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I live half a mile from where I was born, in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, England.
My HOW family originate from Abbots Langley, about 3 miles away. I have traced them back to c1660 there.
My gg grandfather William HOW (christened 1801, Abbots Langley)moved to Watford with his wife Louisa FLOYD (christened 20 Oct 1811, Gt Berkamsted, Herts) before 1835.
He had at least two children there: Ruth HOW (b c1845; and William HOW (chr 16 Jun 1836). His other known child was Charles HOW (born 16 Mar 1850, Bushey, Herts), and he was my great grandfather, of whom I have photos.
He was born in Clay Hill, Bushey, where there were quite a few other HOWs, though I am still trying to find a link between the other HOWs there, and mine.
Clay Hill is a very small area, of only a few dozen families on census, so the cahnces of them being related are pretty good.
William snr. was a Mater Cordwainer, as was William jnr., and Charles was a wood turner, though he later became a Meerschaum Tobacco Pipe maker.
Charles married Elizabeth ALLEN in Hackney (East London)in June 1872.
Elizabeth was born at the Rose & Crown Public House at Bucks Hill, Herts, which is about 5 minutes drive from Croxley. Her father (George ALLEN) was the landlord there, as well as being a Master carpenter and Wheelwright.
Their first son (Charles) was born in 1875, at Alton in Hampshire, probably at the house of Elizabeth's mother, Rebecca (nee WARNER). George ALLEN died there later the same year.
The next 2 children out of 8 (George and Harry James HOW), were born at Hammersmith, West London.
They moved to Bethnal Green, in East London, where Lizzie, Annie, William (my Grandad) and Minnie were born, and then to Union Street in Shoreditch (about a mile from Bethnal Green), where Edward was born. (Edward emmigrated to Canada between WW1 and 2).
My grandad grew up there with the family, and at some stage he started a factory in Harlesden (North West London), where he made Tobacco pipe display cases, and fancy boxes. He married Elcey Elizabeth SAUNDERS (my grandmother), and they moved to Sudbury, Middx, where my Dad (William Edward HOW)was born in 1915.
Grandad went into the Army at the outbreak of WW1, where he fought in France and Belgium. Upon his Demob from the Army, they moved to Croxley, and bought the House that I was born in.
Dad married my Mum (Marjorie Freda)in 1951 at St Michael's Church, Chenies, Bucks.
Dad died in 1980 of a heart attack, and was buried at Chorleywood Rd cemetery in Rickmansworth.
Mum is now 86 (this dated October 2005), and in a nursing home in Devon.
I have 2 elder brothers (Chris and Jon), and 3 children of my own: Richard, Emma, and Alex.
All 3 of them went to the same junior school as me, and are now at Watford Grammar School, where I went until 1972.
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