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Hi Ed,

Hmm synchronicity at it's wildest best?

On the 1939 Register with widow Miriam McKie (later Kipling) doB 16 June 1898, the head married couple are John Gardner doB 26 Sep 1874 and Emily Gardner doB 9 Jul 1875. Above Emily it is later noted (probably when she died) that her name is Hannah E. Inferred son there is Thomas, b 30 Nov 1914

MARRIAGE Mar Qtr 1896 Durham
John Whitfield Gardiner
Hannah Emily Porter

BIRTH: Thomas Whitfield GARDNER , mms PORTER, reg MQ 1915 Durham. Fits with a dOb 30 Nov 14, of the register.

John Whitfield Gardner and Hannah Emily Porter, had a daughter
Miriam Gardner, mms Porter, registered  sep Qtr 1898

Backwards, there are birth and baptism records to fit the parents birth years 1874 and 1875.
On A**y there are a number of trees:  giving John Whitfield Gardner's parents as:
Thomas Owen Gardner and Margaret Goundry/Wilson

So I think the 1939 Miriam, is not your one of the OP (Miriam Gardner born 9 Mar 1897 Stockton, with parents Joseph Gardner and Winifred Hartshorn Foster), unfortunately?

The father-in-Law informing of the death of his daughter's  husband Harold McKie in  1938, is more likely to be J for "John Whitfield Gardner"?

Cheers
AMBLY

Here's what I had found - in case others might see more clues 

BIRTH:
Mary Muir Boyd, registered JQ 1909, Bradford, Yorkshire

CENSUS 1911 Scotland: 1555 Paisley Road West, Govan, Pollockshields Ward
Head: William John Boyd, 27, single, Plumber, Hardware Merchant
Sister: Mary Boyd 23, unm, single
Neice: Mary Muir Boyd 2, b England
Nephew: Joseph Muir Boyd 1, b Glasgow
Boarder: William John Boyd 53, mar, b Ireland, Pavior (?), Govan Corporation

MARRIAGE 1915
Patrick McGinty
Mary Boyd
Married  1915, Hutchesontown

BIRTH 1918 James McGINTY, mms Boyd, reg Polloksheilds

BAPTISM 1918: Parish of Our Lady and St Margaret, Glasgow, Kinning Park (Roman Catholic)
James McGinty, 128 Park St.
In Latin - translated:
Born 30 Jan 1918, and baptised 6 Feb 1918, son of Patrick & Mary McGinty (Boyd),
Sponsor: Joan Boyd.
Side Note: Confirmed here 21 Dec 1926

CENSUS 1921 Scotland: Pollockshields (Index Only)
ref: 644//18 44/13, and 644/18 44/14
Patrick McGinty 37
Mary McGinty 32
James McGinty 3
Mary Muir 12
Joseph Muir 11

Cheers
AMBLY

That Baptism is a super good find Cas!   A  great fit for the 1841 Census, which  laid out as per the Rules - Benny Sellens  widow, 57, who is head of the family, followed by the rest of her Sellens family (Thomas 23 and Henry 13) then after the mark  / is Thomas Harder 87 and James Ovenden 45 //

1841 Rules "......Set down one after the other those who have the same surname, beginning with the heads of the family.....At the end of the names of each family draw a line thus / as in the Example.  At the end of the names of the inmates in each house draw a double line thus //.

I note the Census - the enumerator didn't apply the "age round down" rule, which is a bonus, and Benny is stated as Widow (crossed out as it wasn't an occupation, but still, it's there )

So in 1841, it does very much look like her Father is in her household, as Cas says. Obtaining his death cert - very possibly Benney is the informant and it may state her relationship to the deceased..

Was your Benney ever documented as "Benedicta"?

Cheers
AMBLY

Hi Dave :-)

It does rather seem like Thomas Moody and Alice Smethurst at a very good fit, given all the details for them, connection to Worsley and so on

Is their William a MOODY, though?

