Tag: Elizabeth

Shoreditch—a Tale of Woe

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Today’s post starts with a record I recently found on Ancestry. The record comes from a register of admissions and discharges from the Shoreditch workhouse in London.[1]

William Casbon London Workhouse register 1827
Detail from an alphabetical register of admissions and discharges, Shoreditch workhouse, 1827, showing entries for William and Sophia Casbon, admitted on 13 March and again on 11 April. (Click on image to enlarge)

The record shows that William Casbon, age 43, and Sophia Casbon, age 27, were admitted to the workhouse 13 March 1827 and discharged 9 April “with 3/ [shillings?].” They were admitted again from 11 to 30 April 1827, and this time discharged “with 25/ to redeem his Furniture [or Furnishing?].” They were admitted to wards 8 and 10, presumably men’s and women’s wards, respectively.

Who were William and Sophia Casbon and why were they in the Shoreditch workhouse? A marriage record from 1822 shows that William Casbon, a bachelor, married Sophia Phillips, a spinster, in the Parish of St. Matthew, Bethnal Green, London, on 1 December 1822.[2] Bethnal Green is a short distance east of Shoreditch. I know this is the correct couple because of another record presented later in this post.

Wm and Sophia marriage 1822
Detail from Register of Marriages, St. Matthew, Bethnal Green, 1822.
Note that William and Sophia each signed with their marks.

Based on the ages written in the workhouse register, William would have been born in about 1784 and Sophia in about 1800. I have an extensive database of baptismal records for Casbon and related surnames throughout England. Baptisms were recorded for William Caseburn in 1780 (Downham, Norfolk), William Casebourn in 1788 (Soham, Cambridgeshire), and William Casbolt in 1789 (Linton, Cambridgeshire), but there is nothing to connect them to William of Shoreditch. The marriage of John Casbon to Elizabeth Toon was recorded at St. Leonard’s Shoreditch in 1783, so it’s possible they were either William’s parents or related to him in some way.[3] There is no evidence that William comes from the Meldreth or Peterborough Casbon lines.

Sophia Phillips was a common name and there are many corresponding baptismal records. Without knowing the names of her parents, it is impossible to tell where or when she was born.

Shoreditch is an ancient suburb of London and is now part of inner London. By the early to mid 1800s, it was mainly a lower and working class area.

london 1827 detail
Detail of an 1827 map of London; approximate location of Shoreditch is circled; arrow points to St. Leonard’s Church; John & Christopher Greenwood, “Map of London, From an actual Survey made in the Years 1824, 1825 & 1826” (London: Greenwood, Pringle & Co., 1827); digital image, David Rumsey Historical Map Collection (https://davidrumsey.com : accessed 13 Mar 2020); Creative Commons License. (Click on image to enlarge)

Workhouses were institutions designed to support the poor with food, lodging and medical care. While charitable in nature, conditions in the workhouses were often so bad that only the truly desperate would seek admission. “Men, women, children, the infirm, and the able-bodied were housed separately and given very basic and monotonous food such as watery porridge called gruel, or bread and cheese. All inmates had to wear the rough workhouse uniform and sleep in communal dormitories.”[4] Thus, we can infer that William and Sophia were admitted to the workhouse because of difficult circumstances. They would have desired to get out as soon as their situation allowed.

The couple had at least three children. A daughter, Elizabeth, was baptized at the City of London Lying-in Hospital, St. Luke’s Parish, on 26 August 1829.[5] Elizabeth’s burial at St. Leonard Church, Shoreditch, was recorded on 29 July 1831.[6] A son named Joseph or John (both names are used in different records) was born in about December 1832 and died at Shoreditch workhouse one year later.[7] Finally, another son, James, was born at the Shoreditch workhouse on 30 May 1834.[8]

Seven weeks after James was born, Sophia was interviewed at the Shoreditch workhouse and revealed some startling news.[9]

Sophia Casben poor law removal record 21Jul1834
Statement of Sophia Casbon, Shoreditch Poor Law Union, 21 Jul 1834. (Click on image to enlarge)

                 July 21
Sophia Casben – No 5 New Court Webb Sqr
Saith that she is 33 years of age is the wife
of Wm Casben to whom she was married in
Bethnal Green Church on 1st Decr – 1821 and
by him hath one child named James aged
7 weeks –
She has been informed that when she was
married to him he had a wife then living.
So she was informed by a Mrs Thompson who
then lived in No [blank] Brick Lane above[?] a
silk winder –
That she hath not seen him for above
4 months – that she doth not know where
he resides or is to be found –

So, we learn the terrible news that Sophia has been abandoned by her husband and that he married her when he was already married to another woman.

There is a marriage record of William Casbourn to Margaret Black at St. James Church, Westminster in May 1817[10] and records of children born to this marriage, but there is insufficient evidence to prove that he is the man who later married Sophia. It is not possible to positively identify William through later census or death records. Thus, we lose track of him at Sophia’s last sighting in early 1834.

I’ve drawn up a chronology of this family’s story as far as I’ve been able to trace it.

