Tag: Jane

More Servants!

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My last two posts profiled two individuals who entered into domestic service as a ladies-maid and footman, respectively. Before I leave the topic altogether, I want to pay tribute to many other Casbon family members who worked as domestic servants. I’ve combed through my files to find those Casbon relatives who were listed as servants on census or other records. It turns out there were quite a few! I know precious few details about most of them, but collectively, I think their stories are worth the telling.

All of the servants featured in today’s post are women. This should come as no great surprise. Employment opportunities for women during this time frame (mid 1800s to early 1900s) were limited, and domestic service was one of the most common occupations for working-class women. In 1911, although the numbers were already declining, twenty-eight percent of working women in England were employed in domestic service.[1]

Men constituted a much lower percentage of the domestic service workforce. Men had access to a much greater variety of trades and occupations.“Most of those employed in domestic service in Victorian times were women, outnumbering men at over 20 to one by 1880.”[2] There was a tax on male servants, so they tended to be employed in larger, wealthier households.[3] The majority of female servants worked in middle-class households; where having at least one servant was considered essential.[4]

Here are the Casbon women I’ve discovered who were domestic servants at one time or another. They are presented in roughly chronological birth order and grouped by families.

John_Finnie._Maids_of_All_Work,_1864-65_(higher_colour)
John Finnie (1829-1907), “Maids of All Work” (1864-5), ©The Geffrye Museum of the Home.[5]

Mary Ann, Edith, Jane and Martha Casbon

I’ve listed these four together because they were the daughters of William (1805–1807) and Ann (Clark, ~1812–1869) Casbon, of Meldreth, Cambridgeshire. William was an agricultural labourer with a large family.

Mary Ann was born about 1831 in Meldreth.[6] in the 1851 census, we find her listed as the only servant in the household of John Campkin, a “Grocer & Draper” living in Melbourn.[7] By 1861 Mary Ann was working as a cook in a London public house.[8] I haven’t located her in the 1871 census. In 1875, at the age of forty-four, she married a widower named Joseph Sparrow.[9] She had no children. Her date of death is unknown, but occurred after 1891.[10]

Edith was baptized at Meldreth in 1835.[11] In 1851, sixteen-year-old Edith was working as a “house servant” in the home of Elizabeth Bell, a widow in Whaddon, Cambridgeshire, with a farm of 166 acres (quite large for that time).[12] There were also two male servants in the household, a horse keeper and a shepherd. She married William Catley in 1860,[13] and together they had seven children. She died in 1916 and was buried in Melbourn.[14]

Jane was baptized in 1840 at Meldreth.[15] In 1861 she was living at home but listed as “Servant,” so she was presumably working elsewhere.[16] In 1871, she was listed as “House Keeper,” again in her father’s household, so it is unclear whether she was keeping his or someone else’s house.[17] She married John Camp in 1881[18] and had two children. She died in 1904, age sixty-four.[19]

Martha, who was twenty-four years younger than her sister Mary Ann, spent most of her life as a domestic servant in London. In 1871, Martha was listed as “Housemaid” along with one other female servant (the cook) in the household of a civil engineer.[20] In 1881 she was the sole servant in a small household consisting of a Scottish woolen merchant and his sister.[21] She was again the sole servant in 1891, this time to a chemist and his wife.[22] In 1901 she was the lone servant for a Presbyterian minister and his wife.[23] The last record we have of Martha as a servant is in 1911 (the last year census records are available). At that time fifty-six-year-old Martha was serving as the cook in a household with three other servants.[24] Their master and mistress were a retired draper and his wife. Quite a few servants for two people! Martha never married. Sometime before 1839, she retired to Melbourn, Cambridgeshire (the sister village to Meldreth).[25] She died in Cambridge in 1947 and was buried in Melbourn.[26]

Sarah Casbon

Sarah was the daughter of Thomas (~1807–1863) and Jane (Cooper, ~1803–1874) Casbon. Thomas was the patriarch of the “Peterborough Casbons.”  Sarah was born about 1834 in Somersham, Huntingdonshire.[27] In 1851, she was the only servant for a widow and her daughter in Chatteris.[28] She married Richard Baker in 1857[29] and had at least eight children. She died in 1904, age sixty-nine.[30]

Priscilla Casbon

Priscilla was the daughter of William (~1835–1896) and Sarah (West, ~1823–1905) Casbon of Meldreth. William was an agricultural labourer and Priscilla his only daughter. She was born in 1862.[31] In the 1881 census, she was employed as the only servant for a banker’s clerk and his wife in Cambridge.[32] In 1891 she was living with her parents at home, with no occupation listed.[33]

Priscilla’s story has an interesting twist. When she was thirty-four, in 1896, she married a seventy-seven-year-old widowed gentleman named Charles Banks.[34] He was definitely a “sugar daddy.” He never had children. When he died in 1904, his estate was valued at
£12, 232, divided between Priscilla and two other beneficiaries.[35] There is evidence that she remarried a man named John Wilson in 1908 and was still alive in 1939, but I’m not certain this is her. I would love to know more about her story!

Julia Frances Casbon

Julia was born in 1866, the daughter of George S (~1836–1914) and Sarah (Pryor, ~1831–1903) Casbon. George was a wheelwright in Barley, Hertfordshire, and originally from Meldreth. In the 1891 census, we find Julia working as one of three female servants in the household of a retired Army officer in Kensington, London.[36] She married Henry Brassington, a bootmaker, in 1899.[37] They had two sons. Julia was ninety-nine years old when she died in 1965.[38]

Kate Casban

Kate was the daughter of John (1843–1927) and Mary Anne (Hall, ~1840–1880) Casban. She was born in 1874.[39] In 1891, at the age of seventeen, she was one of two female servants employed by a single unmarried woman.[40] She married Frederick Gunn in 1898[41] and had two children. I haven’t been able to pin down the date of her death.

Margaret Alice Casban

Born at Melbourn in 1875,[42] the daughter of Samuel Clark (1851–1922) and Lydia (Harrup, ~1853–1924) Casban, “Alice,” like her cousin Kate, was already working as a servant in 1891.[43] She was one of two servants, the other a footman, working for the proprietor of a pub.[44] She married Thomas William Francis in 1898[45] and had seven children. Date of her death is uncertain.

Olive Louise, Maud Emily, Hilda Mary, and Elsie Lydia Casbon

These four sisters were the daughters of George (1846–1897) and Sarah (Pearse, ~1847–1912) Casbon. George was originally from Meldreth but settled in nearby Fowlmere where he was a farm labourer. The family was probably quite poor. Sarah, the mother, went to work as a charwoman after George’s death. The daughters would have had few other options than going into domestic service as soon as they reached a suitable age. A striking feature of this family is that all four daughters died at an early age. I don’t know the cause of death for any of them.

Olive Louise, the oldest, was born in 1884.[46] by 1901, she was the sole servant for a tea buyer and his family, living in Croydon.[47] In 1911, she was one of two servants, the other the cook, for a much larger family, also in Croydon.[48] She married Thomas De Rinzy[49] in 1911 and bore him a son that same year. [50] Olive died in 1916, thirty-two years old.[51]

Maud Emily was born in 1885.[52] In 1901 at age fifteen, she was working as a kitchen maid in Melbourn,[53] and in 1911 she was the cook for a London single woman.[54] She died later that year at the age of twenty-six.[55]

Hilda Mary was born in 1887.[56] In 1911 she was living with her mother in Fowlmere, but occupation was listed as “General (Domestic),” which suggests that she was doing service work outside of the home.[57] By 1914, she was working as a domestic servant in Surrey. We know this because of the fact that she gave birth to a son in June 1914.[58] The birth certificate states that she was “a Domestic Servant of 140 Beckenham Road Penge.”

