Mercia Hermina (Bailey) Hillary (1910 - 1966)

Born 14 Apr 1910 in Ladysmith, Kliprivier, Natal, South Africa

Wife of Harry White Hillary — married 5 Nov 1936 in Durban, Natal, South Africa

Died 20 Jun 1966 at age 56 in 2 Cassandra, 249 Ridge Road, Durban, Natal, South Africa

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Biography

Mercia was born in 1910. She was the daughter of Herbert James Bailey and Frances Hermina Purdon Cockcroft.

Her mother died in 1920.

At the age of 19 she married 42 year old widower George Leslie Taylor on 30 September 1929 at Ladysmith, Natal, after Banns^[1]. George was a Farmer of "Vertrek", Klip River, Ladysmith.

They had one son: Hugh Leslie Taylor (b. 4 July 1930)

Her husband George passed away on 4 June 1932 at the age of 46^[2].

She married, secondly, Harry White Hillary on 5 November 1936 at St. Thomas' Church in Durban, Natal, after Banns^[3]. Harry was an Engineer of 17 St. Thomas' Avenue, Durban; Mercia was a widow of 23 Caister Crescent, Durban.

On 30 November 1936 they arrived in Southampton, England, on the ship Warwick Castle. They intended to stay at the Regent Palace Hotel in London.

They returned to Natal, travelling on the ship Edinburgh Castle, departing from England on 22 January 1937.

Mercia and Harry went on to have at least two sons, one of whom died in infancy.

She passed away in 1966 at the age of 56^[4]. Cause of death was recorded as Coronary Thrombosis (sudden).

She was cremated at the Durban Crematorium, with her ashes being interred at St. Thomas's Cemetery, Ridge Road, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa^[5][6].

Inscription:

In Loving Memory of

MERCIA HILLARY AND HARRY WHITE HILLARY

WHO PASSED PEACEFULLY AWAY ON

20TH JUNE 1966 27TH AUGUST 1986

"IN GOD'S BEAUTIFUL GARDEN

WE MEET EVERY DAY"

Sources

1. ↑ "South Africa, Natal Province, Civil Marriages, 1845-1955," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDC1-2MW : 19 February 2021), George Leslie Taylor and Mercia Hermina Bailey, 30 Sep 1929; citing Ladysmith, Natal, South Africa; 02713; National Archives and Records Service of South Africa, Pretoria; 1,848,985.
2. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS75-C36Y-L?cc=2573604
3. ↑ "South Africa, Natal Province, Civil Marriages, 1845-1955," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDZM-DLP : 27 December 2014), Harry White Hillary and Mercia Hermina Bailey Taylor, 05 Nov 1936; citing Durban, Natal, South Africa; 00506; National Archives and Records Service of South Africa, Pretoria; 1,938,559.
4. ↑ "South Africa, Civil Death Registration, 1955-1966", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8B5R-QKMM : 4 September 2020), Mercia Hermina Bailey Taylor Hillary, 1966.
5. ↑ http://www.eggsa.org/library/main.php?g2_itemId=1727236.
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/237922121/mercia-hermina-hillary : accessed 25 March 2022), memorial page for Mercia Hermina Bailey Hillary (1910–20 Jun 1966), Find A Grave: Memorial #237922121, citing St. Thomas’ Churchyard, Durban, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa ; Maintained by lindylou631 (contributor 49254308) .