Lilac Cottage #2

Continuing the story of the Howe family, the occupants of Lilac Cottage, 1939-45.

The third son of my 2 x great grandfather William Howe, William David Howe was born on 29 March 1892 in South Cornelly. He was the second child named William David Howe. The first, born on 10 May 1890, died on 17 May 1891 of measles. He struggled with the disease for three and a half weeks. It was common in Victorian times for parents to name their children after a deceased sibling.

In 1939, William David Howe was working at C and J Gaen’s limestone quarry, the main employer in the village. Through the quarry, he was training to become an Air Raid Precaution warden. Air Raid Precaution wardens protected people during air raids and patrolled the streets during the blackouts to ensure that no lights were visible.

Gwendolyne Thomas, the wife of William David Howe, was born on 3 December 1892 in Bettws, Glamorgan, the third of eleven children. She married William in the early summer of 1917 when three month pregnant. In six years she gave birth to four children, two girls and two boys.

When the Second World War broke out, Gwendolyne was suffering from poor physical health due to a heart condition, and was registered as an invalid. Sadly, there was little hope that her health would improve.

William Kenneth Howe, known as Ken, the eldest son of William David Howe and  Gwendolyne, was born on 13 March 1919 in South Cornelly, Glamorgan. In 1939, he was a locomotive driver. The Great Western Railway line, developed in the mid-1800s, ran through the village and would have fascinated young boys like Ken. Train-spotting, recording the numbers of the various locomotives, was a popular pastime, and many youngsters dreamed of becoming locomotive drivers. Ken fulfilled that dream.

Joan Mary Howe, youngest daughter of William David Howe and Gwendolyne, was born on 20 February 1921 in South Cornelly, Glamorgan. When the Second World War broke out, she was eighteen years old, and full of an eighteen year old’s hopes and ambitions. With her mother unwell, and her older sister married, the duties of running the family home fell to Joan. She would have to wait before starting a family of her own.

Clifford Roy Howe, known as Roy, the youngest son of William David Howe and Gwendolyne, was born on 26 May 1923 in South Cornelly, Glamorgan. Single when the war started, like his father he worked in the limestone quarry. He was setting charges, causing explosions so that his fellow workmen could quarry the limestone. However, along with his brother Ken, Roy would have been aware that soon he’d be encountering explosions on the frontline.

Family Background

In 1919, my 2 x great grandfather William Howe was unwell, so the villagers railed round and arranged a prize draw for his benefit, raising the equivalent of £2,500. The success of the draw illustrated the high esteem in which William was held within the community.

Some book news. My novel Eve’s Peace, published on 14 April 2024, is a #3 Hot New Release on Amazon’s charts in America and Britain 🙂

An audiobook version is currently in production.

My latest Golden Age of Hollywood article for the Seaside News appears on page 43 of the magazine.

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