52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2022 Week 3 Favourite Photo. Ruth Shaw 1884-1918

 RUTH SHAW 1884-1918.

Although my intention is to follow the 12 Ancestors in 12 Months version of these themes, I intend to dip in and out of the weekly prompts, when a suitable theme matches an ancestor I have a story for.

In 2021, I chose a photograph of my adoptive Grandad's  mother, grandmother, aunt and 2 sisters, 3 generations of women.

52 Ancestors, 52 weeks Week 4 Favourite photo (mypynthdev.blogspot.com)

However whilst sorting through my Mum's wardrobe, we found a photograph of her adoptive Grandmother, Ruth Howe, nee Shaw, whilst I would still consider the May women as my favourite photo, this was indeed genealogy treasure.

Ruth was one of nine children born to William Shaw, a coal miner and his wife Rosannah nee Heathcock, both of Netherton nr Dudley in the West Midlands. She was born on 2nd April 1885 (National School Admission Register). In 1895, her mother died and Ruth left school education in May of that year, aged 11. by the 1901 census, a 16 year old Ruth is living with her widowed father alongside her 8 siblings. At 16 years old she is working as a 'Housemaid/Domestic living in Rayboulds Fold in Netherton. By the end of that year Ruth was pregnant.

On the 6th Aug 1902, Ruth gave birth to Mabel 'Rose' her illegitimate daughter. Rose was baptised the following month, on the 14th September at St Leonards Church, Heston, the home address given was Peartree Cottage and her occupation was identified as 'domestic servant'. Interestingly the previous entry has all the same information but the parents as Albert and Amelia Dean, could they have been employers, Godparents or possible adoptees. Nonetheless that entry is deleted and Ruth is shown as lone parent to Mabel Rose.

In the same village Charles William Howe, a navvy/labourer was living with his sister and brother in law, Alice and George Cackett at 10 Peakes Cottages. Charlie was 8 years older than Ruth, but a relationship started and they married at St Mary's, Spring Grove on Christmas Day 1903 after banns were called, however Ruth gives her age as 21, this was probably to avoid the need for parental consent required for those under 21 at this time.

Family 'gossip' has suggested possible paternity of Mabel Rose, but her biological father wasn't Charlie, although he bought her up as his daughter within the family.

Ruth and Charlie commenced their married life in a small 4 room cottage, 4 Laburnum Cottages in Hatton, (now within the boundaries of Heathrow Airport), Charlie now working as a farm labourer. In 1908 my Grandmother Doris Ruth Howewas born, followed by Charles William Howe in 1910. Alfred George Howe was born in 1913 and finally Alice Lillian Howe completed the family in 1916.

Sadly Ruth died in 1918 of Spanish Flu, a pandemic rife post World War 1. She was buried at Bedfont Cemetery, 11 days after the Armistace on the 22nd November. I write that she died of Spanish flu, this is the family story and has not been authenticated by a death certificate. However looking at the burial records at Bedfont Church, St Mary's there are significant numbers of entries. I notice that many Ancestry tree's show a death date of the 19th November, this may be the case BUT, they have found this date via a Probate record for Ruth Howe of Airedale, Clifford Rd Ashford, this is not Ruth nee Shaw, she lived and died in Labernum Cottages in Hatton (as the burial records indicates) and shows how easy it is to fall into the trap of not checking those 'Ancestry hints.' 

So what happened to the Howe family after Ruth's death, well that's a story for another time.