Your name
You got it from your father
It was all he had to give
So it’s yours to use and cherish
For as long as you may live
If you lost the watch he gave you
It can always be replaced;
But a black mark on your name
Can never be erased
It was clean the day you took it
And a worthy name to bear
When he got it from his father
There was no dishonor there
So make sure you guard it wisely
After all is said and done
You’ll be glad the name is spotless
When you give it to your son

When I first started researching my family’s history, all those many moons ago, resources were not like they are today. Documentation was scarce and you could only really piece the puzzle together with a lot of guess work.
When I discovered my Great, Great-Grandmothers family name was Rudgely, I could only find very limited information about her and her family, so much so we had to take a trip to the records office, to try to discover more.
With my limited information in hand, Mum and I, were like two lost sheep, stepping into the unknown, as we walked through the doors, of the Hampshire Records Office, in Winchester.
We really had no clue about what we were doing. Soon enough we worked it out and came home with names upon names of my Rudgely ancestors. Better still we had an amazing day, which has a special place in my heart, a day I will never forget. (We really have to do it again soon Mum.)

While looking through records after records, it soon became clear, that the surname Rudgely, changed constantly. All most every record, was spelt differently.
From Rudgely, to Rudge, to Rudgley, to Ridgeley, to Rudgeley, (I could go on😂) making research near on impossible. You definitely need to have you wits about you, where the Rudgely’s are concerned.

After years of putting the pieces together, re-researching them, researching them some more, checking and rechecking, I almost feel confident enough to share with you the life of my, 3rd Great-Grandfather, Andrew Rudgely.

Andrew Rudgley was born about 1833, in Dinton, Wiltshire, England. A little village about 8 miles from Salisbury, to Charles Rudgley and Jemima Gosney.
I can not confirm his actual date of birth as he was born before birth registry.

Andrew was baptised at St. Mary’s, Dinton, on the 20th August 1833.

The 1841 census was taken on the 6th June, which shows Andrew, living in Dinton with his Mother Jemima, his Father Charles and his Brother Thomas.
The family were using the surname, Rudge.
Andrews Father was working as a Agricultural Labourer.

Name Age Charles Rudge 45 Jemima Rudge 50 Andrew Rudge 7 Thomas Rudge 15

Andrews life changed forever, when his Mother Jemmia died on the 1st March 1843, at Dinton, Wiltshire, England.
Her cause of death was from, Dropsy.
Elizabeth Haines registered her death on the 1st March 1843. She signed with an X.

Later that year, his Father Charles remarried.
He married Sarah Day, daughter of James Day and Rebecca Day nee Jay.
Sarah was Charles third wife.
They got married at The Parish Church Of Dinton, St Mary’s, Dinton, Wiltshire, England, on the 3rd of September.
Charles story is pretty incredible, very sad but very interesting. Hopefully I will share more with you later this month.

So young Andrew had a new Mother, looking out for him, teaching him the ways of the world and hopefully supporting him through the loss of his Mother Jemima.
Over the next few years, Andrew and his family welcome 3 half siblings into their house hold. Elizabeth, James and Lydia. I will tell you more about them later on in the month.

On the 10th of July 1850, Andrew at the age of sixteen, was sentenced to 6 weeks imprisonment for Larceny.
He was found guilty of stealing a knife, nails and other property, belonging to a lady called Ann Baker, at Dinton

I dread to think, what it must have been like for him during those 6 weeks.
Were the conditions clean? Was he treated well?
Thank goodness it was a short sentence. I also wonder why he committed the crime? Was he playing up? Did he desperately need money, and stole them to sell?

By 1851 Andrew was back home, with his family.
He was residing in Dinton, Wiltshire, with his Father Charles, his Stepmother Sarah and three of his siblings, Elizabeth, James and Lydia.
They also have Sarah’s illegitimate son John Day and her illegitimate daughter Maria Day living with them.
The family were now using the surname, Rudgely instead of Rudge.
Andrew and his Father Charles, were working as, Agricultural Labourers. Sarah was a Labourer and John was a Stable Lad.

Name Age Charles Rudgely 53 Sarah Rudgely 37 Andrew Rudgely 17 Elizabeth Rudgely 6 James Rudgely 4 Sydia Rudgely (Lydia) 10 Mo John Day Day 17 Maria S Day 13

Andrew’s half-brother William was born on the 9th September 1852, while the family were still residing in Dinton. (I’ll give you more details later this month.)

On Christmas Eva, 24th December 1857, Andrew married Matilda Rudgley, daughter of George Rudgley and Jane Shergold.
They got married at, St Mary’s, Dinton, Wiltshire, England
Andrew occupation was a Labourer, as were Andrew and Matilda’s Fathers, Charles and George Rudgley.
Their witnesses were, Emily Dyer and Leonard Rudgley, Matilda’s Brother.

Two years later, Andrews Father Charles, died on the 15th April 1859, at Dinton. (I’m not going to give too much away at the moment, you’ll have to wait for his post, sorry)

In Dinton, on the 5th May 1859, Andrew and Matilda, welcomed their first born in to the world.
They named him, Albert Sidney Rudgley.
Andrew was working as a Farm labourer.
Matilda registered his birth on 23rd May 1859. She signed with an X.

Albert Sidney Rudgely, was baptised at St Mary’s, Dinton, on the 7th May 1859.

The 1861 census was taken on the, 7th April 1861, which finds, Andrew, Matilda and Albert, residing at Dinton, Wiltshire, England. I can’t quite work out the address, sorry.