George C birth cert
Birth certificate of George Casbon, 11 June 1914. (Click on image to enlarge)

An unwanted pregnancy was possibly the worst-case scenario for an unmarried female servant. If she became pregnant, she could be “immediately turned out of the house without a character to join the ranks of the unemployed.”[59]

I have handwritten notes from a relative stating that Hilda abandoned her son at the Croydon Infirmary, and that he was later taken in by the Mission of Good Hope, a well-known organization that placed children for adoption. This fills in some blanks in another story, that of how young George came to be placed with Dr. Barnardo’s Homes and then sent to Canada as a sort-of indentured servant.

I don’t know what became of Hilda after the birth, except for her death, at age thirty-three, in 1921.[60]

The youngest sister, Elsie Lydia, was born in 1890.[61] She was the sole domestic servant at the White Ribbon Temperance Hotel located in Cambridge, 1911.[62] I presume that Elsie later found a position in Kensington, London, because that is where here death was registered in 1919.[63] She was thirty years old.

The stories of these thirteen women are in many ways typical for female domestic servants of their era. With the exception of Martha, they did not work as servants for the greater part of their lives. Most of them started work in their teens and continued until they found husbands and had families of their own. They generally worked in smaller middle-class homes with one or two servants. Other than the four daughters of George and Sarah (Pearse) Casbon, they generally lived “normal” lifespans.

This is far from an adequate description of their lives, since it is based largely on “snapshots” taken every ten years with the census. Nevertheless, their stories provide insights into our shared heritage and deserve to be told.

