Wider Slade Family 2

Wider Slade Family 2

(Aunt) Martha Slade
	Late in 1818, Martha Slade married Thomas Axford of Abingdon. One of their children, Sarah Anne, appears in the village baptismal records for 1822. There we see her father, Thomas, listed as a wine merchant. We discover a fair deal about this family. Charlotte Slade and Thomas Axford may have shared similar religious views, for they attend a Ranting together when the Axfords come for a fortnight. The Axfords lead a mobile life. Mr Axford mentions attending open air Ranting meetings at Shaw, near Trowbridge. After the whole family suffers from influenza, they decide to give up the country life of carriage, horse, and dog, in favour of London. This was after they had decided to live in Bath. They do actually decide for Bath later on, since Fred Slade pays a visit there in 1842. Mr Axford also goes to Australia, specifically Tasmania, where he has a farm of 850 acres, delivering £350 per annum. In the autumn of 1840 he has in mind to let it, even though it seems to have a tenant. The following summer, he learns of the death of his agent, and decides to visit since he has received no rent for two years. On arrival he finds the farm has become run down, but he does receive £700, being the two years’ missing rent. We learn about three daughters belonging to the Axfords: Anne (baptised in the village), Eliza, and Rose, who seems the youngest. Both Anne and Eliza manage excellent marriages, both ceremonies occurring on the same day, followed by honeymoons enjoyed in the same place, the Lakes of Cumberland. Eliza had targetted Henry Chamberlain, but, as Charlotte Workman, her married cousin, noted, the gentleman gets very slack. Mr Chamberlain had hit on an excellent delaying tactic of building a house, not scheduled for completion until Spring 1841. Meanwhile Anne had enjoyed a whirlwind romance with smart Mr Brent, a lawyer from Trowbridge. Quite a catch, Mr Brent is a very dashing young man, has been to Bath and spent a little money abroad. He is quite the dandy. Poor Mr Chamberlain thereupon finds himself caught up in a whirlwind beyond his control, acquiring a wife and a brother-in-law on September 18th, 1840, setting out for the Lakes of Cumberland, well before the completion of his fine new house. We do not hear where he has built his house, but he may have chosen Wanborough. Fred visits Eliza at Wanborough Plain during his Grand Tour of 1842. The Axfords had already made a legal connection, for Thomas had a sister married to Mr Wall, a lawyer. He comes shooting together with Mr Brent during the season of 1844.
(Aunt) Mary Slade
	Mary Slade married Thomas Bryan of Corton Denham (near Sherborne) in 1819, just under a year after her sister had married Mr Axford. We can perhaps deduce a closeness between these two sisters. Early on we learn from Mary’s son Edward that Eliza Axford will not be married for some time. Much later, when Fred’s Grand Tour occurs, he visits not only Mr and Mrs Axford in Bath, but also the Bryans. Edward Bryan takes the role of family black sheep. He had stayed on a number of occasions at Thorpe Farm, not always on his best behaviour. Apparently he and his father do not see eye to eye. Edward shows willingness, helping out with a sudden fire at Mr Fairthorn’s farm, unfortunately falling into a ditch up to his chin. Soon, however, he falls in with a bad set at Bath, leaving home and disappearing for weeks at a stretch. In desperation, Mary Slade writes to her brother, Henry, enquiring as to whether he could arrange a position for Edward. Later we hear of Edward again on the run, hunted by his creditors. This time his father has refused to pay the debts. After that, we hear of Edward no more.
(Aunts) Charlotte and Amelia Slade
	Some confusion surrounds Charlotte Slade and Amelia Slade. The Parish Records show Charlotte marrying Thomas Thorpe, from Wing, Buckingham in 1829. In the letters we hear about an Aunt Amelia Thorpe, married to William. Amelia and William have just moved to Princes Risborough in order for William to take up a butcher’s business. Amelia has developed a fatalistic outlook on life. By reading between the lines, we can deduce that William has not had an outstandingly successful business career to date. Either we have mistakes occurring, or perhaps Charlotte and Amelia both married into the same family, something not entirely unknown.
(Aunt) Jane Slade
	Charlotte Slade notes receiving a kind letter from Henry Junior’s Aunt Jane. She had married a kind, indulgent husband and shortly expected a child. They lived in Hotwells, Clifton. Dramatis Personae; Other members of wider Slade family; TOP