  • About 1784: William Casbon is born, location unknown
  • About 1800: Sophia Phillips is born, location unknown
  • 1 December 1822: William and Sophia are married, St. Matthew Church, Bethnal Green
  • 13 March 1827: William and Sophia are admitted to Shoreditch workhouse; discharged
    9 April
  • 11 April 1827: William and Sophia are admitted to Shoreditch workhouse; discharged 30 April
  • 26 August 1829: Elizabeth Casbon, daughter of William & Sophia, is baptized, City of London Lying-in Hospital, St. Luke Parish, Westminster
  • 29 Jul 1831: Elizabeth is buried, St. Leonard Church, Shoreditch
  • About December 1832: Joseph/John Casbon is born (based on age given in subsequent records)
  • 26 September 1833: Sophia and Joseph/John Casbon are admitted to Shoreditch workhouse; discharged 5 October[11]
  • 10 October 1833: Sophia and Joseph/John Casbon are admitted to Shoreditch workhouse; Joseph/John dies there 7 December and is buried 17 December at St. Leonard Church, Shoreditch; Sophia is discharged 18 December[12]
  • 6 January 1834: Sophia is admitted, Shoreditch workhouse; discharged 10 January[13]
  • 15 February 1834: Sophia is admitted, Shoreditch workhouse; discharged
    24 February[14]
  • 24 February 1834: Sophia is readmitted, Shoreditch workhouse; discharged
    27 February[15]
  • 30 May 1834: James Casbon is born at Shoreditch workhouse (baptized at St. Leonard Church, Shoreditch, 19 June 1834)[16]
  • 21 July 1834: Sophia reports her husband missing for the previous four months
  • 15 August 1835: Sophia and James are admitted to Shoreditch workhouse; both are transferred to Enfield (poor house for infants) 20 August[17]
  • 18 March 1836: Sophia is admitted to Shoreditch workhouse; she dies there 8 July[18]
  • 11 July 1836: Sophia is buried, St. Leonard Church, Shoreditch[19]
  • 1841 census: James, age 7, is living at Enfield, District Workhouse for Shoreditch Poor Children[20]
  • 24 October 1843: James Casbon (age incorrectly listed as 11)—— is admitted to Shoreditch workhouse; unknown discharge date[21]

We can see that from September 1833 until her death on 8 July 1836, Sophia was admitted to the Shoreditch workhouse on multiple occasions. Although the circumstances are not described, we can assume that she must have been desperately poor, and possibly ill for much of this time. Her young son Joseph died at the workhouse in 1833 and her next son, James, was born there five months later. In August 1835, Sophia and James were transferred to the Shoreditch Infant Poor House located at Enfield, about 10 miles north of London. James probably remained there throughout his early childhood. Sophia was probably in the final stages of an illness (tuberculosis?) when she was admitted to the Shoreditch workhouse for the last time in March 1836 and remained there until her death in July.

James, now an orphan, was still in the Children’s workhouse at Enfield when the 1841 census was taken. The last record we have of him is his admission to the Shoreditch workhouse in October 1843. It is unknown what happened to him after that, but as an orphan in Victorian London, it is unlikely that his story had a happy ending.

James Casborn workhouse admission and death 1843
Detail from an alphabetical register of admissions and discharges, Shoreditch workhouse, 1843, showing admission of James Casborn on 24 October; the meaning of the “X” markings under “Discharged” and “Remarks” is unknown. (Click on image to enlarge).

The story of William and Sophia Casbon and their family is a sad addition to Our Casbon Journey. Their tragic tale would have been fitting for a Charles Dickens novel, minus the happy ending.