[1] “Women and Work in the 19th Century,” Striking Women (http://www.striking-women.org/module/women-and-work/19th-and-early-20th-century : accessed 27 January 2019).
[2] “Who Were the Servants?” My Learning (https://www.mylearning.org/stories/the-victorian-servant/280 : accessed 27 January 2019).
[3] Kate Clark, “Women and Domestic Service in Victorian Society,” The History Press (https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/women-and-domestic-service-in-victorian-society/ : accessed 27 January 2019).
[4] “The Rise of the Middle Classes,” Victorian England: Life of the Working and Middle Classes (https://valmcbeath.com/victorian-era-middle-classes/#.XE3gilxKiUk : accessed 27 January 2019).
[5] “File: John Finnie. Maids of All Work, 1864-65 (higher colour).jpg,” Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Finnie._Maids_of_All_Work,_1864-65_(higher_colour).jpg : accessed 27 January 2019).
[6] 1841 England census, Cambridgeshire, Meldreth, ED 19, p. 9, High St., Mary Ann (age 10) in household of William Casbon; imaged as “1841 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8978 : accessed 27 January 2019), Cambridgeshire >Meldreth >District 19 >image 6 of 9; The National Archives (TNA), HO 107/63/19.
[7] 1851 England census, Cambridgeshire, Melbourn, ED 11b, p. 3, schedule 8, Church Lane, Mary Casbon in household of John Campkin; imaged as “1851 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8860 : accessed 27 January 2019), Cambridgeshire >Melbourn >11b >image 4 of 25; TNA, HO 107/1708/177.
[8] 1861 England census, Middlesex, Islington, ED 36, p. 27, schedule 153, Mary Ann Cusbin in household of Richd Munford; imaged as “1861 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8767 : accessed 19 November 2018), Middlesex >Islington >Islington East >District 36 >image 28 of 84; TNA, RG 9/16/55.
[9] Church of England, Parish of St. Lukes Finsbury (Middlesex), Marriage Records, 1871-6, p. 245, no. 489, Joseph Sparrow & Mary Ann Casbon, 26 Dec 1875; imaged as “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1623 : accessed 10 Aug 2016), Islington >St Luke, Finsbury >1867-1881 >image 494 of 747; London Metropolitan Archives, record no. p76/luk/058.
[10] 1891 England census, London, Hackney, ED 23b, p. 31, schedule 47, 33 Benyon Rd, Mary A Sparrow (indexed as “Spawn”); imaged as “1891 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6598 : accessed 29 October 2018), London >Hackney >West Hackney >District 23b >image 32 of 34; TNA RG12/190/98.
[11] Church of England, Meldreth (Cambridgeshire), Register of Baptisms, 1813-77,. 44, no. 345, Edith Casburn, 29 Mar 1835; imaged as “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,”FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/film/007567609?cat=210742 : accessed 28 April 2017), image 219 of 699; FHL film 1,040,542, item 5.
[12] 1851 England census, Cambridgeshire, Whaddon, ED 4, p. 15, schedule 43, Edith Casbon in household of Elizabeth Bell; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8860 : accessed 27 January 2019), Cambridgeshire >Whaddon >4 >image 16 of 23; TNA, HO 107/1708/34.
[13] Meldreth, Register of Marriages, 1837-75, p. 50, no. 99, William Catley & Edith Casbon, 13 Oct 1860; imaged as “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007567609?cat=210742 : accessed 29 August 2017), image 397 of 699; FHL film 1,040,542, item 9.
[14] “Index of Cambridgeshire Parish Records,” database/transcriptions, Cambridge Family History Society, Edith Catley, bu. 22 May 1916 at Melbourn; print copy in author’s personal collection.
[15] Meldreth, Register of Baptisms, 1813-77, p. 54, no. 429, Jane Casbon, 29 Nov 1840; FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/film/007567609?cat=210742 : accessed 28 April 2017), image 224 of 699.
[16] 1861 England census, Cambridgeshire, Meldreth, ED 15, schedule 133; J Carston in household of William Caston; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8767 : accessed 27 January 2019), Cambridgeshire >Meldreth >District 15 >image 25 of 32; TNA, RG 9/815/64.
[17] 1871 England census, Meldreth, enumeration district (ED) 15, p. 21, schedule 125, High St., Jane Casbon in household of William Casbon; “1871 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7619 : accessed 27 January 2019), Cambridgeshire >Meldreth >District 15 >image 22 of 32; TNA, RG 10/1363/25.
[18] “England & Wales Marriages 1837-2008”, database, findmypast (https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/england-and-wales-marriages-1837-2005 : accessed 30 March 2017), John Camp, 1st qtr, 1881, Royston, vol. 3A/323; General Register Office (GRO), Southport.
[19] “Search the GRO Online Index,” HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 27 January 2019), deaths, Jane Camp, J[un] qtr, 1904, Royston, vol. 3A/299.
[20] 1871 England census, Kent, Lewisham, ED 4, p. 61, schedule 214, Martha Casbon (indexed “Carbor” in household of John H Greener (indexed “Greeno”); Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7619 : accessed 19 March 2018), Kent >Lewisham >Lee >District 4 >image 62 of 80; TNA, RG 10/763/89.
[21] 1881 England census, London, Hammersmith, ED 28, pp. 41-2, schedule 186, 100 Godolphin Rd., Martha Casbon in household of John Weir; “1881 England Census,” Ancestry ((https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7619 : accessed 19 March 2018), London >Hammersmith >St Paul Hammersmith >District 28 >image 42 of 68; TNA, RG 11/60/143.
[22] 1891 England census, London, Lambeth, ED 20, p. 4, schedule 20, 156 Clapham Rd., Martha Casbon in the household of Frederick Glew; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6598 : accessed 27 January 2019), London >Lambeth >Kennington First >District 20 >image 5 of 45; TNA, RG 12/400/96.
[23] 1901 England census, London, Hammersmith, ED 3, p. 90, schedule620, 214 Goldhawk Rd., Martha Casbon in household of Henry Miller; “1901 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7814 : accessed 20 March 2018; TNA, RG 13/: accessed 20 March 2018; TNA, RG 13/9/124.
[24] 1911 England census, London, Lambeth, ED 10, schedule 109, 76 Tulse Hill SW, Martha Casbon in household of Thomas Drake; “1911 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2352 : accessed 27 January 2019), London >Lambeth >Norwood >10 >image 220 of 421; TNA, RG 14/2109.
[25] 1939 Register, Cambridgeshire, South Cambridgeshire, ED TBKV, schedule 34, High St., Martha Casbon, “1939 England and Wales Register,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61596 : accessed 27 January 2019), Cambridgeshire >South Cambridgeshire RD >TBKV >image 5 of 9; TNA, RG 191.63261,
[26] “Melbourn Burials 1739–1950,” p. 73, Martha Casbon, 19 Jan 1947; transcriptions, Cambridge Family History Society, Melbourn burials, Martha Casbon, bu. 22 May 1916 at Melbourn; print copy in author’s personal collection.
[27] 1851 England census, Cambridgeshire, Chatteris, ED 3e, p. 1, schedule 1, Park Rd., Sarah Casborn in household of Ann Curtis; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8860 : accessed 27 January 2019), Cambridgshire >Chatteris >3e >image 2 of 48; TNA, HO 107/1765/371.
[28] Ibid.
[29] Church of England, Peterborough (Northamptonshire), St. John Parish, Marriages, 1855–1866, p. 76, no. 152, Richard Baker & Sarah Casbon, 22 Jun 1857; imaged as “Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Marriages, 1754-1912,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9199 : accessed 19 January 2018), Peterborough, St John >Parish Registers >1855-1859 >image 41 of 66; Northamptonshire Record Office, Northampton.
[30] “Search the GRO Online Index,” deaths, Sarah Baker, M[ar] qtr, 1904, Peterborough, vol. 3B/146.
[31] “Search the GRO Online Index,” births, Priscilla Banks, D[ec] qtr, 1862, Royston, vol. 3A/227.
[32] 1881 England Census, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, ED 2, p. 14, schedule 59, 8 Parker St., Priscilla Casbon in household of Edmund Wilson; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7572 : accessed 26 January 2019), Cambridgeshire >Cambridge >St. Andrew the Great >District 2 >image 15 of 48; TNA, RG 11/1669/43.
[33] 1891 England census, Cambridgeshire, Meldreth, ED 13, p. 18, schedule 134, Witcroft Rd., Priscilla Casbon in household of William Casbon; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6598 : accessed 27 January 2019), Cambridgeshire >Meldreth >District 13 >image 19 of 27; TNA, RG 12/1104/68.
[34] “England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8913 : accessed 24 April 2018), Priscilla Casbon, 3d qtr, 1896, Bedford, vol. 3B/732; GRO, London.
[35] “Find A Will,” Gov.UK (https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar#calendar : accessed 27 January 2019), Wills and Probate 1858–1996, search terms: “banks” “1904.”
[36] 1891 England census, London, Kensington, ED 17, p. 30, schedule 157, 40 Evelyn Gardens, Julia F Casbon in the household of Thomas Fraser; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6598 : accessed 27 January 2019), London >Kensington >Brompton >District 17 >image 31 of 51; TNA, RG 12/32/73.
[37] Church of England, Barley (Hertfordshire), Marriage registers, p. 136, no. 271, Henry Brassington & Julia Frances Casbon, 19 Sep 1899; “Hertfordshire Banns & Marriages,” findmypast (https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/hertfordshire-banns-and-marriages : accessed 14 October 2017).
[38] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007”, FamilySearch, (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVCK-W896 : accessed 4 September 2014), Julia F Brassington, 1965, 4th qtr, Harrow, vol. 5B/961/153; citing GRO, Southport.
[39] “Search the GRO Online Index,” births, Kate Casban, M[ar] atr, 1874, Edmonton, vol. 3A: 203.
[40] 1891 England Census, Middlesex, Edmonton, ED 1, p. 49, schedule 284, Langhedge House, Kate Casban in household of Maria Rowley; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6598 : accessed 28 January 2019), Middlesex >Edmonton >District 01 >image 50 of 54; TNA, RG 14/1081/27.
[41] Church of England, London, Edmonton, St James, Marriages 1851-1917, p. 159, no. 318, Frederick Gunn & Kate Casban, 9 Apr 1898; “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1623 : accessed 22 March 2017), Enfield >St James, Upper Edmonton >1851-1917 >image 206 of 506; London Metropolitan Archives.
[42] “Search the GRO Online Index,” births, Margaret Casbon, D[ec] qtr, 1875, Royston, vol. 3A/320.
[43] 1891 England Census, Surrey, Croydon, ED 34, p. 9, schedule 48, 25 Wellesley Rd., Alice Casbar in household of George E Wheeler; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6598 : accessed 28 January 2019), Surrey >Croydon >District 34 >image 10 of 89; TNA RG 14/591/44.
[44] Ibid.
[45] “England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005,” FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:269S-X5P : accessed 13 December 2014), Margaret Alice Casban, 2d qtr, 1898, Croydon, vol. 2A/529/38; GRO, Southport.
[46] “Search the GRO Online Index,” births, Olive Louise Casbon, J[un] qtr, 1884, Royston, vol. 3A/444.
[47] 1901 England census, Surrey, Croydon, ED 81, p. 8, schedule 45, Olive L Casson in household of John Percy Lewis; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7814 : accessed 26 January 2019), Surrey >Croydon >District 81 >image 9 of 55; TNA, RG 13/648/8.
[48] 1911 England Census, Surrey, Croydon, ED 18, schedule 63, 18 Avenue Rd, Norwood S.E., Olive Louise Casbon in household of Reuben Glasgow Kestin; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2352 : accessed 20 March 2018), Surrey >Croydon >North Croydon >18 >image 126 of 699; TNA, RG 14/3385.
[49] “England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005,” FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:267B-M1S : accessed 14 November 2015), Olive L Casbon, 2d qtr, 1911, Croydon, vol, 2A/631/105.
[50] “Search the GRO Online Index,” births, Thomas Jessop Cavendish De Rinzy, D[ec] qtr, 1911, Croydon, vol. 2A/644.
[51] “Search the GRO Online Index,” deaths, Olive Louise De Rinzy, D[ec] qtr, 1916, Croydon, vol. 2A/473.
[52] “Search the GRO Online Index,” births, Maud Emily Casbon, D[ec] qtr, 1885, Royston, vol. 3A/471.
[53] 1901 England census, Cambridgeshire, Melbourn, enumeration district 9, p. 9, schedule 44, Maud Carton in household of Albert Spencer; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7814 : accessed 28 January 2019), Cambridgeshire >Melbourn >District 09 >image 10 of 27; TNA, RG 13/1296/9.
[54] 1911 England Census, Surrey, Penge, ED 2, schedule 138, Maude Emily Casbon in household of Adele Maude Everest; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2352 : accessed 20 March 201), Surrey >Penge >02 >image 276 of 809; TNA, RG 14/3406.
[55] “Search the GRO Online Index,” deaths, Maud Emily Casbon, D[ec] qtr, 1911, Croydon, vol. 2A/408.
[56] “Search the GRO Online Index,” births, Hilda Mary Casbon, D[ec] qtr, 1887, Royston, vol. 3A/466.
[57] 1911 England Census, Cambridgeshire, Fowlmere, ED 5, schedule 26, Hilda Casbon in household of Sarah Casbon; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2352 : accessed 28 January 2019), Hertfordshire >Fowlmere >05 >image 52 of 265; TNA, RG 14/7557.
[58] England, birth certificate (PDF copy) for George Casbon, born 11 Jun 1914; registered June quarter, Croydon district 2A/618, West Croydon Sub-district, Surrey; General Register Office, Southport.
[59] Tessa Arlen, “The Redoubtable Edwardian Housemaid and a Life of Service,” Tessa Arlen Mysteries from the early 1900s (http://www.tessaarlen.com/redoubtable-housmaid-life-belowstairs/ : accessed 28 January 2019).
[60] “Search the GRO Online Index,” deaths, Hilda Casbon, J[un] qtr, 1921, Croydon, vol. 2A/312.
[61] “Search the GRO Online Index,” births, Elsie Lydia Casbon, S[ep] qtr, 1890, Royston, vol. 3A/490.
[62] 1911 England Census, Cambridgeshire,Cambridge, ED 7, schedule 135, 160-1 East Rd, Elsie Lydia Caslon in household of George W Sheet; Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2352 : accessed 20 March 2018), Cambridgeshire >Cambridge >St Andrew the Less >07 >image 274 of 313; TNA, RG 14/9107.
[63] “Search the GRO Online Index,” deaths, Elsie Casbon, J[un] qtr, 1919, Kensington, vol. 1A/217.

