Eileen Ellen Howson 1921-1999
1921. Eileen Ellen Howson was born on 6/5/1921 at The Mothers Hospital (Salvation Army) Clapton to Thomas Howson & Ellen Ireland . Her father a journeyman printer, address 113, Seymour Road, Leyton
Mother and daughter were transferred to the Hackney Infirmary on 12/5/1921
her mother was then transferred to Claybury Hospital on 19/5/1921 and died there. of on 26/5/1921
Eileen 1938
1921C. Taken on 10/6/1821, 6 weeks agter her birth Ellen E Howson, 1, was a patient in 230, Hackney Infirmary, High Street, Homerton, Hackney,Under "marriage or orphaned" the record states "father alive" although overwritten NK which is odd.
Eileen Ellen Lyons (nee Howson) was bom on the 6th May l92l at the Salvation Army Mothers
Hospital in Clapton. Sadly, she grew up without knowing her mother Ellen who died just 3 weeks
after giving birth. The cause of death was Puerperal Septicemia which was ironic because the
Mothers hospital, at that time, was a state of the art facility. Without the existence of antibiotics
such deaths were not uncommon.
Eileen was brought up by her Aunt Emma who had lost her husband in 1923 due to illness
contracted during the First World War. Tom Howson (her father) and Emma Clements were
brother & sister. They set up home together at 25 Belgrave Street Stepney to bring up their two
young daughters. The other girl was her cousin Cecilia (Cis as she was known).
Eileen spoke of harsh times as a child which did not mean she was treated badly, but the absence
of a motherly bond had affected her. In those day's fathers did not express feelings and were less
tactile. Despite this she always spoke fondly of her father Thomas, a kind and caring man whose
early death aged just 48 was a devastating blow when she was just 19.
Eileen first became aware that her mother had died when she was eight years old and was shown a
photograph of her. An upsetting experience that must have affected her for the rest of her life.
Despite this, she was looked after and cared for in a family home by her father, two aunts and her
cousin Cissie. The other aunt was Florence who was a very nice person who later moved to a small
bungalow at Wickford. Many nice holidays were spent there with days out at Southend or Clacton.
At age 15 Eileen left school and found employment at her father's place of work - Crowther and
Goodman, a printing business in the Cify of London. Thomas Howson was a machine overseer, a
skilled job with responsibility for production. She worked in the finishing department and I have a
paper folding tool that bears her initials. She had an accident at work and lost the tip of an index
finger in a stitching machine.
Eileen met William Lyons (her future husband) at Crowther and Goodman, she was 16 at the time
and Bill, as was known, was an apprentice compositor. This was 1937. After a six-year courtship they were
married on the 6th February 1943. The choice of a wartime wedding was probably because Bill was
due to be posted overseas with the RAF. They had a few days honeymoon spent at the bungalow in
Wickford before Bill was posted to Scotland and shortly after onto Ceylon.
Following the death of her father, Eileen moved to Plaistow with Florence and Cis (whose mother
had also died). In 1941 the house was struck by a bomb and largely destroyed, fortunately it was
empty at the time. They all moved once again to a house in Forest Gate where they lived until the
end of the war. Bill returned from Ceylon in late 1944 and remained in the RAF until lanuary 1946
when Eileen had her first child, John. The new family moved to Kenton
After the war Bill returned to Crowther & Goodman and completed his apprenticeship. The family
moved once more in 1955 and Eileen worked at a bakers shop to help save for a final move to
Pinner in 1961. There they purchased their first house and in 1965 a daughter, Gillian was born;
and in 1970 John was married and left home. Life was full with raising a young child, renovating
the house and enjoying holidays together. John moved to Wisbech in 1975 and regular visits were
maintained.
1937.She worked in the finishing department of Crowther & Goodman, where her father was also employed as a machine minder.It was here that she met her future husband, William Lyons, who was employed there since 1936, as was his older sister, Hilda
1939 Reg. Eileen E Howson, Printers folder & sewwer, was living 25 Belgrave Road, Stepney
| Thomas | Howson | 21 May 1891 | Male | Printers Machine Room Overs | Widowed | 104 | 1 |
| Emma E | Clements | 12 Jul 1885 | Female | Unpaid Domestic Dutties | Widowed | 104 | 2 |
| Florence L | Howson | 10 Nov 1888 | Female | Bookfolder (Printers) | Single | 104 | 3 |
| Eileen E | Lyons (Howson) | 06 May 1921 | Female | Printers Folder & Sewwer | Single | 104 | 4 |
The Initials E H can be seen on the left
1943. Eileen Ellen Howson married William Lyons on 6/2/43 at St Mary The Virgin Church Kenton. with sister Jessie and niece Audrey as bridesmaids, brother Dennis Lyons being best man. On the m.c. his father William J Lyons is given as Salesman, hers, T H Howson deceased. Witnesses were D C Lyons & W G Howson, her uncle.
Eileen arriving at the church with her Uncle William
1946 A son, John Lyons, was born at St Mary’s Hospital Stratford; Eileen lived with Eva ( Bill's older sister) and Harry Paynea in Woodford Green for a short time before she returned to Kenton. Bill completed his training with Crowther & Goodman and on the 7th May he was “freed” from apprentice
1948 The family moves to a flat at Harrow on the Hill where youngest brother Dennis was a lodger until 1950. His apprenticeship served, Bill was admitted to The Worshipful Company of Stationers and he went on to become a Freeman of The City of London.
Bill, John & Eileen 1948
1961. They bought their first house in Pinner
1966. Their daughter, Gillian Lyons, was born,
Harry, Stephen & Audrey, Eileen, Gillian, Eva, John, Bill & David - 1966 on a visit to Harry & Eva Payne in Nottingham
.
John, Eileen & Gillian - en route to John's wedding in 1970
1978. Her husband, William Lyons, died
In the 1990s she moved down to Portsmouth, 10 Sullivan Close, Solent View, to be near daughter, Gillian
1999. Eileen Ellen Lyons died 30/11/1999 Portsmouth. She collapsed on a bus and died in Portsmouth General Hospital. The police contacted Frank( Bill/s brother) & Joan Lyons - as their phone number was found in Eileen's bag
