Dixie Baronets
Encyclopedia
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
in 1660 for Sir Wolstan Dixie (1602–1682), a supporter of King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and afterwards. He was descended from a brother of Sir Wolstan Dixie
Wolstan Dixie
Sir Wolstan Dixie, , was a merchant and administrator, and Lord Mayor of London in 1585.-Life:He was the son of Thomas Dixie and Anne Jephson, who lived at Catworth in Huntingdonshire. Wolstan was the fourth son of his father, and went into business...
, the sixteenth century Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
who founded the Dixie Professorship of Ecclesiastical History
Dixie Professor of Ecclesiastical History
The Dixie Professorship of Ecclesiastical History is one of the senior professorships in history at the University of Cambridge.Lord Mayor of London in the 16th century, Sir Wolstan Dixie, left funds to found both scholarships and fellowships at Emmanuel College, Cambridge...
in the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. Their home was Bosworth Hall near Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth is a small market town and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a district known as the Market Bosworth Rural District. In 1974 it merged with the Hinckley Rural District to form a new district named Hinckley and Bosworth...
. The title became extinct with the death of the thirteenth Baronet, another Sir Wolstan Dixie, in 1975.
- Sir Wolstan Dixie of Market Bosworth (1576 – 25 July 1630), great-nephew of the first Sir Wolstan Dixie, and father of the 1st Baronet. Knighted by James 1 in 1604, then of Appleby MagnaAppleby MagnaAppleby Magna is a village and civil parish in the district of North West Leicestershire, England.The civil parish, as well as Appleby Magna, includes the small Hamlet of Appleby Parva and the Villages of Norton-Juxta-Twycross, Snarestone and Swepstone...
. In 1608 he moved to Market BosworthMarket BosworthMarket Bosworth is a small market town and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a district known as the Market Bosworth Rural District. In 1974 it merged with the Hinckley Rural District to form a new district named Hinckley and Bosworth...
in 1608 and commenced work on the original manor house and Dixie Grammar SchoolDixie Grammar SchoolDixie Grammar School is a school in Market Bosworth, Leicestershire. It is next door to the high school Market Bosworth High School.The earliest records of the School's existence date from 1320, but the school was re-founded in 1601 under the will of an Elizabethan merchant and Lord Mayor of...
. In 1614 he was High Sheriff of LeicestershireHigh Sheriff of LeicestershireThis is a list of High Sheriffs of Leicestershire. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred...
and in 1625 its representative to Parliament.
List of Dixie Baronets of Market Bosworth
- Sir Wolstan Dixie, 1st Baronet (before 3 October 1602–13 February 1682) married (firstly) Barbara, daughter and heiress of Sir Henry Beaumont, Bart.of Gracedie, Leicester, and widow of John Harpur; and (secondly) Frances , daughter of Edward Hersilridge, Esq. Barbara Beaumont was her father's sole heiress and represented a Leicestershire family which claimed descent from the House of PlantagenetHouse of PlantagenetThe House of Plantagenet , a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the...
. The first Baronet died in 1682 at the age of eighty and was succeeded by his eldest son - Sir Beaumont Dixie, 2nd Baronet (1629–1692) married Mary, daughter and sole heiress of Sir William Willoughby of SelstonSelstonSelston is a hilltop village and civil parish in the District of Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 12,208 St Helen's Church dates back to 1150 AD although the exterior of the church was altered by restoration and enlargement in 1899...
, NottinghamshireNottinghamshireNottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, and was the builder of Bosworth Hall. He died in 1692 and was succeeded by his eldest son - Sir Wolstan Dixie, 3rd Baronet (1667 – December 1713) married Rebecca (died 1714), daughter of Sir Richard Atkins, Bart. The 3rd Baronet died in December 1713 and was succeeded by his eldest son
- Sir Wolstan Dixie, 4th BaronetSir Wolstan Dixie, 4th BaronetSir Wolstan Dixie, 4th Baronet was the among most colourful of the 13 Dixie Baronets of Market Bosworth, descended from the second Sir Wolstan Dixie, knighted by James I in 1604, and Sheriff of Leicester .-Biography:The 4th Baronet was born at Bosworth...
