Thomas Freeth was the first child of Noah Freeth & Ann Robinson born Apri-June 1865 at West Bromwich.
In 1871 Thomas was living with his parents & 1 brother & 1 sister at Albert St, West Bromwich.
By 1881 the family had moved to 51 Mount Pleasant St, West Bromwich & Thomas was now working as a grinder at age 15! He now had 3 brothers & 3 sisters.
Thomas married Mary Ann Groves on January 2nd, 1895 at St Andrew’s, West Bromwich. Both were living at Chapel St, West Bromwich at the time of the wedding. Mary Ann gave no father on the marriage certificate. It is thought that Mary Ann was the daughter of Elizabeth Groves born April-June 1874 in West Bromwich. Elizabeth Groves (father = Martin Groves, a coal miner) married William Langford in March 1876 in Tipton.
This would explain the confusion in the records of the birth registrations of their children. Their first daughter Esther Ann was born in October 1895 at 1A Chapel St & Thomas was a grinder. The GRO records show that Esther’s mother’s surname was Langford. At the time of the registration of the birth of daughter May in 1897 her mother’s maiden name was given as Groves.
In 1901 Mary Ann (listed as Polly) was with her mother & step father, Elizabeth & William Langford, a gasworks labourer, at 1 Chapel St, West Bromwich. With her were her children Florrie (4) & May (1). Also there were her half brothers & sisters – Clara Langford, William, Thomas & Joseph Langford & Florrie Langford. The whereabouts of Thomas is unknown
By 1911 Thomas & Mary were living at 4 Chestnut Avenue, West Bromwich with 3 children – May (11), Gladys (7) & Thomas (2 months). Thomas was still working as a grinder making cooking ranges at the iron foundry. Mary & Thomas had had 11 children, only 4 of whom were still alive.
Daughter Gladys married John Edwards, in 1924 & by 1939 they were living in Young St, West Bromwich with their family. John was incapacitated due to ill health.
There is a death for Thomas Freeth, aged 64, in April-June 1929 in West Bromwich.
The children of Thomas Freeth & Mary Ann Groves were:
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.1 Esther Ann Freeth born October 26th, 1895 at Chapel St, & christened March 25th, 1896 at St Andrew, West Bromwich (mother = Langford); died March 1896 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.2 Florence Maud Freeth born April-June 1897 (mother = Langford)
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.3 May Freeth born Jan-March 1900 at West Bromwich (mother = Groves)
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.4 Elizabeth Freeth born Oct-December 1902 (mother = Langford); died Oct-December 1902 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.5 Esther Freeth born Oct-December 1903 at West Bromwich (mother = Groves; died Jan-March 1904 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.6 Gladys Freeth born December 6th, 1904 at West Bromwich (mother = Groves); died Oct-December 1970 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.7 Esther Ann Freeth born April-June 1908 at West Bromwich (mother = Langford); died July-September 1908 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.8 Rose Freeth born Oct-December 1909 at West Bromwich (mother = Langford); died April-June 1910 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.9 Thomas Freeth born January 1911 at West Bromwich (mother = Langford)
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.10 William Freeth born April-June 1913 at West Bromwich (mother = Groves); died July-September 1913 in West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1.11 Percy Freeth born April-June 1918 at West Bromwich (mother = Groves); died April-June 1918 at West Bromwich