Matilda Dengate
KEY DATES:
Birth: 5 July 1876, Peasmarsh, East Sussex
Baptism: 5 June 1881, St Peter and St Paul's Church, Peasmarsh, East Sussex
Marriage: 19 June 1904, Rye Methodist Chapel, East Sussex
Death: 16 August 1934, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Burial: 21 August 1934, Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne, East Sussex
BIOGRAPHY:
Matilda Dengate (known as "Tillie") was born 5 July 1876 to Annie Dengate. It is not known if Walter Clark, the man Annie Dengate later married in 1882 was the father of Matilda and her brother Alfred Russell Dengate or not. On Alfred's birth certificate the father's name was omitted. Matilda was baptised on the 5 June 1881 in St Peter and St Paul's Church, Peasmarsh, East Sussex.
St Peter and St Paul's Church, Peasmarsh
In 1881 Matilda and her brother Alfred Russell Dengate were living in Main Street, Peasmarsh with their mother Annie, their grandparents and several of Annie's brothers and sisters. In 1882 Annie Dengate married Walter Clark, leaving Thomas and Frances Dengate to raise Alfred and Matilda. The school records for Peasmarsh show that Matilda joined Peasmarsh school 16 July 1883, the same day as her aunts Ada and Caroline Dengate and a before her brother Alfred. She left school 7 July 1884. Interestingly, Alfred's parents are listed simply as 'Anne', whilst Matilda's are listed as 'Thomas and Frances' - her grandparents who were acting as her guardian.
Peasmarsh School, 2003
In 1901, Matilda is living as a 24 year-old domestic housemaid with her grandparents, Thomas and Frances in Main Street, Peasmarsh.
Matilda married Leonard George Gutsell on the 19 June 1904 in Rye Methodist Chapel, East Sussex. Her place of residence was listed as Main Street, Peasmarsh, whilst Leonard's was Brede, East Sussex. Again Matilda's father is entered as her grandfather Thomas Dengate, a farm labourer. Witnesses to the marriage were her brother Charles Clark and Grace Markquick.
The couple had two children, Dorothy Florence and Leonard George Gutsell. For a long time the family lived in 9 Waterworks Road, next door to Matilda's uncle Fred Dengate with Leonard working as a railway porter.
Matilda Gutsell died 16 August 1934 aged 57 years in Eastbourne, East Sussex. She was buried in Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne on the 21 August 1934.
Matilda Gutsell's grave, Oklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne, 2003
The grave inscription reads, "In loving memory of "Tillie" Matilda Gutsell, died August 16th 1934, aged 57 years."
The 1939 electoral register for Eastbourne lists Leonard George Gutsell living next door to Thomas Frederick and Eva Ambrosia Elizabeth Dengate.
Matilda's daughter Dorothy's second marriage was to her cousin Leslie Dengate in 1943 in the Salvation Army Citadel.
Marriage of Leslie Dengate and Dorothy Florence Sainsbury (Nee Gutsell), 1943, Hastings
Leslie Dengate and Dorothy Sainsbury centre, Len Gutsell (Dorothy's brother) to left of groom, Cecil Dengate to right of Dorothy
Leslie's daughter Eveline remembers spending a Christmas at Len's house after Matilda had died and that he was a stern and strict man. Sadly Dorothy committed suicide in 1966 at hers and Leslie's home in Hastings.
CENSUS:
Grateful thanks to Eveline F. Edwards for information and family photographs of Leslie and Dorothy.
© Copyright N. Goodwin MMII