Sometimes there is only so much information that can be found about the ordinary people buried in the cemetery and Catherine Jarman is one of them.
Catherine Jones and James Jarman married in 1842. The couple lived first in Panteg, Gwent before later moving to Swindon after the opening of the Rolling Mills in the 1860s.
By 1871 they were living at 21 Cambria Place next to the Greyhound pub. Living with them in 1871 was their son Josiah 21, a hooker in the Rolling Mills, and their daughters Catherine 16 and Annie, aged 9, the only one of their seven children to be born in Swindon.
James died in 1873 aged 57 and is buried in the churchyard at St. Marks. Catherine continued to live at 21 Cambria Place for the rest of her life.
Then, sometime before 1881 Catherine would appear to have married for a second time. In the census of that year she calls herself ‘Evans’ but there is no one by that name living with her and her daughter Annie at No. 21. Ten years later Catherine returns to the name Jarman on the census returns. However, in 1901 her son-in-law, Albert Smith, now recorded as the head of the household, names his mother-in-law as Catherine Evans. He states that she is married (not widowed) but her husband does not appear to be living with them at No. 21.
Her death was registered as Catherine Evans and the same name appears on the details of her will while the entry in the burial registers reads Catherine Jarman Evans.
Mr Evans remains a mystery.
Catherine was buried in grave plot D1564 on November 16, 1903. The first name mentioned on this elaborate headstone is that of her husband James Jarman, buried in St. Mark’s churchyard. She is buried with her daughter Annie and son-in-law Albert Smith.
Radnor Street Cemetery 