Progress To Date

Great Grandparent: Matilda Gardiner
- Her Parents: John Gardiner and Ann Matilda Goodchild
- Her Grandparents:

Mini Family Tree (Direct Ancestors)

The family tree to date may be summarised:

Gardiner Family

John Gardiner b c 1790 Buried ?17.4.1846 (age 55)
married 29.1.1832
Ann Matilda Goodchild b c 1813/4

Ann Matilda (Goodchild) Gardiner later married Richard Jackson c 1850

Children:
Matilda Gardiner bp 25.2.1835
John Gardiner b 1837
Thomas Gardiner bp 8.3.1840
William George Gardiner bp 3.11.1844
Caroline Jackson b 28.12.1851 bp 18.1.1852

Matilda Gardiner bp 25.2.1835
married South Hackney 15.10.1853
Charles Collier b 15.9.1833

Walter James Collier b 09.06.1862
married St Luke’s, Hackney 13.05.1894
Mary Perrier b 02.12.1869
d 10.02.1949 (Age 79)

Leonard Stanley Collier b 30.11.1909 d 9.5.1988
married 6.06.1936 St John’s, Clay Hill, Enfield
Phyllis Marjoram Hunt b 6.06.1912 Died 1991

Christine Elizabeth Collier b 26.03.1946
married 15.10.1966 St John’s, Clay Hill, Enfield
Colin Bower b 12.01.1944

Link to Family Tree

Matida Gardiner & Descendants

Summary of Research To Date

A common name with many variants which is difficult to research.

A litle progress only has been made with the discovery of Matilda Gardiner's sister Caroline and their mother Matilda in the 1881 Census.

When Ted Collier researched the Collier Family Tree, he found out that Joan Hughes, one of the first female professional pilots, was Caroline Gardiner's granddaughter.

 

Joan Hughes, Woman Aviator

Joan Hughes, the Woman aviator, shared the same Great Grandmother (Matilda Gardiner) as my wife Chris' father Len Collier.

The following information was given in an article: Those Daring Young Women, Female Avaitors 1785 to 1945, appeared in the Family History Monthly (Edition 69 puiblished in 2001):

Shortly after World War II broke out, the Air Ministry allowed women to join the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). In January 1940, eight female pilots, including Joan Hughes, were recruited to ferry Tiger Moths from the De Havilland factory at Hatfield. All were qualified flying instructors and very experienced pilots.

The introduction of the women's ferry pool attracted a lot of publicity in the papers, radio and cinema.

By the end of the War, 108 women had been recruited including Amy Johnson and pilots from New Zealand, Canada, Poland, South Africa and Holland.

Life was dangerous and Amy Johnson died after bailing out over the Thames Estuary in 1941.

A list of female pilots in the ATA, from L. Curtis' book: The Forgotten Pilots, was included in the article. It included Joan Hughes, one of the Flight Captains.

Birth Marriage & Death Certificates Held
- Births:
- Marriages: 1
- Deaths:

Certificates Held - Gardiner Family

Census Records Obtained
- 1841
- 1851
- 1861 Matilda Gardner Widow & family
- 1871
- 1881 Matilda Gardiner Widow staying with daughter Caroline (Gardiner) Hughes
- 1891
- 1901

Census Records Held

Other Research Undertaken
- IGI - nil
- Parish Records - nil
- Wills
- Businesses - nil
- Correspondence - many exchanges of correspondence
- Visits - South Hackney where Charles Collier married Matilda Gardiner
- Photographs
- Misc Info/Documents

Progress 2004/5

-

Progress 2006

I found the following entry in the 1861 census which showed Matilda was a Widow and she had another child: George Gardiner (or is it Gardner?):

16 Centre Street, Bethnal Green

Matilda Gardner (46)
George Gardner (16)
Caroline Gardner (9)

Progress 2007

-

Progress 2008

Progress has been slow since we traced Matilda (Gardiner) living with her daughter Caroline in 1881. But I did find the family in the 1861 Census even though they are shown as Gardner. Still not traced John Gardiner.

Progress 2009

The publication of the Parish Records held by the London Metropolitan Archives on the internet, enabled me to trace a possible marriage for John Gardiner to Ann Matilda Goodchild on 29.1.1832 at St John at Hackney.

Progress 2010

-

Progress 2011

I found a potential entry in the 1841 Census and a potential burial for a John Gardiner.

I traced entries in the 1841, 1851 and 1871 Censuses for Ann Matilda Gardiner. In 1851 Ann Gardiner is shown as the wife of Richard Jackson.

I also traced the christenings of Ann’s children.

I wrote up a report as part of the Big One! Project:

The Big One! - Gardiner Family

Things we wish we knew

• Entries in 1841, 1851 & 1871 Censuses
• Birth certificates for the other children, e.g. George Gardiner b 1844/5 Bethnal Green and Caroline Gardiner b 1851/2

Colin Bower
1 January 2012

Links to:
Gardiner Family - Main Links
Family History - Main Index