HOWLETT, Thomas
No. 3/9740, Private, Thomas John HOWLETT
Aged 45
no record of medals
3rd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Died at home in Exning on Friday 20th April, 1917
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Born in Exning 11th Januaery 1872 [Newmarket 3b:557], 2nd son of William and Harriet HOWLETT (née PARR) of Bedlam Square, Exning, and elder brother of Abel HOWLETT and the uncle of
William HOWLETT
He was admitted to Exning Board school on 21st February 1876. 1881 census...At Bedlam Square, Exning were Thomas [9], his father William[38] Agr.Labourer..his mother Harriet [35], brothers William[13] Ag.Labourer, , Albert [6], James [5] and Abel [0] all born in Exning, plus grandmother Sarah Howlett [85] born Burwell. 1891 census...In Oxford Street, Exning were Thomas, his parents and brothers William, Albert, James and Abel, all the males being Farm Labourers plus new sisters May[7] and Caroline [6] and brother Freddy [2] all born in Exning 1901 census...At 5 Eleanor Terrace, Exning were Thomas, home on leave from the Army, his father and mother, brother William, now a labourer in stone pit , Thomas and Abel, now a labourer in sewerage, James, a gashouse Fireman. Also sisters May [18] a domestic nurse, Caroline [6] and brother Freddy [12] 1911 census... Thomas was at 5 Eleanor Terrace, Burwell Road, Exning with his parents, and brothers, (both still single) Albert and Fred. Also there was grandson William [16]. His brothers Abel and James were lodging at 40 Castle Street, Saffron Walden with the Flack family. |
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He died only 3 days after his younger brother Abel was killed in France Unable at present to trace his military career either pre- war or during the Great War. He is on the CWGC records but not on "Soldiers Died". He is not included in "Our Exning Heroes". His death certificate simply says he died aged 47 at 5 Eleanor Terrace, Burwell Road, Exning of Bronchitis (1 year), and that the informant was his brother A. Howlett who was present at the death. This must have been his brother Albert as Abel was reported killed in France on the 23rd April 1917. His occupation is given as labourer in cement works. From this we must conclude that Thomas had received a medical discharge from the Army. The only record of any military service of any sort is the reference in the 1901 census, his CWGC record and his headstone in Exning Cemetery. There seems to be no Medal Card, certainly not on-line. He has not been identified in the Boer Wars records either, another instance of needing family help to expand on his record. |
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