Ernest & Sarah Coldridge of Exeter
Ernest COLDRIDGE, born in Exeter in 1804, is the third son of John & Elizabeth COLDRIDGE. He married Sarah when he was 24 and they had 4 sons and 4 daughters. They lived in Exeter, Fowey, London, Cumberland, Bombay and Wellington. A notice of his marriage appeared in the Exeter & Plymouth Gazette on Saturday 20th September 1828:
On Saturday, St. Sidwell's Church, Mr Ernest Coldridge, of Fowey, surgeon, to Miss Sarah Neale, youngest daughter of Mr. Neale, Topsham.
Ernest COLDRIDGE, of the parish of Fowey, Cornwall, surgeon, married Sarah NEALE on 13th September 1828 in Exeter St Sidwell by licence. Witnesses Abel(?) NEALE, Mary NEALE, Caroline LADD(?), John COLDRIDGE.
The following parish records exist from Fowey in Cornwall:
Austen Ernest COLDRIDGE was baptised on 18th September 1829 in Fowey.
George Tuyll COLDRIDGE was baptised on 5th February 1831 in Fowey.
The following Exeter parish records note Ernest's occupation as surgeon, Fowey:
George Tuyle COLDRIDGE was baptised on 28th April 1833 in Exeter Holy Trinity, noting his birth on 30th January 1831 on Magdalen St.
John Newton COLDRIDGE was baptised on 28th April 1833 in Exeter Holy Trinity, noting his birth on 25th September 1832 on Magdalen St.
Henry COLERIDGE was baptised on 13th August 1836 in St Marylebone, London, noting his birth on 5th June 1836.
Celia Elizabeth COLDRIDGE's birth was registered in June 1840 in Wigton, Cumbria. Her baptism is recorded on 7th May 1840 in Ireby, Cumberland
The following notice appeared in the Exeter & Plymouth Gazette on Saturday 27th December 1834:
Marylebone Literary and Scientific Institution, Edward-street, Portman-square. A lecture was delivered at this institution last evening, by Mr. Ernest COLDRIDGE, on the Philosophy of Vision. The nature and properties of light were well explained, and familiarly illustrated by diagrams; and the anatomy of the eye, the organisation by which light is rendered an object of sensation was ably demonstrated, and made exceedingly interesting by some well dissected preparations. The lecturer adverted to the anatomy of the eyes of different animals … and concluded by exhibiting the decomposition of light in that beautiful experiment, the artificial rainbow.
The following notice appeared in the Morning Post on Friday 10th Apr 1835:
To the Governors of the Western General Dispensary. I beg to return you the most sincere thanks for the honour you have conferred upon me by electing me to the office of Surgeon to your valuable Institution, and to assure you that my utmost efforts shall be devoted to fulfil the duties devolving on me. I have the honour to be, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, Your most obliged humble servant, Ernest COLERIDGE. 50, Beaumont-street, Portland-place, April 8, 1835.
The following notice appeared in the London Gazette on 8th June 1838:
Insolvent debtor. Ernest COLDRIDGE, Fowey, Cornwall, Surgeon and Apothecary, in partnersbip with Charles BENNET, under the firm of BENNET and COLDRIDGE then of Southernhay, in the city of Exeter.
According to J T H Du Boulay's "Coleridge in Devon" document, Ernest became an army surgeon in H.E.I.C.S. (Honourable East India Company Service) leading to my discovery of the following records:
Jean Marie Sutherland COLERIDGE's baptism was recorded on 17th June 1847 in Deesa, Bombay, noting parents Ernest & Sarah COLERIDGE. Notices in the Bombay Times record her birth on 5th May 1847, and her death, aged 3 years and 9 months, on 11th February 1851 at Jeypoor. [†]
Sarah COLERIDGE's burial, aged 58, was recorded on 29th December 1866 at Mount Aboo, Bombay.
Ernest COLDRIDGE's death, aged 73, was recorded in 1877 in Wellington, New Zealand.
The following information was provided by Peter T COLERIDGE. According to records from his father, Thomas Travers Newton COLERIDGE, Ernest and Sarah's children were:
Austen COLERIDGE : born 26th June 1829 - died 29th August 1865
George COLERIDGE : born 30th January 1831 - died 18th August 1868
John Newton COLERIDGE : born 26th September 1832 - died 31st March 1887
Henry COLERIDGE : born 5th June 1836 - died 28th March 1841
Rosalie COLERIDGE : born 6th August 1838
Celia COLERIDGE : born 16th April 1840
Florence May COLERIDGE : born 5th January 1842
Jean Maria Sutherland COLERIDGE : born 5th May 1847 - died 11th February 1851
Two of Ernest and Sarah's daughters were married in the Holy Trinity Anglican church, Belvidere, Western Cape, South Africa:
Rosalie Sarah COLERIDGE married Bryan Henry DARNELL on 11th February 1858.
Celia Elizabeth COLERIDGE married John SUTHERLAND on 11th February 1858.
A notice of Rosalie's marriage appeared in the Newcastle Journal on Saturday 1st May 1858:
At Trinity Church, Belvidere Knysna, South Africa, on the 11th of February, B. H. DARNELL, Esq., M.L.A., to Rosalie Sarah, eldest daughter of Ernest COLERIDGE, Esq., Rajpootana, India.
Bryan Henry DARNELL, an engineer, went to New Zealand in 1870 to supervise the building of railways. He died in 1906. The Taranaki Herald of 16th October 1875 reported that:
"…for the government Mr B H DARNELL has superintended the construction of the railway, assisted by Mr F W MARCHANT; and the manner these gentlemen have performed their parts of the onerous duties entailed on them is most satisfactory".
The following notice appeared in Allens Indian Mail on 23rd October 1865:
COLERIDGE, at Bikaneer, on the 29th August 1865, of fever, Austen Ernest COLERIDGE, eldest son of Ernest Coleridge, Esq., M.R.C.S.E., aged 36 years.
There are South Africa death notices for Ernest & Sarah's son Austen and daughter Celia:
Austen Ernest COLERIDGE's death was registered in South Africa on 12th May 1869 by his father. The record states that he was the son of Ernest & Sarah COLERIDGE, was unmarried, and died in Bickanur, Rajapootana, India, aged about 36 years.
Celia Elizabeth SUTHERLAND, born COLERIDGE, widow, aged 83, died 21st June 1923 in Durban, South Africa.