Going, Going …

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The sister villages of Meldreth and Melbourn in Cambridgeshire are my ancestral homeland. Records of Casbon ancestors in these villages go back to the mid-sixteenth century. Families occasionally moved from one village to another, or to other nearby villages, but there was little reason or incentive to go further. The situation remained stable for over 250 years, but in the 1840s, things began to change.

Slowly at first, and then with increasing speed, the number of Casbons in Meldreth and Melbourn began to dwindle. In the 1841 census, there were 7 households with 30 people; in 1851, 7 households with 27 people; 1861 – 4 households/14 people; 1871 – 5 households/12 people; 1881 – 2 households/4 people; 1891 – 2 households/5 people; 1901 & 1911 – 1 household/2 people.[1] (1911 is the last year census records have been made available to the public.) The 1939 register (a census-like record taken before World War 2) shows only one Casbon living in Meldreth.

chart Chart showing decline in Casbon households and family members in Meldreth and Melbourn from 1841 to 1939. (Click on image to enlarge)

What happened? Where did they go and why did they leave? The reasons are varied, but for the most part revolve around the “three Fs”: finance, family, friends. In the mid-1800s, the growth of cities and improvements in transportation created new job opportunities. The exodus from Meldreth took off after the arrival of the railroad in 1851.[2]

1841
Casbon households in Meldreth, 1841 England Census.

The first to leave was my third great grandfather, Thomas (1803–1888), and his family, when they emigrated to the United States in 1846. I’ve written extensively about Thomas and his journey, so will not elaborate further here.

1851 Casbon households in Meldreth & Melbourn, 1851 England Census.

The next to go was James Casbon (1806–1871), who moved to the village of Barley in Hertfordshire with his family, probably in the early 1850s.[3] Barley is located about five miles south of Meldreth.

Barley map
Detail map showing Cambridge, Meldreth, Melbourn, and Barley.[4] (Click on image to enlarge)

James was a landowner, which put him in a different class than his poorer Casbon relatives. He also had a business as a carrier, hauling freight (and perhaps passengers) to and from London. His reasons for moving to Barley are unknown. His sons remained in Barley and established their own families there. Thus, Barley became a new population center for the Casbon surname.

Between 1851 and 1861 the number of Casbon households was further reduced due to deaths, employment, and unknown other reasons. Lydia (Burgess) Casbon, widow of Joseph (abt. 1811–1847), died in 1851.[5] Two daughters, Hannah and Harriet Ann, preceded her in death in 1848 and 1850, respectively, and a third daughter, Emma, died in 1852.[6] Lydia’s surviving daughter, Mary, emigrated to the United States, where she joined her uncle Thomas Casbon, in 1856.[7] “Patty” Barns (née Martha Wagstaff), widow of John Casbon (abt. 1779–1813), died in 1855.[8] After losing his wife, Elizabeth, in 1852, James Casbon (b. abt. 1813) and his family disappeared from view until he emigrated to Indiana in 1870.[9] Mary Ann Casbon (b. 1831, daughter of William, b. 1805), who had been working as a servant in Melbourn in 1851, was employed as a cook in a London public house by 1861.[10]

1861 Casbon households in Meldreth, 1861 England Census.

Although the numbers remained relatively stable between 1861 and 1871, some important moves still took place. Three more of William’s (b. 1805) children left for the environs of London: John (b. abt. 1842), Reuben (b. 1847) and Martha (b. abt. 1855). John was working as a Labourer when he was married in Lambeth (now a borough of London) in 1866.[11] Reuben must have moved to the London area in the same time frame, since he and his sister Mary Ann are listed as witnesses on the marriage record. Martha, perhaps following in her brothers’ footsteps, is listed as a sixteen-year-old “domestic servant housemaid” for a suburban London household in the 1871 census.[12]

1871 Casbon households in Meldreth & Melbourn, 1871 England Census.

The numbers plunged after 1871, as the “old-timers” – Jane (1803–1872), William (1805-1877) and William (1806–1875) died and their remaining children moved away. Samuel Clark Casbon (b. 1851) moved to Croydon, Surrey.[13] His sister, Jane, married John Camp in 1881.[14] Only the younger William (b. 1835), and John Casbon (b. 1849) remained. William’s three children, Walter (b. 1856), William (b. 1860), and Priscilla (b. 1862), all left home for jobs in domestic service or the railroads.

William (b. 1835) died in 1896. After his death, his wife, Sarah (West, b. abt 1823) moved to Hitchin, Hertfordshire, where she lived with her son, Walter, until her death in 1905.[15] John (b. 1849) died in 1935, followed by his wife Sarah (Pepper, b. abt 1850) in 1938.[16] John and Sarah were the only two Casbons on the 1901 and 1911 censuses for Meldreth.

Wm C b1835 grave marker 1896
The memorial stone of William (1835–1896) and Sarah (West, abt 1823–1905) Casbon, Holy Trinity Churchyard, Meldreth. “In/ Memory of/ WILLIAM CASBON/ who died March 7th 1896/aged 61 years/”We hope to meet again at/ The Resurrection of the just/A light is from the household gone/ A voice we loved is stilled/ A place is vacant in our home/ Which never can be filled”./ Also of /SARAH, wife of the above/who departed this life/ December 22nd 1905/ aged 83 years./She hath done what she could/ Her end was peace./”
Photograph by Malcolm Woods; Meldreth History website (http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk).
(Click on image to enlarge)

Martha Casbon (b. abt. 1855), who spent most of her adult life in domestic service, returned to Meldreth in her later years, and is the sole Casbon listed on the 1939 register.[17] With her death in 1947, the Casbon name became extinct in Meldreth.[18]