[1] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60391/ : accessed 10 Mar 2020) >Hackney >Shoreditch >Alphabetical List Workhouse Admissions with Subsequent Discharges, 1823–1831 >image 51 of 190; citing London Metropolitan Archives; reference no. P91/LEN/1336.
[2] St. Matthews, Bethnal Green, Register of Marriages, vol 12 [1818–1823], p. 224, no. 672; imaged as “Parish registers for St. Matthew’s Church, Bethal Green, 1745–1900,” browsable images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/008040614?cat=110313 : accessed 10 Mar 2020); Film DGS 8040614, item 4, image 774 of 838.
[3] Westminster, St. Leonard Parish, Register of Marriages [1883–1785], p. 49, no. 145; imaged as “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754–1932, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1623/ : accessed 12 March 2020) > Hackney >St Leonard, Shoreditch >1783–1875 >image 25 of 263; London Metropolitan Archives, P91/LEN/A/01/Ms 7498/13.
[4] Peter Higginbotham, “Introduction,” The Workhouse: story of an institution … (http://workhouses.org.uk/intro/ : accessed 13 Mar 2020).
[5] Middlesex, Saint Luke Parish, City of London Lying in Hospital, Register of baptisms, 1829, p. 25, no. 196; imaged as “London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813–1917,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1558/ : accessed 12 March 2020) > Islington >City of London Lying-In Hospital, City Road, Finsbury >1820–1837 >image 161 of 296; London Metropolitan Archives, DL/T/013/017.
[6] Middlesex, St. Leonard Shoreditch, Register of Burials [1829–1832], p. 237, no. 1893; imaged as “London, England, Church of England Deaths and Burials, 1813–2003,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1559/ : accessed 12 Mar 2020) >Hackney >St Leonard, Shoreditch >1829–1832 >image 121 of 153; London Metropolitan Archives, P91/LEN/A/012/MS07499/019.
[7] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” >Hackney >Shoreditch >Alphabetical List Workhouse Admissions with Subsequent Discharges, 1832–1836 >image 34 of 173; London Metropolitan Archives, P91/LEN/1337.
[8] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” (same as above), image 36 of 173.
[9] Shoreditch, Westminster, England, Poor Law settlement papers, vol. “H” [Dec 1833–May 1838], p. 63, 21 Jul 1834; imaged as “London, England, Selected Poor Law Removal and Settlement Records,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2651/ : accessed 10 March 2020) >Shoreditch >Settlement Papers >1833 Dec–1838 May >image 74 of 309; citing London Metropolitan Archives, London; reference no. P91/LEN/1270.
[10] “England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9852/ : accessed 12 Mar 2020), William Casbon & Sophia Phillips; citing FHL film no. 1042319.
[11] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” Ancestry, same as above, image 34 of 173.
[12] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” (same as above). Also, Middlesex, St. Leonard Shoreditch, Record of Burials [1832–1833], p. 241, no. 1921 (buried as “John Casburn); imaged as “London, England, Church of England Deaths and Burials, 1813–2003,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1559/ : accessed 12 Mar 2020) >Hackney >St Leonard, Shoreditch >1831–1833 >image 59 of 61; citing London Metropolitan Archives, DL/T/069/049.
[13] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” (same as above) >image 35
of 173.
[14] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” (same as above).
[15] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” (same as above).
[16] “England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9841/ : accessed 12 Mar 2020), entry for James Casben.
[17] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” (same as above), image 38 of 173.
[18] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” (same as above), image 40 of 173.
[19] Middlesex, St. Leonard Shoreditch, Record of Burials [1834–1837], p. 188, no. 1497; Ancestry > Hackney >St Leonard, Shoreditch >1834–1837 >image 95 of 151; citing London Metropolitan Archives, P91/LEN/A/012/MS07499/021.
[20] 1841 England census, Middlesex, Enfield Parish, schedule for public institutions, Workhouse for Shoreditch Poor Children, p.3, line 15 (James Casburn); Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8978/ : accessed 12 Mar 2020) >Middlesex Enfield District Workhouse For Shoreditch Poor Children >image 2 of 3; citing The National Archives, HO 107/653/8.
[21] “London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764–1930,” Ancestry >Hackney >Shoreditch >Alphabetical List Workhouse Admissions with Subsequent Discharges, 1837–1845 >image 72 of 387; London Metropolitan Archived, P91/LEN/1338.

“Situations Required”

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The title for today’s post comes from the July 22, 1887 London Morning Post.[1]

1887 ad cropped
Detail of “Situations Required” classified advertisements, The (London) Morning Post, July 22, 1887.
(Click on image to enlarge); Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk).

We see that “E Casbon” is seeking a position as a “Maid to One or Two Ladies.” She is twenty-five years old, has experience as a dressmaker, belongs to the Church of England, and has “good references.” She is living at 22 Mansfield Street, Portland Place, London.

Who was E Casbon? Her age tells that she was born in 1861 or 1862. There is only one woman with that name who was born in that time frame: Elizabeth, daughter of John (1832–1885) and Rebecca (Speechly, ~1823–1886) Casbon of Peterborough. We’ve met her father, John, before. He was in the third generation of gardeners who eventually settled in Peterborough. John suffered through bankruptcy proceedings in 1870-71, but was eventually able to recover financially.

Elizabeth was one of John and Rebecca’s five children who survived into adulthood. Little information is available about her life.  We find her in the 1881 census, either living with or visiting her older brother Thomas in Peterborough.[2]

Eliz 1881 census
Detail from 1881 census, Peterborough, Northamptonshire. (Click on image to enlarge)

We see that Elizabeth is unmarried, nineteen years old, and employed as a dressmaker.

Dressmaking was a very common occupation for women at the time. It’s likely that Elizabeth had completed a two-year apprenticeship.[3] She might have worked from home or worked in a shop. She probably used a sewing machine, but would have had to do much of the work by hand. Dressmakers could make a decent living, but often faced long hours and difficult working conditions. For more information about dressmaking in Victorian England, I refer you to an excellent blog post, “D is for Dressmaker,” by Amanda Wilkinson.

Josef_Gisela_–_The_Seamstress
“The Seamstress” (1897), Josef Gisela (1851-1899), original in Vienna Museum (accessed via Wikimedia
Commons, Public Domain; This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under
copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights)

Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to find Elizabeth in the 1891 and 1901 England censuses. That’s where the “Situations Required” ad helps out. We know from the advertisement that she had been working as a servant, probably a lady’s maid, at the house on Mansfield Street. She must have started her employment there some time after the 1881 census was taken.

