Great Aunt of
W.P. 'Bill' Richardson
Jane Gilliland was born
in the first quarter of 1864 and her birth was
registered in the Chester le Street District of Co.
Durham. Her parents were David Gilliland and his wife
Eliza (nee McCollough)
The first census record for Jane was in 1871. She was 7
and living with her family at Whitelee, Crook and Billy
Row in Co. Durham . She was the oldest of the children,
with James aged 4. Elizabeth aged 2 and baby William
aged 5 months. Her father was a miner and most probably
worked in Whitelee Colliery.
By 1881 and the next census, the family had moved to
Grahamsley, another pit, still in Crook and Billy Row.
Jane was recorded as being a general servant and she was
17. More younger brothers and sisters had arrived, along
with David and Eliza (Jane's parents) there were now
eight children in the house. This would have been a
miner's cottage, four rooms at most, so it must have
been crowded.
In 1884, at the age of 20, Jane married. Her husband was
John Rudkin, who was a miner. John was originally from
Empingham in Rutlandshire and had worked there as an
agricultural labourer then moved to Crook with his
brother Amos, presumably to work in the mines.
The 1891 census records Jane and her husband John living
at Church Hill, Helmington Row, which was a small
village between Crook and Willington. Jane was 27 and
John was 37, he was still working as a coal miner. They
had two children, Hannah aged 6 and Florence aged 5.
They lived next door to Amos Rudkin (John's brother)
and his wife.
It took me quite a while to find the record of Hannah's
birth, but eventually found that she was born in the
quarter before her parents' marriage so was registered
as Hannah Gilliland. When she grew up and married
though, her name was on her marriage record as Rudkin.
At the time of the 1901 census, Jane was 37 years old.
Her husband John was 47 and his occupation was listed as
Coal Miner - Hewer. They were still living in Church
Hill in Helmington Row and Jane had a son in addition to
her two daughters. Hannah was 16, though there was no
occupation listed for her, Florence was 15 and a note on
the census said she was 'feeble minded', that was the
terminology of the day for all sorts of conditions that
are better understood now, but I imagine that, as with
most families, children were loved and cared for just as
they came. Sidney was the youngest and he was recorded
as being 5 years old and at school.
By the time of the 1911 census, the family were living
at Belle View, Wheatbottom, Crook, Co. Durham. Jane was
47 and her husband, John, was 57. John was still listed
as a Coal Miner - Hewer. Their older daughter, Hannah
had left home as she was married in 1905, but Florence
(25) was still at home as was Sidney who was 15 and
working for his living as a 'Chemist's Errand Boy'. The
census form said that Jane and John had been married for
27 years and in that time they'd had 5 children, 2 of
whom had died. I have not yet been able to find the
records for these two little ones.
When war started, Sidney, like a lot of young men,
joined up and went to fight in France. Great sadness for
the family when he died in France on 26th August 1918,
from wounds received in battle. He was just 22 years
old.
Jane's husband, John, died on 28th March 1925 aged 72
and their daughter Florence died on 1st September 1935,
aged 49. Jane died on 9th January 1950,
at her home at 2, Alexandra Terrace, Crook,
she was 86 years old. She was buried at Windsor Terrace
Cemetery, Crook, Co Durham on the 12th of January
1950 and the burial service was performed by Rev G
Foster.
The inscription on her
grave reads:
In loving memory of Jane, beloved
wife of the late John Rudkin, died January/9/1950 aged
86 years.
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