This project is designed to collect Research Information, Discussions, Queries etc on the Dadswell family of South Africa.

Core profiles

1. Robert Doudeswell b c1560- bur Sep 22 1636 Rotherfield, Sussex, England, Married c 1586 Elizabeth ?
2. Robert Doudeswell bap 22 Sep 1606 Rotherfield, Sussex, England, d 9 Sep 1676 Rotherfield, Sussex, England, Married 4 April 1658 Mary Aynscombe b Aug 18 1633 - Rotherfield, Sussex, England - d Apr 10 1663 - Rotherfield, Sussex, England
3. Edward Dodswell bap 6 June 1659 - bur 12 Aug 1736, Married 4 May 1677 to Elizabeth Elliott born ca 1657 -bur 11 July 1735 - Rotherfield, Sussex, England
4. Edward Dodswell bap 5 Feb 1679 in Rotherfield, Sussex, England; buried -19 Jan 1763 - Rotherfield marr Elizabeth?
5. Edward Dadswell bap. Rotherfield 21 Nov. 1715; d. Buxted 30 Mar. 1802, marr Mary Taylor 13 Apr. 1768 - Rotherfield; She died 1792, bur 22 Sept. Buxted.
6. Thomas Dadswell bap. Buxted 20 Jan. 1782; d. 1860 marr. Nancy Wheatley
7. Michael Dadswell b 20 Jan. 1826; bap. Goudhurst, Kent 19 Mar. 1826; d 1867, marr. at Tooting Gravney 10 Jul. 1853 Sarah Ann Hemsley 1826 - 1900
8. John Dadswell, b 4 July 1858, Goudhurst, Kent, England, d 14 December 1922 South Africa, marr 10 July 1884 in Clapham, Surrey, England, Emma Jane Hawkins b 2 October 1861, Brixton, London, England; d 22 June 1926, South Africa

Overview of Family History

Frequency of the name

Dadswell numbers among the more uncommon surnames. Over the years the largest number of persons bearing the name have resided in Sussex, as is evident in the numbers counted in the UK census returns 1861-1901. In 1861, the total number with the surname in England found to date, is 333, 66% in Sussex. Although the largest number of Dadswells found 1861-1901 continued to live in Sussex, by 1901 of a total of 614, 40% were in Sussex. In each census, Kent had the next largest number, followed by London and Middlesex. Beginning with the 1881 census, a noticeable number of Dadswells began to be counted in Surrey.http://www.one-name.org/profiles/dadswell.html

Distribution of the name

Over the years, England continues to be the home of the largest number of Dadswells. Worldwide, the name is quite uncommon, the distribution of emigrant families up to WWII as follows.

• Canada - 19 known immigrant families or couples and single persons who later established families, mainly to Ontario where most reside today; next largest group in British Columbia.
• Australia - 14 known, mainly settled Victoria and New South Wales; today equally spread in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
• United States - 11 known, mainly settled State of New York Most persons today live New York or Florida and southern states, followed by Michigan.
• South Africa - 3 known families, mainly to Johannasburg and Cape Town area; descendants live same area.
• New Zealand - Only 1 known family
• Ireland - 1 family resides there

http://www.one-name.org/profiles/dadswell.html

The Dadswell Clockmakers

Clock making in the Dadswell family started with Thomas Dadswell, born 1688 died 1752, who was probably an apprentice of his brother-in-law Thomas Muddle, clockmaker at Rotherfield. After completing his apprenticeship, probably in 1709, when he was 21, he set up his own clock making business at Burwash where he was recorded as taking his nephew, Thomas Dadswell, son of his brother Edward, as an apprentice in 1735, and it’s thought that he also took his nephew John Dadswell, son of his brother Alexander, as an apprentice in about 1740. This nephew, John Dadswell, born 1727 died 1789, took over his uncle’s clock making business at Burwash after his uncle’s death in 1752 and continued as a clockmaker there until his own death in 1789. Thomas Dadswell, born 1719 died 1769, who had been an apprentice to his uncle Thomas Dadswell, clockmaker at Burwash, then became a clockmaker at Rotherfield from about 1742 and then at East Grinstead from about 1757. Thomas would have been passing on his clock making skills to his two eldest sons, Thomas and Edward, when he died in 1769. His eldest son, Thomas Dadswell born 1749 died 1794, probably then took over the clock making business at East Grinstead and may have continued the training of his younger brother Edward. This Thomas continued to work as a clockmaker at East Grinstead until his death in 1794. The other son, Edward Dadswell, born 1754 died 1802, may have completed his apprenticeship working for his elder brother at East Grinstead but it seems more likely he completed his apprenticeship working for his father’s cousin John Dadswell at Burwash, and then in about 1783 he set up his own clock making business at Eastbourne until his death in 1802 brought to an end the Dadswell family’s association with clock making.http://www.muddlefamilies.info/familystories/rotherfieldclockmakers...

