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Pywells in Leicestershire

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George Richard Cowell Pywell was born to Edward and Eliza on 22 March 1891, shortly before the census on 5 April of that year. On the census form he shows as “Infant not named” two weeks old, living with them in South End Cottages in Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire.  His siblings at that time were shown as Ellen, Else (Elsie) Cowell, Clara Cowell and Thomas Henry - aged 11, 7, 5 and 3 respectively.  His father Edward was described as a warehouseman. Cowell was Eliza’s maiden name and, as can be seen, the name Cowell featured strongly as a second name among their children, and later one of George’s own sons.  George was baptised at St George’s Church Leicester on 26 September 1894, along with his elder brother Thomas and his younger brother Lander.

In the 1901 Census the family were recorded as living at 50 Cranmer Street, a street of terraced houses off Hinckley Road in Leicester City.  The children were then recorded as Clara, Thomas H, George R and Lander, aged 15, 13, 10 and 8.  Edward was then described as a Counterhand, Hosiery.

George is described as a waiter (unemployed) in the 1911 Census, when he would have been 20 years old.  At that time only Edward, “Elizabeth”, George and Lander were showing on the Census at 54 Noble Street, Leicester. Lander (18) was listed as a Spinner.


Ethel May Scown Coleman was born on 10th December 1895, her birth being registered in Stoke Damerel in Devon, then an area of Devonport, but now part of Plymouth.  Scown was her grandmother’s maiden name.  Ethel preferred to be known as May, so that’s how I’ll refer to her from now on.

Her father William Henry, who was a hairdresser died in 1899, and her mother Jessie remarried to a stoker in the Royal Navy  - Thomas John Jackson.  Jessie then died in 1907 and Thomas remarried the following year. By 1911 at the age of 15, with no true parents living, May was a domestic servant living in Launceston with her aunt Annie Hillman.  

It seems she later became friendly with another girl where she worked and, with no close family keeping her in Launceston, when her friend decided to follow a soldier she had recently met to Leicester, May was persuaded to come with her.  

All too soon May found herself on her own, but she met George a little while later.  George’s parents Edward and Eliza did not think much of May, who was also catholic.  Undeterred, George and May were married on 21 December 1918.  It was a register office wedding with few present, and I understand that George’s relations with his family remained somewhat strained from then on.








George and May pictured in 1918

George and May had 5 children:


They lived at Marriott Road until George died in 1961, when May moved to a small maisonette in (if my memory serves me correctly) Glenfield on the outskirts of Leicester. May died in 1970.


The electoral registers show that George and May started their married life at his parents’ house at 36 Noble Street where they lived until 1922, the year his mother Eliza died.  From 1923 through to 1925 they lived next door at 34 with George’s sister Elsie, who by then was widowed, her husband Walter Dagley having died in 1920.  Interestingly by 1923 there was a Mary Ann Pywell also living at Edward’s house - at first I couldn’t identify her but I now believe she was Edward’s second wife - see the Great Grandparents’ page.

By 1926 George and May were living at 1 Marriott Road, on the brand new Saffron Lane Estate. May, now aged 30 and so eligible to vote, appeared on the electoral register for the first time.


George became an engineer - I have an old Leicester map where he advertised his services

George rode a Brough Superior with a sidecar - the “Rolls Royce of Motorcycles” as they were advertised in those days.  I remember my father telling me that once George was stopped by the police with the family - three on the bike and three in the sidecar, being sent on his way as there didn’t seem to be any law against it.

I also remember my father saying that although underage he was sometimes allowed to ride the bike round to the local off licence to fetch his dad a drink.

It’s easy to imagine six on  the bike and sidecar when you see this photo. That’s May standing at the back, my father Doug (I can tell by the ears) on the front. On the pillion is Val, on the sidecar George and Beryl.

My Grandparents and their children

George on his Brough Superior outside the house on Marriott Road

My mother’s parents and their children

I am rather sad to relate that although I seem to know quite a bit about my father’s parents, I know rather less about my mother’s.   

While we used to visit my father’s parents quite often, visits to my other grandparents were few and far between.  

My true grandmother’s name was Mary Myring, but the grandmother I knew was my mother’s stepmother Annie E Tewley who my grandfather married in 1952, the year after I was born.


George Frederick Marston, born in Leicester 5 November 1894, died 26 March 1972. His father’s name was James.

Known siblings Ada born 1896, Elizabeth born 1899, Joseph born 1902 and Edward born 1909, although the census of 1911 suggests another 3 children had died by that date

Mary Myring born in Leicester 20 March 1897, died 15 September 1950. Her father’s name was John.

Known siblings Harriet born c1890, John born c1893, Thomas born c1895, Lily born c1903, and George born c1906.


George and Mary were married 3 August 1918, George age 23, Mary age 21, in St Matthews Leicester.  The address was given as 17 Brierley Street Leicester for both George and Mary, which would have been George’s father’s address - the same as the 1911 Census.


George and Mary had 4 children:



My grandfather George Frederick Marston served with the Royal Leicestershire Regiment in WWI, and in 1917 he was awarded the DCM



Bud (Lander) at the piano with mother May in the front room at Marriott Road c1950. The clock is now hanging in my dining room.

May with my father Douglas (left) and his brother George

Val sitting on the front gate at Marriott Road

George Edward Kenneth age 4 months

Grandma Marston (Mary Myring above right) with Mrs Carter at the wedding of her eldest daughter, Mary Kathleen, to Mrs Carter’s son, Gordon, in April of 1939.

Sadly Gordon was killed when the Royal Oak on which he was serving was torpedoed at Scapa Flow on 14 October that same year.

The larger photo on the left shows the wedding group with both sets of parents, best man and bridesmaids - my mother is third from the right.    

Grandad Marston

George’s brother Edward (pictured left) was a Leicester City councillor for most of the years between 1945 and 1973,  later becoming Lord Mayor in 1969 and and Alderman in 1973.

My mother often affectionately referred to “My uncle Ted the councillor” and later even more proudly “uncle Ted the Lord Mayor”