Daughter
of W.P. 'Bill' Richardson's Great Great Aunt, Jane
Turnbull
Mary was born in
the second quarter of 1863, her birth was registered in
the Alnwick Registration District. She was the daughter
of George Bolam and his wife Jane (nee Turnbull).
In 1871, when the census was taken, Mary
was 8 years old and listed as a scholar. Her Dad,
George, was 44 and a farmer. Mam, Jane, was 33. Mary had
three brothers, Robert (11), George (5) and William (1).
She also had a sister, Catherine, who as 3. They lived
in the farm house at Shawdon Woodhouse, Northumberland.
Mary's brother William died in 1872,
aged 2, another brother, Robert, died in 1879, aged 19.
The family were recorded at Shawdon
Woodhouse again in 1881. Mary was 18, there was no
occupation listed for her, but no doubt she helped in
the house and on the farm. Her Dad was 54 and her Mam
was 43. The other children were George (15) who was
recorded as farmer's son, Catherine (13) and John Thomas
(9) were scholars. Their maternal grandfather, George
Turnbull, lived with them, he was 71.
Mary's Dad, George, died in 1888. In the
first quarter of 1889, Mary married Thomas Johnson. Mary
was 26 and Thomas was 27, their marriage was registered
in the Alnwick Registration District.
Mary and Thomas stayed at Shawdon Woodhouse, they were
recorded there on the 1891 census. Mary was 29, her
husband, Thomas, was 30 and worked as a mason. They had
a 2 month old son, who they had named George Bolam,
after Mary's Dad. Her Mam, Jane (53), was listed as the
farmer, brother George (25) was the farmer's steward.
Her other brother, John Thomas (19) worked on the farm.
By the time of the 1901 census Mary and her family were
living at Glanton, Northumberland. Mary was 38 and her
husband, Thomas (40) was recorded as being a builder &
contractor (employer). She had four children: George
Bolam (10) and Elizabeth Jane (7) were scholars, the
little ones were Albert Henry (3) and Violet (7 months).
Mary's brother, John Thomas, lived next door with his
family. Sadness for Mary and her family
when her daughter Violet died in 1903, aged 2.
They were still in Glanton for the 1911 census. Mary was
48 and the census form stated that she and Thomas had
been married for 22 years and they'd had five children,
two of whom had died. One was Violet but I haven't yet
been able to find out about the other baby. Her husband,
Thomas, was 50 and gave his occupation as builder. Their
three surviving children all lived with them, George
(20) was a mason, Elizabeth (17) had no occupation
listed and Albert was 13 and attended school.
Mary's husband, Thomas, died on 31st January 1917, he was 56 years
old. Probate was granted to Mary and her brother John
Thomas, on 23rd May 1917. His effects amounted to
£1315:3s:1d. Mary died on 9th September 1933, she was 70 years
old and her death was registered in the Alnwick
Registration District. Probate was
granted to her brother, John Thomas, on 17th November
1933, her effects amounted to £95:5s. |
