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RATCLIFFE, Florence May
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Name RATCLIFFE, Florence May Birth 1888 Chorley, Lancashirel, England
Gender Female Death 1980 Beverley Registration District, Yorkshire
Person ID I4238 Edgoose Last Modified 6 Feb 2026
Father RATCLIFFE, Thomas, b. 1854, Crayford, Kent, England
d. Aft 1911 (Age > 58 years) Mother STIRRUP, Betsy, b. 26 May 1860, Burton Wood, Lancashire, England
d. Aft 1939 (Age > 80 years) Marriage 1887 Chorley Registration District, Lancashire
Family ID F1892 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family HOLMES, Charles, b. 2 Jun 1884, Thornton, Yorkshire, England
d. 20 Nov 1917, Active Service In World War 1
(Age 33 years) Marriage 13 Feb 1915 Chorley, Lancashirel, England
Children 1. HOLMES, Hilda, b. 11 Apr 1916, Blackburn, Lancashire, England
d. 2000, Chichester Registration District, Sussex
(Age 83 years)Family ID F1887 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
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Notes
FLORENCE MAY HOLMES née RATCLIFFE 1888-1980
The birth of a Florence May RATCLIFFE was registered in 1888. According to the registration of her death in 1980, she was born on 6 July 1888. The 1939 Register confirms this date.
(GRO September Q 1888 Chorley 8e 535)
The 1891 census of 2 Lapton Street, Chorley, Lancashire:
Thomas RATCLIFFE, head, aged 36, (illegible) printer's labourer, born at Craford, Kent;
Betsy RATCLIFFE, wife, aged 41, housewife, born at Burton Wood, Lancashire;
*Florence May RATCLIFFE, daughter, aged 2, born at Chorley, Lancashire.
(RG12/3425/10/13)
The 1901 census of 16 Weldbank Lane, Chorley, Lancashire:
Thomas RATCLIFFE, head, aged 45, (illegible) labourer, born in London (Kent crossed out);
Betsy RATCLIFFE, wife, aged 41, born at Burton Wood, Lancashire;
*Florence RATCLIFFE, daughter, aged 12, cotton weaver, born at Chorley;
Thomas RATCLIFFE, son, aged 9, born at Chorley;
John L. RATCLIFFE, son, aged 5, born at Chorley.
(RG13/3938/19/30)
The 1911 census of 59 Moor Road, Chorley, Lancashire:
Thomas RATCLIFFE, head, aged 50, motor stoker above ground for colliery company, born at Woolwich, London;
Betsy RATCLIFFE, wife, aged 48, married 24 years, 5 children of whom 3 living, born at Newton-le Willows, Lancashire;
*May RATCLIFFE, daughter, aged 22, single, café waitress for caterer & confectioner, born at Chorley, Lancashire;
Lewis RATCLIFFE, son, aged 15, single, office boy (grocer) in co-op soc.,
born at Chorley, Lancashire.
(RG14/25217)
Florence May RATCLIFFE married Charles HOLMES at St. George's Parish Church, Chorley, Lancashire, on 13 February 1915. He was described as a 30 year old traveller, a bachelor of 59 Moore Road, Chorley, and son of James HOLMES, a traveller. Florence May RATCLIFFE was a 26 year old waitress, a spinster, also living at 59 Moore Road, Chorley, and daughter of Thomas RATCLIFFE, a stoker. Witnesses were John Louis Ratcliffe and Doris Mabel STIRRUP [her mother Betsy RATCLIFFE's maiden name].
(GRO March Q 1915 Chorley 83 780)
Their daughter Hilda HOLMES was born in 1916.
(GRO June Q 1916 Blackburn 8e 499)
Private Charles HOLMES, No. 66946, 98 Coy., Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), died aged 33 on 20 November 1917, son of James HOLMES of Brunner Road, Ealing, London; husband of Florence May HOLMES of 12B, Westbourne Avenue, South Shore, Blackpool.
(source: www.cwgc.org)
Her father-in-law James Headgoose HOLMES died aged 73 on 1 October 1934 at 16 Brunner Road, Brentham, Ealing, Middlesex. His occupation was an Organiser for the National Union of Railwaymen (retired). The informant was his (second) wife Elsie Mary HOLMES.
(GRO December 1934 Brentford 3a 230)
Probate of the will was granted on 22 November 1934 to his widow Elsie Mary HOLMES of 16 Brunner Road, Ealing, Middlesex; to his son John Thomas HOLMES a commercial clerk of 23 Selby Road, Ealing; and to his son William HOLMES a commercial clerk also of 16 Brunner Road, Ealing. His effects totalled £6,476.3s.2d. He left £100 to his daughter Mary Elizabeth HUTCHINGS; £50 each to John Thomas HOLMES, William HOLMES and to his granddaughter HILDA HOLMES, the daughter of his deceased son Charles; and £25 to May HOLMES, the widow of Charles.
From the 1939 Register for 365 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool C. B., Lancashire.
* May F (Florence M) HOLMES, born 6 July 1888, unpaid domestic duties, widowed;
Hilda ONLEY-WILDE (HOLMES), born 11 April 1916; typist doctor's secretary, single;
Betsey RATCLIFFE, born 26 May 1860, unpaid domestic duties, married;
Arthur A. ROBERTS, born 17 November 1880, schoolmaster, married.
(RG101/4256G/019/17)
The death of a Florence May HOLMES was registered in 1980. The registration gives her date of birth as 6 July 1888.
(GRO September Q 1980 Beverley 7 0132)
(revised 30.03.2017)

