WELHAM/HOWELL brickwall

[Pandabeary]

I have a brickwall with my ancestor Harry Welham Howell and I wonder if anyone could help me out.

Harry Welham Howell was born on 15th Feb 1868 at 5 Quilter Street, Bethnal Green to Benjamin Johnson Howell, a shoemaker, and Ellen Howell nee Welham

Harry married Minnie Wright on 29th Sept 1894 in Needham Market, Suffolk. His father was listed as Benjamin Howell, deceased, no occupation listed. One of the witnesses was Ellen Welham who was presumably a relative of Harry's but I don't know how.

I can't find a Howell/Welham marriage, or any record I can be sure is Harry until his marriage. I really want to know more about Harry's parents, and if he had any siblings etc but I'm not sure what to do as I can find no record of the family in London.

I'm also confused as in the 1901 census Harry is living at 12 Upper Orwell Street, Ipswich, with his family and Anne Keeble, a grocer, who is listed as his mother. In the 1911 census Anne Keeble is still living with Harry's widow when they moved to the Railway Tavern, Cotton, where she is listed as a 69 year old widow.

I have found a Harry Howell in the 1881 census, who was born in 1868 in London and lived with his grandparents Eliza and George Welham in Battisford, Suffolk. Does this sound like the same Harry? Are Howell and Welham common names in Suffolk? How should I try to work out if this is the right family?

Many thanks for any help people could offer!

[Just Jane]

Working back from Anne Keeble, shown as Harry's mother in 1901, there is a marriage for Ann Howell to James Keeble 1889 Q2 Bosmere, Suffolk.   

On the 1891 census Ann is shown as born 1842 Battisford.

On the 1851 census Ann Welham born 1842 is the daughter of George and Eliza, the grandparents that Harry is living with in 1881.   He is also there is 1871.

So it would appear that Ellen Howell nee Welham is likely to be Ann Welham using the name Ellen when Harry was born but reverting to Ann later on in life.

The marriage certificate to James Keeble should sort out whether she was a widow, although I haven't found a marriage to Benjamin Howell, and who her parents were.

I hope this helps.

Jane

[Just Jane]

I've now found Ellen Howell on the 1881 census, shown as a widow, working as a servant, in the same household as another servant - Minnie Wright, presumably Harry's wife-to-be.

Jane

[Suffolk Mawther]

Are Howell and Welham common names in Suffolk?

There are 19 researchers looking for Welham folk and 7 looking for Howell on the Suffolk Surnames List.

So it looks as though Welham was not an uncommon name in the county 

Pat ...

[suffolk*sue]

A Ben Jonson Howell, aged 23yrs, bootmaker married a Lydia Sarah Wright aged 22yrs, at St. Michael and All Angels, Paddington on 31st August, 1868. fathers were William Howell, painter and John Wright, carpenter.


1871 census has Bens occupation as a letter carrier.
 RG10; Piece: 1324; Folio: 95; Page: 13 = Harrow


1881 has Bens occupation as shoemaker and letter carrier.
His and Lydias first child was born in Dedham Essex, same as Lydia, so if he is THE reputed father, maybe he disappeared from Middlesex for a year or two.
 
1891   RG12; Piece: 1039; Folio 5; Page 4

[suffolk*sue]

Baptism

St. Mary, Harrow

Ben Jonson Howell
6th July, 1845
son of William=painter
and Mary

1851    HO107; Piece: 1700; Folio: 8; Page: 9 = Harrow

[suffolk*sue]

Can't seem to find a marriage for William and Mary, census say both born in Harrow Middlesex.


Baptism

St. Mary, Harrow
William Howell
son of William and Sarah
2nd December, 1810.

[suffolk*sue]

Death

 Ben Johnson Howell
Est. Birth Year: abt 1845
1891, Dec qtr.
Age at Death: 46
Hendon
Vol 3a
Page: 89 

[suffolk*sue]

William Howell born c1779 father of William born c1811 is till alive in 1851, he was born in Herefordshire, so we are now getting back to Wales.

 HO107; Piece: 1700; Folio: 524; Page: 5