Some say, your life is already planned out for you, on the day of your birth as is your death.
If this is true, why do some skip happily through and other face heartbreak, misery and struggle.
Why do some deserve the easy road and others the near on impossible roads?
I don’t get it. 🤔
It always seems to me that, the kind caring, hardworking, honest souls get the backhand, while the not so kind , not as caring, not so hardworking, get a rosie life given to them on a plate. It doesn’t seem fair to me.

Take this weeks ancestor, a humble hard-working man, gets loss and heartbreak thrown at him from every direction, even his death was inconceivable.
So why was his hand in life, so much worse than others? Did he do something wrong, that he deserved his hard, heartbreaking life? Or was there more to it than that?
So many unanswerable questions that I hope one day we will find the answers to. For now though let me tell you all about the life of my 4th Great-Grandfather Charles Rudgley.

Charles Ridgeley/Rudgley/Rudge, was born about 1797 in Dinton, Wiltshire, England, to Henry Ridgeley and Mary Ridgeley nee Blanchet.
He was baptised on the 9th April 1797 at St. Edith’s, Baverstock, Wiltshire, England.
Charles was baptised in the surname Ridgeley.

Charles Mother, Mary died around the end of January, early February, 1800, in Baverstock, Wiltshire.
She was buried on the 5th February 1800 at Baverstock, Wiltshire, England, I assume at St. Edith’s.

There doesn’t seem to be any trace of Charles up until 1817, when he married Frances Shergold on the 14th October 1817, at St. Mary’s, Dinton, Wiltshire, England.
Both Charles and Frances signed with an X.
Their witnesses were, John Chubb and John Jepse.

Charles and Frances’s, first child, a daughter, Ann, was born round November 1817.
They baptised Ann, on the 15th November 1817, at St Mary’s, Dinton.
Ann was baptised in the name Rudge. Charles was working as a Labourer.

Charles and Frances had a  second child, Thomas, he was born July the 6th 1823, in Dinton Wiltshire. (Information from Census’s and Kylee Bailey)

Charles wife Frances, died in November 1831.
She was 52 years old.
Charles buried her at Dinton, Wiltshire, I assume at St. Mary’s, on the 25th November 1831.

Not even a year later, Charles got married for the second time.
He married Jemima Gosney, daughter of William Gosney and Mary Gosney nee Grace, on the 23rd August 1832, in Dinton, Teffont Magna, Wiltshire, England, either at, St Mary’s, Dinton, or St. Edward’s, Teffont Magna, Wiltshire.
Charles and Jemima both signed with an X.
They married in the presence of Mary Wray and ? ( Sorry I can’t work out the name)
Mary signed with an X.

Charles and Jemima’s welcomed their first son, my 3rd Great-Grandfather, Andrew Rudgley about 1833, in Dinton, Wiltshire.

Andrew was baptised in the name Andrew Rudge.
You can find out all about my 3rd Great-Grandfather Andrew here.                                                                                         Charles was working as a Labourer.

Charles’s father Henry Rudgley, passed away at the age of 82, on the 17th September 1837 in Baverstock, Wiltshire, England.
Diana’s Ridgeley, registered Henry’s death on the 23rd September 1837.
There is no cause of death on his death certificate.

The 1841 census was taken on the 6th June, which shows Charles living in Dinton, with his Wife Jemima, and his children Andrew and Thomas.
The family was using the surname Rudge.
Charles was working as an Agricultural Labourer.

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

Just under two years later, Charles faced more heartbreak when his wife Jemima, died, on the 1st March 1843, in Dinton. She was 52 years old and died from Dropsy.
Elizabeth Haines was present at her death and registered her death on the 1st March 1843.

6 months later, on the 3rd September 1843, Charles married for the 3rd time.
He married Sarah Day, daughter of James Day and Sarah Day nee Jay, at Dinton, Wiltshire, England.
They both signed with an X.

Their first child together, Elizabeth Rudge, was born in the January and March quarter of 1845, in the Wilton district.

Charles and Sarah, baptised Elizabeth, on the 9th March 1843, at St. Mary’s, Dinton. Charles was working as a Labourer.

Charles and Sarah’s second child, a boy, was born in the December quarter 1846, in the Wilton District.
They named him James Rudge.

Charles and Sarah baptised James on the 27th December 1846 at St. Mary’s, Dinton, Wiltshire.
Charles was working as a Labourer.

On the 22nd May 1850, Charles and Sarah, welcomed a daughter into their family.
They named her, Lydia Rudgely. Lydia was born in the Wilton district.

They baptised Lydia, on the 16th June 1850, at St. Mary’s, Dinton, using the surname Rudge.
Charles was still working as a Labourer.

The 1851 was taken on the 30th March 1851.
Charles was residing in Dinton, Wiltshire, with his wife Sarah and four of his children, Andrew, 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 using the surname, Rudgely instead of Rudge.
Charles and his Son Andrew, 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 10 Mo John Day 17 Maria S Day 13

Charles and Sarah, welcomed another son, on the 9th September 1852, at Dinton.
They name him William Rudgley.

Charles, Sarah and their families, baptised William, on the 31st October 1852, at St Mary’s in Dinton.
They have their surname written as Rudge or Rudgley.
Charles was working as a Labourer.

Charle’s  life came to an end on the, 15th April 1859, at Dinton, Wiltshire, England.
His cause of death was,  Typhus Fever, a disease caused by infection with one or more rickettsial bacteria from fleas, mites (chiggers), lice or tick bites. What an awful way to die.
Charles was 60 years old.
His occupation was given as a Farm Labourer.
Ann Dew was in attendance and registered Charles death on the 16th April 1859.

As of yet I haven’t been able to find a burial, I’m hoping that my lovely husband will take me to Dinton so we can go grave hunting. Dinton isn’t too far from our home so hopefully one day soon I can convince him.

Charles may have had what we call a box standard life to many, but I believe this man was pretty incredible. To see two women he loved die, must have been incredibly hard. For him to support the children through their grief, while mourning his own loss, that takes strength and heart. I’m not sure how I would have coped. I just hope he found peace and love with his third wife Sarah and that now he’s resting in peace, in the knowledge that he isn’t forgotten.

May your memory live on for many years to come,
Great, Great, Great, Great Grandad,
Charles Rudgely,
1797 – 1859

🦋🦋🦋

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Please do not download or use them without my permission.
Thank you.