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The Soddy family around 1902
Back row; Leslie Soddy?, Gilbert B.Soddy?, Robert J.Soddy?, James Soddy?
Middle row; Unknown, Kathleen M.Soddy?, unknown, Mary "Polly" Soddy, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Margaret E.Soddy?
Bottom row; John W.Soddy? (cousin), Marjorie M.Soddy? (cousin), Unknown.

FAMILY MEMBERS ARRANGED IN DATE ORDER

To earlier Soddy family members

1855 - 1895 BENJAMIN SODDY

Benjamin Soddy around 1880.

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 at Cavendish Place Chapel, Eastbourne, by Rev A J Baxter.

Details of Cavendish Place Chapel and Rev A J Baxter.

The 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, in H R Gilbert's records. 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).

Benjamin Soddy around 1890. Photo; C F Treble, Brixton.

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 Dec 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.

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

Mary Gilbert around 1870. Photo; G Churchill, Eastbourne.

Born; Eastbourne 9 July 1857
Parents; David Gilbert (1825-1916) = Charlotte Hassell (1817-1895)

Details of Mary's (Gilbert) family.

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

Married; Benjamin Soddy (1856-1895) on 28 April 1880, Cavendish Place Chapel, Eastbourne, by Rev A J Baxter.

Details of Cavendish Place Chapel and Rev A J Baxter.

The 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).

Mary Soddy around 1902 from a family group photo.

Robert Morris's diary 20 March 1911; "Mrs Gilbert to Barcombe to see Mrs.Soddy, who is staying with Mrs.Frank Gorringe."
23 Mar 1911; "Mrs Benj.Soddy visited Ryderswells. She walked round the garden this evening."
4 Oct 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.
A postcard dated 28 Mar 1939 to her nephew Richard congratulating him on the birth of his son David shows her address as 22 Upperton Gardens, Eastbourne.

Mary Soddy around 1935.

Died; 16 October 1942, 'Silchester', Kings Drive, Eastbourne, aged 85. Her son Leslie was present at the death. A copy of her death certificate is in the Soddy (2) envelope.
Seven photographs of Mary are held in H.R.Gilbert's records;

1881 - 1956 GILBERT BENJAMIN SODDY

Born; 1 July 1881.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1855-1895) = Mary Gilbert (1857-1942).
Married; Mary Dolbey (188?-19??) of Camberwell on 21 April 1903 at the Surrey Tabernacle, Wansey Street, Walworth, London, by Rev.A.J.Baxter of Eastbourne. Reception at 16 Templer Street, Camberwell. Mary was the daughter of Rev O.S.Dolbey of the Surrey Tabernacle.
Gilbert was twice Mayor of Eastbourne.

On the death of David Gilbert junior in 1902 his wife Ellen Isabel Gilbert (1857-1951) and the six children, moved to 15 The Avenue, Eastbourne on 7 January 1903. Ellen decided not to take over the family bakery business herself and, as a temporary measure, David Gilbert senior came out of retirement to run the firm until a permanent solution could be found. In 1903 Gilbert Benjamin Soddy (nephew of David Gilbert junior, and who had been assisting him in the business) bought the goodwill of the firm from Ellen (with £4,200 that he apparently borrowed from his mother, Mary Soddy, nee Gilbert, Ellen's sister in law) and leased the bakery from her.

Gilbert's Bakery, Eastbourne

Gilbert B Soddy also opened branches at 2 Grove Road, and at 1 Brassey Avenue, Hampden Park. All three shops were still shown in the 1933-34 Eastbourne guide. The main bakery at 51/52 Seaside Road had, by this time, been renumbered to 134 Seaside Road. Ellen still owned the freehold of the property, with everything left in trust for the children. The executors were Ellen herself, her brother James Morris (1854-1921), and Oliver Mitchell, architect (Oliver Mitchell had been the architect of the new Bakery. He was born in Uckfield in 1840, was a member of the first Eastbourne Town Council in 1883 and lived at 11 Pevensey Road.) The freehold was eventually transferred to Gilbert Benjamin Soddy. However the undertaking failed just before the second world war after about 150 years, and the building remained empty for a few years. The final demise of the property was as a result of bomb damage during the very last of the 'hit and run' (or 'tip and run') raids on 6 June 1943.

According to Kathryn Soddy (1965-??) Gilbert was responsible for the construction of Eastbourne Pier.
A report from the Eastbourne Times of his wedding in 1903 shows his address as 3 Hurst Road, Eastbourne (Charlotte Gilbert's newspaper cuttings album page 32).
The Eastbourne 'Blue Book' for 1933-34 also shows; 'Soddy, G.B. 10 Arundel Road'.
Died; 18 March 1956, and cremated at Brighton.
A photograph taken around 1902 of a Soddy fanily group (seen at the top of this page) probably shows Gilbert as a youth, and the photograph album 'Maroon 1' held by H R Gilbert contains many photos taken around 1901 reputedly by Gilbert B.Soddy, but not of him.

188? - 19?? MARY SODDY (nee DOLBEY)

Parents; Rev. O.S.Dolbey, Surrey Tabernacle, Wansey St., Walworth.
Lived at 16 Templer Street, Camberwell.
Married; Gilbert Benjamin Soddy (1881-1956) on 21 April 1903 at the Surrey Tabernacle, London, by Rev.A.J.Baxter of Eastbourne. Reception at 16 Templer Street, Camberwell. A report of the wedding from the Eastbourne Times is in Charlotte Gilbert's newspaper cuttings album page 32.
A note in H R Gilbert's records (origin unknown, date unknown but probably about 1960) says "Gilbert...his widow now at Aged Pilgrims Home, London ".

