Charles Teesdale (buried 1901)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Teesdale
First name: 
Charles
Other Christian names: 
Lennox Moore
Gender: 
Male
Children: 
Yes
Burial number: 
373
Born: 
3/5/1816
Died: 
28/11/1901
Buried: 
03/12/1901
Occupation: 
General Post Office Junior Clerk; General Post Office Senior Clerk; Postmaser; Civil Servant;
Distinction: 
Postmaster
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
NB
Cemetery row: 
5
Cemetery plot: 
1
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Headstone inscription: 
In Loving Memory of Emily, Wife of Charles Lennox Teesdale who entered into rest May 8th 1890 Aged 79 years. Also of Emily Charlotte their eldest daughter Died June 16th 1930 Aged 84 years Also Annie their second daughter Died September 18th 1913 Aged 65years Also C L M Teesdale 1901.

Life story

Life story

Charles Lennox Moore Teesdale was born in 1817 in St Peter Port. Guernsey, the sixth of the seven children of Lt-Colonel Henry Teesdale and Sarah (nee Bush). Lt-Colonel Teesdale was born in Chichester and died in Harting, but was buried in Chichester Cathedral Precincts. Another son Christopher, born in Grahamstown, Cape of Good Hope, followed in their father's footsteps and became a Major-General in the Royal Artillery. He was presented with the Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria, for his service in the Crimea. Charles did not follow the family tradition with a military career. In the Post Office London Directory for 1843, he was described as a Junior Clerk, Second Class.

In September 1845, at St Luke's, Chelsea, he married 35-year-old Emily Rush, daughter of Rev John Rush, Incumbent of the Old Church, Chelsea. They were first cousins. The couple had four daughters and a son, all born in Brompton, Middlesex. In 1846, when Emily Charlotte was born, they were living at 1 Elm Place, Brompton, Charles described as Gentleman. Annie was born in 1848, Mary Jane, 1850, Charlotte Eloise, 1852, and only son, Charles Harry, born and died in 1854.

Still living at 1 Elm Place, in 1851, Charles was a Senior Clerk at the General Post Office. Wife Emily and daughters Emily, Annie and Mary Jane, plus a Nurse, Cook and House Servant were living with him.

In 1861 he had been promoted to Postmaster, living at St Leonard's Lawn, in the Parish of St Leonard's, Exeter, with wife Emily, daughters Emily, Annie, Mary J and Charlotte, plus three female House Servants. The family was still in Exeter in 1871, living at Hartwell House in St David's Parish, though daughter Emily was not with them.

By 1881 the family had moved to Rumboldswhyke, Westhampnett, in those days a small parish just east of Chichester. Charles was then described as a Civil Servant, Superannuated Postmaster. With him were his wife, four single daughters, a Parlour Maid, Cook, Housemaid and Under-Housemaid. Mary Jane was married from this parish the only one of his children to marry to Arthur Deane. They spent their married life in Sussex, sometime in Ferring, and had a large family.

Charles Lennox Teesdale was listed in the Directory of Justices in England and Wales appointed under the Lunacy Act in 1890 to make orders for the reception of Private Patients. Locally in Worthing 'He was described as one of the tenderest-hearted Magistrates that ever sat upon the bench. On one occasion he fined a widow who had breached the Education Act, then paid the fine himself.'

From Chronica Horticulturae: Subsequently he retired to Heene, a very select part of the small Sussex town of Worthing on the south coast. There he was a Justice of the Peace and a magistrate. Growing chrysanthemums was an avocation. Teesdale left more than 16 new cultivars.

From the 1901 census, Charles was living at St Rumbolds in Wordsworth Rd., Heene, with daughters Emily, Annie and Charlotte, plus 4 Domestic Servants. He died in November 1901and was buried on December 3rd 1901.

Burial researcher: 
Liz Lane

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
03/05/1816
Parents
Mother
Mother's name: 
Sarah
Mother's maiden name: 
Rush
Mother's year of birth: 
1775
Mother's year of death: 
1827
Father
Father's name: 
Henry Teesdale
Father's year of birth: 
1768
Father's year of death: 
1832
Marriage
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
Emily
Spouse one last name: 
Rush
Marriage one date: 
16/09/1845
Marriage one address: 
Chelsea, London, England

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
28/11/1901
Age (at time of death): 
85
Cause of death: 
Unknown
Address at time of death: 
St. Rumbold's, Wordsworth Road, Worthing, Sussex, England
Obituary

Worthing Gazette 4th December 1901

“Death of Local Magistrate”

A member of Well-Known Military Family

It is with sincere regret that we have to place on record this week the death of Mr Charles Lennox Moore Teesdale JP who passed away at his residence St Rumbolds, West Worthing on Thursday afternoon.

The deceased gentleman who was in his eighty-sixth year formerly lived at Rumboldswyke near Chichester and his association with that neighbourhood was maintained in the name he bestowed upon the tow houses he successively bought and occupied here-first in Shelley Road and subsequently in Wordsworth Road at its junction with Rowlands Road.

