Rev. William England Archdeacon of Dorset

Archdeacon of Dorset. His first wife Mary Estridge was the daughter and co-heir of John Estridge of Brislington Dorset and St Kitts (q.v.), and was entitled to £10,000 under her father's will. Encumbered estates in St Kitts were reportedly assigned to Rev. William England in the 1790s by virtue of his wife's inheritance.

1. Adm. pens. at ST JOHN'S, June 29, 1774, and adm. Fell.-Com. Mar. 16, 1787. B. at Blandford, Dorset. School, Bristol. Matric. Michs. 1776; B.A. 1778; M.A. 1782; D.D. 1814. Ord. deacon (London) May 21, 1780; priest (Exeter) Sept. 23, 1781; R. of Gt Yeldham, Essex, Jan. 19, 1782-1804. R. of Winterbourne Came, Dorset, 1804-20, and with St Germaine and Ower Moigne, 1808-20. Archdeacon of Dorset, 1815-35. R. of Ower Moigne and West Stafford with Frome Billet, 1820-35. Married a dau. of John Litell Bridge, of Shudy Camps, Cambs. ‘He was never known to do or say an ill-natured thing, to resist call of Charity, to hear his neighbour abused without endeavouring to defend or palliate, or to violate the sacred obligations of truth; and his piety was as sincere and unostentatious as his charity was unbounded.’ Died Nov. 13, 1835, at West Stafford. Father of William (next). (St John's Coll. Adm., IV. 238; Foster, Index Eccles.; Hutchins, II. 290; G. Mag., 1836, I. 209.)

2. Will of Rev. William England D.D. of Stafford Dorset proved 26/08/1836.

The only record of marriage for Rev. William England found by LBS has been with Margaret Bridge, in 1787, and his will proved in 1835 shows Margaret as his then wife, but the will also shows John Julius Estridge as his nephew and Mary Estridge as his niece, and John Estridge [jun.] as her uncle. LBS has concluded that Rev. William England had married as his first wife Mary Estridge, whose family were of Dorset when Rev. William England - who was born at Blandford - was a young man, and that Mary England nee Estridge had died young. This is given possible support by the record of the burial of Mary wife of Rev. Wm England at Upwey Dorset June 1st 1782 aged 23, Ancestry.com, Dorset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 for Mary England, Upwey [database online], the page of entries headed by 'Visitation at Dorchester June 14 1782'.

1. Ancestry.com, Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900 [database online]

2. PROB 11/1865/475.