Exhibition: The History of Walton Hall

Dickins

Frederick Dickins (1868-1957) was the son of house painter Charles Dickins and his wife Elizabeth. Frederick was born in Fenny Stratford and the family lived there in Cross Street and later in Napier Street when Frederick was a boy. By 1901 the family had relocated to Boyes farm in Bow Brickhill where Charles worked as a farmer. Frederick, aged 32, and his younger brother Thomas were recorded on the census as farm workers.

 

In 1906 Frederick married Janet Willison (1876-1965). Janet was the daughter of saddler and harness maker, Thomas Willison and his wife Martha. The family came from nearby Newton Longville but by the time of the 1881 census they had relocated to Hockliffe near Leighton Buzzard. By 1901 the Willisons had taken up residence in Walton and were living at Walnut Tree Farm not far from the Walton Hall estate (now in Walnut Tree). Janet and her brother Joseph were both living with their parents at the farm. The move to Walton presumably introduced Janet to Frederick Dickins and the couple married in 1904, possibly at St Michael’s Church. The 1911 census reveals that Frederick and Janet were running their own farm in Towcester called Sands Farm. They had a two year old son named Thomas. Janet’s parents were still running Walnut Tree Farm at this time and may have continued to do so until 1918 when Frederick and Janet appear on the Electoral Roll for the Parish of Walton as being residents there.

 

By the early 1920s Frederick and Janet were recorded living at 29 Aylesbury Street in Fenny Stratford. In 1923 Frederick purchased 58 acres of land which had belonged to Walton Manor Farm, previously owned by Dr. Vaughan Harley who had recently died. It was reported in the ‘Buckingham Advertiser’ on 25 August 1923 that Frederick bought the land at auction for £2,225.

 

At the time of his death in 1957 at the age of 89, Frederick and Janet were living at Caldecotte Farm in Bow Brickhill. Probate was granted to Janet and their sons Thomas and Percy. Frederick left almost £6000 in his will and was buried at Walton. Janet died eight years later in 1965 aged 89 and was buried with her husband.

 

Fudger

Winifred Maud Curtis (1887-1961) was born in Henstridge in Somerset in 1886. Her father William was a stone mason who had married (Emma) Jane Lemon in 1876. In 1891 the family were living in the village of Evercreech near Shepton Mallet in Somerset. Winifred had three siblings, an older brother Bertram William, a younger brother William George and 3-week old baby sister who would be named Florence. By 1893 the family had relocated to Tredegar in Monmouthshire but sadly William Curtis died aged only 41, leaving just £10 to his widow. The family remained in Tredegar and in 1901 Jane was working as a dressmaker at her home. Winifred was 15 and employed as a ‘day nurse - not domestic’ (an unqualified nurse). Her younger siblings were also present at home, but her elder brother Bertram had married and was working as a Foreman’s Mason, also in Tredegar.

 

Sometime after 1901 Winifred relocated to London and in July 1910, she married Frederick Fudger (1883-1974) in Shoreditch. Frederick originally came from Northampton. In 1911 the couple were recorded on the census living in London where Frederick worked as a Relieving Officer at Holborn Union Infirmary and Workhouse. It was the job of the Relieving Officer to visit those applying for assistance and assess what relief, if any, they should be given. In 1915 Frederick joined the Grenadier Guards and was posted to France for much of the War. He left the Guards in 1920.

 

Winifred and Frederick had five children between 1911 and 1920 – a son and 4 daughters. In 1939 the couple were living in Harrow where Frederick was still employed as a Relieving Officer. Winifred was described as doing ‘unpaid domestic duties.’ Three of their daughters – Kathleen, a clerk, Dorothy and Joan, typists, were recorded at home.

 

Winifred died aged 74 in 1961 and is buried at Walton. Frederick died aged 91 in 1974 in Woburn Sands, so it would seem that the couple moved out of London in their later years. Frederick was buried with his wife and their son Frederick Cecil who had died aged 53 in 1968.