Robert Ashdown was born at Bushes Farm in Chevening Kent at 2pm on 11th January 1838 and christened on 18th February 1838 in the parish church in Chiddingstone.[1] He was the youngest of the large family of William and Charlotte Ashdown (nee Nightingale) who lived at Bushes farm, where William was a farmer.
In the early 1840's, the family moved to Gravesend where his father took over a greengrocers shop, but a few years later in 1846, when Robert was just 9 years old, his mum, Charlotte, died. In 1851 the family seemed a little disorganised. Given that Robert was still at school and probably lived with his father William and William was apparently living with his son Charles in 1859 - then one can assume that this group usually lived together yet they were all boarding out separately on the night of the 1851 census. Robert was staying at the lodging house of Ann Carr at 57 Windmill St. Charles and Elizabeth married in 1848 but Charles was lodging with the Martin family at 51 Windmill St. Elizabeth was working at 161 Windwill St as a wet nurse for 4month old Matthew Bevan, the nephew of local toy dealer Mary Ann White and their little daughter Charlotte Ashdown, one year old, was being minded by Mary Ann Woollett, a local governess, at 19 Arthur St Gravesend. There was no signof William but he was still in the trade directory as a grocer in 1855 and didn't die until 1859.
1851 Census
57 Windmill St Gravesend
Ann Carr, head, mar, 54, Lodging house keeper, Devon Robert Ashdown, visitor, unmarried, 13, Scholar 'Oaks Kent Elizabeth Finguard, visitor, 65, widow, Salop Morton Paul J. Finguard, visitor, unmarried, 25, Student,, Hants Milfort
Although we have never located a marriage certificate for Robert and Sarah (nee Smith), they were apparently together from at least 1859 when their son Walter Robert (known as Robert) was born at 10 Smith St Walworth. There are also apparently no baptism/christening records for any of the children.
1871 census
16 Clarence St Southwark
RG 10/599
Robert Ashdown head mar 33 Bricklayer Westerham Kent Sarah Ashdown wife mar 34 Southwark Walter Ashdown son 11 Southwark Ann Ashdown dau 9 Southwark Alfred Ashdown son 6 Southwark Charles Ashdown son 4 Southwark Minnie Ashdown dau 11 mths Southwark
RG11/522
Robert Ashdown, head, M, 43, Bricklayer Gravesend, Kent, England Sarah Ashdown, wife, M, 44,, Lambeth, Surrey, England Alfred Ashdown, son, s, 16,, Lambeth, Surrey, England Charles Ashdown, son, s, 14,, Lambeth, Surrey, England Minnie Ashdown,, dau,s,, 10, scholar, Southwark, Surrey, England George Ashdown,,son, s, 8,, scholar,Southwark, Surrey, England
In June 1881, Robert Ashdown (a 43 year old bricklayer) was brought before the courts for assaulting a James Duffell and causing serious injury. According to newspaper reports, Robert found builders working on Lansdowne Place (Kent Rd) where he lived. He must have had some reason for thinking that they had stolen a job from him as he told them they had no right to be working there and to leave. When Duffell refused, Robert punched him in the side breaking two of his ribs and puncturing a lung. He was remanded by the courts but the verdict is unknown.
1891 census RG12/ 344 26 Landowne Place
Robert Ashdown, head, m, 53, Bricklayer, Maidstone Kent Sarah Ashdown, wife, m, 55,, Southwark, London Alfred Ashdown, son, s, 27, Hawker,Southwark, London Charles Ashdown, son, s, 24, Hawker, Southwark, London Minnie Ashdown, dau, s, 21, dressmaker, Southwark, worker George Ashdown, son, s, 19, Hawker,Southwark, London
In the 1901 census Robert (age 63) was the head of household in St George the Martyr, London, England. Also there were Sarah and son George.[5]
From 1896 to 1911, Robert was constantly in and out of both St Georges and Newington workhouses, (which doubled as infirmaries) due to poor health. Although not all records have been transcribed we know that he was in the workhouse infirmary : 22-24 June 1896 2 Dec 1897 - 20 Mar 1898 3 Jul - 7 Aug 1899 18 - 22 Jun 1903 9 Jul - 17 Aug 1903 2 Sep- 5 Oct 1903 15 Oct - 6 Nov 1903 1 Jun -10 Jun 1905
Plus many more times when the admittance and discharge records are inconclusive.
In 1911 Sarah was living with her daughter Minnie Bird and her family, Robert was almost certainly back in hospital.
Robert died on 12th June 1914 at his home - 26 Lansdowne Place, Western St, Southwark at the age of 78. There was a post mortem so apparently his death was sudden and unexpected. An inquest was held on 15th June 1914 and it revealed he had suffered syncopy due to disease of the heart and valves and died of natural causes.
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