Guildford

Although Dodgson maintained his rooms at Christ Church College as his permanent residence right up until his death in 1898, in later years he started to spend an increasing amount of time at his sisters' house in Guildford as well as spending the summer months at seaside resorts such as Whitby, Sandown and Eastbourne.

The 1881 census finds The Reverend C L Dodgson living at Christ Church College with his lifelong friend Thomas Vere Bayne listed in the entry immediately beneath him.

1881 census of Christ Church College, Oxford. TNA ref: RG 11/1501 folio 25 page 44

In 1891, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was once more living at Christ Church College - here we have another instance of an error in the returns as his name is entered as 'Charles L Dogson'.

1891 census of Christ Church College, Oxford. TNA ref: RG 12/1167 folio 22A page 39

It was during one of his frequent visits to 'The Chestnuts', his sisters' house in Guildford, that Charles Lutwidge Dodgson died, quite suddenly and unexpectedly. His death certificate records the cause of death as 'influenza' with 'pneumonia' listed as a secondary cause. The informant, Charles Hassard Wilfrid Dodgson, was the nephew of the deceased, a son of his brother Wilfred Lonlgey Dodgson.

Death certificate of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. GRO ref: 1898 MAR - Guildford 2a 63

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson's will was written in 1871. It is very short and contains relatively little genealogical information but it's interesting to note that his good friend, Thomas Vere Bayne, was one of the witnesses. Like all the other documents in this exhibition, the will contains not a single reference to the fact that the Reverend Dodgson was much better known to millions of people around the world as the children's author Lewis Carroll. Copies of all wills proved in England and Wales since 1858 can be seen at First Avenue House, High Holborn, London.

Will of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. PRFD ref: Probate, 13 May 1898, Principal Registry

Lewis Carroll is buried in a simple grave in the Mount Cemetery, Guildford. The family continued to live at 'The Chestnuts' for another thirty years and the 1901 census shows six of his sisters living there including the now widowed Mary Charlotte Collingwood. Mary's son, Stuart Dodgson Collingwood became Lewis Carroll's first biographer.

1901 census of 'The Chestnuts', Guildford. The National Archives ref: RG 13/604 folio 39 page 33