My Family History by

Stephen Howard

June 2011

One of my Great Uncle's was Harry Brown 1866 - 1955 of Leighton Buzzard. A very known figure of his day. A large man of 20 stone, it seems that those who met him didn't forget him or many reasons. His wealth, his shear size, his presence. My dad met him once when 5 years old (maybe twice, later). My Uncle met him once when he was about 15. I talked to someone online whose Great Aunt married Harry Brown. The stories are legendary.
From my point of view I'm fairly sure that one of Harry Brown's sisters (most likey Mary J Brown) was my grandfathers mother on my dad's side. He has no known father. A scandall kept quiet maybe?
Anyway, back to Harry Brown.



This is one of my dad's photo's/postcards that have survived the years. This may be one of Harry Brown's Sand/Gravel/Tarmac places. We know he had many a successful business. There are 6 men in the picture. In the car???



Could this be Harry Brown sat in his car? He looks a large man so fits the description.

Thomas Howard


Stephen Charles Howard born 1957, Nottingham
My son
Sam Howard b. 1986, Nottingham - His mother: Kim Hawes
My daughter
Alice Snell b. 1995, Nottingham - Her mother: Mona Snell

My brother
Robert Neil Howard b. 1961, Nottingham - Moved to USA in 1997. Married Jane Sutton b. ? Leicester
One daughter Sarah-Jane b. 2000
13th sept Rob and Janes wedding anniversary


Steve, Rob and Bess the dog sometime in the mid 60's at Mablethorpe on the East coast


Granny (Helen Howard / Atkinson) Pearl and Eric with me (Stephen) circa 1958

My dad:
Eric John Howard b. 10th May 1929, Nottingham - married to Pearl Leatherland Feb 9th 1957
My dads brothers Maurice, Michael & Tom
His parents:
Tom Brown (later changed his surname to Howard) dob 25th feb 1894, Essex. Died 1954, cremated Wilford Hill cemetery, Brothers 0 Sisters 0
Helen Atkinson dob 8th aug 1900ish, Worcester area, died 1977, cremated Wilford Hill cemetery, Brothers - 3 Sisters - 3

My Mum
Pearl Leatherland born January 11th 1934 in Sneinton, Nottingham.
Her Sisters Marg, Edith, May. Brother Stanley
Her parents
Alice Maude Leatherland (formerly Selby) b. Nottingham
George Leatherland. b. Nottingham


Eric and Pearl, wedding day Feb 9th, 1957

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On my dads side

My grandad:
Tom Brown (later changed his surname by deed pol to Howard after some family rift or Tom's stuborness).
Eric remembers that Tom was a little bit of "the black sheep of the family". Eric remembers that he had a run in with French police
while in France and had to do a runner. Why he chose Howard as a new surname is anybody's guess.
The browns were from the South of England around the Braintree, Chelmsford, Codicote area's and Tom was born down there somewhere.

My grandma:
Helen Atkinson born 8th aug 1900ish, Worcester area, died 1977


This is Helen Atkinsons parents (my great grandparents) in 1950 aged around 90 presumably in the Worcester area.
They most likely would have been born in the 1860's
.

My great grandad (Tom Browns dad):
Mr Brown - Braintree, Chelmsford, Codicote area's
was involved with sawmills, produced lime for fields. Some other family were working with barges maybe transporting such items.

My Great Grandma (Tom Browns mum):
Mrs Brown - Was a teacher

Tom Brown moved to nottingham as a kid with his mum who got a job in Nottingham at Bluebill Hill school for girls. This suggests she must have built up a reputation as a teacher around the Braintree area where they came from.

Tom Browns mum & dad may have holidayed in Germany. Before the 1st war many British holidayed there. My dad (Eric) remembers that they may have bought good quality china back and there were many postcards/letters/correspondance that eminated from Germany. All these artifacts have long since gone.

Tom Brown went to Mundella school in Nottingham.

After he left school Tom moved back to Braintree to work, then the Malvern/Worcester where he met Helen Atkinson (My Granny) whose family were from that area.

They moved to Nottingham. Tom married Helen Atkinson. I assume they married in Nottingham.

Tom Howards (Brown) mum went back to Braintree and died when Eric (my dad) was about 4 years old so that would be something like 1933.

Tom Howard (Brown) died in 1954.
Helen Howard (my granny, and the only grandparent I ever knew) died in 1977. I didn't go to the funeral.

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