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FAMILY MEMBERS ARRANGED IN DATE ORDER

To earlier Soddy family members

1820 - 1870 ELEANOR SODDY (nee ANSELL)

Born; 1820.
Parents; James Ansell = ??
Married; Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911) on 17 September 1851, Camberwell (his first marriage).
Children; Lydia Eleanor (1853-1944), Benjamin (1855-1895), James (1857?-1890).
Died; 1870.
Buried; Nunhead.

1822 - 1911 BENJAMIN SODDY

Born; 15 June 1822, Bethnal Green.
Parents; William Soddy (1778-1840) = Elizabeth Done (1781-1852).
Married (1); Eleanor Ansell (1820-1870) on 17 September 1851, Camberwell.
Children; Lydia Eleanor (1853-1944), Benjamin (1855-1895), James (1857?-1890).
Married (2); Hannah Green (1843-1879) on 6 June 1871, Walworth.
Children; John William (1872-1938), Joseph (1874-1926), Thomas Ebenezer (1876-1968), Frederick (1877-1956).

Lived at Walworth, and later at 6 Bolton Road, Eastbourne.
Robert Morris's diary 4 May 1908; "We hear that old Mr Soddy is financially ruined."
Rev.Thomas Soddy wrote a Soddy family history in which he says that, when Benjamin met some financial difficulty "through no fault of his own" Thomas Tillings came to his aid with a generous annuity - which they later had to reduce, but intended to restore as soon as they could.
Died; 24 July 1911.
Buried; Eastbourne. His will, dated 3 October 1910, made provision for equal division of his estate "among my five children, or as many of them as may be living at my death." It was witnessed by Gilbert Benjamin Soddy and Robert James Soddy. He left £329-12-9. Notes about the above will are in H.R.Gilbert's records.

1843 - 1879 HANNAH SODDY (nee GREEN)

Born; 16 (or 17) December 1843.
Parents; John William Green (1822-1878) butcher in Camberwell = ? (1808-1873) They had three daughters, Marian (who married ? Carpenter), Hannah, and Emma of Camberwell Gate.
Married; Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911) on 6 July(?) 1871, Walworth (his second marriage).
Children; John William (1872-1938), Joseph (1874-1926), Thomas Ebenezer(1876-1968), Frederick (1877-1956).
Died; 19 January 1879.
Buried; Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne.

1853 - 1944 LYDIA ELEANOR SODDY

Born; 3 November 1853.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911) = Eleanor Ansell (1820-1870).
Married; John White (1839-1911) builder & widower, on 15 Nov 1900 at Eastbourne Register Office. The original marriage certificate is in H.R.Gilbert's records. Witnesses were Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911, her father), John William Soddy (1872-1938, her half-brother), Mary Soddy (could have been her sister-in-law, nee Gilbert 1857-1942, or Mary (nee Heard) wife of John William), and Mary E.Soddy, (who was she ?).
Lived at 'Sunnyside', Bolton Road, Eastbourne until her marriage, then at 59 Royal Parade, Eastbourne.
Died; 5 May 1944.
H.R.Gilbert has a photocopy (or original?) of her marriage certificate.

1855 - 1895 BENJAMIN SODDY

c.1880 c.1890

Born; 11 November 1855.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911) = Eleanor Ansell (1820-1870).
Occupation; Corn dealer of 243 Walworth Road, London.
Married; Mary 'Pollie' Gilbert (1857-1942) on 28 April 1880, Cavendish Place Chapel, Eastbourne. Best man was G.Tilling of the family who ran Thomas Tilling, the London bus proprietors. They set up business in Walworth in 1847, developing into a huge empire operating horse and motor buses, coachbuilding and contract haulage. By the 1930s Tilling's were operating well over 1,100 vehicles across the country.
One of the bridesmaids was Ellen I.Morris, later to become the bride's sister-in-law. Witnesses were E.W.Tilling, David Gilbert, M.Adams, E.J.Morris, Benjamin Soddy, L.Soddy (Lydia?).
A report of the wedding from the Eastbourne Chronicle is in Ellen I.Gilbert's newspaper cuttings album Page 141, held by H R Gilbert. The honeymoon was spent in North Wales.
Children; Gilbert Benjamin (1881-1956), Edith Charlotte (1882-1883), Robert James (1884-1971), Margaret Eleanor (1885-1967), Kathleen Mary (1887-1944), James (1889-1917), Leslie (1893-1973).

