A Motley Crew

By Alfred G Davison

TThe life and times of civil engineer Charles Walkden (1824-1908) and his family. From humble beginnings in England, through Austria, Denmark, New Zealand, and ending in South Africa. This story takes place at the height of railway expansion across the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Engineering History
• Release date: May 31, 2024
• ISBN: 9788799399024

Book preview

A Motley Crew

by

Dr. Alfred Gerald Davison Ph.D.

Published By:

Marlab Media

Enghavevej 9A

7800 Skive

Denmark

Second Edition

978-87-993990-2-4

Copyright (c) 2024 Dr. Alfred Gerald Davison Ph.D.

Cover and Layout: Dr. Alfred Gerald Davison Ph.D.

Prologue

One sunny day in spring I was sitting on a bench in the small town of Skive, in Jutland, Denmark. Along came Henning Sørensen, a pensioner, ex-NATO soldier and master baker that I know well and we chatted for a while. Somehow the conversation turned to the building of the railways in Jutland by an English contractor. He told me that two of the engineers wives are buried about a mile from my house. The hunt for the Charles Walkden and family had started.

Appreciations

My greatest appreciation goes to Alex Gill of New Zealand

for supplying just about everything I know about Charles Walkdens time in New Zealand and the bones of his family and background; his immense interest in reading The Times and digging out those small advertisements that mean so much; his photographs of various members of the family – and much, much more. We shared our researches without either reservation or delay, in an atmosphere of congenial adventure into the past. Alex is at the time of writing, the only one I know who seriously researches the Walkdens.

The Danish Society for Military History: For their in-depth knowledge of the military action of the 1864 Danish-Prussian war in which Charles Walkden became an involuntary participant.

Niels Mortensen of the Skive Town Archives: For his astounding knowledge on everything to do with Skive, and his willingness to share it.

Henry William Walkden (1788-1824)

Henry William Walkden was born in Westminster, London 19th June 1788, son of Joseph William and Mary Ann Walkden. He was christened the 17th August 1788 at St.James in Westminster.

By the time that Henry William reached the age of 22, he was an accomplished teacher, specialising in the teaching of the French language. In 1810 he opened an academy in Camden Town.

Henry Villiam married Arabella Green, born 1789, on the 10th November 1810 at St.James, Westminster, London. Arabella was obviously also an accomplished woman, judging by the last statement in Henry Williams’ advertisement in The Times of 1817. She became school mistress at Henry William’s academy.

The couple had five children. Henry (1814),  Arabella Mary (1817), Mary Anne (1819), Frederick (1821), Charles (1824). All of these were born in London and christened at the Old Church in St. Pancras.

The earliest Post Office Directory for London is the 1819 version. Henry Walkden’s academy is not listed in this. So it appears that he abandoned it before early 1819. He died in January 1824, while resident in Haverstock Hill, and all of his children were christened at the Old Church in St. Pancras, the last, Charles, being in 1824. It is therefore my contention that he remained resident in the area after the academy closed and until his death, although he may have had temporary work in other places, as a statement by the witnesses to his last will and testament includes the sentence

Henry Walkden late of Haverstock Hill Hampsted Road in the county of Middlesex but at Cheltenham in the county of Gloucester Schoolmaster deceased for several years.

Henry William’s will provides some interesting insight into a man who died at all too young an age – even by early 19th Century standards.

"Should anything happen to me it is my wish to be buried in St.Anne’s Vault if possible. My printed books I should like to be portioned for Henry, Thomas every thing else I leave to the discretion of my wife whom God protect.

H Walkden."

For an educated 36 year old’s last testament, the document itself is very short indeed. Too short to be indicative of one who sits down and calmly thinks about death. This is rather the kind of will that a sick person collecting the last reserves of strength to write down that which is most important would write. And the dates reinforce this theory in that the will is written 11th December 1823 and executed 21st January 1824, just 6 weeks later.

As for that which was most important to him – this was obviously his printed books. He seems not to care what happens to the rest of his worldly goods. These he leaves to the discretion of his wife, Arabella. But he makes a special request regarding his printed books. They are left to a person named Thomas and to his son Henry. By not providing a surname for Thomas he indicates that the people who are to execute the will know who Thomas is.

We, on the other hand do not. None of his sons are named