Although this blog is primarily concerned with the Watmough - Watmer - Watmore - Whatmore family I am finding it difficult to find new material. If you have a story suitable for this blog, please do send in  to me ( in Microsoft Word format) with any relevant pictures for which you hold the copyright or which the copyright holder has given permission for the picture(s) to appear on this blog. Please send pictures in jpeg format. Stories should not feature living persons nor be of a nature to cause embarrassment or distress to possible readers. Many thanks

Rhys D Dyson Whatmore  rhyswhatmore@btinternet.com

Over the next few weeks I shall be posting stories about the Dyson family of the West Riding of Yorkshire. My paternal grandmother was Mary Ann (Polly) Dyson born about 1876 in Sheffield. Hopefully these stories will be of interest to members of the Dyson family but I hope that others readers will also enjoy them. We start with a murder!!  This story also appeared in the ‘Sheffield Star’ issue of Saturday 20 March 2010.

Many of the older residents of the City of Sheffield will know the story of Charles Peace and how he murdered a man in cold blood at Banner Cross, Sheffield in 1876. Few residents, however, will be able to name the victim – Arthur Dyson. This is his story.

Arthur Dyson was baptised on 6 October 1828 at Tinsley, a couple of miles east of Sheffield. His father was a Henry Dyson who had married Eliza Bingham on 22 November 1827 at Chesterfield. The family appears to have been well-to-do as Henry Dyson is described in the censuses as a Land Agent and Valuer and a Farmer of about 250 acres. The family were able to afford to send two of their sons to boarding school as in 1841 Arthur and his brother William were pupils at a school run by a William Wright, at Steel Bank, Crookes.

The Firs at Tinsley - The childhood home of Arthur Dyson

Image from the collections in the Sheffield Local Studies Library.

Published by the kind permission of the Head of |Leisure Services

From the website: http://www.picturesheffield.com/

 

 In 1851 Arthur Dyson was at home with his parents at Tinsley. He is described in the census as a Civil Engineer and Surveyor.

 Sometime after 1851, Arthur emigrated to the United States where he worked as a Civil Engineer on the railways. In 1866, he married an English girl called Katherine, at Cleveland, Ohio. In 1873 their son William H Dyson was born at St Louis in Missouri. Arthur and Katherine may have had other children, but these do not show up in the later UK censuses. 

Eventually the Dyson family decided to return to England arriving back in late 1873 or early 1874. Arthur obtained a post with the North Eastern Railway. 

In the story of Charles Peace as published in the ‘Penny Dreadful ‘Famous Crimes Past and Present’ edited by Harold Furness  (Volume 1 Issue 1) there is a description of Arthur Dyson: 

‘In person he was a striking figure, over six feet in height, straight as a lath, with black hair and eyebrows, and piercing eyes which twinkled like beads in his face. Indeed, his height was a standing joke among his fellows, and it was found necessary in the office in which he worked to procure a special table for him at draw at, since he was unable to make use of that provided for the general draughtsmen. He was haughty, reserved and shy, and was generally considered by his fellow-employees to have descended from a higher station in life. He was a gentleman, a man of honour and of culture, and he often found it difficult to forget the fact, though at times it escaped his memory that the true gentleman is courteous to all. Those who knew him best say that he was sensitive to a degree, and that in company with congenial souls was one of the most charming men who could be met, but in the presence of his intellectual inferiors his charm was lost – dried up, as it were’

 From the same source is a description of Kathleen Dyson: 

‘… plebeian to her very soul, course, unintellectual, the very one whom naturally he [Arthur Dyson] would most scorn, for the hawk does not mate with the dove, nor the eagle with the owl. She came from the lower ranks of the people, and it was always a matter of wonder to his colleagues why he married her. She had neither charm, wit nor beauty; her figure was awkward, her conversation witness.’ 

The rest of this account can be read at this link:http://john-adcock.blogspot.com/2008/11/charles-peace-i.html 

The above description of Mrs Dyson may, however, be far from accurate, as in another account she is described as ‘an attractive woman, buxom and blooming, dark-haired and about twenty-five years of age.’ The above is taken from ‘A Book of Remarkable Criminals’ by H B Irving published in 1918 by Cassell and Company. This source forms the basis of the rest of the story I am retelling here. The book itself can be read on-line or downloaded at this link: http://www.archive.org/details/bookofremarkable00irvirich 

The Dyson family had moved into a terraced house in Britannia Road, Darnall, Sheffield, but little did they know that Charles Peace, the picture frame maker, who lived two doors away with his wife and daughter, was secretly a cat burglar.  

