Childhood

The birth of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was announced in The Times on 31 January 1832. The announcement read simply:

On the 27th inst., at the Parsonage, Daresbury, Cheshire, the lady of the Rev. Charles Dodgson, of a son.

Six months later, Charles was baptised at Daresbury church, where his father was the 'Perpetual Curate'. The page in the register records eight baptisms, including, at the top of the page, the entry for 'Lewis Carroll'. Four of the baptisms on this page were perfomed by Charles Dodgson senior although his own son was baptised by the Reverend George Heron.

Record of the baptism of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson in the Darebsury parish registers. Cheshire Record Office ref: MF 66/3

Charles Dodgson senior had married Frances Jane Lutwidge on 5 April 1827 at Christ Church, Sculcoates (Hull). The entry in the Sculcoates parish registers shows that there were no fewer than five witnesses to the marriage and all five were members of the extended Dodgson/Lutwidge family.

Record of the marriage of Charles Dodgson and Frances Jane Lutwidge in the Sculcoates parish registers. East Riding Archives ref: PE 57/7

Ten children were born to Charles and Frances during the sixteen years that they remained at Daresbury (from 1827 to 1843). The birth certificate shown here records the birth of their seventh child and third son, Wilfred Longley Dodgson. It's interesting to note that the child's name is entered in Column 10 rather than in the normal place, indicating that the name was 'entered after registration'.

Birth certificate of Wilfred Longley Dodgson. General Register Office ref: 1838 SEP - Runcorn 19 195

By the time of the 1841 census the family consisted of Charles senior, his wife Frances, their first eight children (including Charles aged 9) and an aunt, Lucy Lutwidge. Also in the household were three of the Reverend Dodgson's 'private pupils' and five servants. The original entry is very faint but you can read a transcript of the family details here.

1841 Census of Newton by Daresbury Parsonage House. TNA ref: HO 107/95/11 folio 2 page 22

This was the last time that Charles Dodgson/Lewis Carroll was listed with his family at census time. The family moved to Croft near Darlington and at the age of twelve Charles began his formal education at the nearby Richmond School. After spending three happy years at Richmond, Charles continued his education at Rugby School where he seems to have had an utterly miserable time.