Edward Widdowson

Edward was the son of Frederick Widdowson and Mary Ann Allen (née Parr). In 1911 Mary Ann (Widdowson), as head of household, completed the census giving her status as 'widow' and that she had been married for 34 years, ie c. 1877 and there is a record of the marriage of a Mary Ann Parr to Josiah George Allen at Bulwell St Mary the Virgin and All Souls in July 1877. Mary Ann had had eleven children of whom only six survived. Eight children have been traced from the census and registrations of birth. All the births were registered in the surname Allen, mother's maiden name Parr, with three children having Widdowson as a second name. Although the children were named Widdowson on the census records, the registrations of marriage of three of her daughters were recorded in the surname Allen. The eight children were: Elizabeth b. Bulwell abt. 1881 bap. Bulwell St Mary & All Souls April 1882 (mother Mary Ann Allen, 5 Old Yard), and Myra Widdowson birth registered 1884 (J/F/M), Hannah birth registered 1886 (J/F/M), Fred (or Frederick) birth registered 1888 (J/F/M), Edward b. 1893, Constance b. 1896, John Widdowson b. 1898 d. 1899 and Muriel Constance b. 1900 d. 1901 who were all born in Basford. Frederick (40), a dyer's labourer, and Mary Ann (Allen) were living together at Leone Terrace, John Street, New Basford, at the time of the 1891 Census. Mary Ann's marital status was described on the census as 'mistress'. She and Frederick had four children: Elizabeth (9), Myra (7), Hannah (5) and Frederick (3). Frederick snr. died in 1901 (burial 2 February) and in 1901 Mary Ann (Widdowson), 'widow', who was working as a charwoman, was living at 97 Rye Street, New Basford, with her children Hannah, Fred a commercial clerk, Edward (7), Constance (4) and Muriel (1) who died later that year. Elizabeth was employed as a domestic servant in Lea, Derbyshire, and Myra was a domestic servant at a lodging house in Nottingham. By 1911 Mary Ann (Widdowson) and two of her children, Edward who was in work ('beaner') and Constance a cigarette maker, were living at 69 Rye Street. Three of Mary Ann's daughters were married. Elizabeth married Albert Gamble in 1905 and was living off Middleton Street, Nottingham. Myra married Frank Newton in 1906 and was living on Gauntley Street, New Basford; her husband died in 1916 and in 1919 she married Mark Blay. Hannah married Walter Jarvis in 1905 and was living on Quarry Road, Bulwell, Nottingham. Mary Ann's eldest son Fred (Widdowson) had enlisted in the Militia/Reserve Division of the Militia on 16 May 1906 (1412 Private, 4th Bn Sherwood Foresters). He gave his age as 18 years 3 months, occupation coal miner (Hucknall Colliery) and named his mother and brother Edward, both of 61 Rye Street, New Basford, as his next of kin. He was discharged by purchase on 25 January 1907. The only potential record for Fred identified so far on the 1911 census is a Fred Widdowson age 23 (b. Nottingham 1888) who was serving in the 1st Bn Sherwood Foresters at Gough Barracks, Trimulgherry, Deccan, India, although on the night of the census he was 'absent, Poona.' Fred was named on Edward's CWGC record ('Additional information') suggesting that their mother had died by the time the record was compiled. There is a registration of the death of a Mary A Allen (b. abt 1856) who died in 1913 (O/N/D). An inquest into the death of a Josiah Allen, a coal miner of Bulwell, Nottingham, after a fall at home, was reported in the Nottingham Evening Post in January 1913. Edward's four sisters - Elizabeth, Myra, Hannah and Constance - were his legatees.