Author Topic: William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?  (Read 9726 times)

Offline mnmilt

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William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?
« on: Monday 21 April 08 01:56 BST (UK) »
All,
I need your help is trying to help break down a brick wall.  Many years ago I became aware that there is an Alfriston in Auckland, New Zealand.  I was able to ascertain that this part of Auckland was named by Dr George Edward Bodle after Alfriston, Sussex.  However, George was born in Sydney, Australia in 1844 with no obvious links to Alfriston, Sussex.  I was able to learn that George Edward Bodle was the son of George R Bodle and Anne Butler.  They married in Sydney, Australia where George was serving in the army (80th Regiment of Foot).  Descendants of George Edward Bodle have informed me that George Bodle was born in West Firle in 1812.  They speculate that George's parents were William Bodle and Sarah Susan.  William and Susan had 4 children that were christened in Alfriston - Mary (1801), Ann (1803), Jane (1805) and Anna (1806).  All of these christenings are listed in the IGI.  Additionally, William and Susan may have had three children born in West Firle - Susanna (1808), William (1810) and George (1812).  These latter children are not listed in the IGI.

After serving with the 80th Regiment of Foot in Australia (on convict duty) and New Zealand (a whaling dispute), George Bodle was posted to India where he gradually moved through the ranks, becoming Paymaster.  By 1853, he was in Ireland serving in a Depot Batallion.  By the time that he retired (about 1870) he had risen to the honorary rank of Major.  His military service can be traced through the Hart's Army list.  The 1866 edition describes his military service thus:  Major Bodle served in the 80th Regiment throughout the Sutlej campaign of 1845-6, including the battles of Moodkee, Ferozeshah, and Sobroan (Medal and two Clasps).  Also in the Burmese war of 1852, including the capture of Martaban, operations before Rangoon on the 12th, 13th, and 14th of April, and capture of the Great Dragon Pagoda (with the storming party), and capture of Prome (Medal with clasp for Pegu).  Interestingly, a picture of George's India General Service Medal can be found on the internet (http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17372).

George Bodle and Anne Butler had 4 children in Ireland.  William Crawford Bodle (1853); Francis Joseph Bodle (1857); Robert Arthur Bodle (1856) and Mary Ann Grace Eliza Bodle (1862).  Anne Bodle died in 1866.  It has been reported that George was heartbroken and left Ireland, never to return.  However, it is not known where he went to, although it is reported that he attended George Edward's wedding in London in 1870.  However, he had a falling out with his children (they didn't agree with something that he had done).  He hasn't been located in the 1871 census.  In the 1872 Hart's Annual List it states that he took a commuted allowance in lieu of half pay.  It is unknown when or where he died.  Although George Bodle can't be found in the 1871 census, his three youngest children can be found in the 1871 census (as well as George Edward Bodle, his wife Eliza and their 3 month old daughter Annie).  William Crawford Bodle has not been found in the 1871 census, although he may have been in India by that time.  It is reported that he died in 1872 (drowned while taking a rope to a boat).  Francis and Robert can be found in New Shoreham, Sussex, where they were attending the Protestant Grammar School (deceased mother being Catholic).  Mary can be found in London (Tower Hamlets), living in the household of William and Priscilla Bodle.  Unfortunately, Mary's relationship to William is not easy to read.  Ancestry claims that it is daughter but that isn't correct.  The reference for the census is Class: RG10; Piece: 575; Folio: 70; Page: 37.  William Bodle had married Priscilla Brodrib and was working as an Exam Officer, HM Customs.  He moved back to Alfriston, Sussex after Priscilla died in 1873.  He remarried to a Catherine Willard in Dec Q 1874.  William died in 1890 and Catherine died in 1894.  His age fits with a William Bodle listed in the IGI as being christened in Alfriston, Sussex on 6 May, 1810 and being the son of Thomas Bodle and Hannah.

All four of George Bodle's surviving children (George Edward; Francis; Robert and Mary) emigrated to New Zealand in the 1870s.

That was a lot of background information, but it was necessary to set the scene for the questions that I need help with;

1)  What was the relationship between William Bodle (m Priscilla) and Mary Bodle (daughter of William Bodle and Anne Butler)?
2)  Who were the parents of William Bodle (b 1810 in West Firle) and George Bodle (b 1812 in West Firle)?
3)  What happened to George Bodle after he left the army?

