Person:Winifred May (2)

Childhood

Winifred Kate May was born on 26th May 1885 at 46 Claremont Street in Plymouth. She was the eldest of eight children of a compositor printer named William May and his wife Louisa Kate Harry, who had married eleven months before Winifred's birth. Although at the time of Winifred's birth the family was living at 46 Claremont Street, they soon moved to 11 John Street, which appears to have been a fairly large property known as Pear Tree Cottage, which also had a row of cottages directly behind it known as Pear Tree Cottages. At any one time there appear to have been several families living at Pear Tree Cottage. The family already had connections to John Street: William May had spent much of his childhood living next door to Pear Tree Cottage at his father's grocery and beer shop, 10 John Street. The 1891 census finds Winifred living with her parents and siblings at 11 John Street, next door to her paternal grandparents and a great grandfather (Edmund Hutchings) at 10 John Street. Winifred was described in 1891 as a scholar. Some time between 1891 and 1901 John Street was renumbered, with the beer shop at No.10 becoming No.19 and Pear Tree Cottage at No.11 becoming No.21. The 1901 census finds Winifred aged 15 and working as a general domestic servant, but still living at home with her parents and siblings at Pear Tree Cottage.

It appears that Winifred was not baptised as a baby, nor have infant baptisms for any of her siblings yet been found. Instead, Winifred was baptised on 30th September 1902, when she was 17 years old. Her sister Louisa was baptised on the same day. Winifred and Louisa's baptisms are recorded in the registers of the Anglican church of St Simon, which lies to the north-east of Plymouth city centre. In fact, St Simon's was a very new parish at that point and the church had yet to be built in 1902 - the church hall next door had been built first and was being used as the church temporarily at the time of Winifred and Louisa's baptisms.

Adulthood

Winifred, Albert and their four children in about 1920.

Winifred was married on 5th June 1909 at Plymouth Registry Office to Patrick Albert Kelly, a stoker in the Royal Navy (who was generally known by his middle name). He was originally from Birkenhead in Cheshire and had previously served as a Royal Marine. As a professional sailor he was away for long periods, and Winifred took lodgings at 21 John Street, effectively in the same building as her parents. The 1911 census finds her living in two rooms at 21 John Street with her eldest son.

Winifred and Albert had four children together (three boys and a girl) between 1911 and 1918, all of whom were born at 21 John Street. Albert served in the Navy through the First World War and beyond, retiring from the Navy in 1922, by which time he was a Mechanic and Petty Officer. After retiring from the Navy, Albert moved the family to Caversham, near Reading. Given that neither Albert nor Winifred had any apparent connections to Reading this seems an unusual step. The family bought 5 Washington Road, Caversham for £295 in 1923.

Winifred, Albert and their youngest two boys in about 1924 outside 5 Washington Road. The older lady is thought to be Albert's mother but this is uncertain.

Winifred and Albert's eldest son died tragically in an accident on the Thames in 1929, aged 18. After this, they sold 5 Washington Road and moved to a larger house around the corner, Oak Villa, 5 Gosbrook Street (now called 5 Gosbrook Road), which they rented. Winifred died there on 27th January 1950, aged 64. Winifred had also outlived her daughter, who had died aged 33 in 1946 leaving a husband and two small children behind. After Winifred's death, Albert left Caversham altogether, returning to his native Birkenhead. When he died in 1962, he was buried back at Caversham, alongside Winifred.

1. ↑ Birth certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office), Primary quality.

   Registration District Plymouth
   1885. BIRTH in the Sub-district of Saint Andrew in the County of Devon
   No. 214
   When and where born: Twenty sixth May 1885, 46 Claremont Street U.S.D.
   Name: Winifred Kate
   Sex: Girl
   Father: William May, Compositor
   Mother: Louisa Kate May, formerly Harry
   Signature, description and residence of informant: William May, Father, 46 Claremont Street Plymouth
   When registered: Second July 1885
   Registrar: H.J. Barter, Registrar

   
2. ↑ General Register Office. The National Archives (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO) RG 12 General Register Office: 1891 Census Schedules, Class RG12; Piece 1726; Folio 14; Page 21, 5 Apr 1891, Primary quality.

