From Titheridge to Titheradge

Church gate in Swanmore,
Frederick's home village on 1851 census

 Frederick Titheridge was the fifth of nine children born to Richard Titheridge and Mary Ann Lasham. He was born on 29 July 1842 in the Droxford area of Hampshire.  On 1851 census he was living at Swanmore, Droxford with his parents and four siblings.

Frederick joined the Royal Navy on 24 April 1860 when aged 18, joining at HMS Britannia in Portsmouth. He enlisted for 10 years and then extended this for another 10 years. On enlistment he was described as 5 foot 5.5inches with brown hair, grey eyes and fresh complexion. Throughout his naval career his conduct was generally good or very good, although in 1865 there is a record of gaol in Cork for “breaking leave”. He served as a stoker in the navy and was discharged from the Royal Navy on 16 January 1880 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

His Record of continuous service shows him serving on the following ships

• HMS Britannia enlisted 24 April 1860.
• HMS Agamemnon 27 April 1860 to 12 October 1862
• HMS Hawker 19 October to 22 February 1865
• HMS Narcissus 20 March 1865 to 1 July 1869
• HMS Asia 18 July 1869 to 30 November 1869
• HMS Rinaldo 1 December 1869 to 2 July 1872
• HMS Duke of Wellington 3 July 1872 to 27 December 1872
• HMS Asia 1 January 1873 to 21 May 187
• HMS Pearl 27 May 1873 to 13 January 1877
• HMS Nympho 14 January 1877 to 6 January 1879
• HMS Wolverine 7 January 1879 to 16 January 1880

 
Having served nearly 20 years in the Navy Frederick disembarked at Sidney New South Wales in January 1880.  The following year he married Martha Hannah Pritchard, who was 18 years his junior. The marriage took place on 4 June 1881 at St Thomas Church, Narrandera, New South Wales over 300 miles from Sydney. Frederick and Martha had 10 children  

     Margaret born 1879or 1881 died 1964
     John Albert born 1882 died 1892
     Frederick born 1884 died 1938
     Daniel born 1885 died 1961
     Richard Joseph born 1888 died 1969
     Leonard Arthur born 1890 died 1968
     George William born 1892 died 1960
     Henry David Alexander born 1894 died 1967
     Elsie Beatrice born 1895 died 1972
     Rita Muriel born 1897 died 1988

 Frederick worked in Australia as a railway employee.  Frederick died 17 February 1914 in Molong, New South Wales and Martha died nearly 30 years later on 16 September 1943 in Orange, New South Wales.

Frederick served his entire navy career with the surname Titheridge but when he landed in Australia he spelt his surname Titheradge.  He married under this surname and all his children and descendants took on this new version of the surname, Titheradge. Later generations had no idea they were actually descended from the Titheridge line and that this new spelling variation was only begun in 1880.