The Howard family
The Howard family, from which we are descended, appear to have originated in Cambridgeshire.
My earliest confirmed ancestor is
Henry Howard/Haward who appears to have been baptized at Croyon-cum-clopton, near Cambridge on 20th June, 1613.  This is the only a tentative connection between him and his possible father Nicholas Hayward.  This has yet to be confirmed, although I have been unable to find a burial or a will for Nicholas.

We do know, however, that
Henry Howard lived at Little Shelford.  It seems likely that he married Ann Vickers, most probably the daughter of Frances Vickers and Margret, on  25th March, 1633 at St. Sepulchre's, Cambridge.

Henry and Ann had the following children all baptised at Little Shelford:

Henry Howard (Sexton) bp 14.9.1634 L. Shelford
                                             m 24.4.1665 Stow-Cum-Quy to
Dorothy Sanders
Anne Hayward bp 9.4.1638 L. Shelford
Elizabeth Hayward bp 29.11.1640 L. Shelford
Mary Howard bp 9.4.1647 L.Shelford
                          bur 16.4.1647 L. Shelford
Johannes Howard/Hayward (Yeoman) bp 17.1.1649 ? L.Shelford
                                                                   m 1675?
Anna ?
                                                                   bur 19.3.1706 L.Shelford
Elizabeth Howard bp 23.3.1659 L.Shelford
                                   bur 6.5.1660 L. Shelford

Henry was buried on 28th May, 1659 and Ann,  on 29th March, 1660 both at Little Shelford.


Johannes Howard was a Yeoman farmer.  He was seems to have married to Anna but as yet no marriage can be found.  They had the following children, again at Little Shelford.

Johannes Howard (Yeoman) bp 8.5.1676 L.Shelford
                                                       m 16.4.1698 Duxford St.John  to
Anna King
                                                      bur 1.10.1726 L.Shelford
Anne/Anna Howard bp 19.3.1677 L. Shelford
                                      m before 1704 to
Thomas Chambers
Henry Howard/Hayward bp 8.9.1679 L.Shelford
                                              bur 12.9.1679 L.ShelfordNewman
Newman Howard/Hayward bp 19.3.1682 L.Shelford
                                                    bur 27.2.1683 L Shelford

Johannes or John made a will in 1704 and died in 1706.  The will stated that he was Yeoman of Great Shelford and he left a total of �95 worth of possessions and livestock.  He appears to have left all his lands to his son John and �80 to his other son Henry.


His son
Johannes, born in 1676 was also a Yeoman.  He married Anna King, daughter of Thomas King in 1698 at Duxford St. John. They had eight children, although only three all of them survived into adulthood. All were baptized at Little Shelford parish church:

Anna Howard bp 12.4.1699 L.Shelford
Elizabetha Howard bp 25.11.1700 L.Shelford
                                     bur 24.2.1720 L.Shelford
Johannes Howard bp 18.5.1702 L.Shelford
                                    bur 28.8.1702 L.Shelford
Johannes Howard bp 12.7.1703 L.Shelford
                                     bur 28.9.1703 L.Shelford
Henry Howard (Yeoman) bp 10.6.1707 L.Shelford
                                            m 28.1.1729 Dullingham to
Ann Wallis
                                             bur 31.3.1752 L.Shelford
Johannes Howard bp 7.9.1713 L.Shelford
Thomas Howard bp 8.1.1715  L.Shelford
                              bur  13.1.1716 L. Shelford
Maria Howard bp 9.1.1717 L.Shelford
                         bur  6.10.1719 L.Shelford

John Howard died intestate in 1726. His  Letter of Administration and inventory, dated 11th October, 1726 listed, amongst other things, a total of 227 acres of agricultural land plus much livestock.   The total value of his estate was �648.
Henry Howard born in 1707 was also a Yeoman farmer.  He married Ann Wallis on 28th January 1729 at Dullingham.  Although they had six children, only four survived and all were baptized at Little Shelford parish church.

