Family History

Samuel Preen was born on 26th July 1856 at Leebotwood.  He was the youngest son of Richard and Sarah Preen and appeared in Leebotwood with the rest of the family in the 1861, 1871 and 1881 census records

He married Ellen Matthews on 3rd October 1888, in Smethcott. He was described as Samuel Preen, a grocer living in Leebotwood, and the son of Richard Preen, also a grocer.  His bride was Ellen Matthews, a spinster of full age living in Smethcott.  She was the daughter of Thomas Matthews, the parish clerk.  By the census of 1891 Samuel and Ellen were living at the grocer's shop in Leebotwood.

Fred Medlicott, Richard's great-nephew, says that later the couple moved to Smethcott.  They had three children including Edith Nellie (died 28/9/26 aged 32), Arthur Frank (died 6/5/60 aged 69) and Agnes Annie (died 1/9/84 aged 92).  This is supported by the information from the gravestones in Smethcott church yard and the Calendar of Wills, which contains the following entry: 

RICHARD PREEN, late of Leebotwood, Shropshire, grocer, farmer. Died 20th November 1888 (in fact 25 Nov 1887) at Leebotwood. Will proved Shrewsbury by Samuel Preen of Leebotwood, grocer & provisons dealer, son. Under £612-5-3d.

This suggests that his brother John and the rest of the family had taken over the tenancy of the Old Field, leaving Samuel to take on the grocery business. He was still living in Leebotwood and making his living as a grocer in 1891, but had moved to Smethcott before his death in 1938. His wife, Ellen, died in 1940 at the age of 80.