What can we find out about the residence on Mansfield Street? The 1881 census helps us out. It turns out that 22 Mansfield Street was occupied by a wealthy gentleman named Charles J.T. Hambro, whose father founded one of the United Kingdom’s largest investment banks.[4] The family’s main home was at Milton Abbey, in Dorset, so the Mansfield Street residence would have been their London home. Charles J.T. Hambro held the offices of Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace for Dorset, and was a Member of Parliament from 1868 to 1874 and again from 1886 until his death in 1891.[5]

When the 1881 census was taken, the household on Mansfield Street was occupied by Charles Hambro, his wife Susan, daughter Agneta, and eleven servants, consisting of a cook, two kitchen maids, two housemaids, two lady’s maids, one butler, two footmen and one page.[6] That is an impressive number of servants, and indicates the Hambros’ significant wealth and position in society.

How is it that Elizabeth left her employment as a dressmaker in Peterborough to become a lady’s maid in London? That is unknown. Elizabeth must have thought there were better opportunities for her in domestic service compared to her previous occupation, and London certainly offered a greater number of potential employers. She might have started in a lower maid’s position before being promoted to the position of lady’s maid. Being new to the job, she probably served one of the daughters of the house. Her dressmaking experience would have been a great asset, as it was considered a prerequisite for lady’s maid duties.[7]

What were those duties? Anyone who has watched Downton Abbey will have some idea of what was involved, thanks to the trials and tribulations of Anna Bates, Lady Mary’s long-suffering personal maid.

Mary and Anna
Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Anna Bates (Joanna Froggatt) in Downton Abbey

In the hierarchy of female servants, the lady’s maid was the second highest in rank, after the housekeeper.[8] Her position was unique in that she had a much closer relationship to her mistress than the other servants.[9] A partial list of her duties is given in The Duties of Servants (1890).

To bring up the hot-water for her mistress in the morning and at various times of the day as required.
To bring her an early cup of tea.
To prepare her things for dressing.
To assist her in dressing.
To put her room in order after dressing.
To put out her things for walking, riding, and driving, both in the morning and afternoon.
To assist her in taking off her out-door attire.
To put in readiness all that her mistress may require for dressing in the evening.
To assist her to dress for dinner.
To put everything in order in her mistress’s room before leaving it.
To sit up for her, and to assist her to undress on her return, and to carefully put away her jewels and everything connected with her toilette.
To keep her mistress’s wardrobe in thorough repair, and to do all the dressmaking and millinery required of her.
To wash the lace and fine linen of her mistress.[10]

She was essentially at the beck and call of her mistress, in order to look after her every need.

Because of her proximity to the lady of the house, it was vitally important that she be circumspect in her behavior, and perhaps most importantly, maintain strict confidentiality concerning her mistress’s activities and conversation. “She ought, therefore, to possess the qualifications of propriety and polite behaviour; and her conduct should be uniformly influenced by correct principles, and strict regard to religious and moral obligations.”[11]

In turn, lady’s maids received perks not available to other servants. They were likely to receive their mistresses’ cast-off clothing, which they could alter to fit themselves or sell to others.[12] They might receive commissions from tradespeople who did business with their mistresses.[13] They had opportunities to travel, when their mistresses went abroad or were guests in other households.[14]

This tells us quite a bit about Elizabeth’s responsibilities after coming to London, and perhaps something about her character as well. She was probably somewhat better educated than the other female servants and was able to conduct herself in a manner fitting of the position.[15] The fact that she had “good references” tells us that she performed her duties satisfactorily.

We don’t know why she left her employment with the Hambro family in 1887, although it seems to have been under favorable circumstances. Perhaps one of the daughters was no longer living at home, or the family was downsizing the London home and no longer needed as many servants.

We do know that Elizabeth was successful at finding new employment, given that she placed this advertisement in 1890.[16]

1890 ad
“Want Places,” London Morning Post, June 4, 1890. (Click on image to enlarge); Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive
(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk).

The fact that she had “2 ½ years’ good character” tells us that she must have been hired soon after the previous (1887) advertisement was placed. Note also that she was now living in Millfield, Peterborough, her home town. This suggests that her employment had already ended.

We don’t know what happened for the next seventeen years of her life, since she doesn’t seem to appear in the 1891 and 1901 censuses. The next record I have of Elizabeth is for her marriage in 1907 to William Buxton, a widower from Doncaster.[17] As of 1926, William and Elizabeth were still living in Doncaster.[18] I haven’t been able to pin down their death dates.

Elizabeth’s story, though incomplete, is interesting because it reflects the experiences of many women in late Victorian England. As dressmaker and domestic servant, she worked in two of the most common occupations (along with factory work) of her era.[19] Though typical, it probably wasn’t an easy life. As with so many of our family stories, I wish I could know more.

