Hi Mick,
I don't quite know how William Esdaile CATTLEY acquired his middle
name, but I was interested to see the name mentioned. I don't know of
any direct family connection but presume that his father (the orchid
propagator) had a friend of that name who may have been William's
godfather. Wm Senior moved in exalted circles in London and may have
been friendly with Sir James Esdaile who was Lord Mayor of London in
the 1766 and died in 1839.
So I guess the answer is that there is no great significance, unless
someone else knows.
I hope that our English cousins are online and not flooded out !
Cheers..... Erica
What is the significance of the name "Esdaile"?
I have the following record from Venn, J. A., comp. Alumni
Cantabrigienses. London: Cambridge University Press, 1922-1954
William Esdaile. Cattley
TRINITY College
Entered Michs. 1837
Adm. pens. at TRINITY, Feb. 25, 1837. [S. and h. of William, Esq.,
late of Barnet, Herts., deceased.] Matric. Michs. 1837; B.A. 1841;
M.A. 1844. Adm. at Lincoln's Inn, Apr. 3, 1840.