The Dudley Family - Bedfordshire to Australia
Basan Family
Canet Family
Dudley Family
Hovey Family
Lyons Family
Mann Family
Sandilands Family
Sarah Jane Marks
Wilkinson Family
Valerie Carnegie's
Dudley Story
Farewell to Doreen Dudley
Farewell to Doreen Dudley who died on 28 October 2011. Doreen left her husband, Charlie, sons Earl, Dean and Ken and their families and the family of her son, Ian, who predeceased her.
Doreen, who was born on 19 March 1922 was the fifth of 12 children born to Roy and Violet Wilson. She grew up on the family farm at Chinchilla and married Charlie in February 1943.
She was heavily involved in volunteer work and worked for approximately 30 years for the Red Cross taking blood from donors. She also was an active member of Neighbourhood Watch, and the Toowoomba Grammar School was the beneficiary of her volunteer efforts through many years of work creating costumes for the annual drama production.
After her sons left home Doreen was approached by a company, called Empisal, to take on a job selling sewing and knitting machines and was such a brilliant saleswoman she was honoured by Empisal as salesperson of the year.
As Doreen and Charlie advanced in years, they made the move to a more secure environment, to Brodribb Retirement Village where Charlie continues to live.
Birthday party for Doreen Dudley (far right)
Scroll down for the more Dudley photographs
Valerie Carnegie's Dudley Story
My aunt, Valerie (Dudley) Carnegie spent many years producing a document on the Dudley family which she later sent to my mother, Merlyn (Dudley) Mann, and to her sister, Daisy (Dudley) Roughsedge, and to her brother, Lester Dudley. I have finally added Val's story to this site.
In the Workhouse
My great grandfather on my mother’s side, William Dudley, who was born on 20 Feb 1837, came to Australia at the age of 25 on the Shackamaxon. His parents, George Dudley (1799-1849) and Elizabeth Sinfield (1799-1855) lived in Ridgmont, Bedfordshire, and had nine children of whom four left England for the green fields of Australia. George, born in Wilshamstead, Bedfordshire, and Elizabeth, born in Somerstown, Middlesex, had three daughters all of whom died young. One son, Thomas, remained in England and married Mary Hall who gave birth to 11 children. George and Elizabeth’s children were Kitty (1819-1832), Richard (1823-1864), Samuel (1825-1900), Thomas (1829-?), Ann (1830-1832), Catherine (1832-1838, George (1834-after 1851), William (my great grandfather - 1837-1882) and Joseph (1839-1920). The family was poverty stricken and was believed to have lived in workhouses at various periods.
Photograph of Ridgemont in Bedfordshire taken by Dean Dudley
My great grandfather William married Hannah Green on 8 December 1861 at Ridgmont in Bedfordshire and within three months they had arrived in Australia. Hannah was the daughter of James Green (1811-1879) and Harriet Grace (1814-1854). They had five children of whom Hannah (1842-1912) was the eldest. The other children were Elizabeth (1845-died young), Elizabeth (1847-1889), Henry (1853-?) and Susie (unknown).
William, who was 25 when he arrived in Australia, had been with the Militia in England. Also on board the Shackamaxon were William’s brothers, Samuel and Richard. William and Hannah went to Corop in Victoria where they farmed and had their first child. The family caught goldfever and went to Linton where their second child was born and in 1876 they moved to Gunbower.
Hannah, who always called her husband Chorley, was only 12 when her mother died. She must have been an unprepossessing young woman as her aunt, who brought her up, once told Hannah her sister looked prettier in rags than Hannah would in silks. And no doubt poor Hannah never forgot that remark as it passed down through the family to my aunt, Valerie Carnegie (nee Dudley) who wrote a family history many years ago.
William and Hannah’s children were George (1863-1912), Henry (1864-1949), Alfred (1886-1951), James (1868-1869), Jane (1869-1869), Eliza (1870-1946), Susan (1871-1951, Matilda (1873-1876), Priscilla (1875-1937), William (my grandfather 1877-1950), Edward (1880-1967), Frederick (1881-1953) and Ellen (1883-1972). Ellen was born after her father died, at the age of 45, from heart disease which he had had for the previous 18 months.
Many thanks to my cousin Gloria for the photographs, below, of William and Hannah's children
Priscilla (Dudley) Kinney with husband, George, and their son, William
Edward (Ted) Dudley (born 1880)
Eliza (Dudley) and John Murdoch
Eliza (Dudley) Murdoch and daughter Alice
Eliza (Dudley) Murdoch (born 1870)
Ellen Louisa Dudley (born 1883)
My grandfather William was only ten when his father died. He moved in with his brother Harry and stayed with him until he was grown-up. William and his brothers must have been striking as once, when there was a drought, he went with some other brothers to look for work in Gippsland and when a letter was sent to Mr Charley Dudley (because of course he was never called William!) c/- The Six Footers, Walking in Gippsland, the letter reached him! He was a share farmer for some years and also worked making road, irrigation channels and levee banks.
He married Elizabeth Ann Canet (always known as Lily) and they had six children, Valerie (1912-2003), Daisy (1914-1997), Merlyn (my mother – 1915-2005), Merlyn’s twin (stillborn), Ulva Neil (1919-1945) and Lester Zane (1921-2000). Ulva died during the Second World War flying a Kittyhawk.
Charlie Dudley is 95!
Charlie Dudley turned 95 recently and his family helped him celebrate the occasion. Above is Charlie, his wife, Doreen, and two of their sons, Dean and Ken.
Susan Dudley
My cousin, Gloria, has kindly sent me some photographs of my great aunt, Susan Dudley, who married Edward (Ted) Graham on 21 April, 1892, at Wunghnu in Victoria. If you run your mouse over the thumbnails below, the photographs will enlarge.
A new cousin, Gloria, who was recently in contact, has sent me a lovely photograph of our Graham relations who lived in the Wunghnu area. Wunghnu is roughly half way between Shepparton and Numurkah in Victoria. Close to Wunghnu is Tallygaroopna where my mother and her family grew up.
The photograph, which dates back to 1914, shows the family of Susan (nee Dudley) and Edward Graham. The backrow, from left to right, shows William, Ted and George. The front row has Leslie, Edward, Percy, Susan and Alice.
Double cousins
June and Kate (nee Oldmeadow) Armstrong
June, Trevor and Kate Armstrong
Kate Oldfield
Francis and Kate
Above are photos of English cousins. Kate Oldmeadow married Francis Armstrong and they had two children, a daughter, June, and a son, Trevor. Trevor married Pat and I am related, separately, to both Trevor and Pat through my mother's side of the family. The family names include Grace and Green amongst others.
Kate Oldmeadow was born in 1911 at Maids Moreton in Buckinghamshire. Her great great grandfather was John Grace who was born in 1756 who is also a direct ancestor of mine.
Many thanks to both Pat and Trevor for providing so much information and for filling in more of my family tree. I have enjoyed genealogy for many years and through this hobby have met cousins from all over the world.
Below are some of my Queensland Dudley cousins, with thanks to Earl Dudley. Pictured are Charles and Doreen Dudley and their four sons.