1882 - 1883 EDITH CHARLOTTE SODDY

Born; 14 May 1882.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1855-1895) = Mary Gilbert (1857-1942).
Died; 2 March 1883.

1884 - 1971 ROBERT JAMES SODDY

Born; 16 June 1884 at Walworth.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1855-1895) = Mary Gilbert (1857-1942).
Married; Edith May Heale (c.1885-1957) on 7 May 1918.
Children; Rawdon James (1919-1943), Jean Marigold (1921-19??).
Occupation; Chartered accountant. Worked at Soddy, Partridge & Co., (with his partner Ernest Partridge) Chartered Accountants of 25 Ironmonger Lane, London E.C.2, and 122 Terminus Road, Eastbourne (telephone Eastbourne 700).
Living in Eastbourne at the 1921 Census.
Retired to Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst.

H.R.Gilbert has a poorly written note by Robert dated 1964 (possibly to Leslie) referring to the will of Benjamin Soddy (1822-1911), details of which have been noted on the back. "If you are not very interested I may as well keep Grandpa Soddy's probate and will with my packet of family papers. I wondered if I would give it to Tom one day. - I heard from him this morning." (Tom would be Rev.Thomas Soddy, retired in Seaford. Tom died in 1968).
Died; 22 October 1971 in his sleep, at home, aged 87, Cremated.
Robert is shown in the Soddy family group photograph at the top of this page.

More details of Robert's family

1885 - 1967 MARGARET ELEANOR SODDY

Margaret Soddy near Alfriston around 1925, with her mother Mary in the back of the car.

Born; 4 September 1885, 243 Walworth Road, Surrey.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1855-1895) = Mary Gilbert (1857-1942)
Living in Eastbourne at the 1921 Census.
Living at Kings Drive, Willingdon, 1955. Living at 'Burnside', 16 Upper Kings Drive, Eastbourne in 1967 (behind the present BP petrol station at Willingdon roundabout).
According to Andrew Soddy (1939-??) she was profoundly deaf and able to lip read.

Margaret Soddy visiting Ryderswells Cottage, Vines Cross around 1948. Also Ellen Isabel Gilbert, Charlotte Gilbert and Ellen Gilbert.

Died 19 July 1967, Southfield House Nursing Home, Southfields Road, Eastbourne. Described as "Spinster, of private means".
Beneficiaries of her will were her brother Gilbert Benjamin (£150), Gilbert's wife Mary (£150), her niece Jean Marigold (£100), and her unmarried brother Leslie (the residue).
In H.R.Gilbert's records are a photocopy of her birth certificate, a photocopy of her death certificate, a copy of her will, Grant of Probate, and some photographs.

1887 - 1944 KATHLEEN MARY SODDY

Born; 12 November 1887, London.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1855-1895) = Mary Gilbert (1857-1942).
Living in Eastbourne at the 1921 Census.
Died; 5 September 1944.
Buried; 8 September 1944, Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne.
H.R.Gilbert has the following; Details and authority for her burial at Ocklynge, design of, and bill for her grave.

1889 - 1917 JAMES SODDY

Born; 23 December 1889, 243 Walworth Road.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1855-1895) = Mary Gilbert (1857-1942).
Lieut. in the 1st Norfolk Regiment.
Killed in action on the Somme, 23 April 1917.
H.R.Gilbert has the original of his birth certificate.

1893 - 1973 LESLIE SODDY

Born; 23 June 1893, Walworth.
Parents; Benjamin Soddy (1855-1895) = Mary Gilbert (1857-1942).
Robert Morris's diary 22 April 1907; "Mrs.Gilbert with Leslie Soddy arrived this evening."
Chartered Accountant. Partner with his brother Robert. Office at 2 Gore Park Road, Eastbourne(?).

Living in Eastbourne at the 1921 Census.
Living at 'Silchester', Kings Drive, Eastbourne in 1942.
Living at 'Burnside', 16 Upper Kings Drive, Willingdon in the 1960s and 1970s (behind the present 'Signature at Eastbourne' care home at Willingdon roundabout).
Died; 13 January 1973 at 'Inglewood', 7 Nevill Avenue, Eastbourne.
H.R.Gilbert has photocopies of his birth and death certificates.

Queries (From Robert Morris's diary)
-------
15 November 1909; "Mary & Alice to Lewes at 10.30 am to meet Ellen, Charlotte and Miss Soddy; thence to Sheffield Park to look over Sheffield Place - the sale of contents tomorrow. They all walked back to Uckfield via Fletching, arrived soon after 5 pm."
(Sheffield Park had been owned by several generations of Lord Sheffield. The Third Earl died in 1909 and the estate was sold to the Soames family. This would account for the contents sale.)
9 May 1913; "Ellen & Marjorie left for Eastbourne this afternoon, & Miss & Mrs.Soddy came to Ryderswells."
30 May 1913; "Mrs.Gilbert & Ellen arrived at Ryderswells. Miss Soddy & Mrs. G.Soddy left for Eastbourne."' (Could this be Mrs. Gilbert Soddy, nee Mary Dolbey? We don't think she had any children, so Miss Soddy could be Gilbert Soddy's sister Margaret or Kathleen. Margaret was certainly a close friend of the Gilbert family which would account for her staying at Ryderswells.)

To later Soddy family members