Daughter of
W.P. 'Bill' Richardson's Great Aunt,
Jane Gilliland
Florence was the
second child of Jane Gilliland and her husband John
Rudkin. She was born in the first quarter of 1886 and
her birth was registered in the Auckland Registration
District. Florence was baptised on 17th
March 1886 at the parish church in Crook. Her baptism
record says the family lived at Linton Terrace, Crook
and her Dad worked as a miner. The 1891 census recorded her,
aged 5, with her family at Church Hill, Helmington Row,
Co. Durham. Her Mam was 27 and her Dad was 37, he worked
in the pit. Florence had an older sister, Hannah, who
was 6. They still lived at the same
address ten years later when the 1901 census was
taken. Her Dad was still working as a coal miner, he was
47 and her Mam was 37. As well as her sister Hannah (16)
Florence also had a new brother, Sidney, who was 5 years
old. The census return says that Florence was 15 and
there is a note to say she was 'feeble minded'. Though
to our current day eyes that is an unacceptable term, it
was the terminology of the day for all sorts of
conditions that we would understand and be able to help
nowadays. Then, as now, our children are our
children, loved and encouraged no matter what their
abilities may be and I am sure that Florence was well
loved. The 1911 census recorded the
family at Belle View, Wheatbottom, Crook. Dad, John was
57 and still a hewer, Mam, Jane, was 47. Hannah had
married and left home, so there was just Florence who
was 25 and Sidney who was 15 still living with their
parents. Sadness for Florence and the
rest of the family when her brother Sidney was killed in
the first world war in 1918 and again in 1925 when her
father, John, died. Florence died on 1st
September 1935, she was 49 years old. Her funeral
service was held at St Catherine's Church, Crook
followed by burial at
Windsor Terrace Cemetery, Crook, Co. Durham on 3rd
September 1935. Florence was buried in the same
grave as her father and the inscription on her grave
reads: Also Florence, their beloved
daughter ,who died September/1/1935 aged 49 years.
Probate was granted to Florence's Mam, Jane, and William
Greenwell Ormand, clerk, on 22nd November 1935. Her
effects amounted to £657:18s. |
