Mary Elizabeth Howell Evans's birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1870 in Chester, Cheshire. She was the eldest of the five children of William Howell Evans(1835-1892) and Elizabeth Evans née Edmunds (1844-1928). Her father was a clerk in holy orders.
The 1871 census shows her living at The Parsonage, Broughton, Flintshire, Wales, with her parents, a cook, a nurse, a housemaid and a coachman. Her father was the Curate of St Mary's Church, Broughton. The 1881 census shows her living at The Vicarage, Church Street, Oswestry, Shropshire, with her parents, four siblings, a cook, a nurse, a parlour-maid, a housemaid and an under-nurse. The 1891 census informs that she was residing at the vicarage of St Thomas's Church, Russell Road, Rhuddlan, Rhyl, Flintshire, Wales, with her parents, two siblings, a cook, a parlour-maid and a housemaid.
When her father died on 26 April 1892 as the Clerk Canon of St Asaph, his estate initially totalled £11,549-17s-5d but was subsequently resworn to £15,639-5s-1d.
The 1901 census shows her living at Trewythan, Gresford, Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales, with her widowed mother, four siblings and three female domestic servants and she was still here at the time of the 1911 census with her mother, three siblings, a cook, a parlour-maid and a widowed old servant of 61 years.
Her mother died on 11 September 1928 at Edderton Hall, Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, Wales and her estate totalled £15,688-18s-5d but was subsequently resworn to £15,639-5s-1d.
A member of the Women's Voluntary Service, she died, aged 73 years, on 3 July 1944, together with her sister, Annie, as a result of enemy action when a V1 bomb fell on their home at 1 Sloane Court East, London, SW3. Probate records state that her body was not found until the 8 July 1944 and that when probate was granted on 8 February 1945 to her brother, Lieutenant Colonel Hugh John Howell Evans, D.S.O. (1873-1961), her estate totalled £20,644-18s-4d.
She is also commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey, London.
It would appear that the children were all given forenames that included the last one that was Howell. Even his wife adopted the name and became Elizabeth Howell Evans. Later in life some of the family began using the name hyphenated, "Howell-Evans". The use of "Howell" could have been just a whim, or it could be related to a financial/inheritance arrangement similar to others that we have come across. See William Burdett-Coutts for some instances.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan
