The Quaker Connection
George ALDIS was the first of the children of Daniel and Mary. Born the 2nd of January 1763 at Maldon, Essex (Daniel had been subject to a Quaker removal in 1763 from Tivetshall to Essex), and baptised the 2nd of February 1763 at Tivetshall, he died the 12th of December 1838 at Dickleburgh and was buried the 23rd of December 1838 at Tivetshall. Instructed by his father, George practised as a surgeon in Stowmarket and Dickleburgh until his death. A document held at the Norfolk Record Office (DN/TES/14) comprises a Testimonial for a Surgeon signed by many local men including lawyer John Lockwood and Sam Fitch who was a chemist at Ipswich. The Testimonial reads: “George Aldis: who was many years under the Instruction of his Father who practised Surgery and as he is a Man who is allowed by Hundreds of People to have had the most Practice of any Person for a great number of Miles, and this is to certify the said George Aldis have resided in our Parish of Stowmarket for near three Years in which Time he has behaved himself with much Sobriety and Honesty and has Practised his Father’s Employment with great satisfaction to his Patients as have great success as Witness our hands June 14th 1791.” George was the subject of Quaker removals in 1783 from Tivetshall to Yarmouth and again in 1786 from North Walsham to Wolverhampton. Also known is that he was Churchwarden in Dickleburgh in 1826 and thereafter irregularly until 1837. On the 9th of August 1816 at Gissing, near Tivetshall, George ALDIS married Elizabeth BURROUGHS who died the 8th of June 1854 and whose Will, dated the 9th of October 1845 (with a codicil added the 28th of December 1850), was proved the 30th of December 1857. Elizabeth ALDIS of Attleborough, Norfolk, widow of George ALDIS, died a relatively wealthy woman. She leaves sums of £50 to Benjamin Edwards of Shimpling, to her sisters Mary and Alice, to Mary Bradley (niece of husband George), £10 each to other family members, and £10 each to George’s siblings and descendants, Sir Charles ALDIS and Charles James Berridge ALDIS. Francis’s children received £60 and Robert’s £20. Apparently, there were no children of this union. George’s own Will, dated the 7th of December 1838 and proved the 9th of January 1839, mentions his wife Elizabeth, his friend Benjamin Edward, a farmer of Dickleburgh, brothers Robert and Charles, sister Esther ATKINSON, and sister-in-law Elizabeth of Norwich who was the widow of brother Francis. George instructed that his properties in Wacton be sold by his executors (Benjamin Edwards and wife Elizabeth) for the benefit of his named beneficiaries. This is a significant reference in that it establishes a clear line of descent from Andrew to Daniel to George with respect to property in Wacton rented out to tenants. His estate was sworn to be “under 450£” with the addition of “10 sheds”.
Sir Charles Aldis
The best known, and certainly the most famous (some might say infamous), of the children of Daniel and Mary was Charles ALDIS, born the 16th of March 1776 at Aslacton. Twice married, he died the 28th of March 1863 at Old Burlington Street, Saint James, London, at the ripe old age of 87, after an eventful, colourful, and somewhat controversial life and career.
His obituary in the ‘Bucks Herald’ for Saturday the 4th of April 1863 concentrates on his achievements:
