A Bride at Seventeen: Marking Ruby Dando’s 140th Birthday

Posted on 3 August 2025 by

3rd AUGUST

My great-grandfather’s half-sister, Ruby Kate Irene Dando, was born in America on 3rd August 1885 – exactly 140 years ago today. In 1902, Leigh in Essex witnessed her marriage to the Reverend Robert Stuart King, beloved rector of St. Clement’s Church. She was only just seventeen years old and he was forty. The wedding was a notable local event, drawing a large and joyful crowd of parishioners, friends, and family to celebrate this much-admired couple.

Details of their wedding were published in ‘The Gentlewoman’ (transcribed below), which was a British weekly newspaper, published between 1890 and 1926, aimed at a female audience. I imagine their photographs would have been stunning, whereas sadly, I only have access to a digitized copy available on the FindMyPast website.

Ruby Dando & Robert Stuart King

Saturday 23 August 1902 – The Gentlewoman

The Rev. R. S. King to Miss R. Dando.

A wedding of much interest at Leigh, in Essex, on August 12th, was that of the rector, the Rev. Robert Stuart King, son of the late Canon Walker King, to Miss Ruby Elberta Kate Irene Dando, eldest daughter of Mr. W. Elbert Dando, of Baltimore, U.S.A., resident at Leigh for the past seven years. The bridegroom’s father was rector of Leigh for thirty years, and the bridegroom has himself occupied that position for ten, so that St. Clement’s Church was filled to overflowing with guests, and the road and approaches were lined with the bridegroom’s parishioners. The church was charmingly decorated, and the service was fully choral. The Rt. Rev. the Lord Bishop of Lincoln (uncle of the bridegroom) officiated, and afterwards gave an eloquent address, and assisting him were the Rev. H. S. Nicholl, rector of Llandough, the Rev. T. O. Reay, and the Rev. A. B. Bennett. The bride, who was given away by her father, was attended by four bridesmaids—Miss Pearl Dando, Miss Dolly Burgess Smith, Miss Joyce Savage, and Miss Irene Hall—and by two pages—Master Jeffrey King (nephew of the bridegroom) and Master Harold Hall. The bride’s dress was of ivory crêpe de chine over white silk passementerie and orange blossom and she wore a veil of Brussels lace which once belonged to the bridegroom’s mother. The bridesmaids’ gowns were of white pin spot muslin, with white crinoline hats with chiffon and black velvet ribbon, and the two pages wore Court suits of black velvet. Mr. T. E. Stuart supported his cousin as best man, and the bridegroom’s presents to the bridesmaids were bouquets of crimson carnations and brooches of sapphires and pearls, with watchchains to the pages. At the conclusion of the service Mendelssohn’s Wedding March was played and the bells were rung, while a number of schoolchildren strewed flowers in the path of the bride as she walked with her husband to Ivy Cottage, lent by Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Moore for the reception. The guests present included the Rev. H. Stuart King, Capt. Walker King, Mrs. Kirton, the Rev. G. G. and Mrs. Kemp, the Rev. W. Davis and Mrs. Davis, the Rev. H. T. and Mrs. Spencer, Mr. and Mrs. Coulson Kernahan, the Rev. Dr. Lang and Mrs. Lang, the Rev. F. R. and Mrs. Burnside, Mr. and Mrs. Rankin, Mr. and Mrs. E. Sheriff, Miss Colman, Mr. and Mrs. Myers, Mr. and Mrs. C. Stuart King, Miss Pask and Lieut. Pask, Dr. and Mrs. Vernon, and many others too numerous to enumerate. The honeymoon is to be spent in Switzerland and at the Italian lakes, and the Rev. R. S. and Mrs. King left en route early in the afternoon, the bride travelling in a pale blue cloth dress with white lace and silver buttons. The wedding presents, which were numerous and interesting, included a sapphire and pearl bracelet, from the bridegroom to the bride; silver-backed hair brushes, from the bride to the bridegroom; a half-hoop diamond ring, from Mr. and Mrs. W. Elbert Dando; a silver-mounted umbrella, from Miss Pearl Dando; silver pin boxes, from Mr. Malcolm Dando; a silver tureen and a cheque, from Captain Walker King; silver entrée dishes, from Mrs. Rodd; silver-mounted salad bowl and servers, from Miss King, Mrs. Kirton, and Mr. E. H. S. King; a cheque, from the Bishop of Lincoln; a set of silver spoons and forks, from Mr. and Mrs. Charles King; a ruby ring, from Miss E. Stuart King; an ebony and brass lamp and shade, from Miss Pask and Mrs. Herbert Higgins; a silver butter knife from the Highfield School pupils; and a silver tea and coffee service with a silver-mounted tray, from the parishioners of Leigh. The wedding cake was supplied by Messrs. W. and G. Buszard.

