Libby, do you believe in ghosts?!
 

This thread is for Libby's research!

lol This made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! Maybe you have seen it before?

As we all know :rolleyes:, Agatha Ariel had an affair with Dr William James Dunsford and during their affair Dr Dunsford had been married "to a young lady of fortune".

His bride was Matilda Amelia Slater Crowdy who was born in Highworth Wilts. Her parents were William (d 1838) and Mary Ann Crowdy and the family home was Westrop House at Highworth.

I was just reading this:

http://www.highworthhistoricalsociet...ouse_ghost.htm

Love it!!!!!

The dear Dr suicided, didn't he???


From memory Matilda's son was born about the same time as the youngest of Agatha's.

The affair began before Dr Dunsford married, and that was in June 1844. (I had thought maybe Agatha didn't know he was getting married or had got married, but there's a notice detailng the marriage in the bristol Mercury, so if she didn't know about it before, she must have known after)

Matilda Crowdy's father was already dead when she married, but her mother was alive. However, mum died in December of the marriage year and there is a newpaper notice for that too. It says:

I do hope her Dr son-in-law didn't bump her off before news of his romantic links got back to her or her daughter? Perhaps she is the Westrop House ghost?

How come someone who died in 1844 have probate dated 1916?

I didn't know the Dr committed suicide. His will was proved in 1864 by the oath of his widow, Matilda. I thought the government got the estate of suicides in those days? (I may have made that up???!!)

Just a little something...

- Mary Ann Matilda Crowdy nee Slater, widow (husband William died 21 Apr 1838 at Westrop House) died 05 Dec 1844. *Date of Probate 12 Feb 1916 (*England & Wales National Probate Calendar)
- Mary Crowdy married Rev James Hartley Dunsford on 22 Feb 1813. *She emigrated with her husband and ten children to Ontario in 1838 and lived in a log house by Sturgeon Lake, Bobcaygeon. (*Archives of Canada)

Oooh off to find that death of the Dr.

lol! It's an admin only. There's another one very late for Henrietta Crowly who died in 1840 (sister of Matilda)

James Hartley Dunsford b 1786 Ashburton, Devon son of James and Catherine Sophia

William Besly Dunsford (father of William James D) b 1790 Tiverton, Devon the son of George and Margaret.

Guess they were cousins.

Yep.

Now....where did I read about Dunsford's death?

Can't find it in The Times.