Andrew was working as a Carter.
They had a boarder living with them, named Thomas Barber.

Name Age Andrew Rudgley 27 Matilda Rudgley 25 Albert Sidney Rudgley 1 Thomas Barber 70

My Great, Great-Grandmother Priscilla/Estella Rudgley, was born on the 24th August 1861, in Dinton.
Andrew was working as a, Farm Labourer.
Matilda registered her birth on the 16th September 1861.
Estella was registered as Priscilla. Matilda signed with an x.

Andrew and Matilda, baptised Priscilla on the 20th October 1861, at St Mary’s, Dinton.
They Baptised her as Estella.
The name Estella was used from this point onwards.
You can read more about Estella’s life here.

The 1871 census which was taken on the 2nd April 1871, shows Andrew, Matilda, Albert and Estella, residing at, Cowefield, Whiteparish, Hampshire, England.
Andrew was working as a Carter, Agricultural Labourer. Albert was a Plough Boy.
They had two lodgers residing with him called, Francis Blashfield and Charles Clalk

Name Age Andrew Rudgley 38 Matilda Rudgley 36 Albert Rudgley 11 Estala Rudgley 9 Francis Blashford 32 Charles Chalk 36

The next census which was taken on the eve of the, 3rd April 1881 finds, The family living at Awbridge, Hampshire, England.

This census record is a little confusing, as it shows Andrews Wife as Mary. Is this Matilda? Is her middle name Mary?
It also shows they have a second son called Tom, who was 15.
I haven’t been able to find a birth record for him as of yet.
Birth records have always been a little tricky with the Rudgley line, as the change the spelling constantly and also swap between Rudgley and Rudge.

The census shows, Andrew was working as a Farm Labourer Carter.
Albert was a General Labourer.
Tom was also a General Labourer.
They had a lodger called George Marnor.

Name	Age
Andrew Rudgley	45
Mary Rudgley	48
Albert Rudgley	21
Tom Rudgley	15
George Marnor	18

I have found a newspaper article from, The Salisbury Times, dated the 11th September 1884.

It reads:

George Groves, farmer of Sherfield, and Albert Rudgley and Andrew Rudgley, the latter two being Labourers in the employ of the former, were charged with committing an offence against the contagious diseases animals act by removing ten sheep and two calves from the county of Hants into the county of Wilts without having the necessary license.
P.S. Longstone proved the offence. The witness said he met the two labourers at Whiteparish on the Romsey Road, bringing the animals in two carts, and he leant that they had come from Gambledown Farm, in the Parish Of Sherfield in Hants. The men had no licence, and Mr Groves afterwards told him that he had forgotten to take out a license. This was now the fourth case which had recently detected on this road. – Mr.Supt. Stephens said it was emphatically necessary that the Act should be obeyed. Only on the previous night he had heard of a case of foot and mouth disease in the neighbourhood. – Lord Radnor : When will farmers learn to do what is wise? – The Bench inflicted a fine on the farmer of 2s. A head for the sheep and 10s. A head for the calves with costs.
As for the labourers they were discharged on payment of cost.

I love finding newspaper articles, they really show you the true lives of our ancestors. They bring the names to life.
It’s absolutely fascinating.

On the 18th March 1875, Andrews wife, Matilda, was admitted to, The Hampshire Lunatic Asylum, Fareham, Hampshire, known as, Knowle Mental Hospital.

Just over two years later, Matilda died there, on the 21st August 1887.

She died from, Phthisis.

It always chills me to the bone and saddens my heart, when I discover an ancestor in an Lunatic Asylum.
I can’t help but wonder why they would have been admitted. Was there really anything wrong? Or were they just suffering from depression or something similar.
Shivers run down my spine, at the torture treatments they most likely encountered.
If only they had been born in this age, they would have been saved from those awful places and the stigma of an asylum.
My heart goes out to Matilda, it truly does.

I wonder how Andrew coped? Would he have felt guilt? Would he of fought to get her released?

By 1991, Andrew was alone, his children, had flown the nest.
He was residing in, East Dean, Hampshire, England, the little village where I live.

Andrew, was lodging with William and Mary A Betteridge, along side Michael Pragnell.
Andrew was working as a Agricultural Labourer.

Name Age William Betteridge 31 Mary A Betteridge 38 Michael Pragnell 20 Andrew Rudgley 60

Andrew died a few years later.
He died at Romsey Workhouse, Romsey, Hampshire, on the 2nd September 1895.
He was only 66 years old.
His occupation was listed as a, Agricultural Labourer of the Parish Of Lockerley.
Cause of death was from, Pneumonia with Pleurisy Emphysema ?

It seems that, Romsey Workhouse, played a massive part in The Rudgley/Newell lines.
I just pray that when Andrew, drew his last breath, that his family was by his side. No one deserves to die alone.

Andrew, even though, a little pickle at times throughout his life, had some incredibly hard times, loosing his mother so very young, getting into a little trouble here and there, his daughter having 3 illegitimate children and loosing his wife to an Asylum, followed by her death. That’s rather a lot of one man to carry, on top of being the provider.

I take my hat of to him, what a strong and interesting man, my Great, Great, Great- Grandfather was.

I’m pretty proud to call him family.

RIP
Great, Great, Great- Grandfather
Andrew Rudgley
1833-1895

🦋🦋🦋

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Thank you.