Cecilia (née Gallagher) Bruce

1894 - c1969

Cecilia Gallagher was born in early 1894 in West Hartlepool, County Durham, England to Edward and Susan (née Paul) Gallagher, though she became known as "Celia".  She was the eleventh of sixteen children, of which only thirteen survived to adulthood.  Celia's father, Edward, was born in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland, and her mother was born in Seaham Harbour, County Durham, England to Irish parents. 

During the First World War, Celia enrolled with the Women's Army Auxillary Corps as a general clerk.  According to her War Office records, at the age of 24 Celia was a diminutive 4' 4" tall with grey eyes and brown hair.

After the death of her father in 1919, Celia followed her mother and most of her siblings to a new life in the USA.  Celia sailed from Liverpool on 13th August 1920 on the SS Haverford, arriving in Philadelphia on 26th August 1920.  The ship's manifest states that her profession was "Nurse", and that she was met by her mother, Susan, living in Mountain Heights, Lincoln Park, New Jersey. 

Celia eventually met and married William Bruce from Dundee, Scotland who had arrived in the USA in 1911.  Their first child Robert was born on 26 August 1924 in Brooklyn, NY, USA and their second child, Celia Ann, was born in Indianapolis, IN, USA where Celia and her husband had settled down to live.

Celia Gallagher's Army discharge papers
click to enlarge

Celia's son Robert with his
second wife Roberta Dugger, c1950

by Stephanie Bruce & David Gallagher, 2012


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The Bruce Family from Dundee:    Celia's husband, William Bruce b1880 is on the far right
Back row (L to R): Robert b1891, Kate, Dode, George (father), Joan, William
Front row (L to R): Isabel, Chris, Margaret (mother), George, Meg

In the 1940 census. Celia was listed as living with her husband William Bruce and their two children, Robert (15 years) and Celia Ann (8 years), in Wayne County, Indiana.  Celia was recorded as a house-wife and her husband as a 'Freight Checker' at a Trucking company.

Celia's sister, Molly, married her husband's brother, Robert Bruce.  Robert and William Bruce are shown with their parents in the Bruce family photo below taken at their home town of Dundee, Scotland.