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Anyone know anything abouth this Charles James Howlett?



Reported in the Gloucester Citizen, Jan 1923,

Charles James Howlett was arrested in Stroud, and remanded in custody to be handed over to the Metropolitan Police who wanted him for alleged wife desertion.



Reported in the Gloucestershire Echo 1943.

At Worcester Assizes, Charles James Howlett aged 44 a clerk of Diglislan Cherry Orchard Worcester, pleaded guilty to bigamy at Evesham and was sentenced to three years.. It was stated that this was his 3rd bigamy.

I'm trying to find out if this is the same Charles James Howlett/e who lived in London and also committed bigamy and left his wife to bring up 4 children on her own back in 1933/34. He was born Oct 1898, and according to living relatives he did spend some some in prison for bigamy.

Tried to see any marriages but realised any bigamous marriage will be null and void so won't show on the bmds

Is this one of those marriages?



London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921


Name:Charles James Howlett <<Waiter

Estimated birth year:abt 1898

Age:22

Spouse Name:
Catherine Emma Alexandra McCubbin

Spouse Age:18

Record Type:Marriage

Event Date:5 Sep 1920

Parish:Kensal Green St Jude

Borough:Westminster

Father Name:
Charles Howlett

Spouse Father:
Arthur Mccubbin

Register Type:Parish Register

Would this be his first marriage ?

Name: Charles James Howlett occ waiter
Estimated birth year: abt 1898
Age: 22
Spouse Name: Catherine Emma Alexandra McCubbin occ typist
Spouse Age: 18
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 5 Sep 1920
Parish: Kensal Green St Jude
Borough: Westminster
Father Name: Charles Howlett occ soldier
Spouse Father: Arthur McCubbin occ bricklayer
Register Type: Parish Register

Both of 64 Beethoven street

1911 England Census

Name:Charles Howlette

Age in 1911:13

Estimated birth year:abt 1898

Relation to Head:Son

Gender:Male

Birth Place:Wynberg, South Africa

Civil Parish:Wigan

County/Island:Lancashire

Street address:48 Thicknesse Ave Wigan

Registration district:Wigan

Registration District Number:458

Sub-registration district:Wigan

ED, institution, or vessel:34

Piece:23006

Household Members:


Charles Howlette 38 Army Pensioner Postal Mail Messenger
Nellie Howlette 33
Ivy Howlette 15
Hubert Howlette 14
Charles Howlette 13
Gilliam Howlette 8
Marice Howlette 6
Robert Howlette 4

If that is his correct info and first marriage - his wife must have been very understanding! They appear together on the 1950-4 electoral rolls at 98 Priory Park Road, Willesden - along with Jessie Blackwell (who was her mother on 1911 census)

Edit: VERY understanding, by the look of it - surely it can't be the same guy - I mean would you fall for it twice ;-)

The Howlette/McCubbin marriage produced a child in 1923 - they Charles gets picked up for desertion. Then they produce another child in 1927. And he gets picked up and jailed for a 3rd bigamy in 1943. Would they be back together? I know what I'd have done to him :-D

I was wondering if he was still listed with his first wife on the ER at the same time as being with this woman?


London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965


Name:Charles J R Howlett & Mary A Howlett

Year:1950

County or Borough:Newham

Ward or Division/Constituency:Woolwich

Street address:41 H5

London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965


Name:Charles J Howlett & Evelyn Howlett

Year:1954

County or Borough:Newham

Ward or Division/Constituency:Woolwich

Street address:23 Cheriton Drive


Mary appears on her own here



London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965

Name:Mary A Howlett

Year:1952

County or Borough:Tower Hamlets

Ward or Division/Constituency:Poplar

Street address:27 Kounton Road

Found this which would match the initials on the ER above


http://preview.tinyurl.com/nog5gg6

Yes that the one on the 1911 Census with his parents and siblings. I know all about him through census records, London Electoral Regs and his father's army records.



Yes that's his first marriage to Catherine Emma Alexandra McCubbin.

They had 4 children:

Jessie Catherine Elizabeth Howlette 1921
Robert Charles James Howlette 1923 (my uncle by marriage)
Charles James R Howlette 1925
Betty Maureen Howlette 1927

On the 1950-4 electoral rolls at 98 Priory Park Road, Willesden - that is his son Charles James R Howlette born 1925 Paddington, who married Sheila V Casey in 1955.

I'm in contact with grandchildren of Jessie, Maureen and of course my cousins.
Not yet found a living relative of the brother Charlie, though.

Whenever Charles James Howlette (Senior) died, his wife was in receipt of a Widows pension...

One of my cousins tells me that his wife was in court when he was charged with bigamy and sent to prison, but that's all she knows. Needless to say it was not spoken about that much due to all the upset it caused family back then.


On Jessie's (aka 'Joan') birth certificate1921, he's down as a Barman.

Last known Address: 1927 London Electoral Registers

64 Beethoven Street. Charles Howlett Plus: James William & Jessie Blackwell and Alfred Charles Somerfield. NO Catherine Howlette


So if anyone knows about the other 2 Charles James Howlett in the newspaper reports please contact me even if it's just to eliminate him from my cousin's grandfather.


I'm also waiting for one of my contacts to locate a photo of him that her brother or sister has, but it might take a while.

Hi Teresa

Is that your thread that I posted earlier?

Yes Gins, that is my thread you posted earlier. Sorry I forgot to add that.

I have also made a note of Charles J Howlett & Evelyn Howlett and the one of Mary A Howlett too on the London Electoral Registers..

Of course there is always a chance that when Charles James Howlette remarried illegally... he could have used a false name too. The scoundrel!