The gravestone we are investigating here listed a child, Maria Dobson (aged 2) and a young lady, Ann Oldfield (aged 20). Maria’s parents were Thomas Dodgson and Hannah Dodgson. Thomas Dodgson would later die in a terrible runaway horse incident.
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Thomas Dodgson was born in 1786 in Halifax to parents Jonathan and Hannah Dodgson (nee Shaw). He had seven other siblings, two of whom died young.
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Grown up, Thomas Dodgson married Hannah Morley (born in 1757) in 1807 at St John Parish Church. He was a warehouseman. They had one child, Maria/Moriah who was born in 1808. She sadly died in 1810 at the age of just 2, and was buried at the Square Chapel in Halifax.
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Many years later, in 1835, Thomas Dodgson’s niece, Ann Oldfield was buried with Maria at the Square Chapel. I have tried to research Ann and have struggled. She was probably born in 1816, the daughter of Mary of Southowram, an unwed mother, but I can’t be sure. The next mention of Ann I can find is in the death notice for a John Oldfield of Rochdale, who was a plumber and glazer, and “father of Miss Ann Oldfield, of Halifax” he was 56 when he died in 1834. The year after, we get a death notice about Ann herself, stating at age 20, Ann Oldfield, niece of Mr Thomas Dodgson of Halifax died. There is so little information for Ann, and I cannot link her to any of Thomas Dodgson’s siblings, or Hannah Shaw.
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In the local newspaper in 1835, Thomas Dodgson is selling various horses and supplies, and in 1836-7 is renting warehouses in George Street and Rawson’s Court and he is running quite a successful woolstapling business.
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By the 1841 Census, Thomas and Hannah are living at Carlton Street with a servant. By 1851 they have moved to 1 Gerrard Street, and he is a dealer in blankets and flock. Fascinatingly, the census notes that Thomas has been deaf for 20 years.
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The West Yorkshire Archive Service has records showing he was using warehousing in George Street in 1852.
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Dramatically, Thomas was killed by a runaway horse in 1858 (aged 70). Due to being profoundly deaf, he did not hear the runaway horse and carriage and was fatally injured whilst standing outside the Upper George Pub in Halifax. He left effects worth £2000. The local newspapers gave long and detailed descriptions of the exciting and terrible event.
Halifax Guardian 1st May 1858
In 1861 Hannah Dodgson, Thomas’ widow, is 70 and living at Gerrard Street with a servant, and in 1871 she is 80 years old, at 1 Gerrard Street, living off a pension/annual amount. She lived with a female servant, Nancy Mary Fox, 28.
Hannah died 10th May 1875 (aged 90). She left effects under £1500 to her nephew and a manufacturer named William Uttley.
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Thomas Dodgson was buried at Lister Lane Cemetery, interred with Hannah. Their only daughter Maria was remembered on the headstone.
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Researched by Anna Roe