Elizabetha Howard bp 20.3.1730 L.Shelford
                                     bur 26.4.1730 L.Shelford
Elizabeth Howard bp 10.1.1731 L.Shelford
                                   m 29.8.1763 G. Shelford to
Robert Andrew
John Howard (Yeoman) bp 15.2.1733 L.Shelford
                                             m 11.7.1756 G.Shelford to
Constantia Graine
                                             bur 24.6.1769 L.Shelford
Ann Howard bp 14.5.1736 L.Shelford
                         bur 10.10.1736 L.Shelford
Ann Howard bp 17.1.1737 L.Shelford
                         m 27.7.1775 G.Shelford to
William Clark
Henry Howard bp 31.8.1739 L.Shelford
                             m 20.3.1763 L.Shelford to
Mary Allin

Henry Howard was a Yeoman farmer and in his will of 1752, he left all his estate to his widow, Ann and a total of �150  to his children.   He was buried on 31st March, 1752 at Little Shelford.  Ann
was buried in 1756.
John Howard was the eldest son of Henry Howard and Ann Wallis born and baptised at Little Shelford on 15th February, 1733. He married Constantia Graine, daughter of Richard Graine and Mary of Great Shelford, on 11th July, 1756 at Great Shelford parish church. They had five children:

Elizabeth Howard  bp 1.5.1757 L.Shelford
John Howard (Gentleman) bp 1.10.1758 L.Shelford
                                                  bur 29.9.1819 L.Shelford
Ann Howard bp 4.3.1759 L.Shelford
Henry Howard (Tailor of St. Andrew) bp 9.7.1762 L.Shelford
                                                                  m 20.6.1786 L.Shelford to
Elizabeth Gates
                                                                  bur 28.3.1801 L.Shelford
Peter Howard  bp 10.6.1764 L.Shelford
                            bur 11.10.1764 L.Shelford

John made his last will and testament on 5th March, 1767 and died two years latert. He was buried on 24th June, 1769 at Little Shelford. The inventory of his estate made on 4th August, 1769 showed that he had  owned 192 acres of farmland with four hundred sheep and lambs; the total amounting to �786.  His widow,
Constantia lived to the age of 89 and was buried on 14th march, 1825 at  Little Shelford.  Constant also made a will in 1822 which was not proved until 1832 in which the benefactors of her estate were her grandson John Henry Howard and her nephew Peter Grain (her brother's son) and his son Peter Grain, her great nephew.

Henry Howard born in 1762 was a tailor.  He married Elizabeth Gates, daughter of Richard Gates on 20th June, 1786 also at Little Shelford. Henry and Elizabeth had five children, all baptized at St.. Andrew the Great, Cambridge, where Henry was tailor.

Elizabeth Eddington Howard bp ? bur 25.5.1790 L.Shelford
Richard Gates Howard bp 17.2.1788 St.Andrew Grt
                                            bur 26.3.1816 L.Shelford
Henry Howard bp 9.3.1791 St.Andrew Grt
                            bur 15.6.1795 L.Shelford
Elizabeth Eddington Howard bp 30.12.1793 St.Andrew Grt
                                                  bur 8.1.1795
Anne Howard bp 13.11.1798 St.Andrew Grt
                           bur 4.3.1813 L.Shelford
John Henry Howard bp 13.11.1798 St.Andrew Grt
                                       m 26.6.1822 Shoreditch to
Susan Lofts
                                       bur 8.1.1860 L.Shelford

At the time of Anne and John Henry's baptism, Henry was described as a butcher.  However, when he died he was referred to as "Tailor of St. Andrew's".  He was buried on 28th March, 1801 at Little Shelford.
He left a will dated 26th March 1801.   In it he leaves everything to his brother
John Howard (Gentleman of Little Shelford) and a friend Edward Lunn and named them both as executors to pay out to his wife Elizabeth and children Richard Gates, Ann and John. The will does not mention any other children, i.e. Henry or Elizabeth Eddington, so we can only assume that they had died prior to Henry's last will.  Henry's widow Elizabeth died in 1809 and was also buried at Little Shelford on 10th October, 1809.

