John William GARDINER (1844-1923)

John William Gardiner (1844-1923), known as William, was the brother of Caroline Florence Mourilyan (née Gardiner), who was the sister-in-law of Eugénie Sladden (née Mourilyan).  A letter of 16th April 1916 refers to Caroline (William’s sister) and Fred Mourilyan going to visit them.

William was born in 1844 at Bath, Somerset, the fourth of nine children of George Gregory, a Clerk in Holy Orders, and his wife, Frances Mary (née Touchet).  He was baptised at Walcot St Swithin, Somerset, on 9th August 1844.

When he was seven years old, the family moved to Bonn when Reverend Gardiner was appointed the English chaplain.  In 1859 the family moved to Paris, where Reverend Gardiner had accepted a post as Chaplain of the English Protestant Chapel in Avenue Marboeuf. 

William married Grace Annie Marie-Louise Napier by licence on 4th November 1868 at St Peter, Eaton Square, London.  William was in the Bengal Civil Service and the young couple went to live in India.  They had five sons and five daughters and an 11th child who died in infancy:  Frances Mary Theodora (1870-1956), Joseph Napier (1871-1930), Evelyn Annie (1873-1906), Herbert William (1875-1955), Rosetta Elizabeth (1877-1955), James Ernest (1879-1937), Allan Frederick (1881-1956), Katharine Maud (1883-1974), Alexander Anson (1886-1917) and Margaret Winifred (1890-1900). 

By the time of the 1991 census they were back in England, living at 92 Auckland Road, Croydon, Surrey, William having retired from the Bengal Civil Service.  They had returned the year before and Margaret had been born at her grandparents’ home in St Leonard’s-on-Sea.  By 1911 they were living at Oakhurst, Sylvan Hill, Norwood Street, Croydon.

William died on 12th May 1923 at Lincoln Lodge, Manor Road, Worthing; his wife had died four years previously.