Story

John Gresson was born in Ardnocker, Ireland, the sixth son of the Rev. George L. Gresson. He was educated in Bromsgrove and was a Bible Clerk at Exeter College, Oxford in 1851, where he went on to read Classics. He was ordained Deacon in 1858 and Priest in 1859.

In 1861 he was a Lodger in White Rock Place in Hastings, “Clergyman of Church of England, Assistant Master of St Andrew’s College, Berks.”

Letter from J B Innes to Charles Darwin in Malvern, 17th Dec 1863. Darwin was having treatment for his health at Malvern Spa at the tme.
“Dear Darwin,
As you are in some perplexity about your son let me tell you that the Revd. J Gresson who is a most charming fellow, is just starting a small establishment for young boys before they go to public schools at Worthing. You will know all about the sanitary condition of Worthing. If you want such a place it may be worthwhile to ask about this. I can answer for Gresson being a most agreeable man with boys, as well as grown folk. He has been second master at Bradfield for many years and Stevens can you more about him.”
St Andrews College, Bradfield is in Berkshire, and the Rev Gresson was there between 1855 and 1863. St Andrew’s College was a private school founded for the education of the sons of clergymen and gentlemen .
West Mansions Preparatory School at Heene was opened in1864.

In 1865 John married Eleanor Sophia Haygarth, at St Marys in Reading. She was from Rodmarton, near Cirencester. Her father, Rev John Haygarth was Principal of the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester in 1851.
In 1866, Eleanor and John’s first son, Arthur George, was baptised at Christchurch. The family were then living at Richmond House in Richmond Road.
In 1870 they were living in Chapel Road.
By 1881 John, Eleanor and their two younger sons Francis (born 1868) and Charles (born 1869), together with two resident Masters and 39 boys aged between 8 and 14 and from all over England and the Empire, plus nine other folk, from Matron to Kitchenmaid, were living in West Mansions in Heene Terrace. There was no young Darwin listed!
Charles went on to study at Lancing College and then at Hertford College, Oxford.
Francis studied at Winchester College and Oriel College, Oxford and went on to be Headmaster at a School in Crowborough.
After John’s death, Eleanor continued as ‘School Proprietess’ at West Mansions, with son Francis assisting, but by 1901 she had gone back to Gloucestershire with her son, Arthur, plus a Cook and a Servant (named Temperance). Eleanor was living on her own means.
By 1911 she and Arthur had moved to live with son Charles who was farming near Banbury.

Researcher: Liz Lane

Date of Death: 01/04/1889

Cause of death: Unknown

Address line 1: West Mansions

Town: Worthing

County: Sussex

Country: England

Obituary

No obituary has been entered.

Personal Effects

Money left to others: No value recorded

Current value of effects: Not calculated

1851

Living at Exeter College, Oxford – John G Gresson, 19yrs, Bible Clerk;

1881

Living at West Mansion, Heene Terrace, Worthing – John G Gresson, Schoolmaster; Eleanor S Gresson, 36yrs; Francis H Gresson, 13yrs; Charles R Gresson, 11yrs; Arthur I Awdry, 24yrs, Assistant, Lecturer of Classics and Mathematics;