Wife
of W.P. 'Bill' Richardson's Great Uncle, James
Gilliland
Mary Elizabeth was
born in the first quarter of 1872, she was the second
child of John Gardiner, a coal miner, and his wife Jane.
Mary was recorded on the census of 1881 living with her
family at Sunniside, Co. Durham. She was 9 years old and
listed as being at school, the record says she was born
in Brancepeth. Her Dad, John, was 33 and worked as a
coal miner, her Mam, Jane, was 31. Mary had brothers and
sisters, Frederick (11), Albert (6), Helena (3) and
Annie (6 months) By the time of the 1891
census, Mary's Dad was 44 and had a second occupation, he
was listed as 'Coal Miner and Post Master' ! The family
lived at the Post Office, Front Street, Sunniside. Mary
was 19 and her occupation had the wonderful title of
'Letter Carrier'
Her Mam, Jane, was 42 . Frederick was 21 and working as
a colliery labourer, Albert was 16 and he was a clerk in
the engine works, Helena was 13 and still at school.
Sadly Annie, the baby on the previous census, had died
aged 6 in 1887. The newest member of the family was
Eveline M., who was 9. In the second
quarter of 1892, Mary married James Gilliland, a miner.
Their marriage was registered in the Auckland District.
James was 25 and Mary was 21. Ten years
later, on the 1901 census, Mary and James were living at
Burnopfield Colliery. James was 34 and worked as a
Checkweigher at the mine.
Mary was 29 and she'd had 5 children. Hugh was 6, John
James was 4, David was 3
and the baby was Edith Evelyn, aged just 9 months. She
had another little girl, Annie who had been born in 1899
but sadly Annie's death was registered in the same quarter
as her birth. Mary had her sixth child,
Ernest, in 1903. Mary Elizabeth died in
July 1905, she was 34 years old. There was an
announcement in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle on the
15th July which said her funeral would take place the
following day at Leazes. |