[1] “Situations Wanted,” The (London, England) Morning Post, 22 Jul 1887, p. 7, col. 8; online image, British Newspaper Archive (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ : accessed 4 September 2017).
[2] 1871 England Census, Northamptonshire, Peterborough, district 33, p. 5, schedule 28, Elizabeth Casbon in household of Thomas Casbon ; imaged as “1881 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7572 : accessed 17 January 2019), Northamptonshire >Peterborough >District 33 >image 7 of 23; citing The National Archives, RG 11/1595.
[3] Sally Mitchell, Daily Life in Victorian England (Westport, Connecticut: The Greenwood Press, 1996), p. 62.
[4] “Charles J.T. Hambro,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_J._T._Hambro : accessed 18 January 2019), rev. 19 Oct 18, 08:28.
[5] Ibid.
[6] 1881 England Census, London, Marylebone, Cavendish Square. District 8, p. 22, schedule 68, Charles Hambro; imaged as “1881 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7572 : accessed 17 January 2019), London >Marylebone >Cavendish Square > District 8 >image 23 of 47; citing The National Archives, RG 11/140/57.
[7] Isabella M Beeton, Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management: a Guide to Cookery in All Branches, “new” ed., (London: Ward, Lock & Co., 1907), p. 1773; online image, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/mrsbeetonshouse00beetuoft : accessed 14 January 2019).
[8] Pamela Horn, The Rise and Fall of the Victorian Servant (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1975), p. 55.
[9] Ibid.
[10] The Duties of Servants: a Practical Guide to the Routine of Domestic Service (London: Frederick Warne & Co., 1890), pp. 99–100; online image, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/b2152810x : accessed 18 January 2019).
[11] The Family Manual and Servants’ Guide, 9th ed. (London: S.D. Ewins, 1859), p. 97; online image, Google Books (https://books.google.com/books?id=gkACAAAAQAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s : accessed 14 January 2019).
[12] Lucy Lethbridge, Servants: A Downstairs HIstory of Britain from the Nineteenth Century to Modern Times (New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2013), p. 78.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Horn, The Rise and Fall of the Victorian Servant, p. 57.
[16] “Want Places,” The (London, England) Morning Post, 4 Jun 1890, p. 11, col. 3; online image, British Newspaper Archive (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ : accessed 4 September 2017).
[17] Church of England, Peterborough (Northamptonshire), St Paul’s, Register of Marriages, vol. 2 (1905–1921), p. 30, no. 60, William Buxton & Elizabeth Casbon, 19 May 1907; imaged as “Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Marriages, 1754-1912,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9199 : accessed 18 January 2019), Peterborough, St Paul >Parish Registers >1905-1912 >image 18 of 54; citing Northamptonshire Record Office; Northampton.
[18] Yorkshire (West Riding), Autumn Register 1926, Doncaster Parliamentary Division, Polling District L, St. James Ward, p. 31, nos. 1750-1, 6 Roberts Rd., William & Elizabeth Buxton; imaged as “West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3057 : accessed 18 January 2019), Doncaster >1926 >image 666 of 773; citing West Yorkshire Archive Service, Leeds.
[19] Mitchell, Daily Life in Victorian England, p. 62.

Stepping Back: Thomas Casborn of Littleport (~1732-1780)

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In my post “Stepping back: Thomas Casbon, 1743-1799” I introduced the Genealogical Proof Standard and how it is applied when tracing one’s ancestry back in time. With this post I will step back one generation in the family I previously labeled “The Peterborough Casbons.”

This family originated in village of Littleport, about 6 miles north of Ely.


Map showing Littleport and Ely, Cambridgeshire

My series, “How doth your garden grow…” started with Thomas (1776-1855), a gardener, who left Littleport, and whose sons settled in Peterborough. I’ll use his baptismal record of 1778 to start the stepping back process. [1]

Ann Thos Rebecca C bp Littleport 1778
Ann Casborn daug.r of Tho.s & Mary _ _ _ _ _ _(July) 26
Tho.s Casborn son of Tho.s & Mary _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _    26
Rebecca Casbonr daug.r of Tho.s & Mary _ _ _ _ _ _  26
(Click on image to enlarge)

This record provides an unexpected bonus, since it also shows that two of Thomas’ sisters were baptized on the same day. This was a fairly common occurrence at the time. Unfortunately, it does not tell us when the children were born or in what order. My estimate that Thomas was born in 1776 is based on his reported age of 65 on the 1841 Census. [2]

This record gives us the names of Thomas’ parents as Thomas and Mary Casborn. Looking back a few years in the Bishop’s Transcripts, I found this marriage record. [3]

Thomas C bp 1732 m Mary Diamond 1762 Littleport
“Thomas Casborn of this Parish Single-man and Mary
Diamond of the same Single-woman were married by
Lycence June the Eleventh 1762” (Click on image to enlarge)

There is no conflicting information to resolve. This was the only Thomas living in Littleport at the time. Looking back further, I found this baptism record from 1732. [4]

Thomas C bp 1732 Littleport
“Thomas of Thomas & Anne Caseborne _ _ (October) 15.” (Click on image to enlarge)

This lists Thomas’ parents as Thomas and Anne Caseborne. Again, there is no conflicting data, so this is most likely the same Thomas who married Mary Diamond in 1762.

We already know from the 1778 baptismal records that Thomas and Mary had children named Ann, Thomas, and Rebecca. A records search shows the baptisms of three other children: Thomas (baptized and buried in 1766); [5],[6] Elizabeth (baptized 1769); [7] and Sarah (baptized 1772). [8]

Based on this information, here is a simple family tree for Thomas and Mary.

