Great Grandfather: William Thomas TEW (c. 1901 - ????)

William's childhood

The birth of my great grandfather, William Thomas Tew, was registered in the second quarter of 1901 in the district of Warwick, in Warwickshire, England¹.

William's parents were John Tew from Whittlebury in Northamptonshire and Elizabeth Alford Tew nee Bell from Dartmouth in Devon².

In the house he was born into there were already a number of children.  The eldest was William's sister Annie (9 years his senior)³, quickly followed by May Emma Tew (4 years his senior) ⁴, Dorothy Annetta Tew (3 years his senior) ⁵, and finally Ellen⁶ and sidney John Tew (both 2 years his senior) ⁷.

 The year following his birth, in 1902, William's sister Florence was born⁸.

In 1904, when William was 3 his brother George Henry Tew was born⁹.

In 1907, when William was 6 his sister Edith Tew was born¹⁰.

In 1908, when William was 7 his brother Arthur James Tew was born¹¹.

William in 1911

On 31st March 1911 the national census took place.  At the time of the census William was aged 9 and the family were living at 19 Cabbington Road, Warwick.  William's father, John, was working as a gardener and his mother Elizabeth was a laundress¹². 

On the 8th October 1912, when William was 11, the First Balkans War began when Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia attacked the Ottoman Empire.  On 30th May the following year the Treaty of London was signed dealing with changes in territory during the war.  The countries involved our unhappy with the distribution and on 17 days after signing the treaty, on 16th May 2013 the Second Balkan War began.  On 10th August 1913 the Second Balkan War ended.

On the 28th June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated.  On the 4th August, Albert was aged13 and Britain was at War. 

Albert, aged 18, saw a truce declared on 10th November 1918.

Meanwhile on the 16th January 1919 in the United States of America prohibition began.

On the 28th June 1919 the controversial Treaty of Versaille was signed.

On the 28th February 1931 29 year old William was married at the parish church in Lillington, Warwickshire to 24 year old Ada Ethel Bloxham.  William was working as a sailor and living at 19 Cabbington Road, Warick - the same house that was his parent's family home in 1911.  His father John was then working as a bee-keeper.  William's new wife was living at 7 Vicarage Road, Leamington at the time of marriage and his father-in-law Ernest Alfred Bloxham worked as a roadman¹³.

In the third quarter of 1931, when William was 30, his first child was born in the Warwick district.

In the first quarter of 1933, when William was 32, his second child was born in the Warwick district.

In the second quarter of 1935, when William was 34, his third child was born in the Warwick district.

In the second quarter of 1939, when William was 38, his fourth child was born in the Warwick district.

In the third quarter of 1945, when William was 44, his fifth child was born in the Warwick district .

On 30th April 1951, William's second child married in the parish church of St. Marks in New Milverton, Warwickshire.  At the time of the marriage William was 50 and worked as a postman.

Sadly as yet I haven't found a death register for my great grandfather.

1. See William's birth certificate registered in the second quarter of 1901

2. See 1911 census (full reference details TBC)

3. See Birth register (full reference TBC)

4. See Birth register (full reference TBC)

5. See Birth register (full reference TBC)

6. See Birth register (full reference TBC)

7. See Birth register (full reference TBC)

8. See Birth register (full reference TBC)

9. See Birth register (full reference TBC)

10. See Birth register (full reference TBC)

11. See Birth register (full reference TBC)

12. See 1911 census (full reference details TBC)

13. See William's marriage certificate to Ada registered in the first quarter of 1931