Dorling Website

Unfortunately freesereve have stopped supporting pre-made websites uploaded from people's computers so the Dorling website is currently unavailable. When I have found a new service provider to host the website the site will be available again but will have a different address to the old one. I will post the new address here and on my Guild Of One-Name Studies profile page. In the mentime, please email me with any enquiries and Dorling family history.

Brandon War Memorial, Suffolk

William Dorling of Brandon, is commemorated on the Brandon War memorial.  He died 23 March 1918 age 27, son of Harry and Mary Dorling of 156 London Road, Brandon.  He has survived 3 years of the war and was in the 7th Battalion of the Border Regiment (West and Cumb Yeomanry) Service No 23133 when he died.

On joining the army,  Norfolk Regiment, Service No 18743, on 1 Feb 1915, Harry was 5 ft 9.5 inches tall, weighed 139 lbs, and his girth when fully expanded was 36".  His physical development is recorded as good.  His occuapation was game keeper.  At some point he was transferred to the Border Regiment No 23133. 

Branch unknown: "Dorling Taking Aim"

This photo shows a Dorling gamekeeper and is probably in the Brandon / Mildenhall area of Suffolk. If anyone has any ideas about who the people are or where they are, please contact me. The photo is not very clear but I have also put 2 close up pictures of the people which are a bit easier to see. 

Branch unknown: Dorling taking aim

Part of a post card entitles "Dorling taking aim" which is assumed to be a Dorling gamekeeper in NW Suffolk - Elveden, Brandon, Mildenhall area. Please let me know of you recognise anyone. 

Unknown Dorling, assumed to be a gamekeeper in NW Suffolk

This photo is called "Dorling taking aim" and is assumed to one of the Dorlings who was a gamekeeper. The Brandon and Mildenhall area of Suffolk had Dorling gamekeepers, some of whom are known to have worked at Elveden on the estate of the Earl of Iveagh. The soldier standing next to Dorling suggests a date of either WW1 or WW2. Suggestions for date most welcome, and if anyone recognises who the Dorling is, (or anyone else in the photo) please let me know. 

BSE: Alf Meekins, son of Agnes Dorling 1875 BSE

Photo and following information kindly provided by Jacqui Meekins: "Alf, or 16007 Lance Corporal William James Meekins of the 1st / 1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment died on 23rd September 1918 following the Battle of Epehy in Northern France. Alf had been in the army for the whole four years of the war so it's terribly sad that he died so near the end of it. I don't know what injuries he sustained but I know he died five days after being wounded because my Grandad was also in the trenches at that time and asked permission to visit his brother which was refused - something that upset Grandad for the rest of his life. Apparently, the last time Alf was home on leave before he died, he really didn't want to go back and his father had to make him go, so you can imagine how my Great Grandad felt when Alf was killed. When Alf did go back, he kept coming back to the top of the road (Fletcher Rd in Acton) to wave. It was as if he knew he wouldn't be seeing the family again. Alf is buried in the war grave at Epehy Wood Farm Cemetary. 

Olga Dorling: originally unknown Dorling branch, now known to be Herringswell.

This photo was taken in the 1930s of Olga Dorling in the Stanley area of County Durham. The photo was kindly sent to me by Marg Burgess who found it in her late mother's possession.  It took a while to find out which of 2 possible Olga's she was.

Olga was b. 1923 the daughter of Thom Dorling b. 1895 Urpeth Durnham (son of Thomas Jacob Dorling b. 1836 Barton Mills who moved to County Durham between 1851 and 1861, where many Suffolk families went for work at around this time) & Jenny nee Wright.

Thom had survived the 1st World War after both getting married and joining the Durham Light Infantry in 1915.   He received a gun shot wound to his arm, which was classified as "mild".

In 1939 the family were living at 31 The Bungalows, Stanley, Durham. Thom was Colliery Deputy Overman Below and an A.R.P. Ambulance Driver.  Wife Jennie / Jane Dorling 2b. 6 Apr 1896 Unpaid Domestic Duties , 1 closed record (presumed to be eldest daughter Phyllis), and Olga Dorling (Jarvis) 07 Aug 1923 who was a Chemist Shop Assistant and Single. Olga married and had a family, so some descendants are probably out there somewhere.

BSE: May Dorling 1892 BSE

May Dorling, daughter of Amelia Dorling and Granddaughter of Alfred Dorling = Mary Campion. Emigrated with her mother and family to Australia. Photo kindly provided by relative. 

