CHARLES EDWARD RODD OF TREBARTHA HALL AND SHERBORNE SCHOOL (1849-1865)

Charles Edward Rodd was born in May 1849. He was baptized by his father who was the Rector of North Hill in Cornwall. The parish register entry reads “13 May 1849 – Charles Edward son of Charles and Emma Rodd of North Hill Parsonage (Clerk) was baptized”.

Charles Edward Rodd was buried by his father in the graveyard surrounding St Torney’s Church, North Hill. The parish register entry reads “19 December 1865 – Charles Edward Rodd of Parsonage North Hill was buried aged 16”.

This is the 1851 census for the Parsonage House in North Hill, and Charles Edward Rodd was two years old.

Parsonage House, North Hill
Charles Rodd,Head,M,43,,Rector Of North Hill,St Just In Roseland Cornwall,,
Emma Rodd,Wife,M,,39,,Ross Herefordshire,,
Elizabeth A Rodd,Dau,,,14,At Home,North Hill Cornwall,,
Emma Rodd,Dau,,,10,At Home,North Hill Cornwall,,
Charles E Rodd,Son,,2,,,North Hill Cornwall,,
Rosalie F Griesback,Governess,U,,26,Governess,Chelsea Middlesex,,
Mary Facy,Servnt,W,,31,Nursery (Child’s) Maid,Trewen Cornwall,,
Grace Hodge,Servnt,U,,31,Cook,Harberton Devon,,
Mary G Stephens,Servnt,U,,28,Parlour Maid & House Maid,North Hill Cornwall,,
Mary A Sandercock,Servnt,U,,20,Under Housemaid & Kitchen Maid,North Hill Cornwall,,

When Charles became old enough he was sent to school and in 1861 he can be seen, aged 12, recorded on the census at the Grammar School House in Uffculme in Devon, presumably as a boarder. From here he moved to Sherborne School in Dorset where he boarded, pictured here with other members of the third form in December 1863. Charles is the boy seated on the floor, on the right.

The school can be pictured in these contemporary images.

Below is a cutting from the Sherborne Mercury. This announcement also appeared in the London Standard, Exeter & Plymouth Gazette, Pall Mall Gazette, Morning Post and the Alnwick Mercury in Northumberland.

The death certificate shows that Charles died from “Continued Fever, Effusion on the Brain”. This may well be what we know today as meningitis. The informant at his death was Deborah Judith Burrell, who was probably the school matron at the time. The loss of Charles at such a young age was a deeply felt loss to the family and in his memory they commissioned two stained glass windows. One was installed in the parish church of St Torney, near to where Charles was buried. The other can be seen in the chapel at Sherborne School in Dorset.

The window in St Torney’s dedicated to Charles is in the south wall of the chancel. The dedication is on a brass plaque below the window and behind the pillars. All this is properly described in the newspaper article above. (Click on the images for a larger image)

Left lancet:

Middle lancet:

Right lancet:

Note. The bottom line of the lancet inscriptions on the Sherborne window indicate the people who were important in Charles’ life: his sisters Elizabeth & Emma, his parents and his schoolmasters.