Dyson, George

George Dyson was baptised on 18.4.1773 aged 25 days old at Christ Church Spitalfields son of Abraham, warehouseman of Barr St, by Margaret. Oddly both he and his younger brother Abraham were born before Abraham Dyson, bachelor of St Andrew Holborn married Margret Roberts, spinster of the Old Artillery Ground by license at Christ Church Spitalfields on 14.9.1777. Both his parents were already in their mid-thirties when George was born. The Dysons were noncomformists by religion. Abraham junior also fathered illegitimate children, (though they didnt survive him) and when he died the Treasury Solicitor confiscated his property as "a bachelor and a bastard". Thanks to this a considerable archive of the Dyson family containing more than 50 letters survives (Nat Arch TS11/463). When Abraham junior died in 1818, a cousin on his mother's side, John Hawe took out administration of his effects, calling himself "only next of kin" (George Dyson had been living in Buenos Ayres for some time then). In 1819 this was revoked and administration granted to George Maule Esq, the Treasury Solicitor. When George Dyson died at Bath in 1822, John Hawes Esq his "lawful cousin German" took administration and seems to have got away with it. (The Dyson papers were in total disarray when I first looked at them, I have put them in approximate date order.)
George Dyson's father Abraham was a carpet warehouseman in Holborn and later became the beadle of Ironmongers' Hall. His sister Dorothy had married her cousin Jeremiah Dyson who was clerk to the House of Commons (ODNB 1722? - 1776). George Dyson attended Marlborough grammar school and was then apprenticed to the merchant Thomas Raikes who became Governor of the Bank of England, (his brother was Robert Raikes ODNB 1736-1811). From Godwin's diary it appears that Raikes introduced George and his brother Abraham to Godwin. In the years he was friends with Godwin, George Dyson lived with his parents at Ironmongers' Hall, for which John Arnot made fun of him in a letter to Godwin (Abinger). In 1806 he went to South America, returning to England in January 1808 and then going out to Buenos Aires again in October as supercargo to the ship Venus for Messrs Hullett, Brothers & Co. The intention was to round Cape Horn but the political situation forced him to remain in Buenos Ayres. He remitted considerable sums of money to his parents and wrote home frequently of his intention to return home soon but didn't come back until about 1821, by which time his mother, father and brother had all died. His letters are full of filial duty and affection, strangely contrasting with his turbulent and arrogant letters to Godwin. He mentioned Godwin's sister Hannah with fondness and commissioned millinery from her to be sent out to him. Maria Gisborne wrote of him to Mary Shelley in 1822 that she had heard he had returned to England having made his fortune but lost his health and intellect. By the date of that letter he had already been buried at St James Bath on 17.5.1822. His cousin John Hawes (at one time a printer of Stamford, Lincs) took out administration of his effects sworn as under £2000 (Nat Arch PCC admons May 1822).