To begin with the Dyson and  Peace families got on well together, but this changed when Arthur Dyson became aware of the attentions to his wife being paid by Charlie Peace.  Charlie was later to swear that Kathleen Dyson had been his mistress but where is no way to verify this. It is known, however, that she had been photographed with Charlie, that he had given her a ring and that they had made visits together to music halls and public houses. It is unclear what attraction Charlie could have had for Arthur’s wife. He is reputed to have been a short little man with scanty hair and a malignant expression, although in the only known photograph of him, dating from 1864, he appears reasonably personable.

Photograph of Charlie Peace in 1864

Copyright: ‘Sheffield Star’ and reproduced here by kind permission

of the Deputy Editor

 As the months went by, Arthur Dyson became more and more exasperated with the situation and in June 1876 he threw into Peace’s garden a card on which was written, ‘Charles Peace is requested not to interfere with my family’. About this time, Arthur Dyson lost his job with the railway after failing to appear at a station to which he had been sent on duty. As this is completely out of character, it would seem that Arthur could by now think of little else but the relations between Peace and his wife. 

 

Charlie Peace stalking Mrs Dyson 

Drawing by Cyclops from ‘Famous Crimes Past and present

Vol 1 Issue  1 From ‘Yesterdays Papers’ blog by John Adcock :

http://john-adcock.blogspot.com/2008/11/charles-peace-i.html

 

In July 1876, Peace tried to trip up Arthur Dyson in the street and that same night he came across Mrs Dyson in the street and threatened to blow out her brains and those of her husband. 

 This was too much for Arthur Dyson who took out a summons against Peace and a warrant for his arrest was issued. Charlie Peace and his family fled to Hull. Whilst living there he travelling to Manchester to commit a burglary during which he was nearly caught. In escaping, he fired at and killed a policeman. Charles also paid visits to Darnall, where he was seen lurking near the Dysons’ home. 

In desperation, Arthur Dyson sought somewhere far from Darnall for his family to live, and found a house at Banner Cross on the far side of the city. On moving into their new home on 29 October 1876, the first person they saw outside was Charlie Peace.

 

 The Dyson’s home at Banner Cross

The house is to the right of the alleyway in which Arthur Dyson was murdered.

Copyright: The ‘Sheffield Star’ and reproduced here by kind permission of the Deputy Editor.

Later on, when Arthur Dyson passed Charlie in the street, the latter took out a revolver, but Arthur ignored him and passed on. Arthur Dyson would have done well to have observed the manner of Charlie Peace on this occasion. The latter was now full of grievance and agitation at Arthur Dyson for having had to leave his home in Darnall. 

Things came to a head on 29 November 1879. Charlie Peace had spent all day drinking at Eccleshall, close to Banner Cross. At six o’clock in the evening he made his way to the home of the Vicar of Eccleshall, a Reverend Newman, to whom he told the story of his grievances. Charlie Peace claimed that Arthur Dyson intended to take further proceedings against him. If only the Vicar had taken some sort of effective action at this point the subsequent murder might have been prevented. As it was, the Vicar simply exacted a promise from Peace that he would not go near the Dysons that night. Peace’s feelings of anger and vengeance lured him back to the Dysons home, and by eight o’clock in the evening he was watching the alleyway beside the house. Soon Mrs Dyson appeared and Peace confronted her, holding his revolver. Hearing voices, Arthur Dyson appeared. Peace fired two shots – first hitting the lintel of the passageway door, the second striking Arthur Dyson in the temple. He died some two hours later. 

The Murder of Arthur Dyson  An Illustration  by Cyclops from ‘Famous Crimes’ Vol 1 Issue 1. Copyright: Evans-Skinner Crime Archive Ref: ES7 and reproduced here by their kind permission  From the website:

http://www.historybytheyard.co.uk/

Arthur Dyson, aged 48, was buried on 2  December 1876 at All Saints Church, Eccleshall.

 I shall not recount the story of the subsequent arrest, trial and execution of Charlie Peace – it can be found in the sources already referred to – and this is, after all, the story of Arthur Dyson. 

After the murder, Katherine Dyson returned to Cleveland, Ohio, presumably leaving her son, William H Dyson and any other children she may have had, back in England. The following report from the New York Times of 10 March 1879, gives us some insight into her character: 

Mrs Arthur Dyson’s Drunken Spree

Cleveland March 9 

‘Mrs Arthur Dyson, whose husband was murdered by the notorious English criminal, Charles Peace, returned on Saturday to her home in this city from England, where she had been to testify in the trial of Peace. She has been in the habit of drinking to excess since the murder of her husband, and her friends have kept a close watch upon her  on that account. Today being pleasant, she desired to walk abroad, and was accompanied by her niece, some 12 years old. As soon as she was fairly away from home she began visiting saloons, where she treated everybody with whom she came into contact, and was having a good time generally until she became drunk and quarrelsome, when she was arrested and locked up in the nearest police station. She had nearly $100 in her pocket, and was elegantly dressed. During the afternoon she became sober, and was released on bail. She is a fine-looking woman and evidently well educated.’ 

