Rev William Laxton – Rector 1876

Rev. William Laxton
The Rev. William Laxton was appointed as Rector of Oddington in 1876 and remained in post until his death in 1893.
William Laxton was born at Bristol in 1810, the son of Matthew and Mary Laxton (nee Warren). He was baptised at the chuch of St Augustine-the-Less, Bristol on 31 May 1810. His parents had been married at this church on 27 April 1809 . Matthew Laxton was an “armiger” meaning that he was entitled to bear arms or use a coat of arms.
William attended Oxford University, and on 15 May 1828, at the age of 18, he matriculated from Exeter College. He was a scholar of Trinity College from 1829 to 1834. He was awarded a B.A. in 1832 and an M.A. in 1834.
He was ordained as a curate on 18 January 1834 in Bath and Wells. He was ordained as a priest in Bristol on 1 March 1835.
In 1848 William was appointed as the vicar of Atworth with South Wraxall, Wiltshire.
On 7 August 1851 William married Ella Daniel at the church of the Virgin Mary, Beaminster, Dorset. Ella was the daughter of James William Daniel (1799-1859), a surgeon and apothecary, of Beaminster, and Susan Daniel, nee Symes (1798-1853).
Following their marriage William and Ella lived at Holt, Wiltshire. Their first child, William Holden Scott Laxton was born on 28 July 1852. A second son, Henry James Donald Laxton, was born in 1855 and a daughter, Mary in 1857. The 1861 census records the family living at Starbridge House, Little Hill Common, Bradford, Wiltshire.
William Holden Scott Laxton attended Marlborough College and represented them at cricket from 1870 to 1872. On 9 April 1885 he married Marguerita Ethel Adela Cusack at St Jame’s Church, South Wraxall. She was the youngest daughter of the late J W Cusack of Knockbane, Co. Galway. At this time William held the post of Assistant Master at Clifton College. He died at Weston-super-Mare on 31 January 1937.
Henry Laxton enlisted as a Midshipman in the Royal Navy at Bristol on 22 March 1870. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 27 February 1879 and later achieved the rank of Captain.
Rev. William Laxton died at Oddington Rectory on 12 April 1893, at the age of 83. He was buried at Oddington on 17 April 1893..
Following the death of her husband, Ella Laxton went to live at Middlesex House, North End, Batheaston, Somerset. She died there on 18 May 1909 and was buried at Oddington on 22 May 1909.
The 1911 census records Henry Laxton living at Middlesex House with his sister, Mary. Both are shown as being single. Henry is described as a Royal Navy Captain Retired and Mary as being of Private Means. Also at the house were two sisters, Alice and Annie Litten, from Northleigh, Devon, who were employed as cook and parlour maid. The coachman was Sydney Shepherd, age 32, from Oddington and he lived at the house with his wife, Ada and their three young sons.
The archives of Gloucestershire County Council contain the diaries of one Mary Blathwayt. In 1923 she wrote to Captain Henry Laxton to ask if he would meet her German friend. She received a reply from Captain Laxton, “politely refusing.”
Henry Laxton died at Batheaston in 1937. Mary Laxton died in 1945.