(?–1767) who married firstly, 1 May 1735, Anna (died July 1739), heiress of Tobias Freer, Governor of BarbadosBarbadosBarbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
; secondly, Theodosia (died 14 May 1751), daughter of Henry Offley Wright, Esq.; and thirdly Margaret, daughter of William Cross, gent. This Sir Wolstan was a colourful character.One story of him is that he strongly objected to men with waggons driving across his park, and a neighbouring squire, Wrightson MundyWrightson MundyWrightson Mundy was High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1737 and MP for Leicestershire in 1747.-Biography:Wrightson married Anne daughter of Robert Burdett and sister of Sir Robert Burdett, Bt of Foremarke Hall, Derbyshire by whom he had one son and four daughters...
of Osbaston HallOsbaston HallOsbaston Hall is a privately owned 18th-century country house at Osbaston, Leicestershire. It is the home of the de Lisle family and a Grade II* listed building.The oldest fabric of the house dates from the late 16th or early 17th century...
, dressed up as a waggoner, was warned off by Dixie, and they fought. When Dixie was later presented to King George IIGeorge II of Great BritainGeorge II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, he asked "Bosworth, Bosworth. Big battle at Bosworth, wasn’t it?" and Dixie replied "Yes, sire. But I thrashed him." The 4th Baronet died in 1767 and was succeeded by his son. This is the Baronet who was employer of Samuel JohnsonSamuel JohnsonSamuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
during his four months at Bosworth in 1732. - Sir Wolstan Dixie, 5th Baronet (9 March 1737–12 January 1806) who died unmarried in 1806, and was succeeded by his cousin
- Sir Beaumont Joseph Dixie, 6th Baronet RNRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(?–20 July 1814) grandson of the Rev. Beaumont Dixie, second son of the third Baronet, he was a prisoner of warPrisoner of warA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1802 to 1814 and died unmarried at Bosworth House in 1814, six days after his return from France, and was succeeded by his brother - Sir William Willoughby Wolstan Dixie, 7th Baronet (−26 October 1827) married 21 November 1815 Bella-Anna (died 1820), daughter of the Rev. Thomas Adnutt, Rector of Croft, Leicestershire. He died in 1827 and was succeeded by his eldest son
- Sir Willoughby Wolstan Dixie, 8th Baronet (16 October 1816–23 July 1850) married, 16 March 1841, Louisa-Anne, a daughter of Lieutenant-General Sir Evan Lloyd KCHRoyal Guelphic OrderThe Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
, by whom he had three daughters. He died in 1850 and was succeeded by his uncle, the brother of the 6th and 7th Baronets - Sir Alexander Dixie, 9th Baronet (1780 – December 1857), Captain RNRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, died 1857 and was succeeded by his eldest son - Sir Alexander Beaumont Churchill Dixie, 10th Baronet (24 December 1819–1872) was a Doctor of MedicineDoctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
and a Justice of the PeaceJustice of the PeaceA justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Leicestershire. The 10th Baronet died in 1872 and was succeeded by his eldest son - Sir Alexander Beaumont Churchill Dixie, 11th Baronet (22 December 1851–1924), who married the travel writer and feminist Lady Florence DouglasLady Florence DixieLady Florence Caroline Dixie , before her marriage Lady Florence Douglas, was a British traveller, war correspondent, writer and feminist.-Early life:...
, 3 April 1875. He died in 1924 and was succeeded by his eldest son. Sold Bosworth Hall to Charles Tollemache Scott. - Sir Douglas Dixie, 12th BaronetSir Douglas Dixie, 12th BaronetSir George Douglas Dixie, 12th Baronet , known as Sir Douglas Dixie, was the last but one of the Dixie Baronets. He served in the Royal Navy and the King's Own Scottish Borderers.-Early life:...
(18 January 1876–25 December 1948) After serving in the Royal Navy as a midshipmanMidshipmanA midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
, he was commissioned into the King's Own Scottish BorderersKing's Own Scottish BorderersThe King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
in 1895 and married Margaret Lindsay, daughter of Sir A Jardine, 8th Baronet. He was promoted a temporary captain in the 5th Battalion the KOSB, 26 November 1914. He died in 1948 and was succeeded by his son - Sir Wolstan Dixie, 13th Baronet (8 January 1910–28 December 1975), who married twice and had two daughters. With his death in 1975, the title became *DORMANT. The 13th Baronet wrote an autobiography, published in 1972, called Is it True What They Say About Dixie? The Second Battle of Bosworth
- His eldest daughter, Eleanor has been fighting to have the title passed through the female line on the grounds of the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975. She is still fighting this cause.
Arms and motto
- Arms: Azure, a lion rampant or, a chief of the last
- Crest: An ounce sejant proper ducally gorged or
- Motto: Quod dixi dixi (What I have said, I have said)