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Henry Duke and the firm named after him
(Henry Duke and Son)

Henry Duke, like his forebears, was born in the Isle of Wight, in 1819. They can presently be traced back to 1590. He became much respected as an agriculturalist and was offered the tenancy of Lord Alington's farms in Dorset. He farmed extensively at Burleston, Broadmayne and Woodsford near Dorchester. Lord Alington and Henry Duke were said to be close friends. Lord Alington used to visit Henry Duke's farmhouse in the evenings where they would talk into the small hours drinking port by the decanter and disposing of the glasses into the fireplace so no one else could use them.

Woodsford was said to have the reputation of having one of the best mixed shoots in Dorset where generous bags of pheasant, partridge, woodcock snipe and duck regularly were taken. This was probably so if Lord Alington had anything to do with it.

His first wife was Jane Neale of Toller Porcorum. They had one son named George Henry. He moved to Newport, Isle of Wight between 1861 and 1871 and was residing there is 1931

After Jane's death in 1852 he married Emma Lucy from Chelmsford and had seven children with her. Emma died in 1879. The children were Henry 1854-1923, Robert born 1856, Thomas 1856-1937, Annie Born 1858, Edward Barnabus born 1859, Emma Olivia 1860-1870 and Marian Constance 1863-1938

Robert lived with his parents at Woodsford and was a corn merchant. He married Eleanor and had four daughters and a son named William who became a publican in Wincanton.

Thomas Duke married Mary Harriet Georgina Jacob. He farmed with his father at Woodsford . They had a daughter, Catherine Rachel (later Templar). He was a Labour party candidate (This would not have impressed Lord Alington!) and churchwarden at Woodsford. He died in 1937

Emma died at the age of 10 and was buried at Woodsford.

Annie married Robert Bell on 23rd June 1884. He was a director of Hanley's Brewery in Oxford.

Marian Constance was the first woman in Dorchester to ride a bicycle. She worked for the Red Cross and died a spinster in 1958

His third wife was Marian Street. She was the sister of his second wife. They were married in Belgium because their marriage in England was not considered legal. He died on 11th March 1897 and was buried at Woodsford. Marian survived him by 26 years and died in 1923. They had no children.

In 1878 he founded the firm of Henry Duke and Son in Dorchester. It seems clear that he used his farming knowledge to advise, sell, value, etc. The Dorset County Chronicle and Somersetshire Gazette dated 14th March carried the following advertisement:-

"As from 12 Cornhill, Dorchester. Henry Duke & Son beg to inform their agricultural friends and the public generally, they have commenced business at the above address as AUCTIONEERS, VALUERS, ESTATE AGENTS ETC.

HENRY DUKE trusts that his many years business connections (now over thirty) with most of the leading Agriculturists of the County, and his experience in the sale of stock and management of land will secure him the confidence and support of his friends".

His son and partner, Mr. Edward Duke, who has had considerable experience with Messrs. Waters, Son & Rawlence of Salisbury, will take the more active part in sales, and with the strictest attention to business, promptitude in payment, etc. they hope to merit and retain any support with which they may be favoured.

Messrs. Duke & Son propose to hold a Stock Sale at the NEW FAIR GROUND ON EVERY DORCHESTER GREAT MARKET DAY. NEXT SALE 2313178. Present Entries:-Prime Fat Steer, 2 Fat Heifers, 1 Ditto, 30 Fat Wether Tegs, 10 Horn Ewes, 10 Fat Lambs, 5 Ditto. All accounts remitted on the day of sale".

In the following year the firm took over the management of all Lord Alington's family property in the Dorchester area.

In addition to the sheep sales, 1882 saw the first of many wool sales held by Henry Duke and Son. These were a regular feature in Dorchester until 1939 when the marketing of wool was taken over by Board of Trade.

For many years the firm was associated with the sale of Dorset estates and property. The first property sale was said to bean estate of 750 acres known as Wolverton. It was thought for many years that this was Wolferton House at Charminster near Dorchester but recent family research suggests it was more likely to be Wolverton at Brading on the Isle if Wight. Wolverton Farm near Dorchester was certainly sold by the firm ten year later in 1889 for the Executors of W.H.Dunning.

The first valuation was at Warmwell House near Dorchester.

 In 1892 the firm was instructed in the sale of Lulworth Castle for the Weld Estates.

His other son, also Henry, who was born at Burleston, was also farming at West Knighton, Godmanstone and at Clandon. He was also a Land Agent and appears to have been in and out of the partnership, from time to time. He was said to bea difficult person to get on with. He took umbrage on one occasion and left the firm without notice, demanding paymentof his share immediately. He took some of his clients with him including the Lulworth Estates

Edward B. Duke had two sons, Henry and Barnaby both of whom were fulltime partners until their deaths in harness. John and Oliver Duke (sons of Barnaby Duke) became Partners after the Second World War.

Henry Duke and Son and Symonds and Sampson have operated in Dorchester market until recent years, often two days per week. Numbers of stock then possibly warranted more than one firm, but as numbers grew less, particularly since the last war, and the market places were not modernised, stock drifted away to markets in-land.

In 1958 Hy Duke and Son amalgamated with Milledge & Son, who had been established in Weymouth since 1823 and in 1969 there was a further amalgamation with the old established Weymouth firm Burch and Stone. Bill Stone remained one of the partners of the firm, but Arther Burch died in his 9lst year and must have been one of the oldest members of the profession.

Before the firm was taken over by the Royal Insurance Group in the late 1980's it had offices at Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland and Antique and Furniture Salerooms at the first two towns. The name of Henry Duke and Son is now only used by the salerooms and no family interest remains.

Abridged by Gerald Duke from and article by Henry Oliver Barnaby Duke
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Copyright Gerald Duke 2002