Ellen Elizabeth Glover was born in Low Ham in 1879. Her father was William Glover a farm labourer and her mother was Emily. She appears to have had at least one older sister, Mary and one older brother, James who are with her and their parents in the census of 1881 and 1891. In the 1871 census her parents also had another son and another 2 daughters who have all disappeared by the 1881 census.
She married Thomas Henry Rue on 9th August 1900 in the Register Office in Langport. He was aged 27, an Army reserveman and she was aged 21 a laundress. They both resided in Somerton.
He had in fact only just returned from fighting in the Boer War in South Africa on 10th June 1900 having been there since 4th November in 1899. Indeed at that time he had only been home since 14th February 1899 having been away in the East Indies (Asia) for the previous 5 years.
Thomas remained at home after June 1900 except for one short spell back in South Africa between 8th January 1902 and 6th September 1902
The couple appear twice in the 1901 census – once in Pitney and again in Long Sutton –
Somerton Hill Road, Long Sutton
Thomas Rue aged 27 a general labourer from Pitney and Ellen Rue his wife aged 21 from Low Ham.
Pitney
Thomas Rue aged 27 an ordinary farm labourer from Pitney and Ellen Rue his wife aged 21 from Low Ham.
I can’t imagine why Thomas made no mention of his being a soldier in the census and to be described as an “ordinary” farm labourer seems particularly odd.
Thomas was a soldier with the Somerset Light Infantry. He was discharged from service, having served his 12 years on 19th August 1903.
In the 1911 census we see Thomas Rue aged 33 a farm labourer and his wife Ellen Rue aged 32 a Glover. The lived in Pibsbury near Langport (between Huish Episcopi & Long Sutton).
They had been married for 11 years and had no children.
Her occupation may seem wrong at first, that being her maiden name, however one of the most common jobs for ladies in that area at that time was indeed “Glover”. A local factory made gloves to be sold nationwide.
The couple seem to have moved to South Wales sometime between 1911 and 1918. Thomas died on 7th September 1918 whilst living at 7 Fairford Street, Barry. He was 44 years old, a railway labourer. Ellen was with him at his death which was caused by “Hemiplegia” and a “coma” which would probably now be described as a Stroke.
The widowed Ellen then married William Webster in Cardiff in 1919.