Thomas C bp1732 1 gen descendant chart

Of their children, I have not been able to find any other records for the daughters Elizabeth, Sarah, or Rebecca. Ann, who was baptized in 1778, had a daughter Esther, apparently out of wedlock. Esther was baptized in 1798. [9] Ann later married a widower named Samuel Handly in 1806. [10]

I haven’t been able to find any other records for Mary Diamond. There are no baptismal records for her or any other Diamond family members in Littleport or nearby areas. Nor is there a death record for her as Mary Casborn.

Thomas, the father, was buried on December 27, 1780 in Littleport. [11] With the departure of his son Thomas, baptized in 1778, The Casbon/Casborn family name also departed from Littleport.

I will continue stepping back into the family history in Littleport with future posts.

[1] Church of England, Parish of LIttleport, “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQHY?mode=g [accessed 17 December 2016]
[2] “1841 Census of England, Wales & Scotland.” find my past http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 21 September 2016]
[3] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQWS?mode=g [accessed 20 September 2016]
[4] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQHF?mode=g [accessed 20 September 2016]
[5] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQXQ?mode=g [accessed 20 September 2016]
[6] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQDZ?mode=g [accessed 20 September 2016]
[7] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQDX?mode=g [accessed 20 September 2016]
[8] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQZM?mode=g [accessed 20 September 2016]
[9] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQ6W?mode=g [accessed 20 September 2016]
[10] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQQ3?mode=g [accessed 15 December 2016]
[11] “Cambridgeshire Burials”, findmypast http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fd%2f403372851%2f1 [accessed 15 September 2016]

How doth your garden grow? Part 2

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I’ve been trying to decide how to best proceed with the story of the Peterborough Casbons. Part of the challenge is in deciding how much or how little information to include. The other part is in trying to turn limited information into a narrative that will be interesting to somebody besides myself. The nice thing about a blog, however, is that if a particular post doesn’t interest you, you don’t have to read it!

That said, the format I am using is a loosely structured version of a traditional descendant report, listing relevant details about successive generations. At some point in the future I hope to add a separate page with genealogical summaries of the various families as a reference for interested viewers.

I just subscribed last week to The British Newspaper Archive and have been downloading like crazy. I’ve found a lot of information that will be great fodder for future posts.

The previous post “How doth your garden grow? Part 1” covered the family’s origins in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, and two generations of the family beginning with Thomas Casborn (1776-1855). We now proceed to:

Generation 3. John (1832 – 1885), Sarah (1834-1904) and Thomas (1840 – 1887) Casbon

Thomas Casbourn (Generation 2) had three children: John (b. abt 1832), Sarah (b. abt. 1834), and Thomas (b. 1840), all born in Somersham, Huntingdonshire.[1]

After moving with his family to Peterborough, John Casbon married Rebecca Ann Speechly in 1853. John and Rebecca had five children: Thomas (b. 1854),[2] Sarah (1855 – 1859[3],[4]), Mary (b. 1860),[5] Elizabeth (b. 1861),[6] John (b. 1863),[7] and Sarah Jane (b. 1865).[8] In 1861 John was working as a gardener in Peterborough.[9]

John C b1832 Somersham 1861 census Peterborough
John Casbon in 1861 England and Wales Census, Peterborough, Northhamptonshire. (Click on image to enlarge)

In the 1860s, John moved to Spalding, Lincolnshire, about 16 miles north of Peterborough. There he was listed as a “fruiterer, greengrocer, seedsman & florist.”[10]

John C b1832 Somersham 1868 Spalding directory
1868 Post Office Directory of Lincolnshire (Click in image to enlarge)

He was still living in Spalding in 1871, where he was listed on the census as a “Nurseryman.”[11] From this ad, it appears he decided to sell his business in Spalding later in 1871.[12]

Stamford Mercury 15Dec1871 Sale of J Casbon nursery Spalding
(Click on image to enlarge) Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk).

By 1881 all the children were gone, and John and Rebecca were back in Peterborough.[13] John died in 1885 at the age of 53[14] and Rebecca died 1 year later. She was 63.[15]

Sarah appears in the 1851 census as a household servant in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire.[16]

Sarah C b1834 Somersham 1851 census Chatteris
(Click on image to enlarge)

She married a house painter named Richard Baker in 1857,[17] lived in Peterborough, and had at least 8 children.[18] Sarah died 1904 in Peterborough.[19]

Thomas was also a gardener. He appears in the 1841, 1851, and 1861 censuses with his parents. He married Emily Cantrill in London 1865[20] and had two children, Charles (b.abt 1866 in Peterborough) and Emily (b. abt 1869, Camden Town, Middlesex). In 1868 Emily applied for divorce.[21] I don’t know if the divorce was granted, but it appears that Emily took the children and never lived with Thomas again. In the 1871 census, Thomas is listed as married, occupation gardener, and living alone in Peterborough[22], while Emily, and the two children were living in London with her parents.[23]

