As mentioned in the previous post, Frances McPherson was born October 16th, 1874 at Brandon Lane in North Brancepeth (a.k.a. Littleburn) Colliery, County Durham. Her parents were William and Margaret MacPherson. In the 1881 Census, Frances was 6 years old and attending school in the Township of Brandon at Browney Colliery, County Durham. She was living with her parents, a brother and three sisters. Not surprisingly, her farther was a coal miner.
Meanwhile, the same 1881 census finds my great grandparents, William (an engineman) and Mary Charlton living not far away at Boyne Colliery. They had with them their two boys, John (3) and William (9 months). Robert was born the 12th of November in the following year after the family had moved to 143 Front Street at North Brancepeth (Littleburn) Colliery. Sadly, both of Robert’s older brothers died in the early days of the pregnancy that brought Robert to life.
So it is that Frances and Robert (who would eventually meet and marry following the death of Robert’s first wife Helen Lottie Good) were both born at North Brancepeth Colliery, albeit eight years apart. In later life, both would say they came from the nearby village of Langley Moor.
By 1891 Frances is 16 and is a pupil teacher (student teacher) living with her parents, William and Margaret MacPherson, an older sister Margaret (who has appeared following her absence from the 1881 census), her older brother John and her younger sister Dorothy. They live on Hagg Lane at Byers Green in Auckland, County Durham.
In 1901 Frances is living in the centre of Durham town at 4 South Bailey Street in the shadow of the Cathedral. She is employed as a house maid on live-in basis with the Dale Family. Mr. Charles W. M. Dale is a 66 year old bank secretary. His wife was Beatrice, age 31. Their 5 year old son Charles was born in London at St. John’s Wood. In addition to Frances, there was a nurse, a cook, a parlour maid, and a kitchen maid.
Click on the photo to view a detailed record of the site which is listed in English Heritage’s National Monument Record. The house is currently part of the townhouse of the Bowes family, related to the Queen Mom.
