"I understand that Great Uncle Jack (that is Grandpa Anderson’s brother) was very keen on tracing this story back and claiming the two castles out of chancery. He went to the trouble of going round the various churches in Devon and collecting information from the parish registers, right back to the days of Sir Francis Drake. Eventually he had compiled a complete pedigree of the family, back to the 15th century ...... He discovered that our forebearer was a John Oxenham, who was presented with two castles for his service against the Spanish and Portuguese.
There is a good description of John Oxenham in Charles Kingsley’s book "Westward Ho" another book that I bought from my book club called "Francis Drake" by George Malcolm Thompson (This book was originally published in 1972 by Sicker (??) Warburg) Also gives a lot of information about John Oxenham who hailed from Bideford, N. Devon.
John was eventually captured by the Spaniards in South America. He was strung up by them to the yard arm, or made to walk the plank (Reports vary).
He had unshipped the guns from his vessels and was defending a fort. Going through the dense forest with the guns, the sailors had dropped biscuit crumbs, to find their way back again. This led the Spaniards to the Oxenham party, who were taken unawares and were all captured. John Oxenham was said to have been quite gallant. He always wore a rose in his hair and fell in love with a beautiful Spanish lady (I believe he married her!) this made things worse, when John was eventually captured by the Spaniards.
John was given the two castles by the Queen, for previous exploits against the Spaniards, etc: no male line and it was on account of this, that the Castles passed into Chancery, not before however some members of John's family had tried to repossess the castles by force.
It would seem, that in the past the Anderson family were a great seafaring family, up to the last of them with our Great grandfather (extracts of whose naval history, I enclose) who broke the tradition. He was medically unfit, I believe. Three weeks ago (approximately September 1976) when we visited Southampton, we went to the site of Chapel House which has long since disappeared. I believe the site is now part of the corporation yard and stores, which occupies the original Westlakes Wharf..
You will notice that my Fathers names is James Henry (Shaw) Anderson. Uncle Ern told Alan (nephew) that Shaw in the name is a commemoration of a Captain Shaw who (as a member of the Anderson family) fought at Trafalgar. Alan looked up some records in his school library (Hampton Grammar School) and found that there was a Captain Shaw who fought at Trafalgar.
The pedigree, that Great Uncle Jack compiled passed to a branch of the Anderson family, with the name of VARKER. The Varkers lived at South Forest in the St Marys district of Southampton. The whole area now, I believe, is occupied with tower blocks of flats. Grandpa Anderson who is described on the marriage lines of my parents, as of independent means, was asked by Great Uncle Jack to finance the legal costs of reclaiming the castles etc: from Chancery. He would not do this and Great Uncle Jack of Devon, who had money of his own, could not pursue the matter any further. Just as well, I should think! If the castles are still standing, these will be either in ruins, or in the jurisdiction of the National Trust.
You know that the public Records Office (St. Catherine’s house) only lists births, Marriages and deaths back to about 1870 (I think) I went up there some months ago to get Cousin Edie a copy of her birth certificate, which she had to produce as a document of title to some property she has inherited. All the records previous to 1870 or so are only contained in local record offices, parish church registers etc:.
Parish Church of St. Mary, Southampton 1867 (register page 241)
December 7th 1867
The marriage of Joseph Francis Anderson age 25 years, bachelor of Paget Street, Chapel, Southampton, (Corn meter) merchant son of John Anderson (Mariner)
To Mary Ann Howell (spinster) age 19years of Paget Street, Daughter of Edward Howell (Plumber)
Witnesses: Walter Howell and Maria Howell
| Children of this union | Born | Died |
|---|---|---|
| Walter Edwin Anderson | 29th April 1873 | 1944 |
| Selina Maria* Anderson | 30th Sept. 1874 | 1935 |
| James Henry Shaw Anderson | 7th Feb. 1877 | 12th Nov. 1926 |
| Sarah Mary Anderson | 20th May 1879 | 20th Jan 1944 |
| Frances* Anderson | 10th Dec.1881 | 13th June 1882 |
| Edith* Anderson | 25th August 1885 | 25th Aug 1885 |
| Eva May Anderson | 31st. Jan 1888 | 4th June 1974 |
| Ernest Joseph Anderson | 16th Sept. 1890 | 4th Jan 1966 |
Great Grandfather Anderson
John Anderson, father of Joseph Anderson (above) was born at Plymouth on the 10th April 1810. He died at Ashburton, Devon on 31st October 1867. The death certificate stated "decease of the heart"
John went to sea at the age of 14 years in April 1824 and he subsequently served in various Royal Navy ships as follows:-
Ships:
"Success" "Canopus" "Princess Charlotte" "Warspit" twice "Blenheim",
"Bristol" and
finally twice on the "Indifatigable" where he became Captain’s
Mate on June 8th 1854. John Anderson was invalided on three occasions during
the service.
During his service John Anderson moved through the following grades:- ordinary seaman, A.B.seaman, A.B. Stoker, Head Stoker to Captain’s Mate.
The information given previously re..
I have compiled from (1) an old family Bible from Padwell Road, (2) Grandma Anderson’s marriage lines and (3) the very faded sea papers (on parchment) of Great Grandfather Anderson. These last papers were contained in a little lead case, like a spectacle case with the R.N. cipher on it.
(a note from my Mum) Julia………..
There is more to the history that told on these sheets (as I heard the story from my Mother (Selina Maria Anderson) If I can find out any more, I will write it down.