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards

Mark Milton
Milton - Brighton, Eastbourne
Foord - Westham, Ringmer
Sellens/Sellins/Sellings - Sedlescombe, Crowhurst
Cash - Tonbridge, Kent
Harding - Horsham
Bodle - Hailsham, Alfriston
Crowhurst - Hailsham, Westham
Roods/Roads/Rhodes - Hailsham, Westham
Sinnock - Hailsham
Silsby - Brighton
Thomas - Brighton
Tullett - Brighton
Verrall - Sussex

Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline kerryb

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Re: William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?
« Reply #1 on: Monday 21 April 08 08:04 BST (UK) »
Hi Mark

I checked out www.familyhistoryonline.co.uk and found the following:

Date of baptism: 8/10/1810 name: William Bodle, father's name: William Bodle, mother's name: Sarah Bodle, Parish: West Firle St Peter

I suggest you check the site out for George and Susanna,  there is a small charge but sometimes especially with Sussex records it can be worth it.   :)

Best wishes

Kerry :)
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Searching for my family - Baldwin - Sussex, Middlesex, Cork, Pilbeam - Sussex, Harmer - Sussex, Terry - Surrey, Kent, Rhoades - Lincs, Roffey - Surrey, Traies - Devon & Middlesex & many many more to be found on my website ....

Offline Jane Masri

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Re: William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?
« Reply #2 on: Monday 21 April 08 08:42 BST (UK) »
Mark,
The 1871 relationship of Mary Bodle is not daughter in my opinion.  It's not written in the same way as the other entries on the page, 'daur'.  The last letter looks to be an 'N'.
Going on the information Kerry has found, there is this marriage from the Sussex Marriage Index;  As it's by licence, if the allegation can be found it might provide further information.  This might be at the East Sussex Records Office in Lewes.

Alfriston, East Sussex,    6 Nov 1800:
 William BODLE, (lic)
 Sarah SUSAN, botp.

jane
 
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Researching BRABY/BRAVERY in SURREY and SUSSEX

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Offline kerryb

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Re: William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?
« Reply #3 on: Monday 21 April 08 08:53 BST (UK) »
Morning Jane

I agree that the 1871 census, it doesn't look like Daur next to Mary.  I think it actually reads Cousin?

Kerry
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Searching for my family - Baldwin - Sussex, Middlesex, Cork, Pilbeam - Sussex, Harmer - Sussex, Terry - Surrey, Kent, Rhoades - Lincs, Roffey - Surrey, Traies - Devon & Middlesex & many many more to be found on my website ....


Offline Jane Masri

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Re: William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?
« Reply #4 on: Monday 21 April 08 08:56 BST (UK) »
 ;D  Ahh, yes, it could say that.  I felt the first letter was a 'C' & the last 'N', but couldn't figure a relationship with those letters...of course, COUSIN  ;D  You must have slept with the knives last night Kerry...SHARP!

jane
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Researching BRABY/BRAVERY in SURREY and SUSSEX

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Offline kerryb

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Re: William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?
« Reply #5 on: Monday 21 April 08 09:00 BST (UK) »
 ;D ;D

Nice to know my eyes are sometimes better than they feel they are!

Kerry
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Searching for my family - Baldwin - Sussex, Middlesex, Cork, Pilbeam - Sussex, Harmer - Sussex, Terry - Surrey, Kent, Rhoades - Lincs, Roffey - Surrey, Traies - Devon & Middlesex & many many more to be found on my website ....

Offline Jane Masri

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Re: William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?
« Reply #6 on: Monday 21 April 08 11:08 BST (UK) »
Mark, I think I've found him in 1871.  It's mistranscribed as BADLER but looks like BODLE to me.
46 Partridge Road, Kilburn, Willesden, Middlesex.  RG10/1328/30/52

Augustus ROPA?  40  Agent to Imperial Gas  b. Hammersmith
Lydia                    45                                      b. Maidstone, Kent
Harriet                 15                                      b. Plymouth, Devon
Anne                    10                                      b. St. John's Wood, London
Florence                7                                                      ditto
GEORGE BODLE    59  unm.  Visitor.  Retired Officer of Infantry  b. West Firle, Ssx
Rose Young?  visitor  unm.  22                       b. East Indies, Hyderbad
Anne B....?  serv  unm  20                               b. Midhurst, Ssx.

So he was alive in 1871,

jane
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Offline Jane Masri

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Re: William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?
« Reply #7 on: Monday 21 April 08 14:30 BST (UK) »
Mark, are you saying there are TWO William Bodle's?
1.  William s/o William & Susan born W. Firle 1810.
2.  William s/o Thomas & Hannah born Alfriston 1810 the one who's on the 1871 census with Mary the daughter of George R. Bodle & Anne Butler?  And you are trying to find the connection?

