Sophia Dengate
Sophia Dengate
KEY DATES:
Baptised: 1 November 1840, Church-in-the-Wood, Hollington, East Sussex
Died: 6 November 1907, Dover, Kent
Buried: 9 November 1907, St Mary's Cemetery, Dover, Kent
BIOGRAPHY:
Sophia Dengate was born in 1840, the daughter of Charles and Celia Dengate. She was baptised 1 November 1840 in Church-in-the-Wood, Hollington.
Church-in-the-Wood, Hollington, East Sussex, 2002
The 1841 census shows Sophia as a 9 month old baby living with her parents and three elder sisters in Baldslow (outskirts of Hollington) windmill, where Charles worked, as did many in the family, as a journeyman (paid by the day) miller. Around two years later the family moved on to Salehurst, followed by Lamberhurst.
Baldslow Mill c.1909
The 1851 census shows Sophia as an 11 year-old living on the High Street in Lamberhurst with her siblings and parents. Having finished her schooling, her occupation was listed as 'at home'.
The family then had a brief, but tragic period in Bodiam. On the 25 April 1855 Sophia's 9 year-old brother Charles drowned in the mill stream where their father Charles worked as a journeyman miller. He was buried in Bodiam Churchyard. No headstone or memorial exists for Charles. Charles, Celia and some of their children then moved to Wittersham, Kent where they remained for the rest of their lives. It is unclear whether Sophia went with them or not.
Bodiam Watermill, c.1900
Around 1860 Sophia Dengate married Michael Walsh, a soldier, although no record has so far been found of their marriage*. Michael had joined the army around 1837 and was present at the Battle of Maharajpore on 29 December 1843, for which he received a Bronze Star medal. According to his obituary, he also served in the 75th regiment throughout the Indian Mutiny, including the siege of Delhi and Lucknow between 1857 and 1859.
left painting of Michael Walsh, right Michael Walsh, c.1870
Michael Walsh's military medals
In 1861 Michael and Sophia are living as a married couple at 4 Hudsons Buildings, North Street, Hull, Yorkshire, along with two children (presumably from Michael's previous marriage) John and Timothy (both born in the East Indies).
Sophia and Michael had seven children: Celia Sophia, Charles, William, Margaret, Susan, Clara Maria and Sarah. The family moved around the country to various places including Yorkshire and Woolwich on account of Michael's occupation, before settling in Dover, Kent around 1868.
left, Charles Walsh, centre, Susan Walsh, right, Celia Walsh
The 1871 census shows Sophia, Michael and their children living in Alexandra Terrace, Buckland, Dover, very close to Sophia's aunt Susannah Dengate and Great Aunt Harriet Elgar.
In 1877 Michael and Sophia's daughter Sarah died aged five years. She was buried in unconsecrated ground in Buckland Cemetery. Six years later, at the age of 55 Michael Walsh died at his home of 7 Alexandra Terrace, Dover. He was buried 20 April 1877 in Buckland Cemetery, with a full military funeral. No headstone or memorial can be found for Michael, although the cemetery has suffered heavily with vandalism and flattened headstones.
In 1881 Sophia continues to reside at Alexandra Terrace in Buckland, but, perhaps through financial difficulties after her husband's death, she has taken in lodgers and boarders. Ten years later in 1891, Sophia is working as a nurse (domestic servant) along with her daughter Margaret, who worked as a cook. Mother and daughter are living-in at 73 Folkestone Road, Hougham, Kent. The 1901 census shows Sophia working as a lodging house keeper at 43 Liverpool Street, Dover.
Sophia died 6 November 1907 at her home of 29 Beaconsfield Avenue, Dover, which she shared with her daughter Susan Walsh. She was buried 9 November 1907 in St Mary's Cemetery, Dover, in unconsecrated ground, perhaps reflecting her nonconformist beliefs. Her daughter Susan was later interred with her mother in 1926.
29 Beaconsfield Avenue, Dover, 2006
Unfortunately Sophia's grave has suffered from time and weather and is now almost illegible. It lies next to the grave of her daughter and son-in-law, Clara Maria and Ernest Robert Cave.
left. the headstone of Sophia and Susan Walsh, right, the headstone lying beside that of Clara Maria and Ernest Robert Cave, 2006
The grave inscriptions read, 'In Loving Memory/of/Clara Maria Cave,/Who died 3rd July 1934/Aged 64 years/Also of/Ernest Robert Cave,/husband of the above/Who died 4th July 1949.'
'In Loving Memory/of/Sophia Walsh/--? died 6th November --?/--?se a--?/--? those--?/--? --ong sin--?/Also of our dear beloved/William Henry Walsh/who died at Yellow Gras-? --ada? [Canada?]/10th Feb 1910/--? shall --? --?/--? --? --?/Susan Walsh --?/called to rest --? --?/Let not --? --?'
CENSUS:
LINKS:
Grateful thanks to Dr Roger Simmons, Eric Simmons and David Gibbon for biography information and photographs, and to John Dines for the photograph of Bodiam watermill and David Padgham for the photo of Baldslow mill.
*Sophia's marriage is not listed under the surname Dengate. That is not to say, however, that the marriage did not take place; it could have been misspelt as was the case of her aunt Sarah Dengate whose marriage was listed under the surname Dougate. Alternatively, the marriage could have taken place abroad.
© Copyright N. Goodwin MMII