Nat Gould

Elizabeth Augusta Dixon 1856-1899

Elizabeth Augusta Dixon was born on 9 October 1856 (1) at Frankham Park near Wadhurst in Sussex, the daughter of Henry Dixon 1824-1883 and his wife née Lydia Gould 1823-1865.

Frankham Park had been bought by her father Henry Dixon, who had the house built there (2). He also had Little Frankham built for his son and Strood House for his daughters. He was a substantial benefactor to the district, financing the building of a church there that became the parish church of Mark Cross, and also a school (3).

Elizabeth Augusta Dixon became a missionary at Ningpo in China, where she served for five years. She was unmarried.

Grave of Elizabeth Augusta Dixon

On 9 October 1899 she died at sea, and was buried in Gwulo Cemetery, Hong Kong (4). A tombstone was there erected to her memory, its inscription reading as follows:
"Elizabeth Augusta Dixon/Second Daughter of Henry and Lydia Dixon/Of Frankham Sussex England/Missionary Five Years in Ningpo/Died 9 October 1899 aged 43 Years". On the other side: "Thine Eyes shall see the King in His Beauty" (5).

Her Will was proved on 10 February 1900 (6).

(1) Cheshire Observer 1 November 1856.
(2) The Story of Wadhurst A A Wace (1923) page 71; www.markcross.org.uk
(3) www.stdenysrotherfield.org.uk Since 1984 the parish has been combined with that of Rotherfield in Sussex.
(4) Section 04 Row 8 Plot 7 in Gwulo Cemetery, Old Hong Kong gwulo.com "The grave is a simple one but in a pretty corner within one of the oldest parts of the cemetery, which occupies a green and shady hillside in an area called Happy Valley. Sadly it is no longer a tranquil corner of a foreign land, as a very busy dual carriageway flyover runs close by. Space is scarce in a city of 6.5 million people with room for barely a tenth of them." The photographs and description of the grave were kindly provided by Paul Brown.
(5) Isaiah chapter 33 verse 17 in the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible
(6) "DIXON Elizabeth Augusta of the Christian Mission Ningpo China spinster died 9 October 1899 at sea Probate London 10 February to Lydia Dixon and Mary Ellen Dixon spinsters. Effects £10792 14s. 1d." England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1900) page 331.