General Gordon of Khartoum

Dugie4 · Post by **Dugie4** » Tue May 19, 2009 8:37 pm

I wonder if anyone can help me to verify a family story.

The story goes that my great-grandmother, Louisa Grinnal (or Greenall) used to read to the troops at the Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, London and that this was arranged by an aunt of General Charles George Gordon.

The period would be 1877 / 1878.

I've been trying to find who the aunts of General Gordon were and also to make a connection to Plumstead (which is next door to Woolwich), so far with no success.

Charles George Gordon's dates were 1833 - 1885. He was born in Woolwich and his parents were Major General Henry William Gordon (1786-1865) and Elizabeth Enderby (1792-1873).

Can anyone shed any light on this search please?

Rach · Post by **Rach** » Wed May 20, 2009 1:42 pm

So far have found one sister of Henry William Gordon on 'familysearch'.
Charlotte Matilda Gordon, born 6 Feb 1782; chr 5 Mar 1782, Hatfield, Doncaster. Her parents were William Augustus Gordon and Anna Maria Clarke.
There were also several other sons and if they married one of their wives would have been known as an aunt of Charles Gordon too.

Maisie · Post by **Maisie** » Wed May 20, 2009 1:42 pm

You don't say where Plumstead comes in to this, but my ggrandfather was a Gunner in the RA stationed at Woolwich Arsenal in the 1890's and he and his family lived in Plumstead. They came from Edinburgh and returned there after he left the army so it was probably an area with rented housing used by soldiers who did not live in barracks.

Maisie

Dugie4 · Post by **Dugie4** » Wed May 20, 2009 1:46 pm

Rach wrote:So far have found one sister of Henry William Gordon on 'familysearch'.
Charlotte Matilda Gordon, born 6 Feb 1782; chr 5 Mar 1782, Hatfield, Doncaster. Her parents were William Augustus Gordon and Anna Maria Clarke.
There were also several other sons and if they married one of their wives would have been known as an aunt of Charles Gordon too.

Thank you for that Rach. By 'familysearch' do you mean the IGI? My search on that came out blank for some reason. I will certainly follow up the clue you have provided!

Dugie4 · Post by **Dugie4** » Wed May 20, 2009 1:50 pm

Maisie wrote:You don't say where Plumstead comes in to this, but my ggrandfather was a Gunner in the RA stationed at Woolwich Arsenal in the 1890's and he and his family lived in Plumstead. They came from Edinburgh and returned there after he left the army so it was probably an area with rented housing used by soldiers who did not live in barracks.

Maisie

Yes Maisie, my search is connected to Woolwich Arsenal. My great-grandmother Louisa Grinnal (or Greenall) had a relationship with an army surgeon who was stationed there in 1877-8 named Dugald Blair Brown. I am trying to ferret out how they met, and this 'reading to the troops' story is one that has come down through the family.

Rach · Post by **Rach** » Wed May 20, 2009 1:57 pm

Yes, the IGI on family search. My first attempt didn't bring about anything but tried without mother's surname, I think, and this one came up.
However, I got a bit carried away as I haven't found other brothers at all - don't know what made me write that!

Rach · Post by **Rach** » Wed May 20, 2009 2:11 pm

Just been googling and found items of interest on http://roderickcraig.ourfamily.com/gordon/pafg03.htm
You should find bits and pieces on this.

Dugie4 · Post by **Dugie4** » Wed May 20, 2009 3:39 pm

Rach wrote:Just been googling and found items of interest on http://roderickcraig.ourfamily.com/gordon/pafg03.htm
You should find bits and pieces on this.

That was very informative Rach and many thanks to you for finding it. But both of those aunts had died before 1877-1878, which is the period that I know Louisa and Dugald met. I wonder if the aunt might have been on General Gordon's mother's side - ie Elizabeth Enderby?

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Thu May 21, 2009 11:41 am

Hello Dugie,

Aberdeen Weekly Journal (Aberdeen), Wednesday, January 23, 1884
Charles was the youngest son of Henry …. his mother was the daughter of a famous whaling shipowner, Samuel Enderby, a Leicestershire man, who did so much by his enterprise to promote traffic in the Southern Seas and who added considerably to the scope of geographical knowledge.

This book describes Samuel Enderby as being of Croom’s Hill, Blackheath.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=KUa ... 2&as_brr=3

According to this biography the Samuel Enderby referred to was born 1756, died 1829, and that fits in with the following newspaper notices. He married Mary Goodwyn and there was a son Charles. The children appear to be on the IGI.
http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010340b.htm

The Ipswich Journal (Ipswich), Saturday, September 4, 1824
Thursday last was married at Greenwich, by the Rev. Dr. Burney, the Rev. George Mathew, vicar of that parish, to Mary, second daughter of Samuel Enderby, Esq. of Blackheath.

The Morning Chronicle (London), Tuesday, January 19, 1830
On the 18th inst. at Greenwich, by the Rev. Geo. Mathew, A.M., Lieut. Wm. Dow, R.N., to Caroline, third daughter of the late Samuel Enderby, Esq.

There seems to be more about Samuel and his descendants buried in the pages of the Greenwich Industrial History Society.
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q ... arch&meta=

Hope there’s something useful there,
Alan

Dugie4 · Post by **Dugie4** » Thu May 21, 2009 12:18 pm

Currie wrote:Hello Dugie,

Aberdeen Weekly Journal (Aberdeen), Wednesday, January 23, 1884
Charles was the youngest son of Henry …. his mother was the daughter of a famous whaling shipowner, Samuel Enderby, a Leicestershire man, who did so much by his enterprise to promote traffic in the Southern Seas and who added considerably to the scope of geographical knowledge.

This book describes Samuel Enderby as being of Croom’s Hill, Blackheath.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=KUa ... 2&as_brr=3

According to this biography the Samuel Enderby referred to was born 1756, died 1829, and that fits in with the following newspaper notices. He married Mary Goodwyn and there was a son Charles. The children appear to be on the IGI.
http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010340b.htm

The Ipswich Journal (Ipswich), Saturday, September 4, 1824
Thursday last was married at Greenwich, by the Rev. Dr. Burney, the Rev. George Mathew, vicar of that parish, to Mary, second daughter of Samuel Enderby, Esq. of Blackheath.

The Morning Chronicle (London), Tuesday, January 19, 1830
On the 18th inst. at Greenwich, by the Rev. Geo. Mathew, A.M., Lieut. Wm. Dow, R.N., to Caroline, third daughter of the late Samuel Enderby, Esq.

There seems to be more about Samuel and his descendants buried in the pages of the Greenwich Industrial History Society.
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q ... arch&meta=

Hope there’s something useful there,
Alan

Many thanks for that information Alan. It is most helpful. I will follow it up.