Person:Bethia Lewis (1)

Childhood

John and Bethia on their wedding day.

Bethia was the ninth of eleven children. The sixth child had died young, leaving effectively two groups of five children. In later life Bethia remembered the younger five children rather better than she remembered her five elder siblings.

Bethia's grandmother died in 1906 at 138 Chapel Street. The 1911 census finds Bethia living with her parents and siblings at 29 South Road, just around the corner from Chapel Street where she had been born. Her grandfather William Moss was living around the corner at the corner at 152 Chapel Street, where he died four days after the census.

In 1916 Bethia's father died, when Bethia was only fourteen years old. She and her siblings continued living at 29 South Road after his death. At least two of Bethia's older brothers served in the army during the Great War; her brother William was badly injured in 1917.

Adulthood

John and Bethia in their garden at Neville Road with their grandchildren.

In 1934 the family was struck with diphtheria. Tragically their son died aged only six years old.

Five years later they had another son, shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. Family recollection says that during the war John worked in Luton's factories making munitions, when he lost a finger in an accident. Bethia is believed to have worked as a seamstress.

John and Bethia in their daughter's garden.

Bethia and John continued to live at 29 Neville Road with their son. John died there on 19th October 1977 aged 74. Bethia survived him by five years. After John's death she and her son moved to a bungalow nearby at 2 Evedon Close. Bethia's first great grandchild was born less than a year after John's death. She would live to see three great grandchildren. Bethia died on 12th December 1982 at St Mary's Hospital in Luton, aged 80.

1. ↑ Birth certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   REGISTRATION DISTRICT Luton
   1902 BIRTH in the Sub-district of Luton in the County of Bedford
   No.	When and where born	Name, if any	Sex	Name and surname of father	Name, surname and maiden name of mother	Occupation of father	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered	Signature of registrar
   248	Twenty ninth March 1902 148 Chapel Street Luton U.D.	Bethia Lewis	Girl	-	Susannah Priscilla Moss Hat Finisher	-	X The mark of Susannah Priscilla Moss Mother 148 Chapel Street Luton	Fourteenth May 1902	Edward Barnard, Registrar

2. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 9012; Schedule 53, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 29 South Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Five rooms occupied
   Tho[ma]s Lewis, head, male, 53 [1857/8], married, 12 children born alive, 10 children still living, Collector - Rags & Bones, own account, at home, b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   Suey Moss, female, 45 [1865/6], single, House worker, worker, b. Aley Green, Hertfordshire
   Arther Lewis Moss, male, 24 [1886/7], single, Labourer, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ethel Lewis Moss, female, 23 [1887/8], single, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Harry Lewis Moss, male, 21 [1889/90], single, Basket Maker - Mat Baskets, employer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Percy Lewis Moss, male, 19 [1891/2], single, Labourer - Iron Foundry, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Lewis Moss, male, 14 [1896/7], Straw Hat Trade - straw hat manufacturing, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Suey Lewis Moss, female, 11 [1899/1900], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Bethia Lewis Moss, female, 9 [1901/2], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Reubin Lewis Moss, male, 7 [1903/4], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Alfe Lewis Moss, male, 4 [1906/7], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

3. ↑ General Register Office. 1939 Register
   Luton Municipal Borough, 29 Sep 1939.

   Address: 29 Neville Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Cox, John R. / male / 8 Jan 1903 / married / Builders Carpenter
   Cox, Bethia / female / 29 Mar 1902 / married / Unpaid Domestic Duties
   [one record closed]
   Cox, David J. / male / 23 Feb 1939 / single / Under school age

4. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   DEATH
   Entry No. 280
   Registration district: Luton
   Sub-district: Luton
   Administrative area: County of Bedfordshire
   1. Date and place of death: Twelfth December 1982, St. Mary's Hospital Luton Beds.
   2. Name and surname: Bethia COX
   3. Sex: Female
   4. Maiden surname of woman who has married: LEWIS
   5. Date and place of birth: 29th March 1902, Luton Beds.
   6. Occupation and usual address: Widow of John Robert COX Storekeeper (retired), 2 Evedon Close Luton Beds.
   7a. Name and surname of informant: David John COX
   7b. Qualification: Son
   7c. Usual address: 2 Evedon Close Luton Beds.
   8. Cause of death:
   Ia. Bronchopneumonia
   II. Carcinoma of body of Uterus
   Certified by Udey Pal M.B.
   9. (Signature of informant)
   10. Date of registration: Thirteenth December 1982
   11. Signature of registrar: (not transcribed)

5.   England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

   1983
   COX, Bethia of 2 Evedon Close Luton Beds died 12 December 1982 Administration London 2 June £7226 830206796E

6. ↑ The stretch of road which included 148 Chapel Street was formally renamed Farley Hill in the 1920s, with the terrace of houses that included No.148 being demolished in the late 1920s or early 1930s. They stood close to where 26 Farley Hill now stands.