K is for Kate-Kate Elizabeth Armitstead( born Hoyle) and her family

Kate Armitstead

Kate Elizabeth Hoyle was born in the second quarter of 1877 in Bury North, Lancashire England the sixth and youngest child of John and Elizabeth Jane Hoyle. Sadly her father had died in late 1876 aged 37 so he never saw his youngest daughter.

Elizabeth Jane Hoyle married again in 1886. This husband, John Beswick died in 1888 once again leaving Kate's mother a widow. 

By the 1891 census  Kate, her mother and a brother Thomas were living at 7 Wroe's Yard, Bury and Kate was a cotton weaver. Thomas was working as a  road corporation labourer.

Now some happy news-Kate married William Armitstead( my grandfather's eldest brother) on 6th August 1898 in Bury.

In the 1901 census they were recorded as living at 79 Gigg Lane Bury and William was a house carpenter/joiner. More good news as they had a son Henry Mawson who was one year old at the census. Between 1901 and 1911 she and William had 5 more children. One son, John, died at age 4 but the 4 girls Elizabeth, Margaret, Kate and Jessie and Henry are all listed on the 1911 census when the family was living in a 5 room house at 11 Milton Rd Prestwich. William was working as a joiner.

Two more daughters were born Edith and Doris but Edith died aged 1 year.

Now we have more good news as Henry marries in 1926, Elizabeth(Ciss) marries in 1927, Jessie marries in 1939 and Doris marries in 1948. Even more good news as 6 grandchildren arrive.

During World War 2 granddaughter Jean McLennan pictured above spent a lot of time with her grandparents and has told me that they had an  air raid shelter in the garden and they would all have to go there when the siren went.

Jean McLennan

The daughters Margaret and Kate didn't marry but they ran a  shop in  Whitefield for many years. Margaret enjoyed travelling and went on cargo boats as well as passenger ships. In 1949 she took William on a cruise to the Canary Islands leaving Liverpool on the 8th April 1949. 

Kate Elizabeth lost her husband William  in 1954 aged 81.

 In 1957 Margaret travelled on the Albemarle leaving Liverpool on 25th January going on a round trip to South America.

Sadly Kate Elizabeth died in 1958.

 In 1959 again Margaret set off and she  travelled on the  Beechmore to Chicago leaving London on 9th September. Another trip beckoned in 1960. This time to Auckland New Zealand  from London on 21st October. This must have been to visit her sister Elizabeth McLennan who had migrated in 1958 to be with her daughter Jean.

Kate and William's descendants are now spread across the globe from England to Australia and to New Zealand.