William H Dyson, aged 9, the only known child of Arthur and Katherine Dyson was at school at Potter Street, Worksop, Nottinghamshire in 1881. In 1891 he was a ‘Mining Engineer (Pupil)’ in lodgings at Eckington, Derbyshire.  In 1901, aged 19, William was living with his uncle William Dyson at Tickhill, Yorkshire. William is described in this census as a ‘Mining Engineer.’ William H Dyson does not appear in the 1911 census, but I have been unable to trace his death. Perhaps he emigrated and started a new life far away from Sheffield and the tragic memories the city must have had for him. 

I now turn to the ancestors of Arthur Dyson.  

 

Arthur’s father, as already explained, was a Henry Dyson who was baptized on 18 February 1802 at Tinsley and married in 1827 Eliza Bingham (born about 1803 at Tinsley). Henry lived all his life at Tinsley and died there in 1864. Eliza continued to run the farm at Tinsley after Henry’s death but by 1881 she had gone to live at Beech Hill Road, Eccleshall where she died in 1882.

 Arthur’s grandfather appears to have been another Arthur Dyson who was baptised on 1 January 1766 at Tinsley and who married a Mary Genn on 13 October 1800 at St Peter’s, Sheffield (now the Cathedral). Arthur and Mary Dyson had three known children – Henry (1802),  Jane  (1804) and Emma (1814).

 Emma Dyson married an Edward Bingham on 9 March 1835 at Tinsley.  One of their children was the distinguished Colonel Sir  John Edward Bingham who was born on 27 July 1839 at Ranmoor, Sheffield.  He married Maria Fawcett on 9 March 1863. They lived at West Leas, a large Victorian house at Ranmoor Sheffield which is now the Ranmoor Parish Centre.

West Leas, Ranmoor – the  home of the Bingham Family

 Copyright: Ranmore Parish Centre and reproduced here by their kind permission

They had one known child – Sir Albert Edward Bingham born in 1869 at Ranmoor.  John Edward Bingham was the nephew of Henry Hall who joined with George Walker in 1848 to form the prestigious Sheffield silverware and cutlery firm of ‘Walker and Hall’ (now part of Mappin and Webb). John Edward Bingham became Manager of this firm and continued in this position until his death when his son took over as Manager.  

 John Edward Bingham commissioned the ‘Bingham Yorkshire Field-Firing Trophy’ which weighed 1,500 ounces of gilded silver and reputedly cost £800. The trophy was won in 1912 and again in 1913 by the Brighouse Volunteers. The competition was then suspended and the trophy was displayed in the local museum at Brighouse until the 1940s but has not been seen since that time.   

Source: ‘Walker and Hall’ catalogue

John Edward Bingham also  presented the ‘Bingham Challenge Shield’ to the Yorkshire Volunteers.

Source: ‘Walker and Hall’ Catalogue

 John Edward Bingham, who was created a baronet in 1903, was an Honorary Colonel of the West Riding Divisional Royal Engineers and commanded the First West Yorkshire Royal Engineers for 17 years.  He served as Master Cutler of the Company of Cutlers of Hallamshire in 1881, a post that his son also held in 1918. John Edward Bingham was also a leading Sheffield Protestant and Orangeman , speaking on many platforms over the years. In 1912, at the age of 73, he went specially to Boston in America to put a peace resolution to the Congress of the International Chambers of Commerce. Colonel Sir John Edward Bingham passed away on 18 March 1915 in the Marylebone Registration District, London,

 To return to the ancestors of the Arthur Dyson who was murdered – his great grandfather was a Thomas Dyson who married a Mary Kirk on 11 June 1765 at Tinsley. Mary Kirk was baptised in 1744, so Thomas Dyson was probably born about that date as well. There seem to be no Thomas Dyson baptised in Sheffield or Tinsley in the 1740s, but there is a record on the International Genealogical Index of a Thomas Dyson born about 1741 at Staveley, Derbyshire. The baptism of this Thomas does not in fact appear in the Staveley Parish registers, but obviously someone possesses evidence that a Thomas Dyson was born thereabouts in the 1740s. The Dyson family of Staveley, which is my own branch of the Dyson family, is described in some detail in earlier posts.  

