Individual's Report

Kate Cora was born on the seventeenth of December 1872 at 19 Wesley street, Melcombe Regis. She was the oldest child of Edwin Albert Newton, I also found reference in the IGI to Kate Cora Newton's christening on the 12th January 1873 in Melcombe Regis, Dorset.The fathers name matches and this record also gives her mothers name as Melina.

The 1881 census shows Kate Newton as an 8 year old scholar, residing at 2 Albert Street Melcombe Regis, again with her father Edwin Albert Newton.
Also there are Edwin's wife, Hester Dorcas Newton, who I believe to be his second wife, and Kate's Step-mother, and also her brother Frank Newton, then aged 6.

She is found again in the 1891 census. At this time she was a domestic servant in the household of the widowed Mrs. Laura Brown, at 37 Park Street, Melcombe Regis, Dorset.

In June 1900, Kate Married John Reid, a sailor in the Royal Navy. I have no knowledge of how they met, but as there was a large naval base at nearby Portland, I assume that he may have met her as a result of his ship berthing there.

The 1901 Census shows her alone at home on the night of 31st March 1901. Aged 28 she is listed as aged 28, with not much more information. At that time she was living at 27 Wesley Street.

The couple first child, Kate Marion Reid, was born on Bonfire night, November 5th 1906, and was followed by the birth of my Grandmother, May Clara Reid on the 13th January 1909. I know from the birth certificate that at this time the family were living at 50 Clarendon Street, Landport, Portsmouth, Hampshire, and again I think it is fairly safe to assume that John had been posted to Portsmouth.

Their third child, Jessie Winifred Violet Reid was born on the 17th August 1913, although I have yet to confirm that date.

Kate was widowed just 6 moths later, when John died on the 15th January 1914 of heart disease. Again at this point I know from the death certificate of John, that they were again living in Melcombe Regis, Dorset, this time at no.5 Stewards Court.

At some point Kate moved again to 61 Newstead Road and it was here that the picture below was taken. I believe that the child is my father, Michael John Ayles and therefore that this picture would have been taken around 1944 or 1945.

Kate lived in Newstead road until her death on the 7th June 1946, aged 72 years. Shed died of heart failure. She was buried in Weymouth Cemetery in Newstead Road on the 11th June 1946.