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