   Address: 11 John Street, Plymouth, Devon
   3 rooms occupied
   William May, head, married, male, 30 [1860/1], Printers Compositor, employed, b. Devonport, Devon
   Louisa May, wife, married, female, 33 [1857/8], b. Dartmouth, Devon
   Winnifred May, daughter, single, female, 6 [1884/5], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Louisa May, daughter, single, female, 4 [1886/7], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Alice May, daughter, single, female, 3 [1887/8], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Frank May, son, single, male, 2 [1888/9], b. Plymouth, Devon
   Harry May, son, single, male, 1 [1889/90], b. Plymouth, Devon

3. ↑ General Register Office. The National Archives (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO) RG 13 General Register Office: 1901 Census Schedules, Class RG13; Piece 2103; Folio 11; Page 13, 31 Mar 1901, Primary quality.

   Address: Pear Tree Cott, 21 John St, Plymouth, Devon
   4 rooms occupied
   William May, head, married, male, 40 [1860/1], Letterpress Printer, worker, b. Devonport, Devon
   Louisa May, wife, married, female, 43 [1857/8], b. Dartmouth, Devon
   Winifred May, daughter, female, 15 [1885/6], General Servant (Domestic), worker, b. Plymouth, Devon
   [page RG13/2103/11/14]
   Louisa May, daughter, female, 14 [1886/7], General Servant Domestic, Worker, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Frank May, son, male, 11 [1889/90], b. Plymouth, Devon
   Alice May, daughter, female, 13 [1887/8], b. Plymouth, Devon
   Harry May, son, male, 10 [1890/1], b. Plymouth, Devon
   William May, son, male, 9 [1891/2], b. Plymouth, Devon
   Bertram May, son, male, 6 [1894/5], b. Plymouth, Devon

4. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Parish Registers of St Simon's Church, Plymouth. (Plymouth: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office), Primary quality.

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of S. Simon's in the County of Devon in the Year One Thousand nine Hundred & two
   No. 43
   When Baptized: Sept. 30 - Adult
   Child's Christian Name: Winifred Kate
   Parents' Names - Christian: William & Louisa Kate
   Parents' Names - Surname: May
   Abode: 21 John St.
   Quality, Trade, or Profession: Compositor
   By whom the Ceremony was performed: F. Wiltshire

   Baptised same time as sister Louisa.

5. ↑ General Register Office. The National Archives (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO) RG 14 General Register Office: 1911 Census Schedules, RG14PN13001 RG78PN749 RD276 SD3 ED25 SN453, 2 Apr 1911, Primary quality.

   Address: 21 John Street, Plymouth, Devon
   2 rooms occupied
   Winifred Kate Kelly, wife, female, 25 [1885/6], married 1 year, 1 child born to this marriage, 1 child still living, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Frank Kelly, son, male, 3 months [1910/11], b. Plymouth, Devon

6. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office), Primary quality.

   REGISTRATION DISTRICT Reading
   1950 DEATH in the Sub-district of Caversham in the County of Reading
   No. 345
   When and where died: Twenty seventh January 1950, 5 Gosbrook Street U.D.
   Name and surname: Winifred Kate KELLY
   Sex: Female
   Age: 64 years
   Occupation: Wife of Patrick Albert Kelly, Motor Engineer Retired
   Cause of death: I(a) Chronic Fibro-Gaseous Pulmonary Tuberculosis
   Signature, description and residence of informant: Ronald E. Hill, son-in-law, 13 Anglefield Road, Caversham, Reading
   When registered: Twenty-eighth January 1950
   Signature of Registrar: J.L. Parker, Interim Registrar