Biography of Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent 1796-1872

Before 18th April 1796 [his father] Matthew Hedley and [his mother] Jane Charlton were married.

On 18th April 1796 Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent was born to [his father] Matthew Hedley and [his mother] Jane Charlton.

Archaeologia Aeliana Series 4 Volume 33 Pagess 134-141. He [Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent (age 13)] had had an adventurous career. Entering the Navy in 1810, he took part in the American war, and before he was nineteen he had taken an enemy ship, had been captured and had made his escape, had fought in the operations against New Orleans in 1814, and again been taken prisoner.

Archaeologia Aeliana Series 4 Volume 33 Pagess 134-141. After sixteen years service, his [Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent (age 29)] health broke down, and he retired in 1826 as lieutenant, later being promoted commander (retd list)³¹.

Note 31. O'Byrne's Naval Biographical Dictionary.

Archaeologia Aeliana Series 4 Volume 33 Pagess 134-141. In 1831 a licence was granted for "William Dent Hedley of Shortflatt (age 34), son of Matthew Hedley, late of Newcastle upon Tyne, and grandson of William Hedley, late of the same place, by [his grandmother] Ann his wife, formerly Ann Dent, who was the aunt of William Dent of Shortflatt, decd, to take the name of Dent, and to bear the arms of Dent quarterly with those of Hedley, such arms being first duly exemplified according to the laws of arms^b."

Note b. The arms exemplified in 1831 were—Quarterly: 1st and 4th, or, on a bend per bend gules and sable, three fusils conjoined of the field, for dent: 2nd and 3rd, gules, two chevronels or, between three hawks belled argent, for hedley. Crests—1st dent; a panther's head affrontee erased, with flames issuing from the mouth and ears, transpierced by an arrow barbed and flighted, the pheon towards the dexter, all proper: 2nd h edley; a swallow rising out of clouds, motto—Nil desperandum.

John Hedley, mayor of Newcastle 1777, bore gules, a chevron between three falcons argent, talons and bells or (hedley), a scutcheon in pretence, gules, on a bend argent three molets azure (shafto), his crest being a martlet or, wings endorsed (A.A., 4th ser., XIII).

The Dents of Newcastle and Byker bore or, on a bend sable, three lozenges erminois (N.C.H., XIII, 275). Also see S.S., CXXII.

Archaeologia Aeliana Series 4 Volume 33 Pagess 134-141. [1831]. He [John Dent] was succeeded by his son, William Dent²⁶, who served in the Northumberland Militia for more than twenty- five years, retiring as lieut.-colonel. He died in 1831, leaving his real estate to William Dent Hedley (age 34), whose grandfather had married a daughter of William Dent of Wincomblee²⁷.

Note 26. Bapt. Long Benton, 1746.

Note 27. Wills of William Dent, 1742, and Hannah Dent, his widow, 1762.

Around 1840 [his daughter] Catherine Anne Dent Baroness Decies was born to Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent (age 43) and [his future wife] Ellen Mary Kerr (age 24). She married 31st July 1860 William Horsley-Beresford 3rd Baron Decies, son of John Horsley Beresford 2nd Baron Decies and Charlotte Philadelphia Horsley, and had issue.

On 12th May 1840 Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent (age 44) and Ellen Mary Kerr (age 24) were married.

On 16th April 1841 [his son] Captain William Seton Dent of Shortflatt Tower was born to Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent (age 44) and [his wife] Ellen Mary Kerr (age 25).

On 22nd February 1849 [his daughter] Maria Georgiana Hedley Dent was born to Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent (age 52) and [his wife] Ellen Mary Kerr (age 33).

On 8th June 1855 [his son] Edward Dent was born to Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent (age 59) and [his wife] Ellen Mary Kerr (age 39).

On 31st July 1860 [his son-in-law] William Horsley-Beresford 3rd Baron Decies (age 49) and [his daughter] Catherine Anne Dent Baroness Decies (age 20) were married. The difference in their ages was 28 years.

On 7th September 1860 [his son] Emily Maud Dent was born to Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent (age 64) and [his wife] Ellen Mary Kerr (age 44). He died aged less than one years old.

On 17th April 1861 [his son] Emily Maud Dent died. Wall memorial at St Andrew's Church, Bolam [Map].

Emily Maud Dent: On 7th September 1860 he was born to Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent and Ellen Mary Kerr.

On 31st July 1872 Commander William Dent Hedley aka Dent (age 76) died.

On 9th October 1892 [his former wife] Ellen Mary Kerr (age 76) died.