Kathleen Newstead (Falkner) McComas (1878 - 1966)

Born 1878 in Woodham Walter, Essex, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of Archibald McComas — married 26 Mar 1906 in Bayswater, London, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 7 Mar 1966 at about age 88 in St Martin, Guernsey, Channel Islands [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Gerald Wells [send private message]

Biography

Kathleen Newstead Falkner was born in 1878 at Woodham Walter, Essex. She was the fourth child and second daughter of Robert Falkner and Henrietta Wells who married in 1873 at Wallingford, Berkshire. Her birth was registered at Maldon, Essex, in the first quarter of 1875.

Kathleen was baptised at Woodham Walter on 17 March 1878. Her father was the rector of the parish.

At the 1881 census, Kathleen and the family were living at The Rectory at Woodham Walter, Essex. Details listed - father Robert H Falkner (51, rector of Woodham Walter, born Ireland), mother Henrietta Falkner (34 (age error), born Wallingford, Berkshire), brother Arthur N Falkner (7, born Ireland), brother Harold N Falkner (5, born Woodham Walter), sister Ethel N Falkner (4, born Woodham Walter), Kathleen N Falkner (3, born Woodham Walter), and brother Earnest M Falkner (1, born Woodham Walter). Also listed were a governess (French?), and four servants.

Between the 1881 census and 1884 a further four siblings were born. Twins Claude N Falkner and Herbert N Falkner, born in 1881, died soon after birth. A brother, born in 1882, was also called Claude N Falkner, while a sister Ianthe N Falkner, was born in 1884.

At the 1891 census, Kathleen Faulkner (sic) (12, scholar, born Woodham) and her sister Ethel Faulkner (14, scholar) were found to be visitors at the home of the Hull household at London Road, Reigate, Surrey. This was a household of three adults and four servants. In the meantime, during this census, the sisters' father was at his brother's home near Bath, Somerset, their mother and one younger brother, Earnest (11), were with their mother's parents at Wallingford, Berkshire, their two eldest brothers were away at boarding school, and their two youngest siblings, Claude and Ianthe, were at the family home, the rectory in Woodham Walter, Essex, being looked after by the servants.

Kathleen's mother died in 1896, aged 50.

At the 1901 census Kathleen was with her father, still at the Rectory, Woodham Walter, Essex. Details listed - father Robert H Falkner (widower, 71, clergyman, Church of England, born Ireland), brother Arthur N Falkner (single, 27, member of Stock Exchange, born County Tipperary, Ireland), sister Ethel N Falkner (single, 24, Woodham Walter) and Kathleen N Falkner (single, 23). A visitor Constance L McComas (single, 23, born Marton, Warwickshire) and two servants - cook and housemaid - were also present. Constance McComas went on to marry Kathleenl's second brother, Harold, the next year.

On 26 February 1906 Kathleen Newstead Falkner (27, spinster) married Archibald McComas (29, bachelor, gentleman) at St Peter's church, Bayswater, London. The fathers of both the bride and groom were "Clerks in Holy Order". The marriage was reported in the Barking Advertiser,^[1] where it was observed that Miss Marjory Morphew (Margery Isabel (Morphew) Leslie (1897-1977)), Kathleen's first cousin once removed, was one of the bridesmaids. The brother of the bride and the sister of the groom had married each other just four years earlier. On the marriage papers it was noted that while Kathleen's residence at the time was Woodham Walter, Archibald's was 14 Denbigh Terrace, Notting Hill, London. The marriage was registered at Kensington, London, in the first quarter of 1906.

In 1907 Kathleen's father died, at Woodham Walter.

A son, Richard Archibald, was born in 1907.

A son, Anthony A, was born in 1910.

At the 1911 census the family were at "Fenton", Farnborough, Kent. Details listed - husband Archibald McComas (33, private means, no birth place listed), Kathleen McComas (32, born Woodham Walter), son Archibald McComas (4, born Farnborough, Kent), son Anthony McComas (under 8 months, born Farnborough) and sister-in-law Murie l(Ada) McComas (31, private means, born Marton, Warwickshire). Three servants were also listed - cook and two domestics. This census confirmed that at this date there had been two children of the marriage, both of whom were still living.

A daughter, Pamela M, was born in 1914.

Kathleen's husband died in 1931, aged 54. The address at the time was Le Varclin, St Martin, Guernsey, Channel Islands.

Kathleen Newstead McComas of Le Varclin, St Martin, Guernsey, Channel Islands, died 7 March 1966. Probate ...... to Anthony Archibald McComas, H M Army retired. (National Probate Calendar - 1966)

Kathleen was buried at St Martin's New Cemetery, St Martin, Guernsey, aged 82,^[2] where there is also a memorial to both Kathleen and her husband.

Sources

• England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 for Kathleen Newstead Falkner, 1878, Q1-Jan-Feb-Mar

• Kathleen Newstead Falkner in the Essex, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1918 (Ancestry.com)

• 1881 England Census for Kathleen N. Falkner, Essex, Woodham Walter, District 9

• 1891 England Census for Kathleen Faulkner, Surrey, Reigate, District 04

• 1901 England Census for Kathleen N Falkner, Essex, Woodham Walter, District 15

• London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936 for Kathleen Newstead Falkner, Kensington and Chelsea, St Peter, Notting Hill, 1857-1909 (Ancestry.com)

• England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 for Kathleen N Falkner, 1906, Q1-Jan-Feb-Mar

• 1911 England Census for Kathleen McComas, Kent, Farnborough (Except the Workhouse which is seperately enumer, 07

• England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 for Kathleen Newstead McComas, 1966

Footnotes

1. ↑ Barking Advertiser, Saturday 3 March 1906
2. ↑ Find A Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/217516462/kathleen-n-mccomas

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Gilly Wood for creating Falkner-135 on 29 Sep 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Gilly and others.