The Staveley branch of the Dyson family appears to have been founded by a Robert Dyasson who had his son John  baptised at Staveley on 15 February 1664. This Robert is described as ‘a traveller’ and I have speculated that he was a member of the Dyson family of Swifts Place, Soyland, near Halifax. The next Dysons to appear in the Staveley  registers are a Peter Dyson baptised in 1702 and a Thomas Dyson baptised in 1705. These were the children of a John and Elizabeth Dyson of the Forge. This John would appear to be the grandson of Robert Dyasson.  The parish registers of Tinsley show that a John Dyson married a Ruth Snydall on 6 January 1722 and this John seems to have been of ‘Forge’ Derbyshire. Whilst this could mean any forge in the county, in fact there is a John and Ruth Dyson at the Forge in Staveley in the 1730s and 1740s. Their link to Tinsley is provided by a removal certificate of 1744 of a John Dyerson, his wife Ruth and their children from Staveley to Attercliffe (the next parish to Tinsley).  If John Dyson’s settlement rights were in Attercliffe, he must have been born or lived there and in fact we know that John and Ruth had a son William baptised at Tinsley on 21 July 1723. There is thus a clear link between the Dysons at Staveley and those at Tinsley. Thomas Dyson, the great grandfather of the Arthur Dyson cannot be the son of John and Ruth as they had a son called Thomas baptised in 1735, but I think it very likely that Arthur Dyson’s ancestor Thomas was the son of one of John’s brothers – Peter born 1702  or Thomas born 1705 at Staveley. 

In this last section of the story I will turn to the known  siblings of Arthur Dyson. These were Henry John Dyson born 1829, William Dyson born 1831, Frances Ann Dyson born 1833, Eliza Mary Dyson born 1834, Agnes J Dyson born 1838 and Henry Hall Dyson born  1842. 

Henry John Dyson appears to have died young as his parents baptised a further son as Henry Hall Dyson in 1842. 

 William Dyson never married and his sister Agnes lived with him after the death of their mother, acting as housekeeper. In 1871 William Dyson had taken over the running of Manor House Farm, Tinsley, which was adjacent to the family farm which was still being run by his mother. By 1881, however, William was running Goldthorpe Farm at Hodsock, Nottinghamshire – a farm of 420 acres employing 9 men. They were still there in 1891 but by 1901 William had retired and had gone with his sister to live at Tickhill in Yorkshire.  William died between 1901 and 1911.  Agnes was at Highland Grove, Worksop in 1911, living on private means. She died in 1921 in the Worksop Registration District. 

Frances Ann Dyson married John Ismay Fisher in 1879 in the Eccleshall Bierlow Registration District.  In 1881 they were living at Harworth, Nottinghamshire where John was a farmer of 520 acres, employing 4 men.  John died in 1886. In 1891, at the time of the census, Frances Ann was visiting her cousin Charles H Bingham, at Eccleshall. Francis Ann Dyson died in 1900 in the Doncaster Registration District. 

Eliza Mary Dyson was living with her mother at Eccleshall at the time of the 1881 census, but I not been able to trace her thereafter. Henry Hall Dyson married Rosa Willott in 1871 in the Scarborough Registration District. Their children were Henry Lewis (1875 Sheffield), Lawrence (1879 Sheffield – a late registration ?) and Mary Theodora (1879 Worksop).

 Henry Hall died in 1879 in the Worksop Registration District. In 1881 and 1891 Rosa Dyson, Farmer, was with her three children at Castle Farm, Worksop (500 acres employing 8 men and three boys). In 1901 the family were at Ashville, Worksop. Rosa was living on her own means, Henry Lewis was an Estate Agent’s Clerk and Lawrence was a Bank Clerk. Rosa died in 1914 in the Worksop Registration area. A Lawrence Dyson of the right age died in 1943 in the Penistone Registration District. What became of his siblings is not known. 

At least two films were made about Charlie Peace. ‘In 1905 ‘The Life of Charles Peace’ was issed. This was a ten minute film directed by William Haggar. All the characters were played by ‘ members of his family. In 1949  ‘The Case of Charles Peace’ was issued. This was directed by Norman Lee. The role of Charles Peace was played by Michael Martin-Harvey, that of Arthur Dyson by Richard Shayne and that of Katherine Dyson by Chili Bouchier. Charles Peace must have been depicted in the film as a very smartly dressed character because when the film was shown at local cinemas in the Smethwick area  it became the custom to say to any male who was unusually smartly dressed – ‘Who do you think you are? Charlie Peace?’ This custom still exists in the Smethwick area

So we come of the end of the story of Arthur Dyson. His family seem to have been both talented and wealthy and their story is quite a remarkable one. If any reader has further information about this family I would be pleased to hear from them.  

Rhys D Dyson Whatmore      rhyswhatmore@btinternet.com