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Richard Dod Baker 1784 to 12 August 1807
BAK00100
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Headlines of Richard Dod Baker’s life
are in brown.
Dates are in red.
Hyperlinks to other pages are in dark blue.
References and citations are in turquoise.
Context and local history are in purple.
1784
Richard Dod Baker was the eldest son of Richard Dod and Hannah (nee
Hassall) Baker (FAR00083).
He was born in 1784.
1801
Richard entered Brasenose College, Oxford and matriculated in
October 1801.
Baker, Richard Dod, s Richard, of Leominster, co Hereford, gent,
BRASENOSE COLL, matric, 25 March 1801, aged 17.
Richard's eldest son, Richard Dod Baker, went to Brasenose
college, Oxford, from where he wrote a number of rather interesting letters to
his cousins Elizabeth and Arabella Thorley, of Chetwynd Rectory, Newport,
daughters of his father's younger sister Mary. On getting there in 1801 he said
“After a very pleasant journey we arrived at this celebrated seat of
learning on Thursday last, and although the college rules did not exact our
attention till the 17th, I found everything very comfortable. At Stafford we
waited on Mr Whalley. He showed us a grand piano, which my father purchased for
65 Guineas, it appeared to me a good toned one, but when Bessy comes to finger
it, we can form a better judgement. On Friday my father introduced me to a Mrs.
Smith, a lady of considerable property in the neighbourhood, such an
acquaintance will be very pleasant, at least very different from the noisy riot
of a college evening; without company of some sort, Oxford, I assure you, would
be quite intolerable, and the man who pens himself up in his attice pouring
everlastingly over his books, can be compared to nothing better than “Owl in a
Desert”. Study, however, affords many an hour's rational amusement, but like
anything else there can be too much of it...” Not ideal academic material,
the reader may think. In his next letter dated 14th October 1801, he described
his rooms and life at Oxford; “I took possession of my rooms on Saturday,
and I assure you they are much more comfortable than I expected, my sitting
room is as large as, if not larger than, your little Parlour and to appearance,
much more comfortable a Bureau, 5 chairs and a table in it, my drawing room
(for so I please to call it) is smaller but neater, a glass door out of my
sitting room to it, with two chairs and two tables, my bedroom is a little
larger than the sitting room with a very comfortable bed, bureau etc,
altogether, as if it were our 3 Parlours at Highfields, but a door to each room
out of my S.R. I have been this morning with one of the tutors to buy myself a
set of tea things, candle sticks, silver teaspoons, sheets, towels etc, and
though Oxford is the most imposing place in the world could not, I think, offer
us much in such small articles. Figure to yourselves a venerable elderly man
and myself with our caps and gowns, choosing and buying the best China, good
judges, I'm sure I could not tell China from common ware.
We had a grand
illumination on Monday night last; High Street (the most beautiful in the
Kingdom) cut an elegant appearance and the different Emblems of Peace etc in
transparencies greatly aided add it to the splendour of it. At 7 o’clock in the
evening the Oxford Royal Volunteers attended by their band and two cannons
fired a Fene de Joye on the occasion. The people seem’d mad, and even now
cannons are firing. The Proctors (whose office I dare say you have heard of)
were very busy that night, most of the Oxonians went without their caps and
gowns, but I did not, though I was afraid of being distinguished, that is, if
any of the Mob discovered you to be an Oxonian or a Collegian, they will often
throw a squib into one’s Gown, which makes great fun for them, and we are often
insulted by some of them, I am told, though I have never experienced any of
it.”
In a letter dated 10th
December 1801, he talks of examinations; “I dare say, little as you know of
this seat of learning, you have heard that our examinations for degrees has
always hitherto being laughed at as trifling and a mere matter of form, but
they have now assumed a very serious aspect, and as your cousin is to take one,
you will not deem the following short account of the new examinations and which
I must undergo at all improper. There is now a large room fitted up for the
purpose, which will contain, I should imagine 300 persons. There are benches
for the vice chancellor, proctors, doctors, heads of colleges and halls etc,
who are all required to attend at this most solemn occasion and about 200
students (word missing?) there are perhaps 6 examined at a time, and
this occupies from 9 in the morning till 3 in the afternoon; so that whoever
thinks of taking the a degree must fag.”
(Highfields, Audlem, 16th
century home of the Dod and Baker families, John Bellyse Baker, 1982.)
