Wife
of W.P. 'Bill' Richardson's Great Uncle, James
Gilliland
Catherine was born
in the first quarter of 1881. The daughter of George
Gray, a joiner, and his wife Mary (nee Fordy). Her
birth was registered in the Rothbury Registration
District. She was recorded on the 1881
census at Plainfield, Flotterton, Northumberland in the
home of her Granny, Catherine Fordy. Her Mam, Mary, was
also recorded in the house and I assume that Mary had
gone back to her Mam to have her first baby. Her Dad,
George, was recorded elsewhere at his parents
house in Hartington and he was listed as being a joiner,
out of employment. I imagine that it was
the lack of work that took them away from
Northumberland, by the time of the 1891 census the
family were recorded at Hobson, Tanfield in County
Durham. Catherine was 10 and listed as a scholar. Her
Dad, George, was 32 and working as a joiner, her Mam,
Mary, was 29. Catherine now had brothers: William (5) and
John (1) and a sister, Elizabeth (2). The
1901 census recorded the family at 63 Front St.,
Burnopfield Colliery. Dad, George, was 43 and working as
a joiner in the colliery, Mam, Mary, was 39. Catherine
was 20 and must have done well at school as she was now
listed as an 'Assistant Schoolmistress'. Her brother
William was 15 and working as a coal screener, Elizabeth
was 12 and John was 11. The family had grown, Catherine
now had 3 more brothers, Andrew (9), Lewis (7) and
Robert (2). In the second quarter of
1908, Catherine married James Gilliland. She was 27 and
he was 42. James was a widower who had four children.
The census of 1911 showed Catherine and her husband
James at 69 Mitchell St., Birtley. Catherine was 30 and
James was 44, his occupation was listed as 'Political
Registrations Agent'. As well as James' children from
his first marriage, Hugh (16), John James (14),
Edith Evelyn (10) and Ernest (7), Catherine and James had
their own child, George , who was just 10 months old.
Catherine and James had another child, Mary E. who was
born in 1916.
Catherine's husband died in 1952.
Catherine died in the second quarter of 1968, she was 87
years old. Her death was registered in the Durham
Central Registration District. |