He came of a family of military men; his father and brother having held military commands in her Majesty’s Army. The latter was the late General Teesdale, and another distinguished relative was the late Sir Christopher Teesdale V.C., K.C.M.G.; Master of Ceremonies to the late Queen. The gentleman whose death we are now recording had apparently no taste for a military career, for he entered the Civil Service and occupied at one time the important post of Postmaster of Exeter. Appointed a magistrate in 1884, Mr Teesdale continued to exercise his judicial functions after his arrival in Worthing some thirteen or fourteen years ago, and he found an outlet for his zeal in Church matters by acting for some considerable time as Churchwarden for the Parish of Heene. He was of a singularly kind and amiable disposition and was also prone to good deeds in a most unostentatious manner. He leaves a family of four daughters, one of whom is the wife of Canon Deane.

The Funeral

The burial took place yesterday afternoon, the deceased gentleman being laid by his wife’s side in Heene Cemetery. Many of the inhabitants of the parish testified their respect by attending the funeral and blind were drawn in most of the houses. Besides the relatives and members of the deceased’s household, there were present Lieut. Col T F Wisden (chairman), Lieut. Col. A Henty and Mr H Hargood, members of the Local Bench of Magistrates; Mr M Goodman, magistrate’s clerk; Mr E P Bisshopp-Smith, churchwarden; Mr H M Clark and Mr H W Hales, sidesmen; Mr C Fibbens, assistant overseer; Dr H Leeds Harrison; Rev. W R Nightingale of East Preston and many others including several ladies residing at Heene.

The coffin, which was of polished oak with massive brass furniture was covered with beautiful wreaths, one of which a token of affection from the daughters of the deceased, was lowered into the grave. Single flowers too were gently dropped upon the coffin by loving hands. The inscription of the plate bore the simple record “Charles Lennox Moore Teesdale born May 3rd 1816 died November 28th 1901.” The funeral arrangements were ably carried out by Mr W J Poland of Montague Street.

 

Personal effects
Executors: 
Emily Charlotte Teesdale status: Spinster: Arthur Mackreth Deane status: Clerk
Probate pounds: 
£21,306

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1841 census: 

South Chelsea Charles aged 25, clerk. Also listed are Louisa Teesdale aged 35 and Emily Teesdale aged 25.

1851 census: 

1 Eton Place, Kensington. Charles aged 34, senior clerk at General Post Office. Emily aged 39. Emily C aged 4. Annie aged 3. Mary Jane aged 1. Plus a nurse, cook and 1 servant.

1861 census: 

St Leonards Lawn, Exeter. Charles aged 44, Postmaster of Exeter. Emily aged 50. Emily C aged 14. Annie aged 13. Mary J aged 11. Charlotte aged 9. Georgina Teesdale aged 56, sister, fundholder. Isabella Dixon aged 52, cousin, companion. Plus a cook and 2 servants.

1871 census: 

Handwell House, Exeter. Charles aged 54, Postmaster of Exeter. Emily aged 60. Annie aged 23. Mary J aged 21. Charlotte aged 19. Plus a cook and 3 servants.

1881 census: 

Whyke House, Whyke Street, Rumboldswhyke. Charles aged 64, superannuated Postmaster, Civil Service. Emily aged 70. Emily C aged 34. Annie aged 33. Mary J aged 31. Charlotte aged 29. Plus a cook and 3 servants.

1891 census: 

St Rumbolds, Rowlands Road/Wordsworth Road Charles aged 74, JP, retired civil servant. Emily C aged 44, dependant. Annie aged 43, dependant. Charlotte aged 39, dependant. Plus a cook and 2 servants.

1901 census: 

St Rumbolds, Wordsworth Road, Worthing. Charles aged 84, retired civil servant. Emily aged 54, living on own means. Annie aged 53, living on own means. Charlotte aged 49, living on own means. Benjamin Wilfre, aged 64, visitor. Plus a cook and 3 servants.

Miscellaneous information

1892 onwards

Vice-President of Worthing Horticultural Society. Charles specialised in growing chrysanthemums. By the time of his death, he had cultivated more than 16 new varieties including "Star of Whyke", "Miss Rose", "Nelly", "Oriflamme" and "Emily Teesdale". (Ref: International Society for Horticultural Science newsletter 53:1:2013 page 22/23)

Further information has been kindly shared by a descendant of Charles Lennox Moore Teesdale.

The largest number of Teesdale descendents now live in Australia and many of those still living in England do not have the surname Teesdale/Teasdale.

Charles Lennox Moore Teesdale's great grandfather Col. RM Christopher Teesdale born in Newcastle, 1699 - 1772. I believe I am an 8th generation ancestor of Col. RM. Christopher Teesdale.

Charles had a nephew: Maj.Gen.RA Christopher Charles Teesdale (Sir, KCMG, CB. VC.) 1833-1893. the nephew is buried at St. Mary's South Bersted.

The nephew was Equerry to Queen Victoria and at one point Prince Charles had Sir Christopher's portrait hanging in the gallery at Clarence House. There was a time when many Teesdale families/households seemed to have a photograph- same portrait, on display.