[1] Data extracted from England censuses by Jon Casbon.
[2] Happy Birthday, Meldreth Station (no publication details available), leaflet; PDF download (http://meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Meldreth150.pdf : accessed 1 November 2018).
[3] Jon Casbon, “James Casbon, Farmer and Carrier, 1806-1871, Part 1,” 23 Jan 17, Our Casbon Journey (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2017/01/23/james-casbon-farmer-and-carrier-1806-1871-part-1/ : accessed 1 November 2018).
[4] Ordnance Survey of England and Wales (Southampton: Director General at the Ordnance Survey Office, 1903), Sheet 16; online image, A Vision of Britain Through Time (http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/sheet/new_series_revised_medium/sheet_16 : accessed 1 November 2018).
[5] England and Wales, “Search the GRO [General Register Office] Online Index,” database, HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 1 November 2018), Lydia Casbon, 2d qtr, 1851, Royston & Buntingford, vol. 6:405.
[6] Ibid., Hannah Casbon (age 5), 2d qtr, 1848, Royston & Buntingford, vol. 6/433. Ibid., Harriet Ann Casbon (age 11), 3d qtr, 1852, Royston & Buntingford, vol. 6/366. Ibid., Emma Casbon (age 7), 2d qtr, 1852, Royston & Buntingford, vol. 3A/131.
[7] Jon Casbon, “From England to Indiana, Part 8,” 18 Nov 2016, Our Casbon Journey (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2016/11/18/from-england-to-indiana-part-8/ : accessed 1 November 2018).
[8] England and Wales, “Search the GRO [General Register Office] Online Index,” (cited previously), Martha Barnes, 4th qtr, 1855, Royston, vol. 3A: 128.
[9] Jon Casbon, “James Casbon of Meldreth, England and Porter County, Indiana,” 29 Nov 2016, Our Casbon Journey (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2016/11/29/james-casbon-of-meldreth-england-and-porter-county-indiana/ : accessed 1 November 2018).
[10] 1861 England Census, Middlesex, Islington, population schedule, district 36, Johnston parish, p. 55 (stamped), schedule 153, Mary Ann Cusbin in household of Richd Munford; imaged on Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8767 : accessed 1 November 2018), Middlesex >Islington >Islington East >District 36 >image 28 of 84; citing The National Archives, RG 9, piece 146, folio 55, p. 27.
[11] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1623 : accessed 22 March 2017), Lambeth >St. Mary, Lambeth >1761-1896 >image 337 of 540; citing London Metropolitan Archives, ref. no. p85/mry1/541.
[12] 1871 England Census, Kent, Lewisham, population schedule, enumeration district 4, schedule 214, Martha Casbon (indexed as “Carbor”} in household of John H Greeno; imaged on Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7619 : accessed 19 March 2018), Kent >Lewisham >Lee >District 4 >image 62 of 80; citing The National Archives, RG 10, piece 763, folio 89, p. 61.
[13] 1881 England Census, Surrey, Croydon, population schedule, enumeration district 35, schedule 256, Samuel Casban; image on Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7572 : accessed 1 November 2018), Surrey >Croydon >District 35 >image 49 of 66; citing The National Archives, RG 11, piece 816, folio 60, p. 47.
[14] “England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005”, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DRB-92Y : accessed 1 November 2018), Jane Casbon, 1st qtr, 1881, Royston, vol. 3A/323.
[15] Kathryn Betts, “Holy Trinity Churchyard: Monumental Inscriptions.” Meldreth History (http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/page_id__484_img__4391.aspx : accessed 1 November 2018).
[16] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007”, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVHV-Q78D : accessed 1 November 2018), John J Casbon, 1st qtr, 1935, Cambridge, vol. 3B/564. Same source (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVHP-YBY9 : accessed 1 November 2018), Sarah Casbon, 1st qtr, 1938, Cambridge, vol. 3B/553.
[17] 1939 Register, South Cambridgeshire R.D., enumeration district TBKV, schedule 34, Martha Casbon; imaged on findmypast (https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/1939-register : accessed 19 November 2016); citing The National Archives, R39/6326/6326I/005/05.
[18] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007”, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVCQ-FH17 : accessed 2 August 2016), Martha Casbon, 1st qtr, 1947, Cambridge, vol. 4A/257.

Jane, William and Edith, Part 2

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This is the second post in a series about the three children of John Casbon (1779–1813) and his wife Martha (Wagstaff, 1775–1855). Their second child was William. His birth date is not recorded, but he was baptized in Royston, Hertfordshire on Christmas day, 1805, so he was probably born earlier that same year.[1] William is an important part of Our Casbon Journey because his children went on to have large families. William is the common ancestor of many of today’s living Casbans and Casbens.

Wm Casbon Bp 1805 Royston
Page from Royston, Hertfordshire parish register, Baptisms, 1805. (Click on image to enlarge)

As I mentioned in the previous post, William’s father died in 1813, and his mother remarried in 1815, leading to a larger blended family consisting of William, his two sisters, several half-brothers and a half-sister. With the high mortality rates of the time, such families were common, as there were generally quite a few young widows and widowers looking for new partners to provide financial and domestic support.

William became an Agricultural Labourer and lived in Meldreth his entire life. He married Ann Clark in Meldreth October, 1831.[2]

William C Ann Clark M Meld 1831
Detail from Meldreth parish register, 1831. (Click on image to enlarge)

Both William and Ann signed the marriage register with their marks, indicating they could not write proficiently. This is also true of the two witnesses, Nehemiah Sell and Jane Casbon. Nehemiah Sell was the husband of William’s younger sister Edith, and Jane was William’s older sister. Thus, the marriage record is a reminder of the importance of family ties. William and Ann had seven children, all of whom survived into adulthood. Here is a brief summary:

  • Mary Ann, born about 1831;[3] listed as servant, 1851 census;[4] married Joseph Sparrow 1875 in Middlesex, England;[5] probably died 1887.[6]

  • Edith, baptized 1835, Meldreth;[7] listed as servant, 1851 census;[8] married William Catley 1860 in Meldreth;[9] buried 1916 in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire.[10]

  • Jane, baptized 1840, Meldreth;[11] married John Camp 1881;[12] died 1904.[13]

  • Martha, baptized 1855, Meldreth;[17] never married; held various jobs in domestic service; buried 1947 in Melbourn.[18]

William’s wife Ann died in 1869 and was buried in Meldreth.[19] The 1871 census shows William as a widower, living with daughter Jane and son Samuel Clark.[20]

William C b1805 1871 census
Page from 1871 census, Meldreth, Cambridgeshire. It’s tempting to think that the man boarding with them, William Clark, widower, is related to William Casbon’s deceased wife Ann, but there isn’t enough information to prove a connection. (Click on image to enlarge)

William died and was buried in Meldreth in either 1875 or 1877.[21],[22] The date is uncertain because there were two William Casbons, born a year apart, and I can’t be certain which one died when.

