We are grateful to John Keenan, great grandson of John Freeth, for information on his family.
John Freeth was the tenth child of Thomas Freeth & Sarah Hemings born January 16th, 1843 at Smethwick & christened February 5th, 1843 at Smethwick.
In 1851 John was living with his widowed father Thomas, sister & brothers at Horton St, West Bromwich.
In 1861 John was still living at home, now Albert St, West Bromwich & was employed at the glass works.
In Jan-March 1863 John married Sarah Ann Felton at All Saints, West Bromwich. Sarah was the daughter of James & Sarah Felton born Jan-March 1842 at West Bromwich.
By 1871 John, a labourer, & Sarah were living with Sarah’s parents at the Prince of Wales pub, Paradise St, West Bromwich with their 3 children - Ellen (4), Lucy (2) & Sarah Ann (8 months). Sadly daughter Sarah died in July-September of that year.
John & Sarah decided to have their 4 living children christened together in 1873 at Holy Trinity. Their address at that time was Lower Trinity St, West Bromwich & John was a labourer.
By 1881 John & Sarah were living at 15 Watton St, West Bromwich & John was still a labourer. At home were 10 children which included 2 sets of twins - Ellen, Louisa (Lucy?) (12), Tom (10), Annie (8), John (6), George (5), Jane E (5), Ernest E (4), Lilley (1 month) & Berty (1 month). Unfortunately baby Lilley died soon after the census. Also living with them were Sarah’s father James Felton (81), an annuitant & a niece & nephew – Jane (15) & James (13) Felton.
In 1891 John & Sarah were still living at Watton St, now #26, & John’s occupation was now a glass maker. At home were Ellen (24), Thomas, an engine fitter, Annie, a tailoress, John, a greengrocer, George, a spring maker, Jane, Ernest, an engine fitter, & Bertie, with new addition James (8), Maria (7) & Letitia (4).
Sarah died in July-September 1891,at West Bromwich, aged 49 – she had given birth to 16 known children!
In 1901 John was living at 66 Newhall St, West Bromwich, noted as living on own means, as were his daughters Ellen (34) & Ann (28). Also at home were Ernest, a night soil man (carter), & Bert, a horse driver (groom), & Letitia. Daughter Maria had left home & was working as a domestic servant for the Whiston family (butchers) in Erdington, Birmingham.
John was still at the same address in 1911& was described as a glass worker (blower). With him was son Ernest (no occupation given) & daughters Ellen & Letitia, both domestic servants. Daughter Maria was now employed as a domestic servant for Lucy Emma Onions, a doctor’s caretaker at 46 Holloway Head, Birmingham.
John died on July 14th, 1913, aged 70, at West Bromwich.
Son Ernest Edward & daughter (Ann) Maria were living together at 66 New Hall St, West Bromwich at the time of the 1939 register. Ernest was a coal merchant & Ann was keeping house. Daughter Letitia, a domestic servant, was a patient at the County Mental Hospital, Lichfield at the time of the 1939 register.
The children of John Freeth & Sarah Ann Felton were:
fh.4.6.1.2.10.1 Sarah Ann Freeth born July 29th, 1865 at West Bromwich; died at Lyng, West Bromwich & buried July 30th, 1865 at Christ Church, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.2 Ellen Freeth born March 28th, 1867 & christened March 6th, 1873 at Holy Trinity, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.3 Louisa Freeth born December 12th, 1868 & christened March 6th, 1873 at Holy Trinity, West Bromwich; died November 7th 1941 at Birmingham
fh.4.6.1.2.10.4 Sarah Ann Freeth born July-September 1870; buried August 1st, 1871 at Christ Church, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.5 Thomas Freeth born October 16th,1871 & christened March 6th, 1873 at Holy Trinity, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.6 Ann Freeth born February 13th, 1873 & christened March 6th, 1873 at Holy Trinity, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.7 John Freeth born April 21st,1874 at West Bromwich, died March 17th, 1942 at Coventry
fh.4.6.1.2.10.8 George Freeth born October 2nd, 1875 at West Bromwich, died
October 1st, 1947 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.9 Jane
Elizabeth Freeth born October 2nd, 1875 & christened October 22nd, 1875 at Christ Church, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.10 Ernest Edward Freeth born May 31st, 1877 at West Bromwich,
died October 13th, 1948 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.11 Leonard Austin Freeth born September 14th, 1878 at Paradise St, West Bromwich & christened October 2nd, 1878 at Christ Church, West Bromwich; died April-June 1879 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.12 Lily Freeth christened February 4th 1881 at West Bromwich, died April-June 1881
at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.13 Bertie Freeth christened February 4th, 1881 at West Bromwich; died May 4th, 1964 in Scarborough, York, Ontario, Canada
fh.4.6.1.2.10.14 James Freeth born July 27th 1882 at Watton St. & christened August 7th, 1882 at St John's, West Bromwich, died
April 12th, 1897 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.15 Ann Maria Freeth born December 18th,1883 at West Bromwich, died
March 21st, 1961 at West Bromwich; died March 21st, 1961 at 66 Newhall St, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.10.16 Letitia Freeth born December 22nd 1886 at Watton St & christened December 23rd, 1886 at St John’s, West Bromwich, died
April 12th, 1948 at Lichfield