More on the feisty Ellen (Nell) Whybrew

When I wrote about Ellen Whybrew in November last year, my information was all based on official records. But now I've received new information, direct from descendants of the Whybrew family, which sheds new light on some of the things that seemed uncertain or odd.

Just to recap, "Aunt Nell" as she was known to the family, was the daughter of David and Susan Whybrew. She was born in Colchester in 1890. Of the three children born after her, only Ada survived. There was a six year gap between Nell and her older brother Bill, due to the death of another brother, James, in infancy, and a five year age gap between Nell and Ada. Nevertheless, the two girls seem to have been close to each other as they grew older.

As I noted, Nell and her first husband, George Howard, had three children, all boys. The eldest, Alexander George Ernest was known as George. The second, William Edward, was known as Billy. He died at the age of three, apparently from meningitis. Leslie, the third, also died in infancy. Poor Nell lost two sons, her husband and her father in the period between 1915 and October 1917. 

Cap badge of the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)

Apparently Nell met her second husband, Alfred Lloyd, through Ada's husband Joe Metson. In April 1919, Joe left the house to be out of the way while Ada was giving birth to their youngest child, Violet, as men did in those days. At the pub he found Alf, who he hadn't seen for years. They had both served in the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) during the war. Alf is said to have been gassed, and had been a prisoner of war in Germany. (I haven't been able to find any record of this yet.)

After talking for a while, Joe took Alf home with him. Nell was in the house, helping Ada, and that was where she and Alf met. The story concludes with "Uncle Alf and Aunt Nell got together and married 3 months later," which is almost true - they married in September 1919.

According to family lore, Nell was quite a feisty woman, a trait she may well have inherited from her mother Susan. During the war (I think this refers to the second world war) she is said to have picked up a chair and waved it in the air during air raids, shouting "Where are you bastards? I'll get you!" At the age of ninety she had her ears pierced and bought a long cocktail dress. 

She was 94 when she died in 1984. Unfortunately no photos of Nell have come to light so far. I'd love to see her in that cocktail dress, wouldn't you?