[1] “Hertfordshire Baptisms,” images and transcriptions, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fb%2f71142327%2f1 : accessed 29 March 2017), William Casburn, 25 Dec 1805; citing Hertfordshire Record Office, Royston Parish Register, Baptisms 1662—1812, Marriages 1662—1754, Burials 1662–1678.
[2] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” William Casbourn & Ann Clark marriage, 22 Oct 1831; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[3] “1851 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” Church Lane, Melbourn, Royston, Hertfordshire; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1851%2f0006953665 : accessed 30 March 2017), entry for Mary Casbon (age 20) in household of John Campkin; citing [The National Archives], HO 107, piece 1708, folio 177, p. 3.
[4] “1851 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” findmypast, entry for Mary Casbon.
[5] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Parish of St Lukes, Middlesex, Joseph Sparrow & Mary Ann Casbon, 26 Dec 1865; images and transcriptions, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 August 2016); citing Church of England Parish Registers, 1754-1921, London Metropolitan Archives, London.
[6] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Camberwell, London, vol. 1D: 547; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1887%2f3%2faz%2f000312%2f293 : accessed 30 March 2017), Mary Ann Sparrow (age 56), 3d quarter, 1887.
[7] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Edith Casbon baptism, 29 Mar 1835; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[8] “1851 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” High Street, Whaddon, Royston, Hertfordshire; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1851%2f0006949462 : accessed 30 March 2017), Edith Casbon in household of Elizabeth Bell; citing citing [The National Archives], HO 107, piece 1708, folio 34, p. 15.
[9] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” William Catley & Edith Casbon marriage, 13 October 1860; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[10] Cambridge Family History Society, “Melbourn Burials 1739–1950,” p. 64; transcription, 1916, May 22, Catley, Edith (age 84).
[11] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Jane Casbon baptism, 29 Nov 1840; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[12] “England & Wales Marriages 1837-2008,” Royston, Hertfordshire, vol. 3A: 323; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fm%2f1881%2f1%2faz%2f000038%2f142 : accessed 30 March 2017), John Camp [and Jane Casbon], 1st quarter, 1881.
[13] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007”, Royston, Hertfordshire, vol. 3A: 299; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1904%2f2%2faz%2f000053%2f347 : accessed 30 March 2017), Jane Camp (age 64), 2d quarter, 1904.
[14] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” John Casbon baptism, 16 Jul 1847 (born 2 Jun 1847); Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[15] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Reuben Casbon baptism, 25 Jul 1847 (born 2 Jun 1847); Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[16] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Samuel Clark Casbon baptism, 15 Feb 1852; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[17] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Martha Casbon baptism, 26 Aug 1855; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[18] Cambridge Family History Society, “Melbourn Burials 1739–1950,” p. 73; transcription, 1947, Jan 19, Casbon, Martha (age 91).
[19] “Cambridgeshire Burials,” Meldreth, Cambridgeshire; transcription (Cambridge Family History Society), findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fd%2f403420207%2f1 : accessed 31 March 2017), Ann Casbon (age 59), 3 Oct 1869.
[20] “1871 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” High Street, Meldreth, Royston, Hertfordshire; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1871%2f0016454370 : accessed 27 March 2017), William Casbon (age 65); citing [The National Archives], RG 10, piece 1363, folio 25, p. 21.
[21] “Cambridgeshire Burials,” Meldreth, Cambridgeshire; transcription (Cambridgeshire Family History Society), findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fd%2f403420272%2f1 : accessed 31 March 2017), William Casbon (age 69), 11 Oct 1875.
[22] “Cambridgeshire Burials,” Meldreth, Cambridgeshire; transcription (Cambridge Family History Society), findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fd%2f403420286%2f1 : accessed 31 March 2017), William Casbon (age 77), 8 May 1877.

Jane, William and Edith, Part 1

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I would like to preface this post with these definitions:

Genealogy – a study of family ancestors with pertinent data such as birth, marriage and death dates.
Family History – an in-depth study of a family lineage with greater emphasis and clarification of each ancestor’s life story.[1]

Hopefully my readers will agree that this blog leans more towards the family history definition than that of genealogy. Not that I intend to demean genealogy in any way. Genealogy research is the tool I use to get the facts needed to write about our family history. The dates and events are important – and sometimes the only information I have. But what I really want to do is to understand and describe our ancestors’ lives and the world they lived in.

Which leads me to the discussion of siblings. A strict genealogical approach would emphasize direct ancestors – parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc. Siblings might be mentioned, but probably not explored in depth. There’s nothing wrong with that approach, but I think it restricts the ability to understand our ancestors’ lives. If you think about your own relatives – brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents – they all relate in some way to your concept of family and how you fit into that family. It must have been the same for our ancestors. For this reason, it’s important to me to look beyond my own direct ancestors and find out more about their extended families.

The late 18th century and early 19th century was an especially rich time when it comes to Casbon families in the Meldreth, Cambridgeshire area. My fifth great-grandfather Thomas Casbon (1843–1799) and his wife Jane (Wilson, 1741–1831) had seven children, four of whom survived into adulthood and had families of their own. These were: James (1772–1833), Isaac (1773–1825), Thomas (1775–1820), and John (1779–1813). Each of them had three or more children who lived beyond childhood, and each of them continued to live and work in the Meldreth area.

My point is this: by the early 1800s, Meldreth was teeming with Casbons. There were siblings and cousins galore. They must have had at least passing acquaintance with one another.

So, after this admittedly roundabout introduction, I’ll finally get to the real subject of today’s post. This is the first in a 3-part series about 3 siblings: Jane, William, and Edith Casbon, the children of John and Martha (Wagstaff) Casbon. John and Martha were each the subjects of earlier posts (“John Casbon of Meldreth & Royston (~1779-1813)” and “Martha = Patty”). Today I’m focusing on their first child, Jane.

Jane was born in Royston, Hertfordshire, probably in 1803, and was baptized November 27th of that year.[2]

Jane Casburn Bp Royston 1803
Detail from Royston parish registers, 1803. (Click on image to enlarge)

She was 10 years old and the oldest of the three children when her father died at Meldreth in 1813.[3] Given the social and economic conditions of the time, it probably would have been necessary for her to help support the family in some manner, but there is no record of this. Things would have improved when her mother married Samuel Barnes in 1815.[4] Jane and her siblings gained 4 half-brothers and one half-sister, ranging in age from 8 to 20 years old.

Jane never married. In the 1841 census, she was living with her mother, “Patty” Barns.[5]

Jane Casbon b 1803 Royston 1841 census Meld
Page from 1841 Census, Meldreth, Cambridgeshire. (Click on image to enlarge)

Two entries above that for Patty and Jane is one for William Casbel and his two children. This was not her brother William, but her first cousin, son of Isaac. Her brother William appears a few pages later, farther down the same street.

In the 1851 census, she was still living with her mother, and was now right next door to her brother.[6]

1851 census Meldreth
Page from 1851 Census, Meldreth, Cambridgeshire. (Click on image to enlarge)

This entry is interesting because it lists Janes mother as a “Pauper,” and Jane as a “Straw Platter.” What is a straw platter, you ask? The answer is that a straw plaiter was someone who braided straw to be used in the production of certain textiles, especially straw hats, which were fashionable at the time.[7],[8] The straw was braided into long strips and then sold by the score (20 yards) to either middlemen or manufacturers.[9] The straw plaits were sewn together in factories to make the finished product.[10] It was said that straw-plaiting women could earn more than their husbands.[11]

Happy Times
“Happy Times: Straw-Plaiting near St. Albans”[12] This engraving, based on a watercolor painting,
appeared in The Illustrated London News in May, 1853. (Click on image to enlarge)

Most straw plaiting in England was done in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire and Hertfordshire.[13] Meldreth, in Cambridgeshire, was only a few miles away from the county borders of both Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, so it was apparently close enough for Jane to get in on the business. It’s interesting that of the 776 entries in the 1851 Meldreth census, Jane’s is the only one given “straw platter” as the occupation.

In 1861, Jane was living alone, her mother having died in 1855.[14] Her occupation was listed as “Retired.”[15] This makes me curious whether she had a source of income or enough savings to live on.