John Henry Howard was baptised together with his sister Anne on 13th November 1798 at St.. Andrew the Great church in Cambridge. John Henry married Susan Lofts, daughter of Alexander Lofts and Rebecca Watts, on 26th June, 1822 at St.. Leonard's church, Shoreditch, London.
It  appears that John Henry moved around quite a bit and had a variety of jobs.  He and Susan had seven children:

John Henry Howard (Tailor) bp 19.3.1823 L.Shelford
Ann Freeman Howard bp 19.9.1824 L.Shelford
                                          m 14.3.1850 L.Shelford to
Alexander Rider
Elizabeth Howard bp 14.7.1825 Hauxton
                                   bur ?  before 1831
Richard Gates Howard (Shoemaker) bp 24.7.1827 Hauxton
                                                                    m 29.10.1849 Little Shelford to
Caroline Elbourn (b 1832)
                                                                    d ? in Australia
Frederick  Lofts  Howard (Tailor)  bp 24.7.1827  Hauxton
                                                               m  23.12.1857 Comberton to
Eliza Williamson
                                                               m? by 1881 to
Charlotte ?
                                                               d 8.11.1913 Chatham Workhouse Infirmary, Kent
Henry Hillard Howard (Farmer) bp16.8.1829 G.Shelford
                                          (emigrated to Australia in Nov 1852 aboard the Diadem)
                                          m May 1864 Terang, Victoria, Aus to
Mary Ann Murphy
                                          d 25.12.1912 Australia
Elizabeth Gates Howard bp 11.9.1831 G.Shelford
                                               m 31.1.1851 Little Shelford to
Edward Whybrow
                                               m by 1871 to
Richard Withers
When John Henry's first 2 children were born at Little Shelford, his status isn't clear, but by 1825 at Hauxton he was a shop- keeper.  By 1827 he was recorded as a Gentleman, as he was up to 1831 at Great Shelford.   In 1841 they were living at Barrington and he was a  Schoolmaster.  However, by 1851 John Henry was a land surveyor, living in Newton Road, Little Shelford with his wife Susan, son Frederick and grandson Wellington
John Henry died in 1860 and was buried on 8th January at Little Shelford.

                                                          Opposite is a photograph of
John Henry Howard
                                                          taken c. 1860 shortly before his death. Copy    
                                                          given by
Gordon Boundy (grt grt grandson of   
                    
                                      Ann Freeman Howard and Alexander Rider).
Frederick Lofts Howard  was the fifth child of John Henry Howard and Susan Lofts, presumably born in 1827 at Hauxton. He was baptized at the same time as his brother Richard Gates Howard, on 24th July 1827 at Hauxton parish church and I believe that they were twins.  Frederick was not living with the rest of his family in Barrington in 1841, but in Bassingbourne as an apprentice tailor to Stephen Stamford.  This 1841 census supports the theory that Frederick and his brother Richard Gates were twins, as they are both recorded as being 14 years old.  However, in 1851, Frederick was back living at home with his parents. The  family were living in Newton Road, Little Shelford;  Frederick, himself was a journeyman tailor, although his age is given as 22.
Frederick married
Eliza Williamson, daughter of James Williamson, miller and Lydia Rust of West Street, Comberton, in December 1857 at Comberton parish church.
They had six children all baptised at Comberton:

Kate Howard bp 26.12.1858 Comberton
                          m ?  to
George Cole
                          d 8.6.1944 Swan, near Perth, Australia
Bertha Howard (nurse) bp 9.9.1860 Comberton
                                           m 19.11.1884 Comberton to
William Ashman
Henry John Howard (Seaman) bp 2.11.1862 Comberton
Agnes Howard bp 10.7.1864 Comberton
                             m 1895 Bishops Stortford to
William Smith
James Williamson Howard (Seaman/Fireman) b 16.12.1865 bp 1.11.1868 Comberton
                                                                         m 16.8.1898 Clerkenwell to
Rose Alma Dellor
                                                                         d 16.12.1931 Lambeth
George Howard bp 1.11.1868 Comberton