1) He was baptised 9 Sep 1838 as William Smethurst, and apparently illegitimate. No father on Baptism (transcript). Mother : Alice Smethurst
2) Thomas Moody and Alice Smethurst married 1 Jan 1841
3) 1841 Census : Thomas 22, Miller and Alice Moody 20, and William Smithurst 3, are in same household as a William and Alice Smithurst, both 30.

If Thomas & Alice are your William's parents - it's very possible the occupation of William's father on the 1861 Marriage is a deliberate 'fudge" or could even be what William understood his natural father to be? and who may or may not be a "Thomas"?

Here are the details for Chatters to review. Noting, William and Elizabeth were recorded as married in the 1861 Census - but didn't actually marry  until a week later:

CENSUS 1861: At 1A Fairbairns St, B****,  Store St, Manchester
Head: Hannah Hawley 56, widow, Housekeeper, b Derbyshire
Son: George Hawley 28, unm, Glasscutter, b Salford, Lancashire
Son-in-Law: William Moody 22,marr,  Iron Wire Worker, b Worsley, Lancashire
Dau: Elizabeth Moody 25, marr, b Salford, Lancashire
Plus a female servant, and 3 male boarders

MARRIAGE  1861
Married St Mary's Church Manchester on 14 April 1861
William Moody, 23, Bachelor, Wireworker, of 27 Albert Str. Father : Thomas Moody, Mason
Elizabeth Hawley 25, Spinster, of Albert Str. Father: George Hawley, Brewer
Witness: Ge. Hawley, Elizabeth Vaughan.

Note : William is consistent in the  Census thereafter  as born Worsley abt 1838/1839

Here is the MOODY-SMETHURST Marriage

MARRIAGE: 1 Jan 1841, Parish  Church of Eccles, Lancashire
Thomas Moody full age, Miller. Of Worsley. Father: Abraham Moody, Miller
Alice Smethurst , full age, Spinster, Of Worsley. Father:  John Smethurst, Weaver
Witness: Richard Farnsworth. Thomas Gorse

CENSUS 1841:  Tyldesley with Sharckely, Leigh, Lancashire
William Smithurst 30,  F.S. (sic)
Alice Smithurst 30
Thomas Moody 22, Miller
Alice Moody 20
William Smithurst 3

Re: Occupations  in my experience, on civil marriages 1837+ - and on births:  there was a propensity to talk up the occupation (for the groom or father)  or talk it down (by the officials & clerks), depending on the record so a Miller could be a Labourer at a Mill, for example

BAPTISM 1838
William Smethurst 9 Sep 1838, Tyldesley
Mother: Alice Smethurst

Registration District for Worsley at the time William Smethurst  born is either SALFORD or BARTON, WORSLEY & FLIXTON.

Reg District Barton, Worsley & Flixton  was Created 17 Dec 1838 out of Salford registration district.
It was Abolished 12 Mat 1841 & divided between Chorlton, Salford and Worsley registration districts.

There is this Birth Registration, possibly Alice Smethurst's child?:
Smithurst    Male     , Salford    Vol 20, Pg 441

GENUKI
Described 1870-72  "WORSLEY, a village, a township, a chapelry, and a sub-district, in Eccles parish, Barton-upon-Irwell district, Lancashire. The village stands on the Bridgewater canal, and on the Manchester, Tyldesley, and Wigan railway, 6½ miles WNW of Manchester.....  Pop., about 2,300...."

Cheers
AMBLY

part 2

This is the COLLIGAN-GARDINER  trail - the name "Colvin" as opposed to Colligan (Var) pops up here also.[/b]

BIRTHS: to John Colligan and Helen Gardiner
Margaret Colligan - 18 Jun 1839, Old Monkland (ON SP) (died before 1847)
Nancy Colligan - 12 Aug 1841 Old Monkland (ON SP) ( aka Agnes, a common alt form)
Jess Colligan 1843 Old Monkland (ON SP)
John Colligan  abt 1845 , birth not on SP ?
Margaret Colligan b abt 1847, birth not on SP? 
Jane Colligan b abt 1850 (birth not on SP ? )

Note: son John b abt 1845 married age 23 in 1868 in Holytown, parents John Colligan (engine Keeper at coal pit) and Helen Colligan ms Gardiner. He ended up in NZ.Well documented.

