Henry Montague Dear

Henry Montague, known as Montague, was born in 1897 and was the son of James William Dear and Emily Jane Dear (nee Bransom or Branson). His father, James, was born in London (bap. 23 November 1870 All Saints Tower Hamlets), the son of James and Anne Dear who both came from Huntingdon. In 1871 the family was living at 8 Devonshire Place, Tower Hamlets, but by 1881 they were back in Huntingdon and in 1891 living at 11 Sayers Street where James' elderly parents were still living in 1911. His mother, Emily Jane Bransom, was born in Otley, Yorkshire, (abt. 1875) although her family appears to have come from Huntingdon as her older brother, Albert, was born there. Her mother, Mary, was widowed young and left with two infant children. In 1877 Mary Branson (sic) married Samuel Baker and in 1881 the family, which now included Emily's two half-siblings, lived on Church Lane, Alconbury, Huntingdon. Emily and James William were married in 1892 (marriage registered Huntingdon) and had three children; William Robert b1893 (Huntingdon), Arthur Albert b 14 August 1894 (Basford, Nottingham) and Henry Montague b1897 (Huntingdon). James William died in 1898 aged 27 (death registered Huntingdon). The Probate record gives his address as 8 Merritt Street, Huntingdon, and his occupation as railway labourer. Two years later in 1901 Emily was still in Huntingdon and living at 7 Sayers Street with her three sons, William (8), Arthur (6) and the youngest boy who was listed as Montague H (4). Also in the household were two boarders, Harry Brown (21) a tailor, and Susana Goodis (63) who was living on her own means. Emily and her sons later removed to Nottingham and at the time of the 1911 census Emily (36) was a patient in the Hospital for Women on Castle Gate, Nottingham. She died that year in Nottingham and was buried in Nottingham on 6 May 1911. On the 1911 census Emily's three sons were living at 150 Burford Road, Hyson Green; William Robert, a telephone mechanic, was described as the head of the household. Arthur Albert was a grocer's assistant and Henry Montague a butcher's assistant. Also in the household were two lodgers, John Gallen a brewer and Thomas McCrowe a lace machinist. Henry's brother William Robert died in Nottingham the following year aged 20; he was buried on 27 July 1912. When Henry enlisted in Territorial Force he gave his surviving brother, Arthur, as his next of kin but later named a friend, Ellen Saunders, as his legatee and she is the person with whom the Army corresponded after Henry's death in 1915. At the time of his death Henry was living at 16 Bobbersmill Road, Hyson Green. His Will was made out in favour of Miss Ellen Mary Saunders and she later took receipt of his personal possessions, listed as religious books, photographs and cards, at which time she was living at 11 Bobbersmill Road. In April 1919 Ellen now married (Heafield) and living at 1 Rose Tree Lane, Newhall near Burton on Trent, completed a form for the army giving the names of Henry's surviving blood relatives; she recorded a surviving brother [Arthur] but did not know his whereabouts. Arthur Albert married Daisy Beard in 1917 (marriage registered Nottingham). He died in 1976 (death registered Nottingham).