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(photo dated 1930)
Husband of W.P. 'Bill'
Richardson's Aunt, Vera
Gilliland
Hector Gordon
Nicholson was born on the 12th February 1900 at 15
Albert St, Chester
le Street. He was the second child and only son of
Arthur Cameron Nicholson and his wife Lilian (nee Hall).
On his birth certificate, his father's occupation was
recorded as Painter (Journeyman). His
birth certificate is a puzzle, his mother's maiden name
was recorded as Lilian Nicholson, the same as her
married name - but his parent's marriage registration
gives her name as Lilian Hall. The birth certificate of
Hector's sister, Cammie (Mary Cameron Nicholson) shows
that their mother's maiden name was Hall. Hector
was baptised at St Mary and St Cuthbert Anglican Parish
Church in Chester le Street on 7th March 1900.
The 1901 census recorded Hector aged 1 at 15 Albert St.,
Chester le Street with his family. Dad Arthur was 25 and
Mam Lilian was 21. Hector had an older sister, Mary
Cameron (Cammie) Nicholson who was 3 years old at the time of the
census. On the 1911 census, the family
were still living in Albert St., in Chester le Street
but had moved from number 15 to number 33. Hector was 11 years
old and the census form said he attended school. His
Dad, Arthur, was 35 and his occupation was recorded as
general dealer. Mam, Lilian was 32 and the form stated
that Arthur and Lilian had been married for 13 years and
they had 2 children, both of whom were still alive.
Hector's sister, Cammie, was 13. The 1914 Kelly's Directory listed
Hector's father,
Arthur, as a shopkeeper in Albert St, Chester le Street.
Towards the end of World War One, Hector saw army
service in Italy. In the last quarter of 1923, Hector married Edna M
Platt, they were both 23 years old and their
marriage was registered in the Chester le Street
district. Sadly Edna died in 1926. On the
19th October 1930, Hector
married Vera Gilliland, the eldest child of John Edward
Gilliland and his wife Ada Isabel (nee Lee) at the
parish church in Chester le Street. Hector was 30, a
widower and his occupation was recorded as 'Baker'. Vera
was 29, a spinster and though she was a teacher there
was no occupation recorded for her on their marriage
certificate. Their witnesses were Mary Cameron Nicholson
(Hector's sister) and Rena Gilliland (Vera's sister).
The couple
sent out wedding cards showing the date of their
marriage and their address at 15 Melville St., Chester
le Street where they were to remain for the rest of
their married lives. For many years, Hector and his sister
Cammie ran a bakery in Albert Street.
Cammie lived over the shop whilst Hector and Vera lived
a short distance away in Melville Street. Early in the
morning, Hector would head off to the shop to start the
ovens and begin the baking. During the day, he would
continue the baking and pop in and out of the shop to
chat with his customers. In the late 1950s and early
1960s, his nephew Bill would stay in Melville Street and
how he enjoyed helping in the shop!
Hector was a sociable chap and would visit the pub of an
evening. He also spent quite a bit of time studying the
Financial Times and gained much pleasure (and some
money) from that.
As the years went by, Hector's health
deteriorated and he was too poorly to attend Bill's
wedding in 1968. Hector died on 3rd July
1973, he was 73 years old, his cremation took place at
Durham Crematorium on 5th July 1973. |