Brasenose College is one of the colleges of the University of
Oxford. The history of Brasenose College, Oxford stretches back to 1509, when
the college was founded on the site of Brasenose Hall, a medieval academic hall
whose name is first mentioned in 1279. Its name is believed to derive from the
name of a brass or bronze knocker that adorned the hall's door. The library and
chapel were added in the mid-17th century. The college was associated with
Lancashire and Cheshire, the county origins of its two founders – Sir Richard
Sutton and the Bishop of Lincoln, William Smyth – a link which was maintained
strongly until the latter half of the twentieth century. After 1785 the college
prospered under Principal William Cleaver. The college began to be populated by
gentlemen, its income doubling between 1790 and 1810, and achieved considerable
academic success.
1804
In 1804, Richard was commissioned into the 17th
Regiment. He sailed with his Regiment for India in July 1804 on board the
Worcester.
Coloured silhouette of Lt Richard Dod Baker (1784-1806) by J
Buncombe, who specialised in painting military and naval officers before they
went overseas to serve in the Napoleonic wars
It was the year before Trafalgar. He wrote again to his cousin;
“Highfields
Wednesday 18th Ap 1804
Dear Elizabeth
The necessity of joining the Regt. immediately prevents me coming
over to Chetwynd before my departure. I suppose you have heard from Montague (her brother, an officer in the same regiment) or will soon,
to inform you of our destination. I received a letter from him on Monday
desiring me to hasten my journey to Dublin in consequence of orders from
England. He adds “When you take leave off them at Chetwynd assured them all of
the trust I ever have in the protection of that Providence which has kindly
watched over them and myself through life and that I in nothing doubt a happy
return among them.” For my own part I think myself fortunate as I am in the
surest road to promotion and all my friends will, I trust, be reconciled to the
present separation in the prospect of my return to England hereafter with the
consciousness of having acquitted myself in the duties of my profession. As you
may not have yet heard from my good friend I must inform you the 17th has
received orders from England to hold men in immediate readiness to embark for
the East Indies, place of destination Bombay. For me to offer you any
consolation would be only an insult to your better sense which will tend to
teach you how necessary it is for our well being to acquiescence in the will of
an unerring Providence. I am happy to add my mother is much better reconciled
to it than I would have expected. Be assured it will be a very great addition
to my happiness to hear of your welfare. I am now going to Drayton and on the
evening shall place myself in the mail at Woore. Being so hurried you will
excuse this scroll. Give my best duty to my good Aunts and love to all my
Cousins when you write, and wishing you all the happiness in this world can
bestow believe me my dear Betsey.
Your affectionate friend and cousin
Richard Dodd Baker
I hope to reach Dublin this week. Adieu.”
They set sail for India in July, when he wrote; “We embarked on
board our respective ships last Wednesday and it is the Admiral's intention
should the wind be all favourable to sail this Evening. I am just arrived on
shore with Captain Whittey and others in an open Boat thoroughly drenched and I
lament my time will not allow me to express my sentiments in the manner I would
wish,” a rather ambiguous observation! The names of the ships in the convoy
were he tells us; “the Lord Hawkesbury, the Worcester (on which I am on
board), the Duke of Montrose and the Airey Castle under convoy of the Culloden
74 guns Sir Edward Pellew Commander.”
Although this letter was written from Portsmouth, the ship sailed
from the Isle of Wight, where he sat for his silhouette portrait, by the
Newport artist, J Buncombe. The picture hangs at Highfields with his dress
sword. During the voyage he kept his own log book, a Journal of a Voyage to
the East Indies 1804, in which one can follow the day-to-day happenings on
board, followed by the course and the number of knots covered from noon to
noon. The greatest distance covered was 215 knots “strong breezes, cloudy
with small rain”. 150 to 170 was more usual, about seven or eight knots an
hour. Most of the days were comparatively uneventful; however on September 8th
we read: “fresh breezes and pleasant. At 10 AM a strange sail seen to the
westward. Signal made by the Admiral for the United Kingdom and Alexander to
chase her. Suppose her an American. At 2 PM inquire for the Fleet to change
their course to east I/I South. At 5 PM the Lord Hawkesbury and Baring
reprimanded by the Commodore for not paying more attention to the signals.”
The United Kingdom, Alexander and Baring had joined the
convoy at Cowes. The voyage ended on Wednesday, December 12th. “At 10 AM
anchored off Fort William. At 2 PM disembarked with the detachment and marched
into barracks at Fort William.”
1806
Richard died on his way home from India on 12 August 1806.
Evening Sentinel, 29 November 1982: This
booklet also includes fascinating extracts from old financial accounts,
memoranda, and also letters and journals, including those from the early 1800s
written by Richard Dodd Baker junior while an undergraduate at Oxford and later
when en route to India with the 17th Leicestershire Regiment, the year before
Trafalgar.