Captain William Dawson

William Dawson, husband of Letitia Dawson née Brown (q.v.), awarded the compensation for a half-share of Sportsmans Estate, Trelawny, possibly in right of his wife.

1. Marriage at St George Hanover Square, Westminster, of William Dawson and Letitia Brown, both of the parish of St George, on 19/09/1820. One of the witnesses was W.H. Brown, and one of the guardians of Letitia Brown (a minor) was William Hugh Brown; the original claim for Sportsmans Estate is made by John Brown, executor of Wm. H. Brown. Marriage of 'William Dawson junior of Hammersmith' and Letitia Brown of Sportsman's Hall, Jamaica reported November 1820.

2. There was a William Dawson listed as a Director of the Falmouth Water Company in Trelawney in 1839.

3. The connection, if any, has not yet been traced between the awardee and the William Dawson MD Edinburgh Inspector-General of Hospitals not practicing aged 61 born Jamaica who in 1861 was living with his wife Caroline aged 55 also born Jamaica, at 26 Westbourne Square Paddington. This William Dawson was presumably the man who served as Deputy Inspector of Hospitals in New South Wales 1844-1848.

4. William Dawson was nephew of Richard Dawson, a Major General in the Royal Engineers, who died in c. 1800.

5. The will of William Dawson late of Hemel Hempstead in the County of Hertford and of Brighton in the County of Sussex Esquire a Captain R.N. deceased who died 14 November 1859 at Notting-hill in the County of Middlesex was proved at the Principal Registry by the oaths of Emma Dawson of Hemel Hempstead aforesaid Widow the Relict William Kelly of Leamington Spa in the County of Warwick Esquire a Captain R.N. and Charles Campbell Dawson of Biliter-square in the City of London Merchant three of the Executors. Effects under £8,000.

6. According to an email from Pauline McQuade 05/06/2015, William Dawson was born 1794 at Papcastle, the illegitimate son of William Dawson and Anne Fitzherbert. The Dawsons were related through marriage to the Crofts of Oporto, Quarles Harris of Crutched Friars and Oporto, Francis Baring and Richard Harris, bankers.

7. William Dawson’s second wife, Emma (neé Lacey), was born in Mortlake. She was a servant in the home of William and Letitia Dawson when they lived in Barnes. William and Emma's son, William Dawson Jr., died age 14 years and 9 months on 01/01/1861 in Brighton. Emma died in 1863.

8. On his death at Notting Hill in 1859 and according to his will, Captain Dawson was still proprietor of Sportsmans Hall. William Dawson Jr. was given a life interest in the income from the Hall, shared with his mother, Emma Dawson. The capital interest in Sportsmans Hall passed to the children of William Dawson’s brother, Francis, upon on Emma’s death in 1863.

9. A memorial in St Mary's Church, Barnes, reads: 'SACRED/TO THE MEMORY OF CAPT WILLIAM DAWSON ROYAL NAVY/WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE/NOVEMBER 14TH 1859/AGED 65 YEARS'. A tablet inside the church is dedicated to Letitica Dawson, who died in 1843.

10. The will of William Dawson of Brook Green Terrace, Hammersmith, formerly of Papcastle in Cumberland (proved 1830) mentions three illegitimate sons, Hutton, Francis and William, who were bequeathed £6,000 between them by their mother Anne Fitzherbert.

11. A memorial in Hammersmith Church to William Dawson who died 26/07/1830 age 87 gives him as the son of Richard Dawson of York. Richard Dawson of York was the son of Thomas Dawson (Lord Mayor of York, 1703). Thomas Dawson founded, in 1680, the port company Quarles Harris. Quarles Harris Jr. is mentioned in William Dawson Sr.'s Will.

T71/874: Trelawny claim nos. 31 and 32. Correspondence from Charles Harris on this claim refers to our relative Captain William Dawson RN, Charles Harris T71/1608 3/12/1836 referring to countercclaim from Sir John Gordon Bart; earlier, unnumbered letter from Charles Harris referring to 'our relative [=cousin], Captain Dawson RN'.

1. Ancestry.com, London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 [database online]; Monthly Magazine and British register, Vol. 50 (November 1820) p. 380.

2. Jamaica Almanac(1839).

3. 1861 census online; http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/resources/aboutus/history/pdf.h-hosp.pdf.

4. Will of Richard Dawson, proved 1800. PROB 11/1338/106. Will of William Dawson, proved 1830. PROB 11/1175/369.

5. National Probate Calendar 1860.

6. Email from Pauline McQuade 05/06/2015.

7. Will of William Dawson, proved 1830. PROB 11/1175/369. Baptism of Emma Lacy, 10/12/1820, in the Surrey, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1921. Marriage Allegation of Emma Lacey (19/12/1854) in the London and Surrey, England, Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1597-1921. Will of Emma Dawson (1863), Ancestry.com. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 [database on-line].

8. Will of William Dawson, proved 1830. PROB 11/1175/369.

9. http://weblog.rmg.co.uk/memorials/page/582/?search=westminster&searchcriteria=place&area&memorialpage=6&memorialid=m4812 [accessed 07/11/2016].

10. PROB 11/1775/410.

11. Thomas Faulkner, The History and Antiquities of the Parish of Hammersmith (London, 1839) p. 116. The Register of Marriages In York Minster, Illustrated With Biographical Notices 1681-1762. PROB 11/1775/410.

We are grateful to Pauline McQuade, Nigel Sedgwick, Tim Couzens, and Henry May for their assistance with compiling this entry.