The birth of Kathleen Florence May JAMES, in the Holburn Workhouse, Hoxton New Town, London, Eng, was registered by her mother, Kate COUCHMAN then resident in the workhouse. On the birth certificate Kathleen's father was recorded as Alfred JAMES, a journeyman baker. 95 On her marriage certificate, her father was given as Albert JAMES, baker, deceased. On an unsigned certificate of birth issued later for work purposes, Kate James née Couchman was said to be resident at 6 Glazebrook St, Manchester Rd, Warrington, Lancashire.95 (She moved there after 1901 since the Barker family lived there then. )33

It is rumoured that her natural father was a son of the family where her mother was a governess and that her mother was married off to A. JAMES when she became pregnant. However he may not have existed.

She used the name Kathleen Florence May HARMER after her mother remarried.

At the time of Kathleen's marriage she was 17 and lived at her mother's residence, 6 GlazebrooK St, Warrington. Reginald’s family thought that he had done very well getting Kathleen as a wife, considering her to be her up the social scale. 96

I remember that Kathleen, my Nana, used to sing in her church choir. She also made beautiful crocheted shawls and baby clothes which she sold to Georges, an exclusive department store in Melbourne. I still have the baby shawl she sent to me when I had my first child in Canada.

After Reginald died, Kathleen lived in a granny flat at the back of the home of her daughter Gladys. Kathleen enjoyed an active social life with an elderly citizens club and eventually married Walter Stuckey who she met through that club. Unfortunately they only had three years together before he died and Kathleen was again a widow.