My husband, parents and myself recently went on a family history holiday, visiting Bristol and Gloucestershire for a few days. In Bristol, we saw Portland Square, the location of Joseph Dando, the elder, in 1841 and No 26 was where Charles Tidmarsh Dando and Clarissa Spiers lived. Somerset Street was the place where William Elbert Dando went to school.
We also visited Rangeworthy where the 17th century Dandos were located and Rodborough Tabernacle, where John Dando (b. abt 1743) was a trustee – his first wife, Ann’s, grave was in the cemetery there. We saw Dursley Tabernacle too, where John Dando (b. abt 1715) was the main instrument in bringing a group of Calvinistic Methodists to that town. A plaque to his and wife, Susanna’s (nee Stinchcomb), memory is on the wall alongside the pulpit. We were shown the approximate location of where John’s hat shop would have stood and other buildings in the town, including the Anglican Church.
(Our grateful thanks go to John Cook and David Evans for showing us around the Rodborough and Dursley Tabernacles respectively.)
Rodborough Tabernacle
On the Pitcher side, we stayed at Hodgecombe Farm near Uley where Benjamin Pitcher (b. abt 1775) and wife, Sarah, (nee Rice), lived for many years. We also saw Coaley where they were married and many of their family were baptised. A visit to Arlingham enabled us to see Meadowland Farm from the road and also the High Street, where Daniel Bailey Pitcher (b. abt. 1810) and wife, Mary Ann, (nee Fryer), lived. In the churchyard, we saw the grave of John (b. abt. 1817) and Sarah Fryer. A brief visit to Rockhampton meant that we saw the church where Benjamin Pitcher and Margaret Worgan were married in 1773 and where their children were baptised.
