Catherine Meadows (buried 1964)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Meadows
First name: 
Catherine
Other Christian names: 
Elsie
Gender: 
Female
Children: 
Unknown
Burial number: 
1919
Born: 
19/11/1892
Died: 
00/04/1963
Buried: 
17/02/1964
Occupation: 
Author
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
NES
Cemetery row: 
4
Cemetery plot: 
1
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Endowed grave: 
No
Headstone description: 
Buried with Charles and Edith Turner
Headstone inscription: 
In loving memory of my dear husband Charles Wall Turner late of Worcester who died 16th May 1920 aged 57 "Until the day break" Also of his wife Edith May Turner who died 5th May 1959 aged 92 R.I.P. in dear and loving memory of my beloved son Wing-Cmdr Charles Kenneth Turner died 20th August 1946 aged 48 "Per ardua and astra" To the memory of Catherine Elsie the beloved wife of George Denis Meadows and only daughter of Charles Wall and Edith May Turner

Life story

Life story

Catherine was born on the 19th November 1892 at the Foregate, Worcester to Charles Wall Turner and Edith Mary Turner. Catherine had a younger brother Charles Kenneth Turner 

She married Llewelyn Thomas Parry-Jones on the 28th July 1920 in East Preston, Sussex. Llewelyn was 15 years her senior.

Llewelyn Thomas Parry-Jones
Llewelyn Thomas Parry-Jones

Llewelyn was a College Tutor born in Wales and had been married before when he lived briefly in America. He had 2 children by his first wife, the first, a daughter, born 2 months after their wedding in 1906. They had returned to England by the following year when his son was born. 

His first wife Jane had been married before and although she wasn't living with her husband in 1901, I can't find any record of a divorce. She died in September 1924 of cirrhosis of the liver. 

Neither, can I find a divorce record for Jane and Llewelyn and on her death certificate (4 years after Llewelyn married Catherine) it states that she is still his wife! 

There is however, a record of Llewelyn's divorce from Catherine: 

After the marriage of Catherine Elsie Turner and Llewelyn Thomas Parry-Jones on 28th July 1920 in East Preston, Sussex, the couple lived at Holywell Cottage, Malvern Wells, Worcs; also at 61 St. Georges Road, 8 Eccleston Street and 28 Carlisle Mansions, Westminster. 

On or about 20th March 1924, the said Llewelyn Thomas Parry-Jones at the Dean Hotel (87) Oxford Street in the County of London committed adultery with a woman whose name is unknown to the petitioner. 

The petitioner resides at 26 Milton Road, Bournemouth, Hants. 

Llewelyn Thomas Parry-Jones is now residing at 119 Victoria Street in the County of London and is domiciled in England. 

Final decree was on 9th July 1925. 

In the London electoral register of that year Catherine was residing at 9 Guildford Street, St Pancras. 

In 1928 she is listed in the phone book at the same address. Her phone number was Museum 5397 

Catherine married George Denis Meadows in the 2nd quarter of 1932 in Pancras 

George was a Schoolmaster and had lived in the U.S.A. on and off before marrying Catherine. 

In early September 1937, George and Catherine set out for America. 

In 1939 they were living in Greenwich County, Connecticut where George was a Headmaster 

In 1942 they were living in Washington and in 1954 they were living at Weston, Connecticut. 

On the 22nd November 1957, they both became naturalized citizens of U.S.A. 

Friday Market (Gollancz, 1938; Macmillan, 1938) by Catherine Meadows
Friday Market (Gollancz, 1938; Macmillan, 1938) by Catherine Meadows
Henbane (Gollancz, 1934; published in the U.S. as Doctor Moon, Putnam, 1935) by Catherine Meadows
Henbane (Gollancz, 1934; published in the U.S. as Doctor Moon, Putnam, 1935) by Catherine Meadows

In a Directory of 1958 they are both listed as Writers (and George also a Tutor). It seems that Catherine only had two books published under the name Catherine Meadows, "Henbane" (Gollancz, 1934; published in the U.S. as "Doctor Moon," Putnam, 1935) and "Friday Market" (Gollancz, 1938; Macmillan, 1938). However, it is possible that she wrote under a pseudonym later on. 

In 1959 they came for a 6 month visit to England on the Queen Elizabeth. The address they were to live at was 26 Milton Road, Bournemouth where Catherine had been living at the time of her divorce 34 years earlier, so it is likely they kept the house and visited England regularly. 

Catherine died on the 7th April 1963 in the Norwalk Hospital, Connecticut. She left effects of £17, 658 13s to her husband. 

George died in 1978 in Connecticut. 

I found this information about her car which Catherine had imported to England in 1938. This is another reason to assume that she and George were regular visitors to England. 

The car belonging to Catherine Meadows
The car belonging to Catherine Meadows
Registration of car for Catherine Meadows
Registration of car for Catherine Meadows
Burial researcher: 
Jackie Rooney

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
19/11/1892
Address at birth: 
Worcester, Worcestershire, England
Marriage
Maiden name: 
Turner
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
Llewelyn Thomas Parry
Spouse one last name: 
Jones
Marriage one date: 
28/07/1920
Marriage one address: 
East Preston, Sussex, England
Marriage 2
Spouse two first names: 
George Dennis
Spouse two last name: 
Meadows
Marriage two date: 
00/00/1932
Marriage two address: 
St Pancras, London, England

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
00/04/1963
Cause of death: 
Unknown
Address at time of death: 
Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, Connecticut, United States of America
Usual address at death: 
Weston Road, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA
Personal effects
Executors: 
George Dennis Meadows status: Schoolmaster
Probate pounds: 
£17,658

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1901 census: 

Living at Holly Lodge, Brittania Square, Worcester Charles W Turner 38yrs Chemist Employer; Edith M Turner 35yrs; Catherine E Turner 8yrs; Charles K Turner 2yrs; Elizabeth Love 20yrs Cook Domestic; Kate Bartlett 23yrs Nurse.

1911 census: 

Living at 49 Britannia Square, Worcester Charles Wall Turner 48yrs Chemist, Shopkeeper; Edith Mary Turner 45yrs; Charles Kenneth Turner 12yrs; Catherine Elsie Turner 18yrs; Alice Gwendoline Coakes 22yrs Servant Housemaid; Sylvia Elizabeth Helens 28yrs Servant Cook.