john rashleigh rodd

Subject Name :  John Rashleigh Rodd   (b 1816 – d 1892)                 

Researcher :        Margaret Rose

MEMBER OF THE GUILDFORD UNION BOARD OF GUARDIANS 1877-1885
REPRESENTING THE PARISH OF MERROW

A MAN OF HIS TIMES

John Rashleigh Rodd was born into a wealthy Cornish family with many links to the Church, the Royal Navy and the landed gentry. His maternal grandfather was Charles Rashleigh who built Charlestown port near St Austell – nowadays probably best known as the location for many period dramas – and his maternal grandmother from the Tremayne family of Heligan (1). The Rodd family had owned Trebartha Hall and its estate at North Hill near Launceston since 1729, and which John’s father inherited in 1812 (2).  After a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, John became a stalwart of Guildford society, taking an interest in educational, religious and temperance work. He was a member of the Guildford Union Board of Guardians for ten years.

John Rashleigh Rodd was born on 10 February 1816 at the family estate Trebartha Hall, and was baptised the following day at St Just Church in the parish of St Just in Roseland, Cornwall. His father, the Reverend Edward Rodd, was Rector of the parish, and performed the baptism himself (3, 4).

John had four brothers and two sisters. All the children had been born at Trebartha Hall, and like John, were all baptised by their father.

John Rashleigh Rodd married Wilhelmina Mary Rodd on 28 August 1852 at All Souls Church, Westminster (5). Wilhelmina had been born on 14 June 1820 and baptised at St Mary’s Church, Marylebone, on 8 August 1820 (6). They were cousins, Wilhelmina being the daughter of John’s uncle, his father’s younger brother Sir John Tremayne Rodd. There were no children from John and Wilhelmina’s marriage.

Distinguished service in the Royal Navy

John Rashleigh Rodd entered the Royal Navy at the age of 14 in 1830, passing out in 1836, serving on many ships both at home and at sea during his 20 years’ service (7).

He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1840 following his participation in the liberation of the City of Acre, Syria, during the Egyptian-Ottoman War (8). 

John was then posted to the Royal Navy’s Pacific Fleet off the western coast of the Americas. In 1847 his ship, HMS Fisgard under Captain John Alexander Duntze, was sent to survey Esquimault Harbour on the south of Vancouver Island, Canada (9, 10).

The Pacific Fleet had been using the harbour at Esquimault for anchorage, water and timber for their ships since the early 1840s, and were looking to establish a coastal defence system to protect it. Many place names assigned during the 1847 survey live on to this day.  The first Navy buildings were erected in 1855 at Duntze Head. Fisgard lighthouse was constructed in 1859, and Rodd Point became the site for the Fort Rodd artillery installation constructed between 1895 and 1900.  Fort Rodd Hill is now a National Historic Site of Canada.

John became a Commander in August 1851, serving on HMS Impregnable, flagship at Devonport (11).  It was during this posting that he married Wilhelmina in London (5).

In 1857, John took command of hospital ship HMS Belleisle, sailing from the UK to the Far East with troops bound for Second Opium War in China (12).  On route, the Belleisle dropped troops off in Calcutta. John was commended to the Admiralty for the speed of arrival and his excellent treatment of the troops.

However, John’s failing health on his arrival in China obliged him to relinquish his command for the ship’s return to England in 1859 (13).  Nevertheless, John was promoted from Commander to Captain in 1862, although he was not to go to sea again (14).

John left active service in June 1866 at the age of 50. The 1871 Census showed John and Wilhelmina to be living at 14 Marine Parade, Broadwater, Worthing, Sussex (15). Living by the sea was probably good for his health.

In his retirement John was made a Rear Admiral on 31 December 1877, Vice Admiral on 1 April 1884 and Admiral on 1 May 1888.

Merrow and the Guildford Union Board of Guardians

Shortly after the 1871 Census, John and his wife Wilhelmina moved to Portland House, Spital Street, Guildford, and soon after to Basque (or Basqueville), Box Grove Road, Merrow near Guildford (16). The Rodds may have had their house built for them, as there is no record of the house before 1873.

