Charles Dudgeon
(These first 4 paragraphs appeared in “Taylor’s Castle”
In March 1857, the Dublin Daily Express, told us that C. Dudgeon Esq., collector at Sarum, has been appointed to Wexford at his own request; he had been Collector of Inland Revenue in Salisbury in 1856.
The December 1857 issue of the Warder and Dublin Weekly Mail, held a death notice of Margaret Dudgeon, at the Castle, second daughter of C. Dudgeon, Collector of Inland Revenue, Wexford.
In 1858 Charles Dudgeon is Collector for Wexford but in August the following year 1859 the Wexford Independent describes the sale of Charles Dudgeon’s furnishings.
The 1861, April, Cork Examiner, informed its readers that Charles Dudgeon is Collector of Excise in Drogheda.)
In July 1865 according to the Belfast Morning News Charles Dudgeon moved from Drogheda to Newry. In December 1866 the Morning Post told us that Charles Dudgeon moved from Newry to Barnstaple in England. In 1868 April, the North Devon Journal said that Charles Dudgeon Esq was Collector of Inland Revenue, living in Pilton.
The 1871 census return for Barnstaple was very informative. Charles Dudgeon was 57, was born c1814 in Derbyshire. His wife was Ann Jane, said to be aged 37, born in Ireland in 1834 - that cannot be true as they married in 1836 in Carlow (according to the Limerick Chronicle); Anne Jane’s father was George Lindon, Esq., of Clonagonnell in Co. Cavan. Their daughter Rebecca is said to be 32 - Rebecca was born in Ireland, at Holy Cross, presumably Co.Tipperary. Their son William was 24, born in Ireland, in Comber Co. Down, and was a Baptist Minister [illeg…]. They had a general servant called Fanny Caporn, aged 20, born in Devon, in Barnstaple.
That his children, and his wife, were born in Ireland makes me wonder if the request for a posting to Wexford was connected with the illness and death of his daughter Margaret who may have lived in Wexford.
Charles Dudgeon’s son William
Charles Dudgeon’s son William, the Baptist Minister:- In 1891 “The Rookery”, Preston Deanery, Hardingstone, Northamptonshire was where William Dudgeon, 45, married, born in Ireland, an Evangelist preacher was visiting the Erving family.
In 1891 William Dudgeon’s wife Harriett Elizabeth was at home in Beacon Hill, Islington, London. Harriet is 34, born in Rathmines, Dublin, an artist (sculptor). Three children are with her:- Margaret Meechings 4, Christopher Robin 3, and Dorothea Kathleen an infant, the children were all born in London. Also in the house are her “mother-in-law” (mother?) Margaret Meechings Johnson 76, born in Dublin and living on her own means; visitors (presumed siblings) born in Cork Frederick Moore 24 a student of civil engineering at college - looks like Queens -, and Susan Moore 25 living on father’s means. There is a general domestic servant Agnes Burt 25 born in Dorset; and a Lady help Jessie Cousland 21 born in Scotland.
William Dudgeon had married Harrie Elizabeth Johnson in 1885 in Marlebone. There is a record in the National Irish Visual Arts Library collection of a Harriette E Johnson paying 2/= for an exam in 1878 at the then Metropolitan School of Art (now NCAD) Dublin, her address is 15 Clarinda Park East, Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire); Harriette, if she is ours, would have been very young but that was not so unusual there at the time.
In 1901 William Dudgeon was at home with his family at 4 Springfield Gardens, Hackney, London. William was 54, Evangelist Minister Preacher, born in Comber, Ireland. His wife Harrie E, 44, was born in Dublin. They had five children:- Margaret M 14, and Christopher R 13 both born in Highbury. Dorothy K 10, and Suzanne M 7 were both born in Holloway. Alexander P 4, born in Co. Carlow. They had a governess Jessie S Teak, 28, born in Wells.
In 1906 William’s son Christopher Robson Dudgeon at Westminster Hospital passed exams in Chemistry and physics, and in biology the following year.
The 1911 census told us that William Dudgeon 65 was a Christian minister no denomination private means. Harriet Elizabeth is 54. They have been married for 25 years, had 7 children and 5 are still alive. Their two unmarried sons live with them: Christopher Robson 23 is a medical student, Alexander Patrick 14 is at school.
I cannot find Margaret Meekings Dudgeon anywhere in 1911. There is a Kathleen (possibly Dorothy Kathleen) aged 20, a student of domestic economy visiting a house headed by Emily Trotter 66, single, of private means, at 20 Bronderbury Rd, Kilburn, London. Suzanne M Dudgeon, 17, is at boarding school at Lindfield Ave, Malvern, Worcestershire.
William’s children:-
Margaret, Dorothy, and Suzanne Dudgeon
Margaret Meekings Dudgeon died in January 1979 in Bethany Nursing Home, Tunbridge Wells. She left £45,456. In August 1980 Dorothea Kathleen Dudgeon of 21 Molyneux Pk Rd, Tunbridge Wells, died and left £14,902. In 1988 Susan Monica Dudgeon died at Fraserley Nursing Home, Tunbridge Wells and left c£70,000. I think it safe to assume that the sisters lived together at Tunbridge Wells.
Christopher Robson Dudgeon
The next few years 1913-1927 tell a lot about Christopher Robson Dudgeon. In 1913 a list of Physicians and Surgeons has him living at 54 Cazennova-rd, Stamford-hill, N (London). A Medical Register gives his qualifications “Mem. R. Coll. Surg. Eng., 1912. Lic. R. Coll. Phys. Lond., 1912.”
The London Gazette, 23, Feb, 1915 has him listed as a temporary Lieutenant. He is listed as Captain in August 1914, as temporary Captain in 1915. In 1916, as T/captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps he is awarded the Military Cross. A 1918 record for a “CR Dudgeon” aged 32 makes him Major. In 1919 Charles Robson Dudgeon, 32, single, married Alice Mary Pumphrey aged 25, in Northumberland. In 1920 the Medical card of Dudgeon, Christopher Robson, has him a Captain in the East Africa Medical Supplies Corps and a Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps, he is awarded the East Africa Medal (I think).
In 1921 a son, Patrick Lawrence Dudgeon, is born to CR and Alice Mary Christened at Bywell St. Peter, Northumberland. Another son, Brian Christopher Dudgeon was also christened there in 1923.
In 1924 an Army listing has “Royal Army Medical Corps. Gen. List. - Christopher Robson Dudgeon (Maj. R.A.R. of Off.) to be Capt. with precedence as from 10th Aug. 1918. 20th May 1924”.
A legal announcement in 1928 brings sad news - Alice Mary Dudgeon, late of Pirbright Lodge, Purbright, Surrey, wife of Major Christopher Robson Dudgeon, MC, died on the 31st of July 1927. The legal announcement is informing any creditors of the death.
Christopher Robson Dudgeon died in 1976. He was 89 and is buried with Alice Mary Pumphrey Dudgeon in St. Peter’s Churchyard, Bywell, Northumberland.
Alexander Patrick Dudgeon
In 1914 Alexander Patrick Dudgeon is a Private in the Royal Army Medical Corps. In 1932 he married Elsie M Bromhead in Leeds, Yorkshire. The 1939 census for Harrogate showed Alexander P born 23 Aug 1896 is an Electrical Engineer with his wife Elsie M born 4 Jan 1897. Alexander Patrick Dudgeon died in 1981 in Devon, Elsie Marguerite died in the same place in 1989.
…………………
Charles Dudgeon’s Parents ….. maybe ….
In 1875 a death is recorded of a Rebecca Dudgeon, born in 1838, aged 37, in Gateshead, Durham, and there is no further record of Rebecca so I must conclude that this is Charles’ daughter. Rebecca is an unusual name and makes me wonder if an 1813 birth record for a Charles Dudgeon in Leicestershire, the father’s name Stephen, mother Rebecca, might be our Charles’ birth. If so they married in Leicester in 1811 when Rebecca was 26, her surname was Rainbow. In 1823, in Leicester, widower Stephen Dudgeon married again: he married 29 year-old Anna “Rainboro”, presumably Rebecca’s sister.
In 1841 Stephen (a scriviner) and Anna lived in Nottingham with their children - Charles Dudgeon’s half-siblings - Anna 14, Charlotte 12, Alfred 10, Amelia 8, and 25 year-old Mary Richardson. The 1851 Nottingham census noted Stephen’s occupation - Solicitor Clerk - Anna his wife, daughter Anna 24 is a dressmaker, Charlotte 22 a School Mistress, Alfred 20 was an Apprentice, and Amelia 18 was a Straw Bonnet Maker. The 1861 Nottingham census showed Stephen aged 72 a Solicitors Clerk, Anne his wife 67, Anne 34 was a dressmaker, Charlotte 32 was a School Assistant.
In 1912, according to the Leicester Chronicle, a Miss Charlotte Dudgeon died aged 84, a native of Nottingham she had for many years resided with Mrs Rainbow in Baker Street.
Charles Dudgeon’s half brothers Alfred & George maybe
Alfred Dudgeon was missing from the family in 1861. He had married Charlotte Fisher in Nottingham in 1854. In November Charlotte and Alfred’s ten month old son Frederick Charles died in Nottingham. The 1861 census said that Alfred is a Joiner and Cabinet maker and they had a 5 year-old daughter Eliza A who was born in Derby. In 1871 Alfred aged 40 is an Organ Builder, employing two men and one boy, Charlotte is 41, Eliza Ann is a scholar aged 15, and 3 year-old Ada Anne had joined the family.
Alfred died in 1874. He had a brother called George Dudgeon, gentleman, who also lived in Nottingham.
Alfred’s daughter Eliza Ann Burnham
In October 1877 Alfred’s eldest daughter Eliza Ann, the Nottingham Guardian told us, married Thomas Burnham, third son of the late George Burnham of Nottingham.
In the 1891 census Thomas Burnham aged 34 was a Book keeper. He lived at Gedling, Basford, Nottinghamshire, with his wife Eliza Ann nee Dudgeon aged 35 born in Derby, and their two children; Nelly E aged 8 and Jem A D aged 5, both born in Nottingham.
Comments