We are grateful to Susie Berry for information about her great grandfather George
George William Freeth was the third child of Edwin Freeth & Thomason Ann Collins born November 9th, 1870 at rear of 11 Hawthorn St, Smethwick, Staffs.
In 1871 George was living with his parents, brother & sister at Hawthorn St, Smethwick.
In 1881 George was still living at home at 11 Hawthorn St with his parents, 4 brothers & 1 sister.
In 1891 George was still at home with his parents, 5 brothers & 4 sisters at 36 Victoria St, Smethwick. George was employed as a bolt counter.
On June 24th, 1899 George married Ellen Brookes at Christ Church, West Bromwich. George was of 49 Poplar Villa, Spon Lane & he was a nut cutter. Witnesses at the wedding were Luke Betts & Annie Elizabeth Brookes. Ellen was born April 21st, 1876 at West Bromwich, the daughter of Ann & William Brookes, a forge labourer.
In 1901 George & Ellen were living at 48 Lloyd St, West Bromwich & George was now described as an iron worker – puddler. They had a 4 month old daughter Lily (who was to live to see her 100th birthday!).
George & Ellen were still at Lloyd St in 1911, now at number 30. George was now a nut cutter at a nut & bolt manufacturers. They now had 4 children – Lily, Arthur (9), George (4) & Annie (1). Boarding with them was a 72 year old widow Ann Brookes, Ellen's mother.
In 1925 son Arthur married Lily Aspbury at West Bromwich.
In the 1930s George & Ellen lived at 11 Woodward St, West Bromwich & according to great granddaughter Susie Berry, Ellen used to make a huge batch of ‘faggots & peas’ every Friday to sell to the locals.
The 1939 register shows George & Ellen at Woodward St, & George was described as a navvy, steel tube heavy work. Listed with them was daughter Annie & her husband Hubert Samuel Hinton, also employed at the steel tube works.
Daughter Lily & her husband Samuel Berry, a marker of structural engineering, were living at 41 Aston St, Tipton in 1939 with their family. Son Arthur & his wife Lily & family were living at 71 Hartland Rd, West Bromwich in 1939 & Arthur was a steel window frame dresser. Son George & his wife Elizabeth Gladys (nee Hackett) were living at 115 Hargate Lane, west Bromwich in 1939 & George was a charge hand (springs).
George died in 1951 & was buried on June 8th at All Saints, West Bromwich.
Ellen died in 1963, aged 86, & was buried alongside George.
The children of George William Freeth & Ellen Brookes were:
fh.4.6.1.4.6.3.1 Lily Freeth born December 3rd, 1900 & christened December 21st, at Christ Church, West Bromwich, died
2001 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.4.6.3.2 Arthur Ernest Freeth born February 4th, 1902 at West Bromwich, died
Oct-December 1993 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.4.6.3.3 George Freeth born December 9th, 1906 at West Bromwich, died
1989 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.4.6.3.4 Annie Freeth born March 17th, 1910 at West Bromwich, died October 21st, 2007 at Blackpool,
Lancs