Robert HOWE

[genjen]

Hi,

This is a bit of a long shot but always worth a try.

I had a great-uncle, Robert Howe, born 1892, Nairn, Scotland, parents Clarence Samuel Howe and Catherine Shaw. He emigrated to Australia, not sure when but the story goes that he fought in WW1 in the Australian armed forces - don't know whether it was army or navy though the rest of the family was very much a seafaring one. I believe he lost an arm and that when he was invalided out of the forces, he stayed in Australia - N.S.W. I think, where he became secretary to the Governor of the state.

This story came from an elderly cousin of my father so I'm not sure of how accurate it is but would be extremely grateful if anyone can come up with any information on Robert. The only other thing I "know" is that his wife and one daughter were named Betty ( presumably Elizabeth).

If he was a fairly high ranking civil servant, I imagine there will be some mention of him in some state archives.

With so little to go on, I'm not sure what to expect but I always have high hopes of Rootschatters.

Cheers,

Jen

[jorose]

Well, he did serve in WWI:
http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/recordsearch.aspx
(I searched for Robert Howe Nairn and one record came up).

His next of kin is originally given as mother Mrs C. Howe, address in Aberdeen but a bit hard to read as at some point it has been crossed over and replaced with 'widow, L. E. Howe, 3 Story St, Parkville, Vic'. He gave his occupation as seaman. There are some notes on page 4 of his records about hospital stays - in 1917, listed as, Genl Hosp. S.W.C/F Rt. Arm.

There is also a letter to him indicating that some belongings of F. A. Howe, his brother, also of the A.I.F. were being forwarded to him (after some delay in locating R. Howe as next of kin).

There seems to be another possible brother - James Shaw Howe, b. Nairn, mother Catherine Howe of Aberdeen - in the WWI records.  He died in 1917 due to wounds received in action. There are a series of letters in his file to/from a Mrs W. Tulloch/Tullock, who had been writing to him and not receiving any response, throughout 1915. Later on she describes him as a great friend of hers, and asks if he's left any money for her sister, Miss Madden...

[genjen]

Oh wow, that's wonderful. In a minute I am going to have good look at the link you have given me but I wanted to say thank you first.

Frederick Arthur was Robert's brother and I knew that he had also gone to Australia and died there. James Shaw Howe's death record, I do have but didn't know about the letters so now I want to find out what that was about. Who, I wonder, were Mrs Tulloch and Miss Madden?

Many thanks,

Jen

[genjen]

I have just spent two hours going through the records of all the men mentioned above. What an amazing resource.

I now know that Robert Howe was barely taller than I am, at 5'3" and weighing in at only nine stones. Very like my grandfather, his younger brother, who was tiny and slightly built. Frederick Arthur Howe was a bit of a rebel and was court martialled and sentenced to one hundred days confinement. His brother, Robert, in a letter, said that he considered Frederick to be "mentally not all there" after the war. Hardly surprising, though he did live for many years after his discharge in 1919.
As for James Shaw Howe, the description of him makes me think he looked like his father, my great grandfather, being 5'6" and over eleven stones, with a florid complexion. He proved to be an elusive character as far as Mrs Tulloch and her sister were concerned. She was persistent in her attempts to find him and I can only think that the authorities must have been heartily fed up with her letters!

On the last page of documents refering to James Shaw Howe, it says that a memorial plaque was sent to his mother, Mrs C Howe, in Aberdeen. That same plaque, treasured and highly polished, is in my mother's fireplace, along with a load of rather ordinary horse brasses. There are not many of her possessions which I covet but...............!

I should still like to find out more about Robert and Frederick's post war lives so if anyone out there knows anything, please get in touch. It seems my father's cousin was not right about Robert's occupation but I have discovered that he was actually in Melbourne in 1934.

Jen

[cando]

Hi

Death

HOWE Robert
Father Howe Clarence
Mother Cathr  SHAW
Death Place PARKVILLE  Age 47  1939
Reg # 12152

You can purchase death registration online and download immediately from
http://online.justice.vic.gov.au/servlet/bdm_home
Will give you marriage details, cause of death, names of chn, where buried etc.


Cando

[genjen]

Cando,

Thanks for the death record. Is this a site where I can pay for a one off certificate or do I have to buy a fixed number of units - which I may never need again!

Jen

[cando]

The following marriage reg is the only one for a Robert with no 2nd given name

HOWE Robert
SMITH  Lily Ellen 1921  Reg# 8917

The birth records for Victoria only extend to 1920 on disk, so I am unable to help you with any possible births to this marriage.

Death for Lily

HOWE Lily Ellen
Father Smith Edward J
Mother Mary Jane  PUCKETT
Death Place Heidelberg  71 years  1972

Re purchase of certificates - you pay for the actual registration which is $17.50.  Follow instructions on site - Purchase and download.


Cando

[cando]

Do you have the following

HOWE Fredk Arth
Father Howe Clarence Saml Mother Catherine  SHAW
Death Place DFORD  [Could be Daylesford] Aged 36  1932  Reg# 1260

Cheers
Cando

[genjen]

Thanks again! It would seem that this must be him, I wonder why my father's cousin thought she was called Betty. The name on the archive enlistment form is Mrs L. S. Howe, or at least that's what it looks like to me - I suppose it could be L. E. Or maybe she called herself Lily Smith Howe.

I find this faintly spooky, as a Howe by birth, with a mother who was a Smith!

I didn't have the official rcord for Frederick Arthur's death, so am very grateful for that too.

Jen