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A Tangled Legacy: The Will Of Emma Dando

Posted on 28 July 2025 by

In 1869, a legal dispute unfolded over the will of Emma Dando, who had died the previous year on 14th June 1868. The case, heard in the probate court, revolved around multiple wills and competing family interests.

Emma was the daughter of my 4 x great-grandparents, Joseph Dando, the Elder, and his wife Ann, née Murch. She lived at Pembroke House, 7 Brunswick Square, Bristol, with her sister, Frances Eleanor Dando, and in 1863, they made mutual wills in which they left their estates to each other.

Pembroke House, 7 Brunswick Square, Bristol

Pembroke House, 7 Brunswick Square, Bristol, stands on the corner of Pembroke Street and
Brunswick Square and was the home of Emma and Frances Eleanor Dando

Some time afterwards, both sisters wished to revoke their mutual wills and, on 28th July 1864, Emma created a new will, prepared by her solicitor, Mr. Livett. This 1864 will significantly altered the terms, giving Frances only a life interest in her property, rather than outright ownership.

The following provisions were made in Emma’s 1864 will…

Frances Eleanor Dando’s Life Interests

Emma left her ten houses in St. Philip and Jacob Parish, Bristol, and her other freehold estate there, in trust, with the rents going to her sister Frances Eleanor Dando for life. After Frances’ death, this specific property would go to their brother Charles Tidmarsh Dando absolutely. Furthermore, the income from the main bulk of Emma’s residuary (remaining) real and personal estate was also to be paid to Frances for her lifetime.

Specific Legacies after Frances’ Death

Once Frances passed away, the capital from this main residuary fund would then be distributed. This included £1,000 to her sister Louisa Metcalfe and £500 to her sister Harriet Feaston for their separate use, free from their husbands’ control. There was £500 to her friend, Ann Nunneley, (who was then residing with Emma and later married her brother, Charles) and small amounts to her coachman, servants and a person called Mary Tuckett. Emma also set aside funds for her nieces, Eliza Ann Carver and Josephine Carver (daughters of her sister Anne Carver), providing them with an income for life from the amount of £500 each, free from any husband’s control. Their brother, Henry Dando Carver’s, daughters would inherit the capital after the death of Eliza Ann and Josephine but, if there were no daughters, Henry would inherit the capital. Her nephew, Henry Bayard Dando (son of her brother Joseph Dando), would receive the income from £500 until he turned 21, at which point he’d receive the capital. She gave £50 to the Minister of the Tabernacle in Bristol (or to his wife if he predeceased her) and the sum of £19 19 0 to the Secretary of the Tract Society London (or to his wife if he predeceased her). Also, George Thomas, the accountant and trustee, received £100 for his services, recognising the burdens of the role.

Forgiveness of Debt

Emma also formally forgave her sister, Anne Carver, for a share of certain payments and liabilities, up to the amount of £500.

Remainder of Residuary Estate

Louisa Kate Dando (daughter of her brother Joseph Dando), was Emma’s ‘adopted’ daughter. In those days, formal legal adoption did not exist in England and Wales. The first adoption act wouldn’t come into force until 1926. Therefore, Emma’s ‘adoption’ of Louisa Kate was an entirely informal arrangement – a social and emotional bond, likely involving de facto guardianship and financial support, but with no legal standing for inheritance under intestacy. However, Emma’s 1864 will explicitly provided for her. After Frances Eleanor Dando’s death, and after all the other specific legacies from the residuary estate were paid, the remaining principal of that fund was to be invested, and the income from this final remainder would go to Louisa Kate Dando for her lifetime. Furthermore, Emma gave Louisa Kate a significant power – the ability to decide, through her own will, who would inherit the principal of that fund after Louisa Kate’s death. This demonstrated Emma’s clear intention to secure Louisa Kate’s financial future and acknowledge her as a true daughter figure.

Why did Emma rewrite her Will?

The answer to this question is uncertain but it may be worth noting that an advertisement for an auction of “Reversionary Interests” to be held on 19th February 1864 appeared in the London Gazette. This notice was for a rather complex sale of future interests in a portfolio of railway stocks, other investments, and real estate. The sale was compelled by a bankruptcy order upon application by the Mortgagee of Mr. Frederick Langworthy Carver who was one of the sons of Emma’s sister, Anne Carver. The value of these interests would only be fully realised upon the “decease of a lady, aged 59 years in April next…” It so happens that Anne Carver fits this description and a share of No. 6 Dean Street in Bristol, where Ann lived, was also included in the portfolio. Could the financial difficulties of Emma’s sister and nephew have been a factor in her decision to change her will in 1864?

