2nd Great Grandparents; Alexander McPherson Gilles and Florence Jane Cooper

Alexander Gilles (1858-1923)

When Alexander McPherson Gillies was born on January 2, 1858, in Millers Forest, New South Wales, Australia, his father, Malcolm, was 36 and his mother, Margaret, was 25. Both parents had come to Australia during 1837/38 during the highland clearances from Inverness and Skye. They came on the Modlothian and the Heber. He married Florence Jane Gillies on February 17, 1887, in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. They had nine children in 15 years. He died on August 26, 1923, in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia, at the age of 65. He is buried in Waverly Cemetery. (1)

Florence Jane Cooper (1864-1942)

When Florence Jane Gillies was born in 1864 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, her father, William, was 33, and her mother, Margaret, was 28. She came from a very prominent family, her father the son of George Ashley Cooper, signiatory to the Treaty of Waitangi, and her mother from the famous Dent famiy. Her mother died when she was just six years of age, 10 Aug 1869.  Her father married again, again to  Mary Elizabeth Bobart, daughter of Rev. Samuel Marsden, historic figure in early Sydney. She married Alexander McPherson Gillies on February 17, 1887, in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. They had nine children in 15 years. She died on May 23, 1942, in New South Wales, Australia, at the age of 78.

Below; . Australia Census record for 1913 where Alexander is listed as living at 5 Queen's Avenue, Blue Point, St Leonards and his occupation is "cleaner". Florence is listed occupation "domestic duties" and Ray ijs a book binder. Below bottom; Coroner's report on the death of Alexander.

(1)Waverly Cemetery. Plot W-21-GE-SL-5094 Memorial ID 203084921 ·