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Tuesday 24 November 09 01:36 UTC (UK)
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Author Topic: highway men  (Read 323 times)
clareharvey800
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Posts: 86


Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
highway men
« on: Wednesday 15 April 09 08:01 UTC (UK) »
i am looking into the dunsdon/dunsden family from steventon...

i have got back to james dunsdon who was born 1782 in steventon and died 1843 in the same area.

i cant find any info on james parents but am quite excited about the dunsdon brothers that were high way men...

Three brothers, Harry, Tom and Dick Dunsdon were famous 18th century highwaymen in Oxfordshire.  Legend has it that Sampson Pratley fought one of these brothers in the Royal Oak Inn in Field Assarts. The fight was really a wager to see who was the strongest and the prize was to be a sack of potatoes for the winner.  Sampson Pratley won, but never got his potatoes as two of the brothers were caught shortly afterwards and hanged at Gloucester in 1784.  Their bodies were brought back to  Shipton-under-Wychwood  and gibbeted from an oak tree.  Dick Dunsdon had bled to death when Tom and Harry had had to cut off one of his arms to free his hand which was trapped in a door-shutter, as they were attempting to rob a house.

Few highwaymen survived beyond their early twenties - they were usually betrayed for 'blood money' or were captured through their own stupidity.

wouldnt it be great  if these brothers were related to my family..

has anyone any more info on the dunsdons?Huh

thanks to anyone that replies

clare
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supermoussi
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Posts: 58


Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Re: highway men
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 19 April 09 19:49 UTC (UK) »
According to "A Thousand Years of Burford" by Raymond & Joan Moody they came from a wealthy Fulbrook family. I seem to recall their father was a judge or something similar and that the brothers were "swaggering, impudent, reckless and went flamboyantly to the bad".

The 3 brothers (Tom, Dick & Harry) were also supposed to have had relations (robbing?) in the Epping Forest area. A George Dunsdon was tried at Chelmsford in 1784.
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