DIXON OF ASTLE PARK
People in East Cheshire were familiar with
the Dixon Arms at Chelford, until its demolition in 2003, and the annual
Traction Engine Rally at Astle Park (Grid Ref. SJ 812738) each summer. The
brief family tree below, taken from Burke's Landed Gentry, 1879, shows the
connection of the Dixon family to the Park.
De Figueiredo and Treuhertz (1) mention
Astle Hall, now demolished. The original house was remodelled in the late
18th century. They state that Jeremiah Dixon was mayor of Leeds in 1784 and
married Mary, the daughter of John Smeaton the engineer and designer of the
Eddystone Lighthouse. This is at variance with Burke and Earwaker but may
benefit from more modern scholarship.
Earwaker (2) states that Astle Hall
occupied the site of the old Milne House and was erected in the middle of
the 18th century by John Parker, Esq. It was a large, roomy house, situated
in a well-wooded park, the beauties of which are considerably enhanced by
a large sheet of water which borders it on one side. Earwaker states that
the wife of Jeremiah Dixon was Mary Wickham as does Burke's Landed Gentry
of 1879.
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1. Jeremiah
Dixon, Esq. of Gledhow Hall in Yorkshire, was born in 1726. He became FRS,
JP, and a Deputy Lieutenant. Born 18 May 1726, bought Gledhow near Leeds
in 1764 and Chapel Allerton in 1765. Died 7 June 1782, aged 56, buried at
Leeds.
+ Mary, (1735-1807) the daughter of the Rev.
Henry Wickham, Rector of Guisley in Yorkshire and had 3 sons and 8 daughters
of whom John is of main interest in connection with Cheshire.
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2. John
Dixon, Esq. of Gledhow and Weeting Hall, Suffolk, born 27 June 1753.
He became a JP and DL. He was Col. of the 1st West Yorkshire Militia,
died 18 April 1825.
- + Lydia, the 3rd daughter and co-heiress
of the Rev. John Parker of Astle Hall, Cheshire on 13 July 1784
at Prestbury. She died 18 February 1844. This couple had five sons and
six daughters.
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3. Henry
Dixon, of Gledhow and Astle, Lieutenant in the 15th Hussars, JP,
DL, born 19 November 1794, married on 24 December 1829 to Emma Matilda,
daughter of Rev. E. Sacherverel Wilmot of Chaddesley, Derbyshire.
Henry purchased the Astle and Chelford estates of his uncle, Colonel
Thomas Parker, in 1833, and seated himself there. He died without
issue 3 August, 1838 and was succeeded by his brother, John.
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3.
Francis Dixon, died young.
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3.
John Dixon of Astle Hall, Cheshire and Gledhow, Yorkshire,
Captain and Brevet Lieut. Col. of the 1st Royals, JP, DL, High Sheriff
of Cheshire, 1843, born 19 February 1799, died 10 March 1873, buried
at Chelford. Married 14 May 1840.
- + Sophia daughter of T.
W. Tatton, Esq. of Wythenshaw, (son of William Tatton Egerton,
Esq. of Tatton and Wythenshaw, at whose death, he took the name
of Tatton and succeeded to the Wythenshaw estates) and of Emma,
his wife, daughter of the Hon. John Grey, 3rd son of Harry, 4th
Earl of Stamford. This couple had seven sons and four daughters.
The names of the sons reflect some of the connections on Sophia's
side of the family.
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4.
George Dixon of Astle, born 1842.
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4.
John Wykeham Dixon born 1845
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4.
Charles Egerton Dixon, born 1846
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4.
Henry Grey Dixon
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4.
Frederick Parker Dixon, born 1852
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4.
William Arthur Tatton Dixon, born 1854
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4.
Edward Wilbraham Dixon, born 1860.
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4.
Anna Louisa Dixon
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4.
Sophia Lydia Dixon
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4.
Jessie Maria Dixon
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4.
Eleanor Georgiana Dixon.
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3 George Dixon, born 5 August 1801, died without issue. He was
Col. commanding the 2nd Battalion Scots Fusilier Guards, Col. 104th
Regiment and became a General.
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3. Lydia,
unmarried.
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3.
Mary, married George Stone, Esq.
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3. Jane,
married Major Charles Loftus.
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3. Anne
married Thomas Kinnersley.
Sources:
Cheshire Country Houses,
by Peter de Figueiredo and Julian Treuhertz, Phillimore, Chichester, 1988.
East Cheshire Past and Present by J.P. Earwaker,
London, 1870.
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Introduction to Cheshire Gentry
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