CONSTANCE LIZZIE HOWARD 1889–1950
Constance Howard
Photograph courtesy of family
Born: 16th August 1889 in Radcliffe on Trent
Marriage: 1931 to Alfred Watson Burden, St George, Hanover Square, London
Children: not known
Died: 1950, Basford district, Nottingham
Before the First World War
One-year old Constance was living in Radcliffe in 1891 with her father Arthur, a maltster, mother Sarah and brother Ernest, age one. Constance’s sister Mabel was born in 1892. In 1901 the family were living on Hogg Lane, Radcliffe. Herbert Powdrill, wheelwright and Geoffrey Tattersall, pupil to maltster, were boarding with the family. In 1911 the family were still living on Hogg Lane (Narrow Lane). Constance was now an overlooker for a box maker, Ernest was a joiner and Mabel a dressmaker.
During the war
The following information about Constance Howard’s war service has been extracted from transcribed Red Cross V.A.D. records, available at www.redcross.org.uk .
In 1915, when she was twenty-five, Constance (also known as Connie) began her war service with the Red Cross. She was a member of the Notts. 94th Voluntary Aid Detachment, the Radcliffe on Trent branch of the Red Cross organised by Claire Birkin. At this time the Howard family were living on Walnut Grove, Radcliffe. She worked initially at the General Hospital and Bagthorpe Infirmary, Nottingham (now the City Hospital) for one week and was then commissioned to work as a V.A.D. military probationer at the 2nd Western Hospital Manchester. After training she became a nurse, working there full time unpaid from 5th October 1915 to 5th November 1917.
In February 1918 Constance was issued with a Silver War badge number 291363 by the War Office as a nursing V.A.D. member. The reason for this is not stated on the Silver War Badge record but these badges were awarded to those who were unable to continue to serve on account of illness or physical infirmity caused by war service.
After the war
Constance’s brother Ernest, who served in the Royal Army Service Corps, died of influenza in France on November 22nd 1918, eleven days after the armistice. He is remembered on Radcliffe War Memorial.
On November 11th 1919, the anniversary of the Armistice, Constance took employment as a temporary nurse at Notts. County Mental Hospital (later known as Saxondale Hospital). She resigned on 7th January 1920.
1921 Census
Address: Walnut Grove, Radcliffe
Employment: home
Household: father Arthur, gardener, mother Sarah, boarder William Haynes, ironmonger.
Constance applied to the War Office for a pension due to pyonephrosis after the war. Pyonephrosis is an infection of the kidneys’ collecting system which can cause kidney failure. At the time she was living at 110 Julian Road, West Bridgford, Notts. No details of the pension start date or amount are given on the pension record card but it is clear that she did receive a pension as details of her change of surname and year of marriage in 1931 are recorded. Her address on the card was changed to 54 Bramcote Avenue, Chilwell after her marriage.
Author: Pauline Woodhouse
