Mary Etherington was born on Tuesday 10 July 1863 at 2 Macclesfield Street, St Lukes, London [1], the daughter of William Edward Etherington a canal boatman from Tanworth, Warwickshire and Mary Wright Jeffery a dress maker from Norwood Green, Middlesex. Mary was baptised on Tuesday 4 August 1863 at St Matthew’s, City Road. Mary was the eldest of three children, her younger sister Anna was born in 1867 and her younger brother William was born in 1872  (see family tree, below).

MaryEtherington(1863-1939)

Mary Etherington's Immediate Family

Macclesfield Street runs along the length of the City Road Basin, part of the Regent's Canal constructed to allow barges to discharge their cargo and acted as a distribution centre for goods into London. Situated at the east end of the Islington tunnel on the Regent's Canal the City Road basin was opened in 1820 with the arrival of barges from Manchester which discharged their cargo at the basin and began their journey back to the north on the same day. The 1850s map of London [2] shows shows Macclesfield Street comprising two distinct parts: one part running east-west and one part running north-south alongside the City Road Basin (where the Etherington family lived). By 1894 the map for London [3] indicates that the City Basin comprised a number of saw mills and timber yards, foundries, paper works and assorted wharfs for unloading and storing goods.

The 1871 census [4] shows Mary, aged 7, living with her father William, a dredgerman (presumably working on the Regent's canal) aged 43, her mother, Mary a dressmaker aged 29 and her younger sister Anna aged 4. Both Mary and Anna are listed as scholars, although it is not known which school they attended.

The 1881 census [5] for Clerkenwell shows Mary aged 18 living living in Rawstorne Street, Clerkenwell, listed as a visitor in the house of the Eden family. At this time, the eighteen-year old Mary was an instrument polisher and it would be reasonable to assume that she was employed at the same company as the Eden's sixteen-year old daughter Mary Ann, also an instrument polisher.

Some two years later Mary Ann had set up home with Abraham Knight, although it was another ten years before they married (see below). Their first child, Florence Agnes was born on Monday 6 August 1883 at 2 Eliza Place, Clerkenwell, a small courtyard opposite the Saddlers Wells theatre [6].

By the time of the 1891 census Eliza Place had been demolished and the Knight family moved the short distance to 1 Margaret Place, Clerkenwell, close to St James Church. The 1891 census [7] shows that there were four members of the Knight family living in two rooms of a terraced house, sharing with one other family. Mary was employed as as a fancy bread worker, and her husband Abraham was employed as a fancy goods packer, possibly working in the same factory.

On Thursday 25 October 1894 Mary Etherington, a spinster aged 32, married his partner of ten years Abraham Knight (1860 - 1914) a bachelor aged 34 at St James's Pentonville Church, Clerkenwell. [8]. At the time of their wedding they were both living at 20 Cynthia Street, Clerkenwell. The witnesses were Walter Thomas Cushion and Mary Thurlby.

The 1901 census [9] for Finsbury shows six members of the Knight family living in three rooms at 22 Block Q, Peasbody Buildings, Roscoe Street. At this time Abraham was employed as a boot packer, his wife Mary was employed as a cardboard box maker and his daughter Florence as a milliner.

The 1911 census [10] shows the Knight family living at 12 Buckland Street, New North Road, Hoxton. Mary, her husband Abraham and their two sons, John Thomas aged 12 and Abraham aged 9 months occupied 2 rooms in a house close to Pitfield Street, Hoxton. Abraham was employed as boot packer at Haldistan Boot and Shoe Manufacturers, Goswell Road. The census indicates that they had five children, all of which survived. There is no mention of their second child Abraham, born in 1885 and who died as an infant.

In July 1914, when the family where living at 24 Nicholas Steet, Hoxton Mary's husband Abraham died aged fifty-four from the effects of pneumonia. Five years later, on 22 November 1919 Mary, aged 52 married Samuel Pardoe, a 56 year old widower and engineers labourer at the church of John the Baptist, Hoxton[11].

The 1921 census [12] shows Mary Pardoe living at 27 Nicholas Street with her son Abraham aged 20. Mary is listed as 'out-of-work' and Abraham was employed as a brace maker. Mary's husband, Samuel Pardoe was working as a night watchman at the Britannia Theatre, Hoxton and spent the night at 117 Hoxton Street. A typical night at the Britannia Theatre, built in 1841, would include plays by Shakespeare, drama and comedies. Perhaps the most famous visitor to the Britannia was Charles Dickens, who compared it favourably with the Scala in Milan and the Grand Opera in Paris. The theatre was badly damaged by fire in 1900 after which it was used mainly as a cinema [13].

