Dowding Family 1

When I was at school, one of the history teachers asked me my name and I replied 'Dowding sir' to which he answered 'Dowding eh? - Air Chief Marshall, Battle of Britain?!' As I had no idea what he was talking about I mumbled some incomprehensible reply and gave a little laugh but went and asked my dad (when I got home - he wasn't at school with me) who this obviously famous man was. I was told that he was my Great Grandfather's cousin. I believed this to be the case for many years until someone else thrust a book under my nose and pointed to the name of Sir Hugh Dowding and I was asked again if this man bore any relationship to me. I told him the information that I had stored in the old memory box about Uncle 'Stuffy' but I got to thinking if it would be possible to find out exactly what the relationship was between this great leader of men and my humble self.

To cut a long story short, I found the line of Lord Dowding from various sources including the internet and birth certificates, and I also found my line back to my Gt Gt Grandfather called Charles Dowding. Lord Dowding had an Uncle called Charles Henry Dowding. Was my Gt Gt grandfather and Charles Henry Dowding the same person? Sadly this was not the case. I found that Charles Henry Dowding was a naval chaplain whilst my Gt Gt Grandfather Charles Dowding was a Railway Station master at Warminster in Wiltshire. Charles Henry Dowding had been reported missing at sea and it transpired that a scuttle in his cabin at the aft of the ship had been opened and as he could not be found, it is assumed that he either fell or jumped overboard through the scuttle hole. Either way he would have gone into the propellers of the ship and been killed instantly. Further research of both families have failed to find a link between us (so far!).

More information about Sir Hugh Dowding and the Battle of Britain can be found at the following sites:

	This is me - Mark Jonathan Dowding - the scruffy one of the bunch! Born 16th January 1961
	On the left is my dad John Dowding Born 12th February 1935 On the right is my mum - Audrey Brown Born 25th March (a while ago now!)
They were married on 12th March 1960 at Christ Church, Douglas-in-Parbold by Rev Charles Barnes	http://www.christchurchparbold.co.uk
	They have 2 children myself and my sister, Deborah Deborah Jane Dowding born 2nd Jan 1962
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	This is my Grandfather on the left Ernest Walter Dowding Born 24th February 1904 Died 7th January 1984 And my Grandmother on the right Marjorie Patricia Brewin Born 17th March 1906 Died 18th February 1987
Ernest and Marjorie were married on 26th June 1930 in the Parish Church, Knowle, Bristol by the vicar - Canon G.W.L. Wynne
	The Church of the Holy Nativity Wells Road, Knowle, Bristol I contacted Phil Goodfellow, the church warden, who sent me the photographs and told me the following about the church: "Following bomb damage in November 1940, the tower is all that remains of the original building. Holy Nativity is a very "High" church in the Catholic Tradition. We are Church of England but have very traditional liturgy. That's why we call the priests and deacons Father. In the 1930's under Canon Wynne things were very strict indeed" http://www.holynativity.org.uk/
Phil has also sent me the following pictures of the church as it looked at the time of Ernest and Marjorie's wedding in 1930 These two pictures date from around 1922
Ernest and Marjorie had four children
Patricia Mary Dowding	Patricia Mary Dowding Born 6th May 1931 Died 5th August 2003 Married Harold Bold 11th August 1951 Children: David Bold - born 26th November 1953 Ian Bold - born 26th November 1954 Alison Bold - born 24th August 1956
John Dowding	John Dowding Born 12th February 1935 Married Audrey Brown 12th March 1960 Children: Mark Jonathan Dowding - born 16th January 1961 Deborah Jane Dowding - born 2nd January 1962
Ann Dowding	Ann Dowding Born 11th August 1944 Married William Shacklady date unknown Children: Karl Shacklady - born 12th April 1964 Scot Shacklady - born 25th February 1969, died 8th December 2000
Judy Dowding	Judy Dowding Born 11th August 1944 Died 22nd August 1998
From 1941 until 1968,Ernest and Marjorie and various members of the family lived at Finch House in Appley Bridge in Lancashire	Finch House, Off Mill Lane, Appley Bridge, Lancashire	In 1968, Finch House was demolished for a new housing estate. I am led to believe that this building was listed but somehow vital papers went missing. I can't say how true that was though!