Thomas C b1840 Somersham 1871 census Peterborough Emily Charles Edith Casbon 1871 census London
(Click on image to enlarge)

Thomas died 1887 in Peterborough.[24] Emily retained the Casbon surname and was listed as married in the 1871 and 1881 censuses.[25] She is listed as a widow in 1891.[26] She died in 1891 at the age of 44.[27]

[1] “1841 England, Scotland and Wales census.” findmypast http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 3 August 2016]
[2] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NH4-CCV [accessed 2 August 2016]
[3] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2N48-MWD [accessed 26 September 2016]
[4] “Peterborough…Two Children Drowned.” The Cambridge Independent Press, Huntingdon, Wisbech, Ely, Bedford, Peterborough, & Lynn Gazette http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ [accessed 25 September 2016]
[5] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NCD-QQQ [accessed 22 September 2016]
[6] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NZY-3Z4 [accessed 22 September 2016]
[7] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2616-QHQ [accessed 28 September 2015]
[8] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XMP-GB5 [accessed 22 September 2016]
[9] “1861 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M75L-YW6 [accessed 2 August 2016]
[10] Kelly, E.R. “The Post Office Directory of Lincolnshire.” [1868] University of Leicester Special Collections Online http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16445coll4/id/167125/rec/4 [accessed 22 September 2016]
[11] “1871 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRXT-FQZ [accessed 2 August 2016]
[12] Advertisement in Stamford Mercury, 15 December 1871. The British Newspaper Archive http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000237/18711215/067/0002 [accessed 26 September 2016]
[13] “1881 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27C-CF7D [accessed 3 August 2016]
[14] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2J6S-1SB [accessed 10 Aug 2016]
[15] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2JTX-DQD [accessed 14 Sep 2016]
[16] “1851 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGCY-JDV [accessed 4 August 2016]
[17] “England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DQ8-H82 [accessed 22 September 2016]
[18] “1881 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27C-CQJL [accessed 22 September 2016]
[19] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2N5P-P1K [accessed 26 September 2015]
[20] “England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2D7G-RM1 [accessed 22 September 2016]
[21] “Divorce Court File: 787. Appellant: Emily Casbon. Respondent: Thomas Casbon.” The National Archives http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ [accessed 26 September 2016]
[22] “1871 Census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFF9-HH8 [accessed 26 September 2016]
[23] “England and Wales Census, 1871.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VB68-ZPD [accessed 22 September 2016]
[24] “England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966.” Ancestry http://www.ancestry.com [accessed 27 September 2016]
[25] “1881 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27Z-6MFY [accessed 26 September 2016]
[26] “1891 Census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q66C-H6Z [accessed 26 September 2016]
[27] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2JN4-CYX [accessed 26 September 2016]

How doth your garden grow? Part 1

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In the course of my web ‘wanderings’ I came across these two items.

Charley Casbon flower description 1871
Casbon florist ads Gardening Illustrated Vol X 1888

The first item is from a Washington, D.C. “Descriptive catalogue of new, rare and beautiful plants, dahlias, chrysanthemums, geraniums, fuchsias, carnations, verbenas, phloxes, &c. for spring, 1871.”[1] The Charley Casbon flower described is listed under “New Zonale and Nosegay Geraniums” that “comprise the very finest of their classes, sent out by the best growers in England and the Continent.”[2] Charley (or Charlie) Casbon is mentioned in a variety of English gardening journals published between 1870 and 1876.

The second item is a series of advertisements from “CASBON Florist” and “T. CASBON” from an 1888 gardening magazine.[3] Such ads are common, mainly in the 1880s, although references to “Messrs. Casbon & Son, Peterborough,” Nurserymen, can be found as early as 1866.[4] Clearly there was a well-established family business in Peterborough, an important city in Northamptonshire (since then it has become part of Cambridgeshire).

These two items will serve to introduce another family with the Casbon surname. I’ll call them the ‘Peterborough Casbons.’ As far as I can tell, there is no relation to my own family (the ‘Meldreth Casbons’). As can be seen, the Peterborough Casbons were a family of gardeners and florists. It’s tempting to believe that they were responsible for developing the Charley Casbon flower. I’m afraid I can’t say for sure, but later I’ll provide some evidence that supports the theory.

The Casbon name doesn’t appear in Peterborough until the 1850s. The family originated in Littleport, a large village near the cathedral city of Ely in Cambridgeshire. In Littleport, the surname is almost always spelled with an “r” before the “n” – Casborn, Casbourn, Caseborn, Casebourne, etc. Records of the family in Littleport go back to the early 1600s.


Use this interactive map to visit locations mentioned in this post

Generation 1. Thomas Casborn (1776-1855)

I’m numbering each generation, to make things simpler to follow. As you’ll see, each generation has a Thomas, and it’s easy to get them confused. I’ll start with this Thomas, because he was: 1) the one who left Littleport and started the journey that eventually led to Peterborough; and 2) the first member of the family known to be a professional gardener.

