bertram Augustus HOWE 1872-1910Bertram Augustus was born in late 1872 in Manchester. In the 1881 census he was living with his mother at Blackpool. In 1891 he was with his father in Manchester.
On 8 February 1904 Bertram married Amy PIKE at the parish church in Bracebridge, Lincoln. Bertram was aged 31 and a confectioner. Amy was 24.
Bertram and Amy had four children:
Death of Bertram Tragedy struck on 16 November 1910 when Bertram, now a tram conductor, jumped off the tram to change the points and was struck by a taxi and killed. He left behind his wife Amy and three small children. Amy was expecting their fourth, Bertram who was born 26 April 1911. The inquest was reported in the local papers.
After his death, Amy returned to Lincoln to live with her parents, as recorded in the 1911 census. Her son (whom she later named "Bertram") was just 6 days old.
By 1921 Amy was living alone with her children in Branston, Lincoln. She had her son Albert with her (Bertram having died in 1912). She also had 3 young daughters with her, all registered without a father being named.
In the 1939 register Amy was living at North Kesteven, in Branston, Lincoln, a small village a few miles east of Bracebridge Heath, where she and Bertram had married in 1904. Living with Amy in 1939 is "Amy jnr" born 8 June 1921.
Amy HOWE (née PIKE) died at North Kesteven in early 1955. Of the children of Amy HOWE/PIKE: Harriet HOWE was born 2 November 1904 at Manchester. She never married. She died at her home, Flat 6, Saville House, 203 Yarborough Rd, Lincoln on 23 June 1995 and was cremated on 29 June. The cremation was arranged by her half-sister Amy REEVE. Albert HOWE was born 14 August 1907 in Manchester. He married Vera HALES in mid-1936 at Branston, Lincoln. They do not appear to have had any children. Vera died in Lincoln in 1975. Albert died in early 2000 in Lincoln. Marion HOWE was born in 1909 in Manchester but died in Lincoln in 1915, aged 6 years. Bertram HOWE was born 26 April 1911, a few days after his father had been killed in a tram accident. However Bertram died a year later in late 1912. Fanny HOWE was born in 1917 in Lincoln, no father named at birth. She was registered as Fanny HOWE, mother's name PIKE. She is recored in the 1921 census with Amy but after that cannot be found. Mary HOWE was born 8 April 1919 at Lincoln. No father named at birth. She did not marry. She died 1977 in Lincoln. Amy HOWE born 8 June 1921. She married Ernest REEVE in North Kesteven in 1942. Amy died on 2 February 2011. Return to John Laybank Benton page Last updated: 20/04/2020 |
