Husband
of W.P. 'Bill' Richardson's Great Aunt, Jane
Gilliland
John was born on January 7th 1854 in
Empingham, Rutlandshire. His birth was registered in the
Oakham registration district on 18th January 1854. His
mother was shown as being Hannah Rudkin but no father's
name appeared.
His baptism took place in Empingham on 11th May 1856 and
the record states that his mother was a single woman,
his father's name was not recorded. John's
uncle, Joseph who was two years younger than John, was
baptised on the same day. His parents (who were
John's grandparents) were Francis Rudkin and his wife
Ann (nee Hibbit)
In the third quarter of 1859 his mother, Hannah, married
Jonathan Perry, their marriage was registered in the
Oakham Registration District.
The census of 1861 recorded the family in Empingham.
John was 7 and listed as a scholar and he was recorded
in error as the son of Ann, the head of the household.
In fact she was his grandmother. Ann, was 46 and shown
as an 'Agricultural Labourer's Widow'. It was certainly
a full house ! John's uncles and aunt were : Isaac (28)
and Frank (17) who were both listed as agricultural
labourers, Amos (12), Mary (10), Samuel (8) and Joseph
(5) were all scholars. Then there was John's mother
Hannah (25) and her husband John Perry (27) with their
baby Frank who was 1.
By the time of the 1871 census, things had moved on.
They were still in Empingham but it was Jonathan Perry
who was shown as the head of the household. The others
included were Hannah Perry (35); John Rudkin Perry (16)
working as an agricultural labourer; Frank (11) and
James (9) were listed as scholars; then there were
Rudkin (3) and Henry James (9 months) along with
mother-in-law Ann (56) and her son Joseph (15), very
much a full house!
By the time of the 1881 census, John was living in
Bewick Burn Cottages in Helmington Row, Co. Durham. He
was 27 and worked as a coal miner. It was the house of
his uncle Amos who had married Bethia Winterton in
Rutland and along with John and another uncle, Isaac,
had moved north to Durham.
On 22nd July 1884, John married Jane Gilliland. Their
marriage took place at the Register Office in Auckland.
John was 28 and Jane was 21. John's father is listed as
being Jonathan Rudkin, a farm labourer. Presumably John
was asked what his father's name was and Rudkin was
assumed. The witnesses were James Collingwood and Joseph
Forbes.
By 1891 John and Jane were living at Church Hill in
Helmington Row. John was 37 and worked in the pit. Jane
was 27 and they had two children: Hannah was 6 and
Florence was 5. They lived next door to Amos and Bethia.
They were still at the same address on the 1901 census
and John was listed as a 'Coal Miner - Hewer'. Hannah
was 16 and Florence was 15 and the newest member of the
family was Sidney who was 5.
Ten years later, in the 1911 census, the family were
living at Belle View, Wheatbottom, Crook. John was still
working as a hewer. Their eldest daughter, Hannah, had
married but Florence (25) was still at home as was
Sidney who was 15 and worked as an errand boy for a
chemists.
Great sadness for the family (like so many thousands of
others) when their son Sidney was killed in France in
the first world war.
John died on the 28th March 1925, he was buried at
Windsor Terrace Cemetery, Crook, Co Durham on the 31st
March 1925, the burial service was performed by J R
Barker.
The inscription on John's grave reads:
In loving memory of John, the beloved husband of Jane
Rudkin of Crook, who died March/28/1925 aged 72 years.
Probate was granted to John's widow, Jane, on 22nd April
1925. His effects amounted to £621:3s:11d.
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