In search of the family

  ODDS & ENDS THE COST OF A FUNERAL IN 1958 Sorting through some old documents of my grandmothers, we found a receipt for the cost of the funeral of Charles William Howe, her father. CHARLES WILLIAM HOWE 1876-1958 Charles (Charlie) died at home, 1 Strathmore Villas, Faggs Rd, Bedfont, aged 81. One of  11 children, he had spent his life working as a labourer, when younger, a navvy on the roads and later in life on the land. During WW2, he grew vegetables on the allotment, whilst keeping the 'odd rabbit for the pot'. He was proud to be able to read and write and was a big fan of paperback westerns. Charlie had been a widower since his wife died in 1918, a victim of the pandemic of the time, 'Spanish flu.' Leaving him to bring up 4 children, his step daughter working in service shortly after her mothers death. A member of his wife's family bought up Charlie and Ruth's youngest son, Alf, who was only 5 at the time, and by my grandmother's account, 'a bit...

BRANCHING OUT. This week/month I am writing about how branching out, helped me obtain an image of 2x Great Grandfather. My father was an only child and his parents seperated early in his life, leaving his mother embittered throughout her life.  I am sorry to repeat myself here, if you have read my other blog posts where I have mentioned this, but my father really didn't talk about his family and childhood very much. I can hear him now, brushing away any queries, describing them as 'a rum lot.' Talking and meeting with various cousins over the years has helped me understand more about the dynamics within the family. Discovering these cousins, I had obtained images of my grandfather, his parents and of course the wider family. Amongst family photo's I discovered pictures of my father as a child with his mother, his grandmother (my 2x Great Grandmother) on the occassion of her second marriage,but there was a gap - my 2x Great Grandfather:  WILLIAM RICHARD PITTS. I have pre...