[citation needed] He was born on 1 March 1818 as "John Walrond Dickinson", the son and heir of Benjamin Bowden Dickinson (1793–1851), JP, DL, of Tiverton in Devon, Sheriff of Devon in 1824, the son of John Dickinson (died 1813) (by his wife Harriet Bowden), of Knightshayes Court, near Tiverton, a wealthy merchant in that town.
[3] John's mother was Frances Walrond, eldest daughter and eventual sole heiress of William Henry Walrond (born 1762) of Bradfield (near Tiverton) in Devon, by his wife Mary Alford of Sandford in Devon.
[4] At least six years after his marriage and following his wife's inheritance, by royal licence dated 21 April 1845 Benjamin changed his surname to Walrond.
[8] On 20 May 1845 Walrond married Frances Caroline Hood, a daughter of Samuel Hood, 2nd Baron Bridport (1788-1868), of Cricket St Thomas in Somerset, by his wife Charlotte Nelson, suo jure 3rd Duchess of Bronté (1787-1873), niece and eventual heiress of the great Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (1758-1805), by whom he had five children, two sons and three daughters as follows: Funeral.
The funeral of Sir John Walrond, who died at Cannes, took place 30 May 1889 at Bradfield near Tiverton, the family seat.