James Owen of Penrhos

and his descendants
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Ruth Wynn Owen (1915-1992)

Ruth Wynn Owen 1 Ruth Wynn Owen as baby The eldest child of Reginald and Nellie Wynn Owen was Ruth Wynn Owen. She was born at Ericdale, Monmouth Road, Watford on 20 January 1915 and christened at The Parish Church, New Brighton – I imagine this was on a visit to Reginald’s sister Mary - on 21 February. The nurse in residence when Ruth was born looked after both Ruth – she was Ruth’s godmother - and Nellie. She became known as ‘Auntie’ Vi and was a life-long friend of the family.

The story goes that Elizabeth Owen, Ruth’s grandmother, taught Ruth to read when she was only two years old. Her early formal education and that of her siblings was with a governess, Miss Sergeant. However, Ruth read and was told old, Welsh legends long before she was really old enough to understand them and her ability to read stories coupled with her vivid imagination enabled her to create plays. She, her brother and her sister ‘starred’ and they performed for family and to servants.

Ruth, being the eldest child, was greatly affected by her mother’s illness and subsequent death. She hated the boarding school, Trevelian at Haywards Heath, to which she was then sent. Later, she had settled very happily into Brondesbury and Kilburn High School when the family moved back to Watford and she was again uprooted to transfer to Watford Grammar School with her sister Elaine. Watford Grammar was opposite their former home, Farraline House, and her late mother had been so impressed by the behaviour of the schoolgirls on their way to and from school, that it had been her wish that her daughters go there.