From the Sussex Marriage Index;

Archdeaconry of Chichester Marriage Licence,   15 Oct 1799:
 Thomas BODLE, bach.a.26 carpenter Seaford SRS 35
 Hannah HERSEY, sp.a.22 Southstoke(1mth)
 Sponsors ss:T.B.; Wm.H. hus SOuthstoke

South Stoke, West Sussex,  16 Oct 1799:
 Thomas BODLE, Seaford
 Hannah HERSEY
 
By the way, it's Augustus Frederick ROPER that George is visiting in 1871.  Lydia was formerly, HENLEY so not an obvious family connection there.

jane
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Researching BRABY/BRAVERY in SURREY and SUSSEX

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Offline posterity

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Re: William Bodle - b 1810 in West Firle or Alfriston?
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 16 July 11 03:51 BST (UK) »
George Edward Bodle had been born in Brighton when the family resided there in the 1840’s when his mother had employed and become friendly with an Emily Haines. I understand the family were comfortably well off with young George eventually attending medical school, graduating and being licensed from the Royal College Physicians in Edinburgh, and a Surgeon, in 1866. This Haines’ family connection with the Bodles’ was the start of an association that was to eventually see Louisa get her opportunity in New Zealand in the employ of Dr Bodle.

Dr George and Eliza had initially lived in Middlesex where their daughter Annie was born in 1871. They then, I understand, moved to Devon, and in 1873 a son George Angus Bodle was born.

Dr George and his brother Robert must have come out to New Zealand after this time, without the family initially.

Auckland Star (New Zealand), Volume VII, Issue 1871, 15 February 1876, Page 2
Painful Accident.

"On Monday morning Inst, about ten o'clock, Mr Robert Bodle, of Papakura valley, was driving a horse and cart when the horse took fright at a sledge lying beside the road. In its course the wheel of the cart ran over the stump of a tree, throwing Mr Bodle out with great violence. His left foot getting entangled with the reins, he was dragged some distance, the boot was torn off, the skin and the muscles round the ankle much lacerated, and both bones fractured close to the joint. Toe sufferer is a brother of Dr Bodle, resident medical practitioner of Papakura, who upon seeing the nature of the accident brought his brother down to Auckland, and arrived at the Provincial Hospital about seven o'clock yesterday evening. Dr. Philson, upon examining the leg and consult. ing with Dr. Bodle, decided that nothing short of amputation would be of service, and the leg was at once removed, and upon making enquiries to-day, we learn that the patient is doing well".

Following this accident Dr George evidently returned to England for his family and they all made the move back to New Zealand in 1878 via the United States where they visited Ingram relatives. Unfortunately the pitfalls of sea travel were to befall the family when young 5 year old George Angus fell into the ship’s hatch during the voyage to New Zealand. Dr Bodle acting in his medical capacity as Ship’s Surgeon on the trip out could do little with his son unfortunately dying of his injuries 6 months later.

Dr George Bodle and Eliza with their three children arrived in Papakura, South Auckland, New Zealand that same year, and settled in Alfriston, as George had named it after his family’s original seat in Sussex. At the time of his return to England for the family and then the untimely death of young George Angus, the family was in the process of constructing a fine house on their property. Eliza’s mother who had accompanied them out to New Zealand was to occupy one of the front rooms.

By late 1881 with her mother aged 74, Eliza wrote back to England relatives asking if they knew of a reliable maid servant and nurse that would be prepared to come and live in New Zealand at their expense to care for her mother. It was with this simple request by the stroke of a pen that Louisa Haines (my great, great, grandmother) was to get her chance at having her ultimate dream come true; to travel to far flung places on the globe and then to hopefully marry the man of her dreams.

Now the interesting part regarding a Major Bodle late of HM 80th Regiment...

Marrriage Notice
Auckland Star, (New Zealand) Volume XVIII, Issue 95, 23 April 1887, Page 8

NUTTER-BODLE.-On 7th April 1887, at the residence of Dr. Bodle, Papakura Valley by the Rev. T. Norrie, Frederick Alexander, son of Frederiok Nutter, of Devonport, Auckland, to ; Grace, only daughter ot the late Major Bodle, of H.M. 80th Regiment.

I have ascertined that in May 1843 Seregeant Major Bodle had married an Anne Butler of Castlereagh St. Sydney, Australia (sister of James Butler of Williams St, Sydney) Anne evidently passed on (died) at her residence at Templemore, Ireland in 1867, by which time her husband is described as a Major late of HM 80th Regiment.

Question ...How was Grace, only daughter of Major Bodle related to Dr Bodle, Alfriston, New Zealand, and how / why did she arrive in New Zealand?

Don't know whether any of this helps or confuses the Bodle jig saw puzzle... Clint McInnes ( Posterity).