BSE: Amelia Dorling

Amelia Dorling, born 1867, daughter of Alfred Dorling = Mary Campion. . Amelia married Arthur Robert Gardner, brother of her sister Agnes's (see photo below) husband and they moved to Australia with daughters May and Ann Margaret (Dolly). Photograph kindly proveded by a descendent .  

BSE: Agnes Dorling

Agnes Dorling born 1875 BSE the daughter of Alfred Dorling = Mary Campion, kindly provided by her Great Granddaughter Jacqui Meekins. Agnes married William James Meekins in 1893 and had 2 sons. During WW1 she was recorded as "whereabouts unknown" on her sons army papers, so any possible information on what became of her would be appreciated. 

Bedfield: Rev William Dorling 1931-1912

Rev William Dorling, born 1831 Framlingham, school teacher in Framlingham 1851, married Elizabeth Ann Colbourne 1857 Buckhurst Hill Essex. Congregational Minister & Writer, died 1912, obituaries in the Congregational Year Book and The Literary Review. 3 sons and 3 daughters.
Photo and obituary kindly provided by Leonard and Ruth Caspick. 

Bedfield: Frederick Charles 1872, with his wife and children

Frederick Charles Dorling born 1872 Ipswich and his wife Alice nee Hayward, with their 6 children: at the back left to right - Cecil, Evelyn, Ivy, Leslie, middle - May, front - Arthur, Mary. This photograph kindly provided by Ruth Kaspick, daughter of Cecil Dorling. 

Bacton: Betsy Lemon, 2nd wife of William 1843 Bacton

Betsy Dorling nee Lemon, mother of Ready 1880, William Right 1882, Horace 1885, May 1887 and Lily 1890, kindly provided by Mike Bareham, descendant of May nee Dorling and James Diaper. 

Bacton: May 1887 & Lily 1890

The daughters of William 1843 Bacton and May's husband James Diaper. Photo kindly provided by Mike Bareham, a descendant of May & James. 

Bacton: Horace 1885

Hap Dorling of Bacton, father of Joy and Phyllis. Joy still lives in Bacton and has been a point of contact for many Bacton descendents over the years. Photo kindly provided by Mike Bareham, descendent of Hap's sister May. 

Bacton: Charles Ernest 1892-1916, son of Charles.

Charles, pictured on left on photo, died when a stoker on the Queen Mary in the 1916 Battle of Jutland.

"The Queen Mary, a 28, 000-ton ship blew up after being struck by a salvo of shells abreast of one of her turrets. The ship seemed to collapse inwards, the masts and funnels falling together, the side of the ship being blown outwards, and the armoured roofs of the turrets being hurled 100 feet high, in the wink of an eyelid 57 officers and 1,209 men had gone to their deaths."
From "Endless Story" by Captain Henry Taprell
Dorling D.S.O Royal Navy.

Bedfield: George Hall jn, grandson of John Drew & Ann nee Dorling, painted by father George Hall (tailor of Framlingham) about 1871

 

Bedfield: Maria Drew daughter of John Drew & Ann nee Dorling 1788 bedfield, & son Edgar Hall, painted by Maria's husband George Hall about 1866

 

Dennington: Headstone of Jonathan Dorling of Dennington, Ipswich and Laxfield in Suffolk

Jonathan was born in Dennington in 1714.  He was married 3 times, lived in Ipswich where his son William was born, and buried in Laxfield in 1786    His headstone was erected by his son William in 1844.  William was born in 1775 Ipswich, son of Jonathan's 3rd wife Elizabeth Thurlow. 

Laxfield Headstone Entries Book:

Entry 126    "Johnathan Dorling son of Nicholas and Sarah Dorling or Dawling thus of Dennington, 19 Jan 1786 age 68.  Elizabeth his wife daughter of John and Maria Thurlow of Stonham Aspall of this county 14 Deb 1817 age 83, Elizabeth daughter of the above 24 Nov 1799 age 22 headstone erected 1844 by their son W Dorling of Epsom, surrey.  S.E. corner from South Gate round to N.E. corner"

William's older brother Jonathan moved to Surrey, and he and his son Jonathan, who died age about 27, are buried in Leatherhead. 

William appears to have trained as a printer and did well for himself as a stationer and book seller.  The book "Epsom and the Dorlings"  describes him riding over the Sussex downs and falling in love with Bexhill.  William  moved to Bexhill, where his children were born and brought up.    William's children all did very well and they and their descendants are among some of the most well known Dorlings.

Dennington: Henry 1806 Bexhill in the Illustrate London News 1859