Chapter 6 - William GILLAM (c1834-1891) and Jane GOODMAN

THE GILLAM FAMILY OF CROYDON AND BRIGHTON

Chapter 6 William GILLAM (c.1834 - 1891)

William GILLAM was born about March 1834 in Brighton, Sussex; the son of Charles and Elizabeth GILLAM. This date is calculated from census information and corroborated by Lesley HARRIS (grand daughter of George Frederick GILLAM (1888-1961)).

The photograph of William below as a bare knuckle boxer is said to have been taken in the 1850's (the very early days of photography) by a newspaper. He was apparently the lightweight champion.

William GILLAM the boxer

William married Jane GOODMAN (b. c1832 in Plymouth, Devon) on 16th May 1853 at St Nicholas Church, Brighton, Sussex. The marriage certificate records that William, a labourer, is the son of Charles GILLAM, shoemaker; and that Jane is the daughter of James GOODMAN, a ropemaker. William and Jane lived at 81 and 43 Pimlico respectively. Witnesses were Adam Wingham and Elizabeth Wisden(?).

William, by now a fish hawker, and Jane produced two known children:

William b. 15th Nov 1855
Charles b. Jun 1857

In 1861, William, Jane and their two sons were counted in the census at 23 Robert Street, Brighton as Table 12 shows.

By the the 1871 census the family had moved to Camberwell as Table 11 shows.

William and Jane's son Charles married Susannah LAFLAIN on 8th January 1879 in Croydon Parish Church and they had two known children as indicated in Table 2, Witnesses to the marriage were Ebenezer Whittaker, William Gillam and Eliza Gillam. William's families are shown grouped in tree form in Figure 1.

Jane succumbed to tuberculosis (or phthisis as the death certificate records) on 28th November 1879 at 1 Russell Road, Croydon, Surrey.

In the 1881 census (see Table 2) William is shown as a general dealer at 1 Russell Road, Croydon, Surrey. Also at this address are his son Charles' family and a 7-year-old 'visitor', presumably his grandson William.

William later (and now a fishmonger) remarried (on 26th December 1886 at Selhurst, Surrey) to Drusilla MILLER née SHORT and they had a daughter, Mabel in 1887.

William and Drusilla are listed, with Mabel, in the 1891 census at 99 Gloucester Road, Croydon (see Table 3), this time William is a fish salesman.

William died on 23rd September 1891 at 97 Gloucester Road, Croydon. The death certificate records that he died of phthisis (tuberculosis) and that he was a Master Fishmonger. The death was reported to the registrar by his widow Drusilla on the same day.

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