It is not known exactly why the Rodds chose to move here.  However, already living in the same road a couple of years before John, was Captain Charles Dugald Campbell, retired from Her Majesty’s Indian Navy (17, 18).  He was of a similar age and a kindred spirit, as, like John, he devoted himself to religious, educational and temperance work, appearing on many of the same committees.  It may well be that John and Charles had met whilst on Naval duty. Also living in Box Grove Road was Major Charles Tredcroft, who like John went on to become a member of the Guildford Board of Guardians (19, 20).

John quickly took a keen interest in local affairs and he and his wife became very involved in their community. Wilhemina was patron of many charities (21). 

John was elected as a member of the Guildford Union Board of Guardians in April 1874, representing the parish of Merrow and fighting Merrow’s corner on many accounts (22).  He worked with the Merrow Commoners Group for the preservation of Merrow and the Downs, communicating concerns to Lord Onslow, Lord of the Manor of Merrow (23).  With his wife, he helped in the organisation of the Merrow and West Clandon Cottage Gardeners Show for many years (24).

In September 1874, John asked the Urban Sanitary Committee to lay on water, which ‘the inhabitants of Merrow would gladly avail themselves of’ to several streets in Merrow, including Box Grove, so perhaps this was not entirely altruistic! (25) He was not successful, but tried again in 1880 to have a water pipe connected to his house (26).  Despite becoming a member of the Sanitary Committee, he lost his case once more.

John had a strong interest in education. He became Honorary Treasurer of the Stoke next Guildford National Schools, and was a board member for Merrow School, being closely involved in its enlargement in 1885/6 (27, 28). 

In February 1875, John was elected on to the Committee of Management of the Royal Surrey County Hospital, becoming Vice-Chair in 1888, before retiring in 1891 (29, 30, 31).  Again, he seems to have been fully involved, being a “House Visitor” visiting the hospital regularly to check on its running.

Like many prominent Victorians, John was religious. He devoted a considerable amount of time to many Christian societies and associations, for example the Surrey Clerical and Lay Association, the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the local chapter of the Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews (32, 33, 34).

John maintained links with the Royal Navy through the Royal Naval Scripture Readers Association (35), and by chairing talks given by Miss Agnes Weston, ‘The Sailors Friend’. Miss Weston, later Dame Agnes Weston, was well-known for her work to reform the lives of Royal Navy sailors, particularly by setting up Sailors’ Rests where sailors could go for recreation without the temptations of alcohol (36).  She was the first woman to be accorded a full ceremonial naval burial.  

John too was part of the Temperance Movement in Guildford. He was a Trustee of the ‘coffee public-house’, the ‘Royal Arms’ in North Street/Ward Street, Guildford, which opened in 1881, and now houses the Guildford Institute (37). 

He became Secretary of the ‘Navvy Mission Society’ established in 1882 to promote the spiritual welfare of around 500 ‘navvies’ who would be living in Guildford while working on the Stoke portion of the new Guildford and Kingston Railway (38).  He was chair of the local National Vigilance Association, established in 1885 to combat prostitution (39).

Politically, John was a member of the local Conservative Working Men’s Association, and then the Primrose League, founded in 1883 to promote the Conservative Party cause (40, 41).

As well as seeking to do his best for his fellow humans, John also found time to chair the Guildford Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (42).

Life was not all committees for John.  As a prominent member of local society, and patrons of so many organisations, John and Wilhelmina had many opportunities to enjoy concerts and other entertainments (43).

John stood down from Guildford Union Board of Guardians in March 1884, aged 68 (44).  He stayed in Merrow, and continued with most of his other commitments. 

Later years

John and Wilhelmina left Merrow in the late 1880s and moved to Warberry House, near Speldhurst in Kent (45).

John Rashleigh Rodd died on 15 January 1892 age 75 at the Albany Hotel in Hastings. He had been suffering with influenza and pneumonia (46). Had he been staying by the sea for health reasons maybe? He was buried at the Hawkenbury cemetery, Tunbridge Wells (47).

A fulsome obituary for John highlighted his many postings and successful career in the Royal Navy (48).

Wilhelmina, now a widow, remained at Warberry House, where she died on 18 June 1903 age 83 after a heart attack (49).  She was buried with her husband (50).