Another interesting point is that Louisa Kate Dando’s mother had died in March 1863. Perhaps it was a few months after this that Louisa Kate became Emma’s ward (incidentally in 1877, Louisa Kate was described as Frances’ adopted daughter). Maybe it was for this reason that Emma and Frances wanted to alter their wills.

AI Generated image depicting Emma Dando burning her 1864 Will

AI Generated image depicting Emma Dando burning her 1864 Will

However, in late February or early March 1867, Emma deliberately burned the 1864 will, reportedly intending to revive the terms of her earlier 1863 will. We have no knowledge of why she did this. Apparently, she believed this act would bring the previous will back into effect. However, in the eyes of the law, it wasn’t that simple.

Dando and Others v. Dando, Feaston and Others

Emma’s actions led to a court case entitled “Dando and Others v. Dando, Feaston and Others”. The plaintiffs, who sought to prove the last will and testament of Emma Dando, included her brother Charles Tidmarsh Dando, her sister Frances Eleanor Dando and George Thomas (who were also named as executors in the 1864 will). The defendants were her eldest brother, Joseph Dando (described as the “heir-at-law”), and two sisters, Harriet Feaston and Anne Carver. The defendants did not appear in court.

The case hinged on a legal principle called “dependent relative revocation.” In short, if someone destroys a newer will thinking an older one will automatically replace it, but the old will isn’t legally restored, then the newer will might still stand. And that’s exactly what happened.

The court accepted a draft version of the 1864 will, held by her solicitor, and ruled in its favour. This decision meant the earlier 1863 mutual will was void and that Frances would not inherit everything outright. The will (via its draft) was proved at the Principal Registry on 13th September 1869, “being granted under certain Limitations”, and the estate was valued under £8000.

It could have been worse for Frances had the 1864 will also been declared invalid because Emma Dando would have been considered to have died “intestate” (without a valid will). Therefore, it was likely that her real estate would have primarily gone to the eldest male heir, which in this case was Joseph Dando, as the “heir-at-law”. The sisters would likely have received no share of this under intestacy. The rules for personal property were generally more equitable. Emma’s personal property would probably have been divided equally amongst her closest relatives, in this case her siblings, as she had left no surviving spouse or children. In addition, if Emma’s will had failed, Louisa Kate Dando would have received nothing from Emma’s estate.

So what became of the main characters?

Frances Eleanor Dando married Rev. Richard Perry Clarke in 1870 at the age of 54. She died in 1901, having outlived her husband and all of her siblings. Her estate was initially valued at £19737 18s 10d but, almost seven months later, it went to probate again and was valued at £13375 12s 4d.

One of Frances’ executors was Edward Tozer, who’d married Louisa Kate Dando in 1877. Louisa Kate was 68 when she died in 1924, having outlived her husband, and she left £1468 18s 3d in her will. Edward had left £40259 2s 1d nearly 18 months earlier.

Charles Tidmarsh Dando died in 1889 and his estate was worth £21235 15s 9d. His second wife, Ann, née Nunneley, passed away in 1906 leaving £3594 19s 5d.

Joseph Dando moved to Ireland some time between 1863 and 1866 and lived there with his sixth wife until he died in 1870. His estate was valued at under £100.

Emma Dando was buried in Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol on 19th June 1868 and her name is inscribed on one side of her father’s tomb. The opposite side bears the names of Frances and her husband, Richard.

Memorial Card for Emma Dando

Memorial Card for Emma Dando
(kindly supplied by Antonia Tucker (née Tozer), a distant cousin in Wiltshire, UK.)

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The Shell House In Polperro, Cornwall – Old Photo

Posted on 19 July 2025 by
The Shell House, Polperro

My Granny standing on the steps of the Shell House, Polperro, Cornwall (click to enlarge)

Probably dating from the 1950’s or 1960’s, this old photograph/slide shows my Granny (Ivy Alice Hibbitt, née Dando) on the steps of the Shell House in Polperro in Cornwall.

The Shell House is one of the most photographed and famous houses in Polperro and is currently a holiday let. The house is 19th century and Grade II listed. Samuel Puckey was a retired naval man, and whilst living in the Shell House, began decorating it in 1937. He used the collection of shells which he’d gathered on his travels and it took him five years to complete.

(From my grandpa’s collection of old slides – see this post for more information.)

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Transcribing Audio Files With NotebookLM

Posted on 15 July 2025 by

I recently posted about the Audio Overview feature in NotebookLM by Google. This time, I wanted to try something else. I created a new Notebook and imported an old digital audio recording (an mp3 file which I’d converted from an old dictaphone) of my dad and I talking about my Grandpa’s time working for the Post Office as a linesman and inspector. The conversation also included my dad speaking about his National Service in Germany. In the background my mum and husband were chatting away about other things.

