Diss Family History Group

(William G Gardiner)

William G was born in 1867; registered in Quarter 3, 1867. [5]

The Census returns for 1871 and 1881 are a little confusing as they appear to be the correct entries for William, but his birth place is given as Bulcamp (pronounced boocum), Suffolk. Bulcamp was a House of Industry to Blythburgh Hospital (in 1836 became the Blything Poor Law Union workhouse).

1871 sees him living with grandparents George Gardiner (65, agricultural lablourer) and Ann (59), his mother Caroline (unmarried, 25, general servant) and four siblings. [6] (No sign of any father.)

It appears that William’s mother was unmarried at the time of his birth. His birth and those of two siblings in 1871 was given as Bulcamp [7]; was Caroline an inmate of Bulcamp? Was William born in the workhouse?

William’s mother Caroline married Edward Coleman. Their marriage was registered in Quarter 1, 1873. [8]

In the 1881 Census he is living with mother Caroline (35) and her husband Edward Coleman (42, shoemaker), and 2 other children, Annie M (16) and Ada Jane (11) with the surname of Gardiner. Additionally there are 4 more children with the surname of Coleman, Bertie E (6), Percy J (4), Jessie A (2) and Charley E (6mos). All were living in Brook Street, Yoxford. [9]

He married Georgianna Cady (daughter of George Cady, a dealer) in 1888. [10] (Georgianna is sometimes referred to as Georgina.)

William (born in Yoxford, 24, wheelwright) was living at Rendham Road, Peasenhall with wife Georgianna (23) and two children Ellie M (2) and Ida M (1 month) by the 1891 Census. [11]

The 1901 Census shows William (born in Yoxford, 34, a foreman woodman at drill factory) living with wife Georgianna (33), 6 children and his sister-in-law Annie Cady, living in The Street, Peasenhall. [12]

The main local employer was James Smyth & Sons, at the Seed Drill Works, where Gardiner was the foreman (some sources say manager) and most of the workforce attended the chapel.

In 1911 the Census shows William (44, Carpenter) living with wife Georgianna (43) at 63 Hartington Road Southall, Norwood, Middlesex, with 5 children. [13]

William was working as a carpenter for A. B. Hanson & Co., Builders and Contractors in 1921 as seen on the Census. He was living at 63 Hartington Road,Southall with wife Georgianna (53:02, home duties) and children Ernest (29:00, checker for the Great Western Railway), Annie (22:11, despatch clerk for the Universal Music Roll Co.), Ivy (16:06, no occupation) and Hilda (12:04, fulltime scholar). [14]

The Electoral Register for Southall South East has William and Georgina living at 63, Hartington Road, Southall, with Ivy Winifred and Graham Melville Maurice Coleman. [15] (Ivy Winifred Gardiner, William’s daughter, had married Graham Melville Maurice Coleman in 1935.)

The 1939 Register gives William and Georgina living at 63A, Hartington Road, Southall; he was born on 22nd December 1866, a retired carpenter, she on 5th April 1868, unpaid household duties. [16]

Gardiner died in 1941. He was buried in Havelock Norwood Cemetery on 6th February 1941; burial fees were £5 9s. 0d. His wife Georgianna was buried in the same plot on 28th January 1948; burial fees were £2 12s. 0d. His death was registered in Quarter 1, 1941. [17]

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[5] General Register of Births Marriages & Deaths, Births (1867 Q3 Wangford Suffolk Vol 4A Page 694)
[6] 1871 National Census : RG10 Piece 1768 Folio 11 Page 13 Schedule 81
[7] More information at : https://www.blythburgh.net/history/bulcampindus.php
[8] General Register of Births Marriages & Deaths, Marriages (1873 Q1 Blything Suffolk Vol 4A Page 942))
[9] 1881 National Census : RG11 Piece 1891 Folio 13 Page 19 Schedule 101
[10] General Register of Births Marriages & Deaths, Marriages (1888 Q1 Blything Suffolk Vol 4A Page 1716)
[11] 1891 National Census : RG12 Piece 1484 Folio 123 Page 21 Schedule 143
[12] 1901 National Census : RG13 Piece 1794 Folio 66 Page 11 Schedule 72
[13] 1911 National Census : RG14PN6795 RG78PN339 RD127 SD3 ED13 SN97
[14] 1921 Nation Census : RG15 Piece 06153 Schedule 96 Districh RD 127 RS 2 ED 17
[15] London Metropolitan Archives; Electoral Registers London, Southall, District RX, page 27
[16] 1939 Register : RG101/0880G/024/14 Letter Code: BPBI
[17] General Register of Births Marriages & Deaths, Death (1941 Q1 Uxbridge Middlesex Vol 3A Page 291