Frederick was not at home on census night 1871, and his wife was not recorded as a widow so it was  assumed that he was away, perhaps working or, there had been a breakup? Then I found him living at 3 Manor Gardens, Chelsea (RG10/75/8/7) with his sister
Elizabeth and her second husband Richard Withers.
By 1881 all the children were found in different places;
Kate was a ladies maid visiting in Taversham, Bertha was a domestic nurse working at St.. Annes Hospital, Cambridge, Agnes, 16, was living with an uncle, William Holborn in Harlton (his wife Lydia Holborn was Eliza's sister), and George, 12 was an inmate at Chesterton school. Henry was found to be in the navy; aged 18 he was Ordinary seaman serving on the V "Coquette". James Williamson was also in the navy; he was aged 15 and stationed on a boys training ship, the H.M.S. Impregnable at Devonport Dockyard in Devon.  Therefore, I had expected to find both Eliza and Frederick deceased.   It appears that Eliza had indeed died  25th December, 1876 at Comberton.  Frederick, however, turned up on the 1881 Census;  a tailor aged 50 living at the Jolly Bleachers licensed Lodging House in Croydon with his wife Charlotte, a tailoress born in Lewes and a new son Fred M C Howard, aged 5 born in Brighton, Sussex.   As yet I have been unable to find the actual birth record or a marriage for Frederick and Charlotte. In 1871, Frederick was visiting the home of Richard Withers and his wife Elizabeth at 3 Manor Gardens, Chelsea.    Elizabeth was his younger sister.  . Strangley, in 1891 Frederick appears to have been bording at the  Lodging Houses, Pleasant Lane, Kingston, Surrey.  He was aged 63, a tailor and widowed. There is no sign of son Fred.
The 1901 census has an entry of York showing a
Fred Howard aged 72, a tailor and recorded as being born 'Not Known'.    After extensive searching through the 1901 census, it is the only Fred Howard that is a tailor and so the probability is high that it is him.  If  so then what was he doing in York? Even stranger, he was back in Kent in the next 12 years as he eventually died on 8th November, 1913 at the Chatham Workhouse Infirmary, Kent aged 86, of Senile decay and Heart failure.

Kate Howard  emigrated to Perth, Australia and married George Cole. It is not known when or where they married. There, she had a son, James Howard Cole in 1895.  Records in the Australian death Indexes and the Perth Metropolitan Cemetries Board suggest that George Cole died at Swan in 1927 aged 87 (date unknown) and that Kate died at Swan on the 8th June 1944; both are buried at gravesite 49 at Guildford cemetery.  Their son James Howard Cole was born in 1895 at Perth and died on 29th January, 1958 aged 62. He is buried at Karrakatta cemetery.

James Williamson Howard, my great grandfather,  was born on 16th December, 1865 in Comberton, Cambridgeshire. He was baptized at the same time as his brother, George, on the 1st November, 1868 at Comberton parish church.  In 1871 he lived at West Street, Comberton with his mother, brothers and sisters.
It appears from his Naval records that James joined the Royal Navy on 6th June, 1881 where he was on the ship Bosaawen until March 31st of the same year.  He was a 15 year old boy B2 Class and at the time of  the 1881 census he was serving on H.M.S. Impregnable, a boy's training ship that was stationed at Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth.
By the time, he left the Navy on 2nd January, 1894 he was Drill Class at Headquarters.   He served on a further thirteen ships from 1 July 1881 to 15th December 1893.  His character was described as good or very good throughout his naval career and he moved from B1 class to Ordinary Seaman in December 1883 and then to Able Seaman in April 1887.