Transcribing Audio in NotebookLM (AI Generated)

The recording was just over an hour long and my aim was to see whether NotebookLM could transcribe the conversation. I prompted it to directly transcribe the audio into text and, after a few minutes processing the file, I was presented with a summary of the content of the discussion and below this was a full transcript, all ready to copy and paste into a Word document.

Screenshot showing the three panes in NotebookLM

Screenshot showing the three panes in NotebookLM with the summary in the centre (click to enlarge)

It did very well, considering people were talking over each other at different times. At the beginning, I could tell my dad and I were looking at photographs of items which had belonged to My Grandpa Hibbitt in the First World War. When I listen back to the audio, I notice we didn’t make a great deal of sense but AI did a faithful job, nonetheless. I will, however, need to make a few corrections here and there, particularly with place names. I will also want to clean up the text to improve its readability, not the fault of AI but how we were speaking.

At the bottom of the screen you can type questions to pull out different aspects of what the program can see in your source material. There are also some suggestions to help you get started. For instance, one of the questions was ‘When was Grandpa promoted?’ It’s important to note that NotebookLM is a closed system and doesn’t pull information from the internet at large but what it does do is highlight where in the transcript the information comes from. You can either click on a number beside the relevant point to see the original transcript in the left-hand ‘Sources’ pane or hover over the number to see a pop-up of the same.

NotebookLM showing highlighted text in the Audio Transcript

NotebookLM showing highlighted text in the Audio Transcript (click to enlarge)

You can then click ‘Save the note’ and the summary from your question will appear in the right-hand ‘Studio’ pane and will be available the next time you view the notebook.

I haven’t yet tried adding several sources at once as the purpose of this particular project was to get a quick transcript. However, the program does have much more potential than this, such as organising your family history research or your finances or anything else you wish to make more sense of. It’s your own personal notebook, after all!

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Which Dando Fathered Sydney Herbert Hall?

Posted on 7 July 2025 by

Don’t want to read? Click PLAY to hear an AI-generated audio discussion on this blog post’s key topics.
(The audio was produced by NotebookLM Deep Dive Conversation.)

For a while now, my dad has had a DNA match to another person at the level of 43 cMs and 3 segments, which is not an insignificant amount of DNA. They also match me and my son. As much as I tried, I couldn’t find the connection between our families.

Then finally, the grand-daughter of the other person recognised a mutual DNA match and crucially, which side of her family this match was on. This narrowed down where I needed to go looking in her tree.

The grandmother had a great-grandfather called Sydney Herbert Hall who they knew very little about. There was no mention on Sydney’s birth, baptism or marriage records of who his father might have been. Even his mother proved elusive, a Lucy Hall with no other details. Sydney (also spelt Sidney) was born in Cheetham, Manchester, on 4th May 1864 and my Dando family, including William Elbert and his father Joseph, also lived in the same area during that period.

A section of Sydney Herbert Hall's birth certificate showing no father

A section of Sydney Herbert Hall’s birth certificate showing no father (click to enlarge)

As time went on, further people tested their DNA and the other DNA match now has a number of matches going back on the Dando line, adding more evidence for the connection to our family.

So what is the background to all of this?

When in 1879, William Elbert Dando tried to seek a divorce from my 2 x great-grandmother, Sarah Louisa Oliver, there was an interesting paragraph in the Times Newspaper…

“It appeared that in 1863 the petitioner [William Dando] had sought for an introduction to the respondent from having seen her portrait in a friend’s album and had at once proposed marriage to her. Her father, who was a large farmer near Doncaster, at first opposed any engagement, but soon withdrew his objections. At the end of three months, however, the engagement was broken off, and they do not appear to have met again for years.”

It’s interesting to note the date here. Sydney was probably conceived in August 1863. It’s possible the news got out and this may be why Sarah’s father initially objected to the engagement or perhaps it’s why the engagement was broken off. This is speculation of course.

There’s a twist though. Any scandal might have actually been concerning William’s father, Joseph Dando, the Younger. Could he have been Sydney’s father in view of him also living in Cheetham in the early 1860’s? He lost his fifth wife, Harriet, in March 1863 and was by then over 60 years old. Nevertheless, he married a 20 year old woman in 1866 in Belfast and had three children with her so he was obviously not behind the door. We don’t know how old Lucy Hall was but one presumes she was a fairly young woman at the time she had Sydney.

Joseph and William’s business partnership was dissolved by mutual consent in 1864 and, whilst we see Joseph in Ireland in 1866, William stayed on in Manchester until about 1871. It seems that no-one laid claim to being Sydney’s father. Was Lucy ignored, paid off or is it possible she never revealed her pregnancy to the Dando family? We just don’t know.

It’s not easy to judge the expected amount of shared DNA at this level to know whether the culprit was the father or the son. I wonder whether, in the future, any more information will come to the surface to give us a clearer understanding of the truth.

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