Died; 4 July 1895 at 10 Montrell Road, Streatham, Surrey, reputedly from a chill caught at the funeral of his mother-in-law, Charlotte Gilbert (1817-1895) in the February. David Gilbert - his brother in law - was present at the death. The doctor (James D.Swallow) gave the cause of death as T.B., Pleuro-Pneumonia and heart failure.
Buried; Nunhead.
Benjamin left £6538-12-11. His will, dated 27 December 1882, and witnessed by David Gilbert and Charlotte Noakes (both of 52 Seaside Road, Eastbourne. Charlotte Noakes was shop girl/assistant at the bakery, and niece of Charlotte Hassell, David Gilbert's wife), left his entire estate to his wife Mary, who was also to be sole executrix.
H.R.Gilbert has the following;
The original marriage certificate, the original death certificate, a copy of his will and the probate, the agreement of sale of his business (after his death) from Mary (his widow) to his father Benjamin, and the agreement of sale of his business premises (after his death) from Mary (his widow) to his father Benjamin.

More details of Benjamin's family

1857 - 1942 MARY "POLLY" SODDY (nee GILBERT)

Mary Gilbert around 1875. Photo; G Churchill, Eastbourne.

Born; 9 July 1857, Eastbourne.
Parents; David Gilbert (1825-1916) = Charlotte Hassell (1817-1895)
Married; Benjamin Soddy (1856-1895) on 28 April 1880, Cavendish Place Chapel, Eastbourne. Best man was G.Tilling of the family who ran Thomas Tilling, the London bus proprietors. One of the bridesmaids was Ellen I.Morris, later to become her sister-in-law. Witnesses were E.W.Tilling, David Gilbert, M.Adams, E.J.Morris, Benjamin Soddy, L.Soddy (Lydia?).
The original marriage certificate is held by H R Gilbert.
They immediately moved to 243 Walworth Road, Newington, London.
Children; Gilbert Benjamin (1881-1956), Edith Charlotte (1882-1883), Robert James (1884-1971), Margaret Eleanor (1885-1967), Kathleen Mary (1887-1944), James (1889-1917), Leslie (1893-1973)

When her husband died in 1895 she inherited his corn and flour merchant's business at 243 Walworth Road, and sold it to Benjamin's father, Benjamin (1822-1911) for £3500. The receipt for this sale is in the Ben Soddy (3) envelope. The lease of 243 Walworth Road was also transferred (£90 per year for 32 years).
Robert Morris's diary 20 March 1911; "Mrs Gilbert to Barcombe to see Mrs.Soddy, who is staying with Mrs.Frank Gorringe."
23 March 1911; "Mrs Benj.Soddy visited Ryderswells. She walked round the garden this evening."
4 October 1912; "Mrs.Soddy visited Mrs.Baxter at Ryderswells."

In the 1906 will (with 1915 codicil) of her father David Gilbert (1825-1916) her address is shown as 47 Terminus Road, a house they both occupied but did not appear to own. He left her 1, 2, 3, 4 Mountfield Place, Bourne Street, Eastbourne (later known at Mountfield House, Ceylon Place), and 15, 17, 19 Bourne Street, along with the contents of 47 Terminus Road.
Living in Eastbourne at the 1921 Census.

Mary Soddy around 1935.

A postcard dated 28 March 1939 to her nephew Richard congratulating him on the birth of his son David shows her address as 22 Upperton Gardens, Eastbourne.
Died; 16 October 1942, 'Silchester', Kings Drive, Eastbourne, aged 85. Her son Leslie was present at the death.
A copy of her death certificate and seven photographs of Mary are in H.R.Gilbert's records.

More details of Mary's family

1857 - 1890 JAMES SODDY

Born; 1857.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911) = Eleanor Ansell (1820-1870).
Occupation; Corn dealer of 243 Walworth Road, London. Partner with his brother Benjamin.
Died; 4 January 1890, Eastbourne aged 32 after only a few days' illness.
Buried; Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne.

