Margaret Bullough was the daughter of James and Martha Bullough and was baptised on July 19th 1840 at St John’s Church Blackburn. Her father James is shown as an overlooker. She married Robert Kerr at Christ Church Accrington on June 3rd 1869. Robert Kerr, born in 1829, had been previously married to Mary Jane Corry on the 14 April 1858 in Belfast and by her had two daughters, Jane and Margaret and son Robert Corry Kerr. By his marriage to Margaret he went on to have two daughters, Bertha Elizabeth Martha Kerr born 22nd April 1870, Edith Margaret Kerr born 17th November 1873 and son James Bullough Kerr born on the 13 January 1872. They were all born at Paisley in Renfrewshire where Robert Kerr was a weaver by power loom and thread manufacturer. The 1871 census shows the family living at Woodside Villa, Calside, Paisley. Robert, of Underwood Mills, Paisley, died suddenly at the Midland Hotel, London on the 11th February 1888. Probate of his will was granted to John Pinkerton Kerr and James Gray (this latter his brother in law).

 

Bertha Kerr married William Hodge Coats, thread manufacturer, son of Archibald Coats on the 8th December 1891 and thus married into the extremely wealthy Coats family. Archibald Coats was the son of Peter Coats one of the original founders of J&P Coats and died in 1912, leaving the bulk of his estate between his twin sons, William Hodge and Peter (the latter being the elder). Peter never married and when he died in 1913, just a year after his father, he left all his estate to brother William. Margaret Kerr died on the 14 January 1907 aged 66 at Inverkarr, Lounsdale Road, Paisley.