A few weeks ago I saw this beautiful CDV on eBay, what a stunning dress, I love a gorgeous crinoline! So after looking at it a few times, I decided I had to have it. It also had a name written in pencil by the seller as it had come from a Victorian album that had been split up.

I briefly had a look for the name Lady Allen Churchill but couldn’t find anything matching exactly, but I decided to look again for a match and see what came up if I put the name in the search box of the Newspaper Archives and I was amazed that I had a few matches, that led me to find out exactly who she was.

It turns out that this Lady was married to a well-known Churchill, I hadn’t dared think about there being a match to the famous Churchill family but she was, I was thrilled.

Her maiden name was Rosamond Dowker 1826-1888. She was the daughter of Thomas Dowker and Jessie Kitchingham of Huntington Hall, Church Lane, Huntington, York.

In 1841 Huntington Hall was known as the Manor House on the census and as you can see they had many servants.

Rosamond was 19 years old when she was married. I found this wonderful newspaper report on the occasion of her marriage on 28 July 1846 to Lord Alan Spencer Churchill:

MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE

Morning Post – Thursday 30 July 1846.

On Tuesday morning, Lord Alan Spencer Churchill, son of his Grace Duke of Marlborough, was married to Miss Rosamund Dowker, the accomplished and beautiful daughter of Thomas Dowker, Esq., of Huntington Hall, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The ceremony was performed in the parish church of Huntington by the Rev. R. E. Kitchingman, Rector of Patington, in Holderness. The bride was given away by her esteemed parent, Mr Dowker and the bridegroom was attended by his elder brother, Marquis of Blandford. With the bridal party were also Mrs Woodall, Mr and Mrs H. Woodall, Mr and Mrs G. Welby, Mr and Mrs H. Thompson (Fairfield Villa), Mr Bourke, A.D.C., Colonel and Miss Richardson, Major Gossett, Miss Wigney, Mrs Crigan and the Misses Crigan, of Esrick. The bridesmaids were Miss Dowker, Miss E. Dowker and Miss Crigan. 

The aisles and chancel of the church were covered in crimson cloth, and the approach to the church from the Hall was ornamented with arches of flowers and evergreens. The sacred edifice was densely crowded during the ceremony. The bride was attired in a splendid dress of Brussels lace.

On the return of the bride and bridegroom from the church, their path was strewed with roses by eight flower girls, attired in white who preceded them with baskets filled with those delightful flowers. The party afterwards partook of an elegant dejeuner, and in the forenoon, Lord and Lady Alan Churchill left Huntington Hall in a splendid new carriage, launched for the occasion. They passed through the city of York, where the bells of the cathedral and the parochial churches rang merry peals in honour of the event. By the noon express train from York, they proceeded en route to Blenheim House, where the happy couple are to spend the honeymoon.

The 1851 census finds the newly married couple living at Begbroke House, Begbroke, Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

Begbroke is now an Autism-Specific School, known as LVS Oxford. This information is from their website: During the 1700s Begbroke House was greatly enlarged with the addition of new rooms and two-storey extensions. In 1788 the house and estate came under the ownership of George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, whose main residence was Blenheim Palace.

Ownership would remain with the Dukes of Marlborough up until 1881 when it was sold by the 7th Duke, John Winston Spencer-Churchill. 2 Jun 1822-5 Jul 1883. He was Winston Churchill’s grandfather.

Lord Alan Spencer Churchill was born on 25 July 1825 at Garboldisham Hall, the hall was built in the early nineteenth century by Sir George Gilbert Scott. Firstly in 1822, the hall was the birthplace of John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough. and Lord Alan’s elder brother. The hall was demolished in 1952. His parents were George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough and his first wife (he had three), Lady Jane Stewart, daughter of George Stewart, 8th Earl of Galloway. ‘He was educated at Eton then served as an officer in the Cavalry Regiment of the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars, becoming a lieutenant by purchase in 1844‘ info Wikipedia.

Lord Alan and his wife Rosamond lived at no 4 Lowndes Square, Belgravia in 1861, I wonder, did they own, rent or lease the house, Lord Spencer Churchill was a Businessman and had interests in Politics so would have wanted to be living in London.

On 18 April 1873, Lord Alan Spencer Churchill died at this address. The cause of death was Apoplexy, very likely a Stroke as a result of a Brain haemorrhage.

About 15 months later on 4 August 1874 Rosamond married widower Alfred Henry Caulfield 1834-1904. Alfred had previously been married to Augusta Chichester on 14 November 1872 but she died on 1 April 1873. Augusta had also previously been married to Robert Edward King, 7th Earl of Kingston who had died on 21 June 1871.

Reported in the York Herald on Thursday 13 December 1888. Obituary. “Lady Alan Spencer Churchill died at her residence at Twickenham, on Monday last. She was the daughter of Mr Thomas Dowker, of Huntington Hall, Yorkshire, and married July 28, 1846, Lord Alan Spencer Churchill, youngest son of George, sixth Duke of Marlborough, by his first marriage with Lady Jane Stewart, eldest daughter of George, eighth Earl of Galloway and was left a widow in April 1873.  She married secondly, in August 1874, Mr Alfred Henry Caulfield“.

Here’s a link to the small family tree I’ve compiled for Rosamond Dorker: Rosamond Dorker Family Tree

I’m really pleased to have such a lovely addition to my collection, it’s in good condition too. Lots has been written about the Spencer Churchill family but not much about Rosamond and I’ve not even been able to find another photo of her anywhere.

Till next time then…….