William Freeth was the tenth child of James Freeth & Maria Vezey born at Moor St, West Bromwich & christened August 29th, 1848 at Christ Church, West Bromwich, Staffs.
At the time of the 1851 census William was living at home with his parents, brothers & sisters at Moore St, West Bromwich.
In 1861 he was still at home at the Pheasant Inn, Albert St, West Bromwich.
On November 14th, 1870 William married Jane Stodden at St Thomas, Dudley. Jane was the daughter of Richard & Charlotte Stodden born August 26th, 1847 & christened September 8th, 1849 at Christ Church, West Bromwich.
In the 1871 census William was recorded at home at Albert St, West Bromwich & he was a bundler at the iron works. He was listed as unmarried. However his wife Jane Freeth was recorded at Claypit Lane, West Bromwich with her father Richard Stodden, a 64 year old widower & her brother John, 37, who was registered as having been blind for 2 years. Both her father & brother were engine fitters at the iron works. Also living with Jane was her 4 year old niece Ada C Stodden.
By 1881 William & Jane had a 4 year old son, Richard S & they had adopted Jane’s niece Ada C Stodden (14) as their daughter. They were living at 22 Victoria St, West Bromwich & William was still a bundler at the iron works.
In 1891 William & Jane were still living at Victoria St with their son Richard who was an accountant’s clerk. William was still working at the iron works.
They were still living at Victoria St in 1901. William’s occupation was now described as ‘club secretary’. Sadly son Richard was a patient at the Burntwood County Asylum, Staffs at this time & was described as a lunatic & his profession given was commercial clerk.
In 1911 William & Jane were still at 24 Victoria St & William was now described as a commission agent. Son Richard was back living with his parents & described as a printer’s clerk. It was noted that Jane had 4 children, & only Richard had survived.
William of 24 Victoria St, West Bromwich died on January 2nd, 1912 at Smethwick. Probate was granted in London On July 3rd, 1913 to nephew Thomas Lewellyn Owen Freeth [fh.4.6.1.7.5.1], grocer. His effects were £188.9s.7d. The Smethwick Telephone of February 17th, 1912 revealed the sad events surrounding William’s death. William’s body was recovered from the Canal near Brasshouse Lane & he was a rent collector of High St, West Bromwich. His nephew, Harold Freeth, said he had left home for his round as usual but did not return home. He stated that William had been depressed for a few months. The police were informed & enquiries made. The same evening his wife received a letter from William intimating that by the time she received the letter he would be gone. Among other instructions to Jane he told her she would see ‘by certain papers that the Club owed him £330 & it was time to stop’. He said he had not had a good night’s sleep for 11 years, nothing but worry, worry, worry. It had affected his brain. It was thought that the 11 years referred to the first time son Richard had entered the asylum. The coroner assessed that William had been lending money to the organisation of which he was secretary & not receiving anything back. This had an affect on his mind which along with anxiety about his son lead to him committing suicide.
Jane died on June 9th, 1913 at 289 High St, West Bromwich (the home of brother-in-law James Freeth [fh.4.6.1.7.5]). Probate was granted at Lichfield on July 11th, 1913 to Elizabeth Cartwright, wife of Job Ebenezer Cartwright. Her effects amounted to £83.7s.
The 1939 register shows that son Richard was again in the Burntwood County Mental Hospital with no occupation.
The children of William Freeth & Jane Stodden were:
fh. 4.6.1.7.10.1 Charlotte Louisa Freeth born Oct-December 1870 at West Bromwich; died Jan-March 1871 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.7.10.2 Naomi Freeth born Jan-March 1873 at West Bromwich; died Jan-March 1773 at West Bromwich
fh.4.6.1.7.10.3 Richard Stodden Freeth born November 7th, 1874 at West Bromwich; died Oct-December 1959 in Lichfield, Staffs
fh.4.6.1.7.10.4 Frances Florence Freeth born July-September 1876 at West Bromwich; died July-September 1877 at West Bromwich