Noah Freeth was the eleventh child of Thomas Freeth & Sarah Hemings christened January 12th, 1845 at North Harborne, Staffs.
In 1851 Noah was living with his widowed father Thomas (51) at Horton St, West Bromwich. With him were sister Ann (14), & brothers Thomas (12), John (8), & George (3).
By 1861 Noah was still living with his father, now at Albert St, West Bromwich, & he was working as a labourer at the glass works. Brothers John, & George, all working at the glassworks, & sister Eliza were also at home. Also listed on the census was Florence Freeth, aged 3, & Thomas Freeth, aged 1, both born at West Bromwich. However father Thomas was still described as a widower & as none of the children at home appeared to be married, the exact relationship of the 2 young children is uncertain.
In Jan-March 1865 Noah married Ann Robinson at West Bromwich. Ann was born Jan-March 1845 at West Bromwich.
In 1871 Noah & Ann were living at Albert St, West Bromwich with their children Thomas (6), Agar (2) & Job (1 month). Noah was still a labourer at the glassworks.
By 1881 the family were living at 51 Mount Pleasant St, W. Bromwich. Children at home were Thomas, now a grinder, Hagar, Job & new additions Ann (8), Walter (5), Joseph (3) & Mary Jane (1).
In 1891 they were still living at 51 Mount Pleasant St (noted as Freath in census) & Noah was still a labourer at the glass works. At home were Job, a labourer at the iron foundry, Walter, a labourer at the glass works, Joseph, a labourer at the iron foundry, Mary J & new additions Esther (9), Noah (7), Fanny (5) & Samuel (3). Daughter Ann was working as a domestic servant for the Wright family, who were grocers & bakers, in High St, Tettenhall, Staffs. Son Walter was to marry Ellen Shipley in April-June 1895 at West Bromwich.
Noah died in 1896 at West Bromwich aged 50 & was buried on September 6th.
In 1901 widow Ann was living at 139 Sams Lane, West Bromwich with children Job, an iron moulder, Joseph, a labourer at the iron works, Esther, a spectacle caster, Noah a pipewarmer at iron works, Fanny, a dressmakers apprentice & Samuel. Daughter Mary Jane was working as a domestic servant for Starkie Barnes, chief inspector of Birmingham Board schools, & family in Alcester Rd, Kings Norton.
In 1904 daughter Mary Jane married William Henry Bates at Northwood, Staffs & in 1911 they were living at 89 Mount St, Hanley, Staffs with 2 sons & 2 daughters. William was a coal miner. By 1939 Mary Jane had been widowed & was living with 2 sons & 3 daughters in Stoke-on-Trent.
By 1911 Ann had moved to 51 Spon Lane, West Bromwich & with her was son Job, a caster at the iron foundry, daughter Esther, a glass cutter at the glass works, Fanny who was doing home duties & son Samuel who was a glass gatherer at the glass works. It was noted on the census that Ann & Noah had had 12 children, only 11 of whom were still alive. Another son, Noah, had been born in 1867 but sadly died at the age of 3 at Albert Street & was buried on April 10th, 1870 at Christ Church, West Bromwich.
Son Samuel served with the 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment during WW1 & died of wounds on May 15th, 1917 & was buried at the Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France.
Ann died in Oct-December 1929, aged 84, her death being registered at West Bromwich.
The 1939 register shows son Job, a retired iron moulder, living at 4 Watton St, West Bromwich & with him were sisters, Esther, an optical glass cutter, & Fanny, doing domestic duties. Fanny was to live until the age of 103! An article in the Sandwell Evening Mail of April 29th, 1987 pictured Fanny celebrating her 101st birthday. She was a resident at the Lyndon House Home, All Saints Way. The officer in charge said she was ‘a grand old lady still fit & lively despite her age’. Fanny was visited by the Mayor of Sandwell on her 102nd birthday tea party. She put the secret of her long life down to the will of God & the occasional drop of whisky - & also never having had a job in her life. She stayed at home to look after her family. (Sandwell Evening Mail, April 18th, 1988) In July 1989 Fanny, Sandwell’s oldest resident, had a fall in her bedroom & broke her shoulder. Apparently she was still laughing & joking about the accident.
The children of Noah Freeth & Ann Robinson were:
fh.4.6.1.2.11.1 Thomas Freeth born April-June 1865 at West Bromwich; died April-June 1929 in West Bromwich.
fh.4.6.1.2.11.2 Hagar Freeth
born Oct-December, 1868 at West Bromwich; died July-September 1953 at Wednesbury, Staffs
fh.4.6.1.2.11.3 Job Freeth born March 3rd, 1871 at West Bromwich; died October 9th, 1947 at 4 Watton St, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.4 Ann Freeth born January 30th, 1873 & christened June 27th, 1873 at Christ Church, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.5 Walter Freeth
born August 24th, 1875 at Mount Pleasant St, West Bromwich; died Jan-March 1948 in West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.6 Joseph Freeth born October 20th, 1877 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.7 Mary Jane Freeth born January 1st, 1880 at Mount Pleasant St & christened January 30th, 1880 at St John’s, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.8 Esther Freeth born November 15th, 1881at West Bromwich; died December 14th, 1959 at 4 Watton St, West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.9 Noah Freeth born April 22nd, 1884 at 51 Mount Pleasant St, & christened May 9th,1884 at St John's, West Bromwich; died April-June 1962 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.2.11.10 Fanny Freeth born April 17th, 1886 & christened May 7th, 1886 at West Bromwich; died July 1989 at Sandwell, West Midlands
fh.4.6.1.2.11.11 Samuel Freeth born February 27th, 1888 at 51 Mount Pleasant St. & christened April 6th, 1888 at West Bromwich; died May 15th, 1917 in France