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Mrs Jane GEEKIE, née Taws (c.1825–1877)
Her son George GEEKIE (c.1861–1877)
St Giles (Ss Philip & James) section: Row 37, Grave K41

Jane Taws was born in c.1825, probably in Scotland. In 1845 in Dundee she married Alexander Geekie, and their son and her son George Geekie was born in Scotland in c.1861.

It appears that the family came to Oxford in the 1870s, but they do not appear in any Oxford census and left no other trace.

Both George and his mother died in Oxford in 1877:

† George Geekie died at Kingston Road at the age of 16 on 18 June 1877 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 21 June (burial recorded in the parish registers of St Giles’s and Ss Philip & James’s Churches).

His mother died just four months later:

† Mrs Jane Taws Geekie died at Kingston Road at the age of 52 on 17 November 1877 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 20 November (burial recorded in the parish registers of St Giles’s and Ss Philip & James’s Churches).

William Geekie (c.1849–1924)

William Geekie, who was born in Dundee in c.1849, was described as the son of the baker Alexander Geekie, and is therefore very likely to another son of Alexander and Jane Taws Geekie. He became a dentist, and in 1871 when he was aged 23 was living with the Embury family at 43 Observatory Street. He practised first at Bicester.

On 5 July 1881 at St Mary-the-Virgin Church, William Geekie married Susan Ellen Chaundy, and their wedding was announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal. They had seven children:

• William George Geekie, later known as George William Geekie (born at 1 Diamond Villas, Summertown on 18 March 1882 and privately baptised by Ss Philip & James Church the same day)
• Allen Alexander Geekie, also known as Alexander Allen Geekie (born at 1 Diamond Terrace, Summertown on 23 March 1884 and baptised at Ss Philip & James's Church on 17 April)
• Douglas Gordon Geekie (born at 1 Diamond Terrace, Summertown on 24 August 1885 and baptised at Ss Philip & James's Church on 17 September)
• Nellie Geekie (born at 1 Diamond Villas, Summertown in 1886 and privately baptised by Ss Philip & James's Church on 11 October); died shortly after birth and buried on 19 October 1886, probably in St Sepulchre's Cemetery, as the burial is recorded in the St Giles's register
• Bernard John Geekie (born at 1 Diamond Terrace, Summertown on 11 June 1888 and baptised at Ss Philip & James's Church on 16 August)
• Dorothy Kate Geekie (born at 42 St Giles's Street on 2 September 1891 and baptised at Ss Philip & James's Church on 1 October
• Margery Mabel Geekie (born at 42 St Giles's Street on 2 January 1893 and baptised at Ss Philip & James's Church on 4 May)

The Geekies moved to 1 Diamond Villas or Terrace in Summertown soon after their marriage, but the dental practice was at 136 High Street from at least 1888.

By 1890 their home and dental practice was at 42 St Giles’s Street, and William Geekie can be seen there in the 1891 census with his wife and their first four children.

At the time of the 1901 census William Geekie (53) was living at 42 St Giles's Street with his wife (Susan) Ellen (43) and their six surviving children: (William) George (19) and (Allen) Alexander (17) were dental pupils; Douglas (15) was an auctioneer's pupil; and Bernard (12), Dorothy Kate (9), and Margery Mabel (8) were at school.

Two of their sons were married in the following decade:

• On 27 June 1906 at St Mary Magdalen Church, Douglas Gordon Geekie (20), described as a florist of 42 St Giles's Street, married Evelyn May Foster (24) of 14 Beaumont Street, the daughter of Charles William Foster, gentleman;
• On 11 February 1907 at Ss Philip & James's Church, George William Geekie (24), described as a dentist of 42 Melbourne Road, Leicester, married Marion Ethel Langham (26) of Leckford Road, the daughter of the valuer Maurice Langham.

George and Marion brought their first child George Langham Geekie to Oxford for his baptism at Ss Philip & James's Church on 15 March 1908.

In 1911 William (63) and Susan (53) were at the same address with their son Alexander (26), who was a dental mechanic, and their daughters Dorothy (19) and Margery (18).

William Geekie died at 42 St Giles's Street of Oxford on 3 December 1924. His effects came to £4,178 5s. 3d., and his executors were his wife and his son Bernard John Geekie, who was now a Surgeon Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy.