Thomas DIXON (1815 – 1900) and Eliza MARSH (1814 – 1886)
Thomas DIXON was born on 26-Aug-1815 and baptised 15-Oct-1815 at St Peters and Paul, Eythorne, Kent, England. His parents were Joseph DIXON (1783 – 1855) and Ann HAMBROOK (1785 – 1818).
Eliza MARSH was baptised 25-Dec-1814 at Knowlton, Kent, England. Her parents were James MARSH (c1769 – c1849) and Mary FRIEND (1792 – 1846).
Have not found Thomas in the 1841 Census but Eliza, aged 25 is living with her family in Northbourne, Kent, England. The following year the couple married on 13 October 1842 at St Augustine, Northbourne, Kent, England.
Not sure if their first child was born before this but Sarah Ann DIXON (c1841 – 1884) appears to have come along with a birth that would have put her as perhaps being born before their wedding if the other records are right.
The couple then had George DIXON (1843 – 1853), William DIXON (1845 – 1927), Jane DIXON (1848 – 1922), John DIXON (1850 – 1851) who died at three months of age and Edward DIXON (1858 – TBA).
Due to the very common names it has been difficult to be sure that found the correct records in some cases. Also, perhaps with the gap of almost eight years between the last two is it that they lost other children or potentially is Edward actually a child of their eldest daughter?
The 1851 Census has the couple, aged c35 and c36, with their four surviving children. The property address given as Mill Lane, Sandwich, Kent, England. Thomas DIXON is an Ag Lab and the two eldest are scholars.
Sadly, their son George died at the age of 10 on 09-Dec-1853. I do not know the cause.
The 1861 Census has the couple, aged c45 and c46, with children William, Jane and two-year-old Edward still at home. The property address give as Butt Sole, Eastry 1. Thomas and William (now aged 15) are Ag Labs and Jane, 12, is Scholar.
Sarah is a Servant at this time in Hougham, Kent. She seems to move away and got married in 1865. Sarah went on to have six children between 1866 and 1882 and does not return to Kent to live.
The 1871 Census has the couple, aged c57 and c55, with their youngest child Edward. The property address given as Buttsole 2, Eastry. Thomas is an Ag Lab and Edward, at 12, is a Scholar.
Jane married in 1871 at the Woodnesborough, Kent, England. He and his spouse had eight children between 1872 and 1889 and they stay local.
William married in 1875 at the Parish Church of St Margaret’s at Cliffe, Kent, England. He and his spouse had five children between 1876 and 1886 and they stay local.
The 1881 Census has Thomas and Eliza, aged c65 and c66, with their youngest child Edward. The property address given as Butsole, Eastry. The father is an Ag Lab and Edward at 22 is a Groom.
It seems that perhaps their daughter Sarah died in 1884 in London. Further research may show why there appears to be two girls from my wider family that seem to have ended up in St George Hanover Square, Chelsea. Did they perhaps move away together for employment.
An Eliza DIXON, born c1816, died Q2 1886 in Eastry, Kent. I do not know where she is buried but this would appear to be right person although the age is slightly out.
The 1891 Census has Thomas, widowed and aged c78, with Edward, single and c32. They are both described as Ag Labs. The property address given as Buttsole, Eastry.
A Thomas DIXON, born 1813, died Q2 1900 in Eastry, Kent. I do not know where he is buried but this would appear to be right person although similarly the age is a bit out.
I do not know what happened to the other son Edward at this time. I have not reviewed this branch of the family really for a long time and perhaps further investigation will allow me to identify his movements once both parents passed away.
Footnotes –
References to be provided for evidence at a later date but most research has been done using Ancestry, FreeBMD and Google Maps.
- Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buttsole_thatched_cottages,_Eastry,_Kent,_England.jpg ↩︎
- Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttsole ↩︎