Note: dau Margaret b abt 1847 married William  Knox, chd incl:  a dau Helen Gardiner Knox 1868, & a dau Elizabeth Knox abt 1872. Died 1885 age 38  as  Margaret Knox or Colligan mms Gardner.  (The marriage and the two girls births registered with Margaret as "Colvin " )

In 1841 Census: Family of John Colligan and Helen Gardiner. Not found. Possibly should be in Old Monkland where dau Nancy/Agnes was born 1841?

In 1851: CENSUS Loanhead Old Monkland Lanarkshire
Head: Helen Calven 38, married  engine workers wife born Shotts
Dau: Agness 9, b. New Monkland (abt 1842) (this is Nancy, a common alt. form of Agnes)
Son: John 5 son b. Old Monkland (abt 1846)
Dau: Margret 3  b. Cambusnethan (abt 1848)
Dau: Jane  b. Bothwell (abt 1850)
Lodger: Petter Queen, 15 Coal Miner, b Edinburgh, Midlothian
Lodger: Barbra Calven 30, unm, Houseservant, b Shotts
Lodger: Hellen Calven 17, unm, Houseservant, b Falkirk, Stirlingshire

(Note: Cambusnethan is a large village and suburb on the eastern edge of Wishaw)
(Note: Not unusual for Coal miners / pit workers to be missing off Census in these times, due to being down the pit)
(Note: Investigate the two CALVEN Lodgers - but think Barbara is not 30, and is actually the dau of Edward Colligan and Ann Cleland baptised 1833 and died 1855, see below)

In 1861: CENSUS can't find (Would be so good to find them with a chance to verify John Colligan's place of birth!

In 1871: CENSUS - 56 Watsonville, Hamilton, LNK
Head: John Colligan 51, Coal Miner, b Camprie, Cumberlandshire  (?What does original Census say?)
Wife: Ellen Colligan 58, b Shotts LNK
Visitor: Jean Higgins, 41, female, Travelling Braker (baker?) , b Ireland, (abt 1830)
Nephew: John Colligan, 16, Coal Miner, b, New Monkland, Lanarkshire  (abt 1855)
Visitor:  Henry McDonald  11,Scholar, b Rillamill, Lanarkshire  (abt 1860)
Gr-daughter: Ellen Colligan 5, b Bothwell LNK (abt 1866

Note: The SP Index for this 1871 Census, does indicate John Colligan was enumerated as age 51 (approx 7 years younger than his wife)

In 1874: DEATH  - John Colligan aged 55, died in Sorn, Ayr after falling down a flight of Stairs at an Inn. Husband of Helen Gardiner. Parents: informed as : John Colligan & Margaret Colligan, ms  Campbell.

In 1881:  CENSUS - Main Street, Holytown, Bothwell, LNK
Head: Hellen Colligan, 68, Green Grocer, b Shotts, LNK (abt 1813)
Nephew: John Cooper 26 Engine Keeper At Coal Pit, b Bothwell, LNK (abt 1855)
Gr-Daughter: Elizabeth Knox 9, b Bothwell, LNK (abt 1872)
(Note: Presuming SP actual Census confirms her status is 'widow')

In 1884 : DEATH: Helen Colligan or Gardner, mms Leishman, died 1884  - registered Holytown SP Index. 

In 1885  : DEATH:   Margaret Knox or Colligan mms Gardner died 1885 Holytown age 38 (b abt 1847). SP Index. The daughter of John Colligan and Helen Gardiner, wife of William Knox

In 1904: Lanarkshire Poor Relief - the daughter Helen Gardiner Knox, of Margaret Colligan and William Knox:
8 Sep 1904 ( dating back to 14 January 1904), Admitted Bothwell
Helen Knox Campbell aged 35 , b Slamannan, widow of Hugh Campbell (died 13 Aug 1904 in Hartwood Asylum)
Partially disabled, Partially destitute, 5 children (Maggie, John, William, Hugh, Elizabeth)
Parents: William Knox, Miner, Holytown - and  Margaret Colvin (deceased)
Remarried: 27 Mar 1907

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part 3  next