1871 - 19?? MARIAN LOUISE SODDY (nee ADAMS)

Born; 1871, Eastbourne.
Parents; Calvin J.D.Adams (c.1845-1925) = Elizabeth Peerless.
Married; Joseph Soddy (1874-1926) on 14 January 1896 (according to Rev. Thomas Soddy). However this date conflicts with an entry in Robert Morris's diary for 8 January 1896; "One of Calvin Adams's daughters married to Joe Soddy at Trinity Church" (presumably Eastbourne).
Children; Marjorie Marian Soddy (1897-19??).
Also from Robert Morris's diary, 25 April 1908; "Joe Soddy, 243 Walworth Rd., is in the bankruptcy court." Yet, when he died in 1926, he left £1,575. The contents of 9 Gorringe Road, Eastbourne were left to his wife, £100 to his daughter Marjorie, the residue to Charlotte Benstead Russell.
Living in Eastbourne at the 1921 Census.

1872 - 1938 JOHN WILLIAM SODDY

Born; 8 November 1872, Walworth.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911) = Hannah Green (1843-1879).
Married; Mary Heard on 15 March 1895.
Children; Benjamin (?), John William (1898-1907), Thomas (1903-1906).
Died; December 1938.

More details of John William's family

1874 - 1926 JOSEPH SODDY

Born; 5 May 1874, Walworth.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911) = Hannah Green (1843-1879).
Married; Marian Louise Adams (1871-??) on 14 January 1896 (according to Tom Soddy).
Note that this date conflicts with an entry in Robert Morris's diary for 8 January 1896; "One of Calvin Adams's daughters married to Joe Soddy at Trinity Church" (presumably Eastbourne).
Children; Marjorie Marian Soddy (1897-19??).
He was sole executor of his father's will.
Also from Robert Morris's diary, 25 April 1908; "Joe Soddy, 243 Walworth Rd., is in the bankruptcy court." Yet, when he died in 1926, he left £1,575. The contents of 9 Gorringe Road, Eastbourne were left to his wife, £100 to his daughter Marjorie, the residue to Charlotte Benstead Russell.
Died; 24 March 1926.

More details of Joseph's family

1876 - 1968 Rev. THOMAS EBENEZER SODDY

Born; 6 January 1876.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911) = Hannah Green (1843-1879).
Married (1); Edith Emma Adams (1877-1937) on 15 April 1903.
Children; Gordon (1908-19??), Kenneth (1911-1986).
Married (2); Doris Gwendoline Stilwell on 22 January 1941. No children.
Lived at 51 Alfriston Road, Seaford.
Died; 6 Jan 1968 in hospital at Seaford, on his 92nd birthday.
Cremated at Brighton, Woodvale, on 11 January 1968 after a memorial service at Seaford Baptist Church.

More details of Thomas's family

1877 - 1956 Prof. FREDERICK SODDY, F.R.S.

Born; 2 September 1877 at Eastbourne.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911) = Hannah Green (1843-1879).
Educated at Eastbourne College and University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.
Married; Winifred Moller Beilby (1885-1936) in 1908.
Children; none.

Professor Frederick Soddy in his laboratory at Glasgow University around 1913.

Occupation; Scientist. Became a Nobel Laureate for Chemistry in 1921 for his work with Rutherford on the discovery of isotopes. Andrew Soddy (b.1939) had the original Nobel Prize certificate awarded on 10 December 1922 as well as a cigarette lighter and holder.
Lived the last years of his life in Brighton.

Fred Soddy shown on a 1981 Swedish postage stamp commemorating Nobel Prize winners.

Died; 22 September 1956, Brighton.
By his will he left £25,000 subject to the estate duty payable thereon, to a trust, subsequently entitled The Frederick Soddy Trust. He appointed five trustees. The object was to use the accruing income for general educational purposes, and for the development of study and group-meetings. Preference was to be given to; teachers, students of sociological sciences, younger students and those early in their careers, to those unable otherwise to afford the expense of travel, for the purposes of group-study rather than those studying alone. The first grants were made in 1958, and the majority in the first decade were between £50 and £200 towards studies and surveys within the UK, and university expeditions to places such as Corsica, Yugoslavia, Colombia, Nigeria, Iceland, Ethiopia, Lapland, Turkey, Iran, India, Afghanistan and Ceylon.

1885 - 1936 WINIFRED MOLLER SODDY (nee BEILBY)

Born; 1 March 1885, Colinton, Midlothian, Scotland.
Parents; George Thomas Beilby (1850-1924) = Emma Clarke Newnam (1857-1936)
Her father was Sir George Beilby, a renowned chemist.
Married; Frederick Soddy (1877-1956) in 1908.
Children; none.
Died; 17 August 1936, Oxford.

To later Soddy family members