Ann Maria Freeth was the seventh child of Samuel Freeth & Jane Rebecca Lambert born April-June 1870 at Smethwick, Staffs.
In 1881 Ann Maria, known as Maria was living at 4 Birmingham Rd, Oldbury where Maria’s father was a glass maker. Maria had 5 sisters & a brother at home.
In 1891 Maria was still living at home at Birmingham St, now #8, along with 4 sisters & her brother.
Maria married Joseph Dodd in April-June 1893 at Christ Church, Oldbury. Joseph was born May 1st, 1866 at Sheriff Hales, Burlington, Staffs, the son of Martha Porter & Thomas Dodd, an agricultural labourer.
In 1901 Maria & Joseph were living at 8 New St, West Bromwich where Joseph was a pork butcher. They had 5 children – Florence L (7), Mabel E (5), Joseph W (4), Leonard (2) & John Henry (9 months). They had 2 domestic servants – Kate Adams (15) & Beatrice Jeavons (13).
Maria & Joseph were still at New St in 1911, now living at number 3. Joseph was described as a pork purveyor working from home. Their 5 children were all at home & all except Florence were still at school.
Son Joseph Wilfred enlisted with the Royal Artillery Regiment in 1915 & gave his occupation as clerk. He gave his next of kin as mother Maria of New St. During his service he suffered from a number of attacks of malaria. In 1923 he married Alice Howell. The 1939 register shows Joseph, noted as married, living on his own at 98 Bleak Hill Rd, Birmingham & he was an electrical plant engineer. There is a record of Alice Dodd at that time as a patient in the Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.
Daughter Mabel Elizabeth married Sidney T Richards in 1922 in West Bromwich & by 1939 they were living at Leighton Rd, Wolverhampton & Sidney was a director motor industries.
Son Leonard married Florence M Agger in 1924 & in 1939 they and their family were living at 79 Harwood Street, West Bromwich where Leonard was a publican. Daughter Florence also married in 1924 & she & husband Ernest Arthur Parish were living at 258 Beeches Rd, West Bromwich in 1939.
Son John Henry married Matilda F Payne in 1926 & in 1939 they were living at 29 Margaret St, West Bromwich. John was an oil blender.
Maria died, aged 64, in July-September 1934 at West Bromwich.
Widowed Joseph was living in the Almshouses, Joseph St, West Bromwich at the time of the 1939 register. No occupation was given for him.
Joseph died, aged 88, on November 22nd, 1954 at 258 Beeches Rd, West Bromwich. Probate was granted to son John Henry, an oil works foreman, & son-in-law Ernest Parish, glass cutter (husband of Florence Louisa Dodd). His effects were £224.13s.10d.
The children of Ann Maria Freeth & Joseph Dodd were:
fh.4.6.1.7.1.7.1 Florence Louisa Dodd christened January 21st, 1894 at St Matthias’, Birmingham,
Warwickshire; died Oct-December 1988 at Sandwell, W. Midlands
fh.4.6.1.7.1.7.2 Mabel Elizabeth Dodd born April 17th,1895 at West Bromwich,
Staffs; died May 1995 at South Staffordshire
fh.4.6.1.7.1.7.3 Joseph Wilfred Dodd born September 10th, 1896 at West Bromwich,
Staffs; died February 16th, 1969 at 98 Bleak Hill Rd, Birmingham
fh.4.6.1.7.1.7.4 Leonard Dodd born September 3rd, 1898 at West Bromwich, Staffs; died February 19th, 1968 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.7.1.7.5 John Henry Dodd born June 17th, 1900 at West Bromwich,
Staffs; died November 1995 at Sandwell, West Midlands