AITKEN to WHAITE - Person Sheet
AITKEN to WHAITE - Person Sheet
NameAlma Stephanie Sumner GILLEY
Birth Dateca 1892
Birth PlaceTorquay, Devon, England
MemoHer marriage to Horace Parker suggests a birth date of 1898 but her marriage to Eric Ironmonger suggests 1893, the latter thought more likely as Caroline Redwood, Alma’s claimed mother, died in 1893.. The marriage to Horace Parker records her being born in Torquay in Devon but her death record gives birth in Fulham in London. No birth index has been found so wonder if her name and that of her parents at birth were not as later recorded. Perhaps she “adopted” by the Gilley family but not found on any census..
Depa Date2 Apr 191920345 Age: 27
Depa PlaceLondon City, London, England
MemoMrs A S Ironmonger, age 26 left London on the ship Benalla bound for Sydney. Her husband E H Ironmonger was a SGT soldier on the same ship.
Death Date197020320 Age: 78
Death PlaceKyneton, Macedon Ranges, Victoria, Australia
MemoDeath with surname Ironmonger. Death record gives father as Thomas George and mother as Caroline Redwood. See was aged 78 years ( circa 1892) and born Fulham, England, marriage of 1930 gives birth in Devon.
OccupationVariety Artist (1918), Milliner (1930)
Alias/AKASOMNER-GILLEN, SOMNER-GILLEY, Mabel Sophia?
FatherThomas George Sumner GILLEY (1865-<1907)
MotherCaroline REDWOOD (1861-1893)
Spouses
Birth Date13 Jan 189120318
Birth PlaceRedfern, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Death Date18 Apr 196620319 Age: 75
Death PlaceBurwood, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationDraper (1913)
FatherAlbert John PARKER (1868-1938)
MotherRosina Gertrude LANG (1870-1960)
Marr Date9 Aug 193020321
Marr PlaceMelbourne City, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Marr MemoAt St. Pauls Cathedral Horace Anthony Dunmore Parker born Sydney N.S.W. a manufacturer, aged 37 married Alma Stephanie Somner-Gilley (spinster?) born Torquay, Devon, a milliner, aged 32. Horace gave residence as 78 Alma Road St. Kilda and Alma gave address as Hotel in Elizabeth Street, Sydney. Horace’s father was Albert John Parker, a manufacturer and Alma’s was given as Thomas George Sumner Gilley a sea captain (deceased), not a florist.

No evidence was found that this marriage was legal as Alma was already married to Eric Ironmonger and she died with surname Ironmonger although she used the surname Somner-Gilley on the electoral rolls. Review of actual marriage record shows marriage was cancelled on the 4th Sep 1952 being bigamous.
Annul Date4 Sep 1952
Annul PlaceVictoria, Australia
Annul MemoMarriage cancelled being bigamous. .
Birth Date189020346
Birth PlaceMelbourne East, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Death Date23 Feb 196620347 Age: 76
Death PlaceGosford, Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationArmy WW1 & sheep station worker (1918)
Marr Date16 Feb 191820348,20349
Marr PlaceSt. George Hanover Square, Westminster, London, England
Marr MemoAt the registry office London Eric Harold Ironmonger, 27 a 2nd corporal rifleman & sheep station worker married Alma Stephanie Somner-Gilley, 25 a Variety artist. Bothe gave address as 78 Cambridge Street, Pimlico. Eric’s father was Charles William Ironmonger, a manufacturer’s agent and Alma’s was Thomas George Somner-Gilley a Captain in the merchant service.
Notes for Alma Stephanie Sumner GILLEY
Alma is on Electoral rolls 1949 & 1963 as Alma Stephanie Somner-Gilley, never as Parker or Ironmonger. She married Eric Ironmonger as Somner Gilley. Her death found as Ironmonger. She migrated to Australia in 1919 with her soldier husband of just over a year Eric Ironmonger bound for Sydney.

Death & marriage records show Alma’s parents as Thomas George & Caroline Redwood. Nothing has been found to confirm these were actually her parents and she recorded her father’s occupation as mariner not Florist, however the father of Thomas George Sumner Gilley was also Thomas George and he was a mariner married to Sophia Sumner and lived around Torquay.

Have not found Alma on any census. Could Alma be Mabel?
Notes for Horace Arthur Dunmore & Alma Stephanie Sumner (Family)
Were there any children of this “marriage”?
Notes for Eric Harold (Spouse 2)
He was aged 28 when he left UK in 1919 so born circa 1891. See wife Alma’s reference 2 Apr 1919.
Last Modified 23 Sep 2017Created 9 Dec 2024 using Reunion for Macintosh
Aitken - Whaite [version 10.1] created 9 Dec 2024 by P H Whaite
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