Charlotte Victoria Dodson was born on 10th November 1844 in St. Anne, Lancaster. She was the daughter of Thomas Gudgeon Dodson, solicitor, and Elizabeth, nee Kirkes, Charlotte had 2 older siblings, Harriet b.1840, and George b.1842. In 1846 her father died, aged just 35yrs, and her mother remarried in 1848; Charlotte's stepfather was the Reverend Edmund Clay, a widower, aged 24yrs, and the family lived in Leamington Priors, Warwickshire.
Charlotte's stepfather was later appointed Curate to St. Mary's Chapel, Brighton, Sussex, and the family moved to Keymer, a village near Brighton, where Charlotte lived until her marriage.
On 15th October 1867, aged 23yrs, Charlotte married the Reverend Henry McLeod Beckles, 21yrs, at St. Andrew's, Hove, Sussex. Henry was then appointed Curate to Broadwater Parish Church, Worthing, Sussex, and in 1871 they lived at Yew Villa, Broadwater Street.
Their first child, Elva, was born prematurely in 1868, and survived, but their first son, named Henry, also born prematurely in 1869, died shortly after birth. They had moved to Worthing for the sake of Charlotte's health, where 4 more children were born, Agnes Violet b.1871, Eustace Edmond b.1872, May Ethel b.1874, and Margaret W. b.1881.
In 1873 Henry was appointed the first Rector of St. Botolph's Church, Heene, Worthing, and served for 19 years before his untimely death, in 1892, aged just 45yrs.
Charlotte remained a widow for over 30 years, she lived in Worthing with her daughters for the rest of her life, moving from Heene to Goring, and then back to Tarring, where she died in 1926, aged 82yrs.
Probate was granted to her daughters, Elva Mary Alice Beckles and May Ethel Beckles, both spinsters, effects £324 19s 11d. Value 2024 - £24,800.