Elizabeth Ann Johnson

was the mother of WILLIAM HENRY FLUEN. She was born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England on 14. October 1875 and christened in West End Chapel, 24. October of the same month.

'Eliza Ann' was the daughter of CHARLES JOHNSON (1850-1894) and MARY ANN WELLS (1852-1927), who married in Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, England on 28. January 1873.
Both had children:
(1)   Richard Henry Johnson (1873-1895)
(2)   ELIZABETH ANN JOHNSON married to THOMAS HENDY FLUEN and THOMAS WATSON TEASDALE
(3)   John Ernest Johnson (1880-1882)
(4)   Martha Hannah Johnson (1887-1967) married to Arthur James Holland
(5)   John Ernest Johnson (1892-1962) married to Holwen Beatrice Moore

"Granny Hendy - as we were used to call her - was a very canny and friendly woman. She giggled a lot with us grand-children when we teased her. She cracked on to be mad with us, but it always ended in laughter. Her homemade cakes for the weekend were legend, especially with the chocolate on top. I think she must have been able to play the piano, because my dad could play it and he inherited the instrument after her death. I cannot, however, remember her playing it, but I was only a bairn back then."

After THOMAS HENDY FLUEN had died, Eliza Ann gave birth to a son called Cyril Fluen, father unknown. He was born out of wedlock in July 1918 and died 19. Aug. 1919 age 13 months. She buried him in the same plot as her late husband.

"Times must have been hard for her after my grandfather died in 1916, because Dad told me that the family was short of going to the workhouse. When I look back I know of course that she would never have been in that position if my grandfather's business partner Joe Russon (1876-1951), looked after her and her children as it was seemingly his duty. Unfortunately, there is no sure knowledge of what happened exactly, because only vague conjectures based on statements of my dad are existing which he made after his mother's death and continued to tell until his own death in 1969. That's why I can not really blame anyone for anything and I can only repeat the statements of my late father."

But times changed again, after Eliza Ann married the widower THOMAS WATSON TEASDALE (1868-1948) in St Aidan's Church of Middlesbrough, 27. October 1928.

Up from then, she lived with him in 90 Lumley Street until she died in 1948. He buried her in the same plot as his first wife.