The 1871 census makes a surprising revelation.[16]

Jane C b1803 Royston 1871 census Melbourn
Page from 1871 census, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire. (Click on image to enlarge)

She was now living in Melbourn (just a mile from Meldreth). The word “Pauper” under Occupation has been crossed out. The surprise is in the column on the far right that says “Cripple from Birth.” I didn’t see that coming! I don’t know what kind of disability she had, but I would guess that it affected her ability to walk normally. She seemed to be able to use her hands, given her earlier work as a straw plaiter. How did this disability affect her life? I would like to think that she overcame the adversities in her life and ended up a stronger, more independent woman.

Jane’s death at the age of 69 was registered in Royston in the third quarter of 1872.[17] There is no record of her burial in either the Meldreth or Melbourn parish registers.

[1] “Think There Is No Difference in Genealogy vs. Family History?,”n.d., familytree.com (http://www.familytree.com/blog/think-there-is-no-difference-in-genealogy-vs-family-history/ : accessed 29 March 2017).
[2] “Hertfordshire Baptisms,” images and transcriptions, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fb%2f71142286%2f1 : accessed 29 March 2017), Jane Casburn, 27 Nov 1803; citing Hertfordshire Record Office, Royston Parish Register, Baptisms 1662—1812, Marriages 1662—1754, Burials 1662–1678.
[3] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” John Casbail burial, 3 Dec 1813; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[4] Parish of Meldreth, “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” marriage of Samuel Barnes & Martha Casbon, 24 Jul 1815; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[5] “1841 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” High Street, Meldreth, Royston & Buntingford, Cambridgeshire; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1841%2f0000942497 : accessed 29 March 2017), entry for Jane Casbon (age 35) in household of Patty Barns; citing [The National Archives], HO 107, piece 63, book 19, folio 6, p. 6.
[6] “1851 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” Meldreth, Royston, Hertfordshire; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1851%2f0006949839 : accessed 29 March 2017), entry for Jane Casbon (age 48) in household of Patty Barns; citing [The National Archives], HO 107, piece 1708, folio 49, p. 14.
[7] “Straw plaiting,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_plaiting : accessed 29 March 2017), rev. 5 Dec 16, 21:32.
[8] Eleanor Markland, “Teachers’ Notes,” Luton: Hat Industry 1750 to 2000 (Luton Borough Council [Museum Service], 2003), p. 5; online PDF book, Luton Culture (http://www.lutonculture.com/uploads/documents/1339774056_HatIndustry.pdf : accessed 29 March 2017).
[9] Markland, “Teachers’ Notes,” Luton: Hat Industry 1750 to 2000, p. 6.
[10] Markland, “Teachers’ Notes,” Luton: Hat Industry 1750 to 2000, p. 48.
[11] Straw Plaiting,” A History of Preston in Hertfordshire (http://www.prestonherts.co.uk/page222.html : accessed 29 March 2017)
[12] “Happy Times: Straw-Plaiting near St. Albans,” The Illustrated London News, 14 May 1853, supplement, vol. 22, p. 392; online images, Hathi Trust Digital Library (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=chi.60765664;view=1up;seq=394 : accessed 29 March 2017).
[13] “Straw plaiting,” Wikipedia.
[14] “1861 Census of Engand, Wales & Scotland,” Meldreth, Royston, Hertfordshire; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1861%2f0005026890 : accessed 29 March 2017), Jane Carston (age 59); citing [The National Archives], enumeration district 15, RG 09, piece 815, folio 59, p. 13.
[15] “1861 Census of Engand, Wales & Scotland,” Meldreth; findmypast (accessed 29 March 2017).
[16] “1871 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” Meeting Lane, Melbourn, Royston, Hertfordshire, England; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1871%2f0016452824 : accessed 27 March 2017), entry for Jane Casbon (age 67)); citing [The National Archives], RG 10, piece 1362, folio 69, p. 14.
[17] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Royston, Hertfordshire, vol. 3A: 195; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1872%2f3%2faz%2f000054%2f315 : accessed 29 March 2017), Jane Casbon (age 69), 3d quarter, 1872.

Martha = Patty

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Nicknames can be a challenge when it comes to genealogy research. Most genealogy search engines use first name, last name, and other details such as birth/marriage/death dates and locations to find links to records. If you use the wrong name, the search engine might not find what you’re looking for. People frequently used nicknames or shortened versions of their names when records were created. This can lead to what genealogists like to call “brick walls” in their research.

Case in point: in my last post “John Casbon of Meldreth & Royston (~1779-1813)” I mentioned that John’s wife Martha Wagstaff was baptized as Patty Wagstaffe. I had a hard time finding information about Martha until I realized that she and Patty were the same person. Here’s how that came about.

I started with the name Martha Wagstaff, based on her marriage to John Casbon in 1802. [1]

1802 John Casbon Martha Wagstaff M Meld
Marriage record of John Casbon and Martha Wagstaff, Meldreth Parish Registers (Click on image to enlarge)

When I tried to find a baptismal record for Martha, I kept coming up with a blank. All I knew about her from the marriage record was her name, that she was single, and that she belonged to the Meldreth parish. When I searched using her name and a wide range of potential birth years, I found many records for Martha Wagstaff in all of England, but not in the Meldreth area. There was one record for Martha Wagstaff, baptized in Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire (about 9 miles from Meldreth) in 1759. [2] That would have made her at least 43 years old when she married for the first time, and 48 when her last child was born…not likely!

Likewise, if I searched for death/burial records for Martha Casbon, I came up with a blank.

It took two different kinds of records for me to make the connection. First, I learned that Martha remarried after her husband John died in his early 30s. She married a widower named Samuel Barns July 24, 1815. [3]

Martha C Samuel B marriage Meldreth 1815
Marriage record of Samuel Barns and Martha Casbon, Meldreth Bishop’s Transcripts (Click on image to enlarge)

Unfortunately, that didn’t make it any easier for me to find a birth/baptism record. It helped me to find a potential death record though. There is a death recorded for Martha Barnes, registered in the first quarter of 1855 in Royston. [4] (Samuel Barns died in 1836). [5]

I say this is a potential death record, because there is not enough information to know for sure this is the right Martha Barnes. Beginning in 1837, registration of births, marriages and deaths was required in England and Wales. Prior to that time, the only records were parish registers and Bishop’s transcripts (i.e., copies of the parish records). Currently, the online genealogy searches only lead to indexes of these civil registrations, not copies or transcripts of the actual records. These indexes list the name, quarter, year and place of registration. The country was divided into registration districts, each of which was responsible for keeping records for many parishes within the district. The Royston registration district includes Meldreth and a number of other towns and villages in the area.

If I wanted to see the actual record for Martha Barnes whose death was registered in 1855, I would need to request it from the General Register Office of Great Britain, with payment of £9.25 (about $11.50). Record costs add up quickly, so I haven’t done this yet. For now, I’ll have to be content with a possible death date for Martha.

Back to the story… At some time removed from my research into Martha Wagstaff/Casbon/Barns, I was reviewing census records of her daughter Jane.

Jane Casbon b 1803 Royston 1841 census Meld
Detail from 1841 Census for Meldreth [6] (Click on image to enlarge)

This image from the 1841 census shows that Jane Casbon, age 35, was living with a woman named Patty Barns, age 65. The column marked “no” asks whether they were born in “this county” (Cambridgeshire), and the next column asks whether they were born in “Scotland, Ireland, or Foreign Parts.” Incidentally, they were living next door to William, Martha’s son and Jane’s brother (not shown). This record does not tell me whether Patty Barns and Jane Casbon were related. At this point, I was not thinking about Martha or her marriage to a man named Barns. I assumed that Jane was lodging with Patty Barns and that they were not closely related.