Wilhelmina left some £40,000 in her will (51).  She bequeathed sums to many of the charities and societies linked to her and John’s time in Guildford, including £500 to the Royal Surrey County Hospital ‘in memory of Admiral Rodd, for very many years on the Committee’.

She also left £1,000 to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, for a boat to be named ‘Admiral Rodd’ after her husband, ‘to be placed where most needed on the Cornish coast’. The boat was launched in 1907 by the Rodds’ niece and was stationed in Hayle, Cornwall (52). 

 

August 2024, updated December 2024

References

  1. Charlestown, Cornwall Historic-UK.com
    Charles Rashleigh & Grace Tremayne Marriage 1 Jul 1776, St Ewe, Cornwall Parish Marriages FindMyPast.co.uk
    Harriet Rashleigh Baptism 7 Feb 1779, St Ewe, Cornwall Parish Marriages FindMyPast.co.uk
  2. Trebartha Hall org
  3. Reverend Doctor Edward Rodd DD (1768-1842) of Trebartha Hall North Hill Local History NorthHillHistory.co.uk
  4. Francis Rodd Baptism 19 Mar 1806
    Charles Rodd  Baptism 8 Oct 1807
    Edward Hearle Rodd  Baptism 18 Mar 1810
    Henry Tremayne Rodd  Baptism 8 Nov 1811
    Harriet Grace Rodd  Baptism 15 Sep 1813
    John Rashleigh Rodd Baptism 11 Feb 1816
    Sophia Jane Rodd  Baptism 2 Dec 1817
    St Just in Roseland, Cornwall Parish Baptisms 1798-1814 and 1813-1852 FindMyPast.co.uk
  5. John Rashleigh Rodd & Wilhelmina Mary Rodd Marriage 25 Aug 1852 All Souls, Westminster; London Church of England Marriages & Banns; Reference P89/ALS/063 Ancestry.co.uk
  6. Wilhelmina Mary Rodd Baptism 8 Aug 1820, Birth 14 Jun 1820 St Marylebone; London Church of England Births and Baptisms; Reference P89/Mry1/093 Ancestry.co.uk
  7. John Rashleigh Rodd Royal Navy Service Records ADM 196/16/90 and
    ADM /196/37/745 The National Archives, Kew nationalarchives.gov.uk
  8. Battle of Acre (1840); Egyptian-Ottoman War (1839-1841) Wikipedia.org
  9. Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse 1973 brochure ParksCanadaHistory.com
  10. Fort Rodd Hill Historic National Site Wikipedia.org
  11. The Navy 10 Sep 1851 Penzance Gazette and West Cornwall Advertiser British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  12. Military & Naval 4 Nov 1857 The Belfast Daily Mercury British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
    Second Opium War Wikipedia.org
  13. The Navy 18 Jul 1859 The Sun British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  14. The Navy 19 Apr 1862 The Army & Navy Gazette British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.u
  15. John Rashley, Wilhelmina Mary Rodd 1871 England Census for Marine Parade, Worthing, Sussex; RG10; Piece 1107; Folio 25; Page 41 FindMyPast.co.uk
  16. John Rashleigh Rodd 1873-1890 Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Electoral Registers; Parish of Guildford, Merrow; Basqueville, Boxgrove, Merrow Ancestry.co.uk
  17. Charles Dugald Campbell 1870 Surrey History Centre, Woking; Surrey Electoral Registers; Parish of Guildford, Merrow; Box Grove Road, Merrow Ancestry.co.uk
  18. Charles D, Bowen C, Harriet B Campbell 1871 England Census for Oakside, Box Grove Road, Merrow, Surrey; RG11; Piece 775; Folio 134; Page 24 FindMyPast.co.uk
  19. Charles L Tredcroft 1871 England Census for Glen Ancrum, Box Grove Road, Merrow, Surrey; RG10; Piece 1107; Folio 25; Page 41 FindMyPast.co.uk
  20. Election of Guardians 7 April 1884 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  21. Bazaar in aid of Miss Robinson’s work among our Soldiers and Sailors 26 Sep 1881 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
    Emmanuel Church, Stoughton, Grand Bazaar 8 Nov 1884 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk 
    Church of England Zenana Missionary Society Sale of useful fancy work 12 Jun 1886 Surrey Times and County Express British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk 
  22. Guildford Board of Guardians 2 May 1874 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  23. Lord Onslow and the Commoners 17 Jan 1885 West Surrey Times and County Express British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
