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William OGDEN (1830–1903)
His first wife Mrs Susan OGDEN, née Willows (c.1829–1886)
St Mary Magdalen section: Row 30, Grave L63

William Ogden was born in Belton, Rutland in 1830 and baptised there on 15 February. He was the son of the farmer Henry Ogden and his wife Mary. At the time of the 1841 census William (11) was home in Belton with his parents and his siblings Ellen (14), John (9), and Thomas (6). He is hard to find in 1851.

Susan Willows was born in Oxford in c.1829 (her age fluctuates, and seems to be wrong on the headstone). She was the daughter of the butcher Thomas Willows and his second wife Lucy Rymill (born in Steeple Barton in 1790), who were married at St Giles's Church in Oxford on 24 June 1813: their first child Mary Willows was baptised there less than three months later on 10 September 1813. When their next child Thomas Richard Willows was born on 24 June 1819, Susan's parents were living in Ox Street, and he was baptised at St Thomas's Church on 5 July. It is hard to find a baptism for their next child Thirza or for Susan herself. By the time of the 1841 census Susan (11) was living at Friars Street in St Ebbe's with her widowed mother Lucy, who was a laundress, and her siblings Mary (25), Thomas (22), and Thirza (20). At the time of the 1851 census Susan (22), who was a milliner, was paying a visit to the shoemaker William Lambert in Summertown, while her mother Lucy (60), who was still working as a laundress, was living alone in St Ebbe's. Susan's mother died four years later near the beginning of 1855.

On 25 December 1855 at St Peter-in-the-East Church, Oxford, William Ogden, described as a joiner, married his first wife Susan Willows: they were both then living in that parish. They had one child:

• Florence Ellen Ogden (born in Oxford in 1857 (reg. third quarter) but not baptised at Holywell Church until 24 September 1871, when she was aged 14).

At the time of the 1861 census William Ogden (31), a carpenter & joiner who employed one man and two boys, was living at 73 Holywell Street (one of the houses demolished in 1874 to make way for the expansion of New College) with his wife Susan (34), who was a milliner employing one woman (presumably the sixteen-year-old girl who boarded with them), and their daughter Florence (3), plus a 14-year-old servant girl.

By 1866 the Ogdens had moved to 46 Holywell Street (one of the houses demolished for Hertford College's expansion in 1931). At the time of the 1871 census William (41), who now described himself as a builder, was living here with Susan (43) and their daughter Florence (13), plus a servant.

By 1880 the Ogdens had moved to 2 Worcester Street, and William was now a dealer in works of art and curiosities.

On 25 December 1880 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported the following statement that William Ogden made on the 28th day of the inquiry by the Oxford Electoral Commission at County Hall:

Mr. William Ogden, examined by Mr. Ridley, said – I am a dealer in curiosities, and live at 2, Worcester-street. I was secretary at St Mary Magdalen committee room. I had to check the returns of the canvassers and to canvass myself. I did not employ any of the clerks or messengers. I sent returns to the central committee room every day, and I and Poulter were fully employed. I received 10l. for my services at the May election. I received it some time after the election from Mr. Annetts, and I believe I gave a receipt for it. I had nothing to do with paying money away. I know nothing of the rate at which the messengers were paid. I simply furnished the number of days they had been engaged. I can't tell how the bill-posting was done in the district. I suppose it was done from the central committee room. Nothing was done at the St. Mary Magdalen committee room except canvassing. I had the ordering, with Mr. Freeman, of the breakfast at the Maidenhead [an inn in Turl Street]. Everybody employed at my committee room attended the breakfast, but I could not tell the exact number.

At the time of the 1881 census William (51), described as a dealer in works of art, was still living at 2 Worcester Street with his wife Susan (54) and their daughter Florence (23), plus a servant.

The first Mrs Ogden died in 1886:

† Mrs Susan Ogden née Willows died at Worcester Street at the age of 59 on 2 April 1886 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 6 April (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

At the time of the 1891 census William (61) was living at 2 & 3 Worcester Street with his daughter Florence (32) and their servant.

On 28 January 1893 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported on an appearance Ogden made before Oxford City Police Court:

DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. – William Ogden, Worcester-street, was charged with being drunk and disorderly on Carfax at 11.50 p.m. on the previous Friday. – Mr. H. F. Galpin appeared for the defendant and pleaded guilty. – Defendant had been bailed out, and as he did not appear the Magistrates adjourned the case for half-an-hour, and Mr. Galpin left the Court in order that he might find him. – Defendant afterwards appeared and pleaded guilty. – Mr Galpin said defendant had been out to a party and got a little elevated, and the result was what the Magistrates had heard. He had pleaded guilty, and he need hardly tell them how deeply he felt his position and regretted what had happened. Bearing in mind his long connection with the City and his good character, he asked them to deal as leniently as possible. – Fined 5s. and 3s. 6d. costs.

In 1896 William Ogden married his second wife (with the banns read in St Mary Magdalen Church):

• On 30 May 1896 at St Paul's Church, Oxford, William Ogden (66), described as a fine art dealer of 2 Richmond Road (then 2 Worcester Terrace), married Miss Elizabeth Parker (35) of 48 Observatory Street: she was born in Oxford in 1862 and was the daughter of the fine art dealer William Parker.

At the time of the 1901 census William (71), who was still dealing in works of art, was living at 2 & 3 Worcester Street with his second wife Elizabeth (39) and their servant. They do not appear to have had any children.

William Ogden died in 1902:

† William Ogden died at 2 Worcester Street at the age of 72 on 8 January 1902 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 11 January (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

His effects came to £2,896 11s. 11d., and his executors were his second wife Elizabeth and his only child by his first wife, Florence.

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The only child of William Ogden and his first wife Susan

• Florence Ellen Ogden (born 1857) never married, and is likely to be the Miss Ogden who was living at 347 Cowley Road in 1915. Florence died in the Headington registration district (which included Cowley) at the age of 65 near the beginning of 1923.