The 1939 Register shows Mary Pardoe, bedridden and blind, living at 27 Nicholas Street with her husband Samuel, occupation retired[14].

Mary Pardoe died on the twenty-ninth December 1939 at 27 Fairbank Street, Shoreditch from heart failure [15].

Notes and Abbreviations:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Mary Etherington, 1863
  2.  Cross's New Plan Of London, 1850 Islington and Clerkenwell
  3.  National Library of Scotland Map Of London, 1894 Islington
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/399 f32r
  5.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/356 f119v
  6.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  7.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  8.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Mary Etherington, 1894
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  11.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Samuel Pardoe and Mary Knight, 1919
  12.  National Archives, 1921 Census for England and Wales
  13.  Wikipedia Britannia Theatre
  14.  1939 Register
  15.  GRO Death Certificate Mary Pardoe, 1939
  16.  'My Eth'gtn' stands for 'Etherington'

Notes and Abbreviations:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Mary Etherington, 1863
  2.  Cross's New Plan Of London, 1850 Islington and Clerkenwell
  3.  National Library of Scotland Map Of London, 1894 Islington
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/399 f32r
  5.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/356 f119v
  6.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  7.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  8.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Mary Etherington, 1894
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  11.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Samuel Pardoe and Mary Knight, 1919
  12.  National Archives, 1921 Census for England and Wales
  13.  Wikipedia Britannia Theatre
  14.  1939 Register
  15.  GRO Death Certificate Mary Pardoe, 1939
  16.  'Mry Eth'gtn' stands for 'Mary Etherington'

Notes:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Mary Etherington, 1863
  2.  Cross's New Plan Of London, 1850 Islington and Clerkenwell
  3.  National Library of Scotland Map Of London, 1894 Islington
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/399 f32r
  5.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/356 f119v
  6.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  7.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  8.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Mary Etherington, 1894
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  11.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Samuel Pardoe and Mary Knight, 1919
  12.  National Archives, 1921 Census for England and Wales
  13.  Wikipedia Britannia Theatre
  14.  1939 Register
  15.  GRO Death Certificate Mary Pardoe, 1939

Notes:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Mary Etherington, 1863
  2.  Cross's New Plan Of London, 1850 Islington and Clerkenwell
  3.  National Library of Scotland Map Of London, 1894 Islington
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/399 f32r
  5.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/356 f119v
  6.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  7.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  8.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Mary Etherington, 1894
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  11.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Samuel Pardoe and Mary Knight, 1919
  12.  National Archives, 1921 Census for England and Wales
  13.  Wikipedia Britannia Theatre
  14.  1939 Register
  15.  GRO Death Certificate Mary Pardoe, 1939

Notes:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Mary Etherington, 1863
  2.  Cross's New Plan Of London, 1850 Islington and Clerkenwell
  3.  National Library of Scotland Map Of London, 1894 Islington
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/399 f32r
  5.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/356 f119v
  6.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  7.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  8.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Mary Etherington, 1894
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  11.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Samuel Pardoe and Mary Knight, 1919
  12.  National Archives, 1921 Census for England and Wales
  13.  Wikipedia Britannia Theatre
  14.  1939 Register
  15.  GRO Death Certificate Mary Pardoe, 1939

Notes:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Mary Etherington, 1863
  2.  Cross's New Plan Of London, 1850 Islington and Clerkenwell
  3.  National Library of Scotland Map Of London, 1894 Islington
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/399 f32r
  5.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/356 f119v
  6.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  7.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  8.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Mary Etherington, 1894
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  11.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Samuel Pardoe and Mary Knight, 1919
  12.  National Archives, 1921 Census for England and Wales
  13.  Wikipedia Britannia Theatre
  14.  1939 Register
  15.  GRO Death Certificate Mary Pardoe, 1939

Notes:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Mary Etherington, 1863
  2.  Cross's New Plan Of London, 1850 Islington and Clerkenwell
  3.  National Library of Scotland Map Of London, 1894 Islington
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/399 f32r
  5.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/356 f119v
  6.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  7.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  8.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Mary Etherington, 1894
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  11.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Samuel Pardoe and Mary Knight, 1919
  12.  National Archives, 1921 Census for England and Wales
  13.  Wikipedia Britannia Theatre
  14.  1939 Register
  15.  GRO Death Certificate Mary Pardoe, 1939
  

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