Transcript

of

Joshua Dixon. [Obituary]

by

Rev. W. Harpley

Trans. Devon. Assoc., 1886, Vol XVIII, p.61.

Prepared by Michael Steer

Winslade, in Clyst St George, where Mr Dixon lived and eventually died, was built in the early 19th century by Edward Cotsford, MP and Sheriff of Devon, who made a fortune in the East Indies. It is a plain house of two stories, of five-by-six bays with attics and a basement. In the mid-19th century improvements were carried out for Henry Porter; in 1879 William T. Sams carried out alterations for Josiah Dixon (the majority of the 19th and 20th century additions have since been removed). The most noted feature of Winslade is its full-height top-lit central hall, with a domed lantern with garlands in the style of Robert Adam. The Hall has two sets of galleries on four sides with Ionic columns on the ground floor and Composite columns and fluted square piers above. The House was used as a school in the mid-20th century and was later neglected. In 1975-77 Winslade was converted to the headquarters offices of the London and Manchester Assurance Company. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Joshua Dixon was born November 18th, 1810, and was a justice of the peace for the county of Devon. He was the eldest son of the late Abraham Dixon, Esq., of Whitehaven, Cumberland. His mother was Letitia, daughter of John Taylor, Esq., Gomersal, York. His brother, George Dixon, Esq., of Edgbaston, Warwick, was M.P. for Birmingham, 1867-76, and was elected member for the Edgbaston district of Birmingham at the General Election last autumn.

Mr. Dixon was a cotton merchant, and purchasing the estate of Winslade, settled down in Devonshire, where he discharged the duties appertaining to a justice of the peace with assiduous attention. He had another seat at Salterswell, Tarporley, but spent most of his time at Winslade.

He joined the Association in 1882. He died at his residence December 7th, 1885.