John Crews Dudley
Mayor of Oxford 1852/3
John Crews Dudley (1809–1874) was the son of Crews Dudley and Jane Castell, who had married at St John’s Church on 20 November 1805. He was born on 20 June 1809 and baptised the next month on 18 July at St Peter-in-the East Church. He had an older sister Jane Castell Dudley (baptised at St Peter’s on 14 November 1806 and died unmarried at Northleigh in 1846), and a younger brother, Samuel, born on 2 August 1812 (baptised at St Peter’s on 26 August 1812).
Soon after John’s birth the family moved to 6 Broad Street, where Crews Dudley practised as a solicitor: he was involved in the speculative development of Summertown in the 1820s, and also served on the council, rising to the position of Bailiff.
Dudley’s followed his father into practice as a solicitor, while his younger brother Samuel (1814–1879) was sent to Jesus College, Oxford and was eventually ordained.
Dudley married Elizabeth Stevens, the eldest daughter of Mr Stevens of Oxford, at Chelsea in July 1839. Initially the couple lived at 28 St John Street in St Giles’s parish, and the 1841 census shows them there with one servant. When Dudley’s father died on 19 December 1846 (after forty years in practice), the family moved into 6 Broad Street, in St Michael’s parish. They had the following children:
- Elizabeth Jane Crews Dudley (baptised at St Giles’ Church on 27 April 1842)
- Martha Summer Dudley (baptised at St Giles’ Church on 6 October 1843)
- Althea Eliza Dudley baptised at St Giles’ Church on 24 September 1845)
- Crews Dudley (baptised at St Michael’s Church 4 May 1847)
- George Denis Darvill Dudley (baptised at St Michael’s Church on 14 October 1849).
Dudley’s wife Elizabeth died at the age of 44 just five months after the birth of her fifth child, and was buried at St Michael’s on 13 March 1850. Three weeks later Dudley’s mother, who was still living in St Giles’s parish, died at the age of 77 and was buried at St Michael’s on 5 April 1850.
The 1851 census shows Dudley as a widower of 40, living at 6 Broad Street with his five children, all under ten. The next year, 1852, he was elected Mayor (for 1852/3).
The situation in the next census of 1861 was similar: described as an attorney & solicitor, Magistrate of the County Court, and Alderman, Dudley was still a widower, living with Elizabeth (19), Martha (17), Althea (15), Crews (14), and George (11). The family had a cook, housemaid, and “servant out of livery” living with them. By 1871 Althea and Crews were gone, and young George Dennis was an articled clerk.
Dudley died at 6 Broad Street on 8 February 1874, and George Dennis took over his legal practice in the same house.
- Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 27 July 1839: Announcement of Dudley’s marriage
- Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 26 December 1846, p. 3d: Obituary of Dudley’s father, Crews Dudley
- 1841 Census: Oxford (St Giles), 891/06/16
- 1851 Census: Oxford (St Michael), 1728/540
- 1861 Census: Oxford (St Michael), 894/77
- 1871 Census: Oxford (St Michael), 1438/74