We Remember ... Heroes of the Faith at St. Michael's - Francis Dodridge

FRANCIS ELLERY DODRIDGE
12 April 1861 – 20 March 1944

Francis Dodridge was born in Devonport, Devon on 12 April 1861 and married Mary Eva Elliott in East Stonehouse, Devon in 1888. They had four children; Lillian, Francis, Elaine & Thomas William and lived at 100 Wavendon Avenue. Mr Dodridge was a Sidesman at St Michael’s for a number of years and in 1921 became People’s Warden. He retired from this post in 1925 on the family’s move to the country.

Sadly Thomas, who had joined the Coldstream Guards, had been killed, missing in action, on 13 April 1918. There is a memorial to Thomas at Ploengsteert near Hainalt, Belgium. Mr and Mrs Dodridge and their family also gave a memorial window for Thomas in our Lady Chapel. It shows St. Michael and is one of four windows featuring the Archangels.

The other three windows are as follows:

• The Angel Gabriel was a gift from the Friends of Gunnersbury School. The ‘Michael’ and ‘Gabriel’ windows were dedicated on 3 and 5 March 1920, a month or so before the ‘Te Deum’ East window was dedicated.
• The Uriel window was the Gunnersbury School window and was dedicated on 22 April 1922.
• Finally the Raphael window, named the ‘Children’s Window’, was dedicated the same day and was in memory of Henry Carter. All four windows were designed by Horace Wilkinson.

Francis Dodridge died in Ipswich on 20 March 1944.