The 1851 census gave me the information I needed. [7]

William C b1805 Royston Jane C b1803 Royston 1851 Census Meld
Detail from 1851 Census for Meldreth (Click on image to enlarge)

This record shows that Patty Barns was a widow and the head of the household (“Head”). The letters “Dau’r” after Jane’s name indicate that she was Patty’s daughter. It wasn’t until I saw this record that I made the connection – “Oh yeah, Martha married a man named Barns…maybe Martha and Patty are the same person!”

Patty was listed as a Pauper, i.e., a person without any means of support, and possibly receiving some public assistance. [8] Given that she was living with her daughter and still living next door to her son, they were probably her main source of support.

The record gave a place of birth for Patty – “Beds Cocken Hatty.” I knew that Beds stood for Bedfordshire, the county just to the west of Cambridgeshire. I couldn’t find a place called Cocken Hatty, but with a little digging I found the village of Cockayne Hatley, just 7 ½ miles west of Meldreth. Now I knew I was onto something.

Armed with all of this new information, I searched again for a baptismal record, this time using the name Patty, and in Cockayne Hatley, Bedfordshire. The record for Patty Wagstaffe, daughter of Thomas and Sarah, baptized November 26, 1775, immediately popped up. [9] At last, I had what I was looking for. Unfortunately, no image of the actual record is available online, so all I have at this point is a transcript of the parish register.

But why would they call Martha Patty? When we hear the name Patty, we usually think it is short for Patricia. Well, it turns out that Patty was originally a variant of Matty, a diminutive form of Martha. [10] Mystery solved!

Now I had enough information to construct a rough timeline of Martha/Patty’s life. By the way, she doesn’t show up in the 1861 or later census records, so this supports her possible death in 1855.

Martha timeline
(Click on image to enlarge)

A final bit of trivia: Wagstaff is an interesting name. It is said to be

an interesting example of that sizeable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames. These nicknames were originally given with reference to occupation, and to a variety of personal characteristics, such as habits of dress and behaviour. The derivation, in this instance, is from the Middle English “wag(gen)”, to brandish, shake, a development of the Olde English pre 7th Century “wagian”, with “staff”, a staff, rod, from the Olde English “staef”; hence, “Wagstaff”, a nickname used to denote a bailiff, catchpoll, beadle, or some other medieval officer of the law who carried a staff, and shook it for effect. [11]

[1] “England Marriages, 1538–1973”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2QD-FMD [accessed 30 September 2015]
[2] “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975,” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NB8T-962 [accessed 22 December 2016]
[3] Church of England, “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-N6NT?i=424&cc=1465708 [accessed 5 November 2015]
[4] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007,” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2N2X-8RB [accessed 8 September 2016]
[5] Church of England, “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877” FHL microfilm #1040542
[6] “1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census”, find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1841%2f0000942497 [accessed 8 September 2016]
[7] “1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census”, find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1851%2f0006949839 [accessed 4 August 2016]
[8] “Pauper,” Dictionary.com http://www.dictionary.com/browse/pauper?s=t [accessed 22 December 2016]
[9] “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYBW-DGQ [accessed 8 September 2016]
[10] “Patty”, Behind the Name http://www.behindthename.com/name/patty [accessed 20 December 2016]
[11] “Last name: Wagstaff”, The Internet Surname Database http://www.surnamedb.com/ [accessed 22 December2016]

John Casbon of Meldreth & Royston (~1779-1813)

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I’ve been discussing the descendants of Thomas Casbon (~1743-1799) of Meldreth (see Stepping back: Thomas Casbon, 1743-1799). Thomas’ youngest child was John, baptized Casborne October 3, 1779 in Meldreth. [1] He was the third son named John, the first two having died in infancy.

John C baptism Meld 1779
Baptismal record for John Casborn, 1779, in Meldreth (Click on image to enlarge)

For review, here is a diagram of Thomas’ children

John C 2 generations
(Click on image to enlarge)

John married Martha Wagstaff December 29, 1802 in Meldreth. [2]

1802 John Casbon Martha Wagstaff M Meld
Marriage record of John Casbon and Martha Wagstaff, Meldreth, 1802 (Click on image to enlarge)

The record tells us that John and Martha were both single (i.e., not previously married), and they both belonged to the Meldreth parish. Also, John was able to sign his name. Martha signed with her “mark.”

Martha was baptized as Patty Wagstaffe 1775 in the little village of Cockayne Hatley in Bedfordshire, about 7 ½ miles west of Meldreth and just across the Cambridgeshire county line. [3] How I came to learn that Martha and Patty were the same person is an interesting and convoluted story that I’ll save for another day.

For reasons unknown, John and Martha did not remain in Meldreth. But they didn’t move far. Their first two children were born in the town of Royston, a sizeable crossroads and market town a few miles south of Meldreth, in Hertfordshire. These children were: Jane, baptized November 27, 1803, and William, baptized on Christmas Day, 1805. [4],[5] Edith, their third child, was baptized in the village of Whaddon, about 1 ¾ miles west of Meldreth. [6]

composite 3 baptisms
Composite image showing baptismal records for Jane, William, and Edith Casbon (Click on image to enlarge)

All three children lived well into adulthood and remained in the Meldreth area. Their stories are interesting enough to warrant their own posts.

John, however, did not live long after his children were born. He was buried at Meldreth December 3, 1813, leaving Martha a widow with three children. [7]

John C burial 1813
Burial record of John Casbail, Meldreth, 1813 (Click on image to enlarge)

Martha married Samuel Barns, a recent widower with his own children, July 24, 1815 in Meldreth. [8] Due to the high death rate and the necessity for both a breadwinner and someone to watch the children, remarriage was a common and practical method to restore two parents to broken families.

[1] Church of England, “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862,” John Casborne baptism, 9 Oct 1779; browsable image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NFVM?mode=g&i=243&cat=1108704 : accessed 1 December 2016), > image 244 of 899; citing Cambridge University Library, Cambridge.
[2] Church of England, “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Marriages 1802, John Casbon & Martha Wagstaff, 29 Dec, FHL Microfilm 1,040,542.
[3] “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYBW-DGQ : accessed 8 September 2016), Patty Wagstaffe, 26 Nov 1775, Cockayne Hatley, Bedfordshire; citing Family History Library microfilm 88,005.
[4] “Hertfordshire Baptisms,” images and transcriptions, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fb%2f71142286%2f1 : accessed 20 November 2016), Jane Casburn, 27 Nov 1803; citing Hertfordshire Record Office, Royston Parish Register, Baptisms 1662—1812, Marriages 1662—1754, Burials 1662–1678.
[5] “Hertfordshire Baptisms,” images and transcriptions, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fb%2f71142327%2f1 : accessed 20 November 2016), William Casburn, 25 Dec 1805; citing Hertfordshire Record Office, Royston Parish Register, Baptisms 1662—1812, Marriages 1662—1754, Burials 1662–1678.
[6] “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975”, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NRST-Y91 : accessed 20 November 2016), Edith Casbourne, 09 Nov 1808; citing , reference ; Family History Library microfilm 990,297.
[7] “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862,” browsable images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-N6ZL?i=437&cat=1108704 : accessed 12 May 2016), > image 438 of 899; citing Cambridge University Library, Cambridge.
[8] “England Marriages, 1538–1973,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2QD-CYL : accessed 14 September 2015), Samuel Barns and Martha Casbon, 24 Jul 1815, Meldreth, Cambridgeshire; citing Family History Library microfilm 0990297 IT 6.