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

Matilda 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.

Caroline had married John Hughes and when Ted Collier researched the Collier/Gardiner Family Tree, he found that Caroline may have been related to Joan Hughes, one of the first female professional pilots.

Link to:
Joan Hughes

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

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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

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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:

Progress 2012/16

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Progress 2017

I did a random search to try and find John Gardiner's parents and may have found his christening:

Saint Matthew, Bethnal Green

John Gardiner born 14.7.1790 bp 1.9.1790
(Parents William & Elizabeth Gardiner)

There is a possible marriage of William & Elizabeth but this is speculation:

St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey

William Gardiner
married 12.11.1788
Elizabeth Hazelman

Progress 2018

In April, the BBC broadcast a programme, RAF100, in which Joan Hughes was mentioned by name:

Joan Hughes

Progress 2019

Joan Hughes - Stirling Girl

I was given the excellent book, A Spitfire Girl, as told by Mary Ellis to Melody Foreman.

Over the last few years Mary Ellis was famous as one of the few remaining wartime ferry pilots for the ATA, the Air Transport Auxiliary.

In the book, Mary Ellis refers to one of the first ATA girls, Joan Hughes.

Collier/Gardiner/Hughes Family - Joan Hughes

One of Chris' father's cousins was Ted Collier who showed an interest in the history of another of the ferry pilots, Joan Hughes, who may be related.

I have extracted the references to Joan Hughes in Mary Ellis' book:

Joan Hughes - Stirling Girl

Progress 2020-2021

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Progress 2022

In updating my records, I ched under History of Loughton Airfield and found a remarkable publication:

Loughton and District Historical Society
Newsletter 220 February/March 2019

Joan Hughes Loughton's ATA Pilot

Joan Hughes Loughton's ATA Pilot

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 December 2022

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