Righteous Wake Catchpole 

1796 - 1854

Righteous Wake Catchpole was the first child of Edward Catchpole and Elizabeth Wake, born in Laxfield Suffolk in 1796. 

After his father Edward died in 1847, this announcement appeared in the Ipswich Journal on 13th November 1847. Righteous has decided to sell up his inheritance. There were some copyhold cottages which may have been a liability since he would have to find money to maintain them. They were probably in a bad state of repair after years of neglect. And there were probably significant debts to be paid from the estate.

 The goods being sold (good furniture, clock, books etc) give an indication that at one time Edward was quite well off. Indeed he probably paid for Righteous to have a decent education. 



Righteous was also affected by the decline of Laxfield's industries. He had been the owner and principal of a school known as Laxfield Academy. This would have provided a decent living when there was money available for parents to pay for their children's education.

But by 1847 there were probably no pupils left whose parents were able to afford the fees. This notice from The Suffolk Chronicle of 15 December 1827 suggests that Righteous, or RW as he prefers to be known, was able to educate his pupils in multiple languages and sciences. It gives the impression that the Laxfield Academy is a family run institution (although no evidence has come to light that RW ever married). The Academy seems to be thriving. And who is the mysterious 'Gentleman from London'?


But things changed for the worse by 1847 when Edward dies. RW sells off everything, and then we find him four years later in the 1851 census as a pauper., which means that he is living on poor relief from the parish. It looks quite possible that the parish bought the copyhold cottages at the auction and then allowed RW to continue living there. He is listed as a widower, but no marriage has come to light in Suffolk. RW is right in the middle of the page.

RW died three years later on 7th July 1854, and was buried at All Saints church.