Progenitor Details

Generation 1 & 2:

The establishment of the Sussex Dadswell family came close to not happening. Robert Doudeswell, according to family lore, was a cattle dealer from the north who settled in Rotherfield Parish sometime in the last decade of the 16th century. He married twice; however, of the several children of both marriages only one son survived to adulthood and married. This son followed the same pattern of marrying twice with only one son surviving, Edward Dodswell/Dadswell. Fortunately, for the continuance of the name, Edward and his wife, Elizabeth, produced a large family, including three sons from whom all Dadswells descend and for this reason, this couple has been dubbed 'the father and mother of all Dadswells'. http://www.one-name.org/profiles/dadswell.html

Generation 3:

Edward Dodswell bap 6 June 1659 -bur 12 Aug 1736, Married 4 May 1677 to Elizabeth Elliott born ca 1657 -bur 11 July 1735

Children

1. Mary bap 17 April 1678 - [marr Thomas Muddle ] - bur 27 Dec 1726
2. Edward bap 5 Feb 1679 - [marr Elizabeth_______ ] - 19 Jan 1763
3. Robert bap 26 Nov 1681 - [marr Mary Ovenden ] - bur 29 June 1710
4. John bap 9 Sept 1683 - bur 13 Oct 1683
5. Nicholas bap 23 Sept 1684 - [marr Ann Luxford ] - bur 28 Oct 1765
6. Alexander Dodswell bap 2 Oct 1686 - [marr Anne Baker ] - bur 6 May 1766
7. Thomas bap 3 Oct 1688 - [marr Mary ___________ ] - bur 27 Nov 1752
8. Abraham bap 21 Nov 1690 - bur 12 July 1691
9. David bap 26 July 1692 - died ?

http://www.dadswell.id.au/history/tree3/edward_dodswell.htm#informa...

Generation 8 come to SA in about 1907:

John Dadswell, b 4 July 1858, Goudhurst, Kent, England, d 14 December 1922 South Africa, marr 10 July 1884 in Clapham, Surrey, England, Emma Jane Hawkins b 2 October 1861, Brixton, London, England; d 22 June 1926, South Africa

Children

1.John William Hemsley Dadswell b 1883 in England; d April 1979 in South Africa; marr Elizabeth Newbiggen b in Scotland:

• Eva, married Albert Smith
  
• Winifred married three times, presently to Mr Lewin
  
• William, married Daph, lived in Johannesburg and moved to Rhodesia
  
• Eric John
  

• Kevin
  

2.Emma Esther Dadswell b 12 January 1892, Walthamstow, Greater London, England; d 22 July 1969, Johannesburg, South Africa; marr David Peebles b 1883, King William's Town, Eastern Cape, South Africa; d 17 July 1972, Johannesburg, South Africa
3.Ettie Dadswell b c 1893; d South Africa marr Warwick Russell
4.Miriam Lily Daswell twin b 5 May 1893; d circa 1894
5.Grace Violet Dadswell twin b 5 May 1893; d circa 1894
6. George Hemsley Dadswell b 18 February 1894 Oatland Rise , Walthamstow, Essex, England; d 1960 Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa marr Dorothy Jesse, Emily Enid Wynne & Kay Osborne

• Monica 'Jill' Wynne Dadswell Kennedy
  
• John Michael Wynne
  

7.Harry Dadswell d c 1965 South Africa

According to information given to a Canadian researcher, Barbara Balch [who wrote a book 'A Dadswell Family History & Genealogy c 1560-1980'] by Kevin, his grandson, John recalled that he and his brother went to SA when John was about 24 years old. He said that he had a sister in SA too [In fact he had two. Ettie and my gr granny, Emma - I have a picture of her that I was told was taken before she came to SA, at about 5 years old. She apparently left a boyfriend behind in Britain- which suggests she was about the 15 yr old age range that her brother's estimate suggests] He said he had another brother in Canada, but Kevin thought he was bluffing. Kevin said " The two brothers of my father were George and Harry. Harry is the one I vaguely remember. He passed away about 12 years ago (this was about 1977) My grandfather had 4 children: Eva, who married an Albert Smith; Winifred who married three times, presently to Mr Lewin; William, who married Aunt Daph, and my father, the youngest, Eric John. My uncle William lived in Johannesburg until 6 years ago when they moved top Rhodesia." In early May 1979, Kevin wrote and told Barbara that his grandfather had died two weeks' previously. [Sharon 2013]

Queries & Discussion

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Resources

• http://www.dadswell.id.au/index.html
• http://www.one-name.org/profiles/dadswell.html
• http://www.muddlefamilies.info/familystories/images/clockmakers.gif
• http://www.muddlefamilies.info/familystories/rotherfieldclockmakers...

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• Index of Other SA Surname Projects
• SA Progenitors on Geni