Thomas Casborn was born about 1776 in Littleport, and baptized in 1778, the son of Thomas (yes, another one!) and Mary (nee Diamond).[5] He married Ann Dolby in 1800[6] and had five children between the years 1800 and 1808. Two of the children, Mary and Thomas, died in early childhood, and as was the custom, the next girl and boy born after their deaths were given their names. The three surviving children were Mary (b. abt. 1802)[7], Thomas (b. abt. 1807),[8] and Elizabeth (b. abt. 1808)[9]

Sometime after 1808, Thomas left Littleport. The next record I have is the 1841 England and Wales Census. At that time, Thomas, his wife Ann, and daughter Elizabeth were all living in Needingworth, a small village in Huntingdonshire, about 20 miles southwest of Littleport.[10]

Thomas C b1776 1841 census Needingworth
1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census, Needingworth, Huntingdonshire (Click on image to enlarge)

This census is also noteworthy because it lists Thomas’ occupation as Gardener.

Ann died in 1843.[11] In 1851, Thomas is listed as “retired Gardener,” residing in Colne, about 3 miles from Needingworth.[12]

Thomas C b abt 1876 LIttleport 1851 census Colne
1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census, Colne, Huntingtonshire (Click on image to enlarge)

Thomas died in 1855.[13] I have no further confirmed records of daughters Mary or Elizabeth.

Generation 2. Thomas Casbourn (about 1807-1863)

Thomas, the son born in Littleport about 1807, also became a gardener. By 1841, he was married to Jane (surname unknown) and had three children: John (b. abt 1832), Sarah (b. abt. 1834), and Thomas (b. abt. 1840).[14] At that time Thomas and his family were living in Warboys, about 6 miles from his parents in Needingworth.

Thomas Casbourn b1806 1841 census Warboys
1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census, Warboys, Huntingtonshire (Click on image to enlarge)

By 1851, Thomas and his family had moved to Peterborough. His name is misspelled as Gasborn in the 1851 census.[15]

Thomas C b 1806 LIttleport 1851 census Peterborough
1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census, Peterborough, Northamptonshire (now Cambridgeshire)
(Click on image to enlarge)

This is the earliest record of the Casbon family in Peterborough. Thomas, Jane, and son Thomas also appear in the 1861 census, where he is listed as a “Nurseryman.”[16] The elder Thomas died 1863 in Peterborough.[17] Jane appears in the 1871 census, living with her daughter Sarah, now married to a man named Richard Baker.[18] Jane died in 1874.[19] Oddly, I have been unable to find any other record of Thomas the son, after the 1861 census.

With the move to Peterborough, the Casbon gardening business finally had a home. I leave you with this entry from this 1854 post office directory.[20]

Thomas C b1806 Littleport 1854 directory Peterborough
(Click on image to enlarge)

The next post will pick up where we left off, beginning with Generation 3.

[1] Saul, J. “Descriptive catalogue of new, rare and beautiful plants, dahlias, chrysanthemums, geraniums, fuchsias, carnations, verbenas, phloxes, &c. for spring, 1871.”Page 30.  Washington, D.C. Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/descriptivecatal18john [accessed 13 September 2016]
[2] Saul, J. “Descriptive catalogue…” Page 29. [accessed 13 September 2016]
[3] Gardening Illustrated, Vol. X No. 470, page 22. 10 March 1888. London. Google Books https://books.google.com/books?id=oilIAAAAYAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s [accessed 20 September 2016]
[4] “The Gardeners’ Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette,” No.14, page 311, 7 April 1866. Google Books https://books.google.com/books?id=S7szAQAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s. [accessed 20 September 2016]
[5] Church of England, “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.”FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQHY?i=387&cat=976859 [accessed 20 September 2016].
[6] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.”FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQDS?i=467&cat=976859 [accessed 13 September 2016].
[7] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.”FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-HQ44?i=480&cat=976859 [accessed 13 September 2016].
[8] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.”FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-H3Y1?i=510&cat=976859 [accessed 13 September 2016].
[9] “Bishop’s transcripts for Littleport, 1599-1857.”FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892X-H3Y1?i=510&cat=976859 [accessed 13 September 2016].
[10] “1841 census of England, Wales & Scotland.” Findmypast http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1841%2f0448%2f0148&parentid=gbc%2f1841%2f0005795608&highlights=%22%22 [accessed 14 September 2016]
[11] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2JQ4-ZRJ [accessed 13 September 2016]
[12] “1851 census of England and Wales; digital image, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGR7-6LS [accessed 9 August 2016]
[13] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NLY-2KB [accessed 20 September 2016]
[14]  “1841 England, Scotland and Wales census.” findmypast http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 3 August 2016]
[15] “1851 census of England, Wales & Scotland.” findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 5 August 2016]
[16] “1861 England, Scotland and Wales census,” findmypast http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 5 August 2016]
[17] “National Burial Index for England & Wales.” findmypast http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 15 September 2016]
[18] “1871 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFF9-6R7 [accessed 3 August 2016]
[19] “National Burial Index for England & Wales.” findmypast http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 15 September 2016]
[20] “”Post Office Directory of Berkshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire; with Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Huntingdonshire.” [1854], p. 478. University of Leicester Special Collections Online http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16445coll4/id/167099/rec/7 [accessed 13 Sep 2016]