On June 13th, 1894 James Williamson joined the London Fire brigade, serving at Islington Fire station. From 22 November, 1894 he was removed to Farringdon Road Fire Station, Clerkenwell.  On 31st December, 1897 he was awarded the Diamond Jubilee medal.
He married
Rose Alma Dellor, daughter of John Thomas Dellor, butcher and Ann
Marie Carter
, on 16th August 1898 at Clerkenwell.   In October of the same year, James was moved to the Fire Brigade Headquarters where he served until 1899.
James and Rose had three children:

Alfred James George Howard b 14.8.1899 St.Saviour
                                                        m 29.10.1929 All Hallows, Tottenham to
Grace Winifre Kille
                                                        d 1974 Yeovil, Somerset
Lawrence Stanley Dellor Howard b 20.1.1907
                                                               m 17.9.1932 Stoke Newington to
Doreen May Curtis
                                                               d 1988 Christchurch
I
vy Rose Howard b 29.12.1911
                                  m 1947 to
George Easman
                                  d 1999 Exmouth

James Williamson left his family once or twice during this time.  On one occasion he went to New York and his wife and children followed.  This is documented on the Ellis Island records as on 8th August 1907 Rose and her two sons arrived on the Adriatic from Southampton.
James died on 16th December, 1931 at Lambeth Hospital at the age of  66. He had been working as a hotel plate man and living at 79 Lambeth Walk.
Rose died at Westcliff-On-Sea on 13th May, 1952.

Alfred James George Howard, was my grandfather. He was born on 14th August, 1899 in Southward Bridge Road, Southwark, London.   In 1916 Alfred joined the army. He joined
the 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment as No. 20382 Private Howard. During the War, he
served in both Battles of the Somme and Passchendaele in North France (where he was wounded) and then at the end of the war, in 1918 he signed on again to serve in the fighting of Egypt and Palestine.
After leaving the army in 1920/21, Alfred worked as a packer for Kensitas cigarettes and then later joined the Post Office. Alfred lodged at 86 Church Road, Tottenham
with his furture father-in-law
George Kille and daughters.
On October 29th, 1929 he married
Grace Winifred Kille (known a Win), daughter of George Kille and Alice Shilton, at All Hallows church, Tottenham.
They had a son Alan in 1932 who unfortunately died after a couple of hours.
Then on 6th October 1934 my mother,
Ann Kathleen Howard was born in Church Road, Tottenham.
They moved to 80 St. Pauls Road, Tottenham in 1939.
During World War II Alfred did frequent fire watch duty.
In 1971, Alf and Win moved to Cromwell Road, Yeovil, Somerset where they lived until their deaths in 1975.
Alfred J G Howard c1918
LINKS: Related families on  Robyn Smith's homepage
               and her site of
Little Shelford, Cambridgeshire
              
Cambridgeshire Family History Website
              
Cambridgeshire Births Marriages & Deaths Project 
              
Ellis Island Immigration records
              
Perth Metropolitan Cemetries Board         
Ann Freeman Howard born in 1824, married Alexander Rider, the son of Thomas Rider and Mary Lofts (the half sister of Susan Lofts).  I have had alot of help from Robyn Smith, the  descendant of Alexander's brother James Ryder and Ann Gates who emigrated to Australia after Alexander's death  For more information on these families and their Australian desendants, please see Robyn's homepage.
My mum, Ann Kathleen Howard, married Antony George Streatfield in 1960.

                      
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Richard Gates Howard was a shoemaker in the 1851 census of Little Shelford. He married Caroline Elbourn, daughter of John Elbourn and Mary Gifford on 29th October, 1849 at Little Shelford. They had the following children:
Isabella Howard b 2.1.1850, bp 28.4.1850 Little Shelford
                               m 24.2.1869 Pilfield, Victoria, Australia to
James Boggon
                               d 1933 Bendigo, Victoria
Catherine Howard bp 9.11.1851 Little Shelford
                                   bur 25.5.1853 Little Shelford
John Henry Howard bp 5.2.1854 Little Shelford

The family emigrated to Victoria, Australia aboard the ship Marshal Bennet in August 1854 (this was found on the Assisted British Immigrants list 1839-1871 on
http://proarchives.imagineering.com.au/) . Thanks to Dave Bruce for alerting me to Isabella's marriage in Victoria).  Isabella married James Boggon, a miner, in 1869 and the had ten children.