John Howard, PERCY, Frederic, John Henry, Benjamin, Thomas, Anthony, Henry
John Howard (Howard) (my father) born 5th May 1910 was the fourth child of eight born to Percy and (1) Dorothea Emilie Constance Young, and (2) Eleanor Hart. His siblings are (1)Percy Frederick George (George), William Albert Raymond (Ray), Connla John Osman (Osman), Dorothea Eleanor Constance (Nora), Arthur Sidney Nicholas (Dick), (2) Percy James (Jim) and John Christopher.
Percy Frederick George (George) (3 March 1905- 18 July 1946) married Irene Shockley in 1931 and had three sons. George went to Ruthin School and St Lawrence College, Ramsgate (the latter proving to be connected with the Bradley family more than was previously thought – see notes on Dr Samuel Messenger Bradley). George attended Liverpool University and obtained an Engineering Degree. Unfortunately he was not allowed to be awarded with the Degree as it was discovered he had never matriculated! He was in the RAF as a pilot and was killed in an aircraft accident while testing a new jet engine in 1946. He had just been promulgated Air Commodore, sadly with effect from a few days after his death.
William Albert Raymond (Ray) (1906-1933) also went to St Lawrence College and then into the Cotton trade with his father. He spent some time in Hamburg, Germany and has left some lovely photos of life in the late 1920s/early 1930s. He sadly died of cancer in 1933.
Connla John Osman (Osman) (10 April 1908-2007), another pupil at St Lawrence. After work with cotton merchants in India, he later became a lay missionary with BCMS. At the outbreak of war he joined the Ghurka Rifles and became a Major. After the war he returned to England and attended Theological College and was ordained as a Church of England minister. He was vicar at Peckham, Frogmore, St Albans (1955-68) and Havering-Atte-Bower, Chelmsford (1968-76). Osman married and had 2 step-children and one child.
John Howard (Howard), (5 May 1910-25 February 2004) the last sibling to attend St Lawrence had to leave aged 15 (family financial problems). He started out in the Cotton industry but during the war he served in the RAF. On his return his job was no longer available so he took up accountancy and joined the Liverpool firm of Glass and Edwards in 1946 (age 36) as an articled clerk. He eventually became senior partner in the firm Duncan Glass. He had the honour of being President of the Liverpool Society of Chartered Accountants in 1963. He married Laura Dilys Jones. In 1939 Howard and Dilys were living in Ennerdale Road, Birkenhead.
Dora Eleanor Constance (Nora) (14 April 1912- 13 April 1998), the only daughter, attended Belvedere School in Liverpool and after running a small school in Brombrough,Wirral, trained as a nurse at St Bartholomews Hospital in London, specialising in midwifery and then became more involved in the administrative side, eventually holding a senior position in the NHS in South East England.
Arthur Sidney Nicholas (Dick )(23 March 1916-8 January 2014) was a pupil at Ruthin School, N Wales. Following service in India in the RAF, he remained there for a few years teaching, specialising in woodwork and metalwork. On returning to England he taught at Monkton Combe School near Bath, Bruton Junior School, and St Probus in Salisbury. This he did for many years until, never having had official training, he went to Teacher`s Training College and qualified. He then taught at Spendlove School, Charlbury in the Cotswolds. He has been very involved in the Scouting Movement, becoming a District Commissioner. He has also been a Lay Reader at his church in Sway in the New Forest. Dick married later in life than most – age 84.
Percy Jim (Jim) (7 September 1923-27 May 2012) made his career in the RAF, joining virtually straight from school in 1943. He served in the bomber command during the war. After the war he moved to the secretarial/accounts branch. He obtained the rank of Squadron Leader, serving twice in Singapore and once in Cyprus. He married Norah Bowler.
John Christopher (John) (1928-9 March 2021) also spent time in the RAF and then taught for a number of years at King James Grammar School on the Isle of Wight where he ran the CCF. He married Christina (Tina) Wilson in 1961. For over 20 years John was sales director of a branch of Henley`s motors. He and Tina ran their own successful company J & T Bradley, in the New Forest restoring Cheltenham caravans. John was a pupil at Birkenhead Boys School.
Their father Percy married Dorothea Emilie Constance Young, (Percy`s descendants see separate Young chapter) daughter of Col. (Dr) Thomas Frederic Young, in 1904 at St Paul`s Church, Hooton on the Wirral. They were married by the Rev`d Ernest Cullwick (Percy`s brother-in-law) and Arthur and Bobbie (two of his brothers) were witnesses.