    Merrow Annual Meeting of the Commoners 3 Feb 1888 West Surrey Times and County Express British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  24. Merrow Cottage Gardeners Show 7 Aug 1880 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  25. Guildford Town Council acting as Urban Sanitary Committee 1 Sep 1874 Epsom Journal British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  26. Urban Sanitary Committee 8 May 1880 Surrey Gazette and West Surrey Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  27. Stoke School Bazaar 15 Jun 1872 Surrey Advertiser & County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast
  28. Merrow School Accommodation 24 Jan 1885, West Surrey Times and Guildford Gazette British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
    Parishes: Merrow A History of the County of Surrey, volume 3 British History Online British-History.ac.uk
  29. Royal Surrey County Hospital Annual Meeting 27 Feb 1875, Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  30. Royal Surrey County Hospital Annual Meeting 2 Mar 1888, West Surrey Times and County Express British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  31. Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford 12 Jan 1891 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  32. Surrey Clerical and Lay Association 27 Oct 1874 Epsom Journal British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  33. Surrey & North Kent Clerical and Lay Association 2 Jul 1883 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  34. British & Foreign Bible Society 28 Nov 1876 Epsom Journal British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  35. Guildford & Stoke Auxiliary Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews 17 Jul 1875 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  36. Royal Naval Scripture Readers Association 30 Nov 1872, Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  37. Our British Blue Jackets 6 Dec 1884 Surrey Mirror and General County Advertiser British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
    Agnes Weston Wikipedia.org
    Aggies Our History (charity) Aggies.org.uk
    The proposed new coffee public house 1 May 1880 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
    Former Royal Arms Temperance Hotel, North Street, Guildford Institute HistoricEngland.org.uk
    The Guildford Institute Our History Guildford-Institue.org.uk
  38. The Guildford and Kingston Railway and the Navvy Mission Society 27 May 1882 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  39. The National Vigilance Association, Formation of a Guildford Branch 21 Dec 1885 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.u
  40. The Conservative Working Men’s Association 3 Feb 1874 Epsom Journal British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.u
  41. Primrose League Wikipedia.org
    The Primrose League Address on Ireland     6 Mar 1866 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  42. Guildford Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 29 Aug 1885 West Surrey Times and County Express British Newspaper Archive / FindMyPast.co.uk
  43. Primrose League Grand Evening Concert 18 Apr 1887 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindmyPast.co.uk
  44. Election of Guardians 7 Apr 1884 Surrey Advertiser and County Times British Newspaper Archive / FindmyPast.co.uk
  45. John Rashleigh, Wilhelmina Mary Rodd 1891 England Census for Warberry House, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent; RG12; Piece 676; Folio 89; Page 19 FindMyPast.co.uk
  46. John Rashleigh Rodd 15 Jan 1892 England & Wales Deaths; Jan-Feb-Mar 1892; Hastings, East Sussex; Volume 2B; Page 33 Digital copy from Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
  47. John Rashleigh Rodd & Wilhemina Mary Rodd Grave Hawkenbury Cemetery (now Kent & Sussex Cemetery and Crematorium); Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent Findagrave.com
  48. Naval & Military News, Admiral John Rashleigh Rodd 19 Jan 1892 Portsmouth Evening News, page 2 British Newspaper Archive / FindmyPast.co.uk
  49. Wilhelmina Mary Rodd 18 Jun 1903 England & Wales Deaths; Apr-May-Jun 1903; Tunbridge, Kent; Volume 2A; Page 401 Digital copy from Government Register Office GRO.gov.uk
  50. A Widow’s Charitable Bequests 29 Jul 1903 The Western Morning News; page 7 British Newspaper Archive / FindmyPast.co.uk
  51. Lifeboat Day at Hayle, Launch of the “Admiral Rodd” 12 Sep 1907 The Cornishman; page 4 British Newspaper Archive / FindmyPast.co.uk