Spalding – Our Casbon Journey

Financial Difficulties

September 26, 2017April 28, 2020 admin7 Comments

We haven’t visited the Peterborough Casbons in a while, so let’s check in on them. For a refresher, this branch of the family arose in the area of Littleport, Cambridgeshire, and over the course of two generations, ended up in Peterborough sometime before 1851.^[1] By 1870, the third generation of gardeners consisted of two brothers, John (1832–1885) and Thomas (1840–1887) Casbon.^[2] Thomas was living in Peterborough, and John was in nearby Spalding.^[3]

Apparently, John wasn’t doing as well as his brother, as evidenced by this article in The Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford Mercury of October 14, 1870.^[4]

(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 don’t know what events preceded John’s bankruptcy. It seems from the tone of the article that the proceedings were somewhat amicable, with the creditors meeting in a hotel and agreeing to settle the affair “by arrangement” rather than through bankruptcy court. The fact that John’s brother Thomas was involved in the process also suggests to me that the creditors were willing to settle the matter in as friendly a manner as possible. Of course, being a fellow gardener, Thomas had the right expertise to assess the value of John’s business holdings and to ensure that fair prices were paid as those holdings were liquidated. John was also fortunate in that imprisonment for debt had been abolished in the United Kingdom in 1869.^[5]

The bankruptcy explains why it was necessary for John’s business to be sold at auction in 1871.^[6]

(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 auction would have been a pretty traumatic event for John, his wife Rebecca (Speechly) and their five children, especially as the household furnishings were sold off.

My curiosity got the best of me when I read that they were also selling one-half acre of “Mangel Wurzels.” I had to look this one up. A mangelwurzel or mangold wurzel is a large white, yellow or orange-yellow beet, used “as a fodder crop for feeding livestock.”^[7]

By A. Currie & Company.; Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Collection. [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0) or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Wikipedia also informs us that “the mangelwurzel has a history in England of being used for sport.”^[8] Somehow this seems like a very British thing to do. Interested readers are highly encouraged to visit The Mangold Hurling Association webpage for further enlightenment.

Humor aside, John recovered from his financial woes. He moved back to Peterborough and established a new gardening business, as evidenced by these 1876 ads.^[9],^[10]

Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk).

After John’s death on August 18, 1885, his estate was valued at £212 9s. 10d.^[11] Today that would be equivalent to about £25,725.^[12] He had been given a second chance, and made the best of it.

^[1] Jon Casbon, “How doth your garden grow? Part 1,” Our Casbon Journey, 22 Sep 2016 (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2016/09/22/how-doth-your-garden-grow-part-1/ : accessed 25 September 2017).
^[2] Casbon, “How doth your garden grow? Part 2,” Our Casbon Journey, 27 Sep 2016 (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2016/09/27/how-doth-your-garden-grow-part-2/ : accessed 25 September 2017).
^[3] Casbon, “How doth your garden grow? Part 2,” Our Casbon Journey.
^[4] “Peterborough Bankruptcy Court,” The Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford (England) Mercury, 14 Oct 1870, p. 5, col. 4; accessed through “British Newspapers,” database with images, findmypast (https://search.findmypast.com/bna/ViewArticle?id=BL%2F0000237%2F18701014%2F052%2F0005&browse=true : accessed 25 September 2017).
^[5] “United Kingdom insolvency law,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_insolvency_law : accessed 26 September 2017), rev. 14:27, 7 Sep 2017.
^[6] “Sales by Auction,” The Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford (England) Mercury, 8 Dec 1871, p. 1, col. 7, 4^th listing; accessed through “British Newspapers,” database with images, findmypast (https://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000237%2f18711208%2f038 : accessed 25 September 2017).
^[7] “Mangelwurzel,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangelwurzel : accessed 25 September 2017), rev. 08:05, 9 Jul 2017.
^[8] “Mangelwurzel,” Wikipedia.
^[9] Advertisement, “Surplus Stock of Fruit Trees,” The Peterborough (England) Advertiser, and South Midland Times, 26 Feb 1876, p. 2, col. 3, 8^th listing; accessed through “British Newspapers,” database with images, findmypast (https://search.findmypast.com/bna/ViewArticle?id=BL%2F0001629%2F18760226%2F064%2F0002&browse=true : accessed 25 September 2017).
^[10] Advertisement, “Plants! Plants!! Novelties in Plants,” The Peterborough Advertiser, 3 Jun 1876, p. 2, col. 4, 29^th listing; findmypast (https://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0001629%2f18760603%2f066 : accessed 25 September 2017).
^[11] “Find a Will,” accessed as “Wills and Probate 1858-1996,” database, GOV.UK (https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar#calendar : accessed 26 September 2017), 2d page, John Casbon.
^[12] “UK Inflation Calculator,” (http://www.in2013dollars.com/1885-GBP-in-2017?amount=212.50 : accessed 26 September 2017).

How doth your garden grow? Interlude

September 30, 2016April 28, 2020 admin1 Comment

As an introduction to this series I presented this advertisement for a flower.[1]

I mentioned that I couldn’t say for sure if the Peterborough Casbons were responsible for developing this flower, but that I would provide some supporting evidence later.

Well, here is the evidence:

From this ad, dated 1882,[2] it is clear that the Casbons were in the business of developing and naming flowers, particulary Pelargoniums (also known as Geraniums).

Since this ad says “Casbon and Son” it must refer to John Casbon (Generation 3) and his son Thomas. It could not have been Thomas (Generation 2), who died in 1863. Likewise, it could not have been Thomas (Generation 3), who was long separated from his wife and children in 1882. His son, at any rate, was not a gardener.

But wait, there’s more! I mentioned that I had subscribed to The British Newspaper Archive late last week. As I was browsing through the archive, I discovered this report from the Royal Horticultural Society show, held in South Kensington May 22, 1869:[3]

(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).

Unexpectedly, I had proof that the Charley Casbon flower was associated with the Casbons of Peterborough (Hooray!).

Of course, the solution of one mystery often leads to other mysteries. For example, who were “Messrs. Casbon and Sons, Peterborough”? In 1869, John Casbon and his son Thomas (age 15) were not living in Peterborough. They were in Spalding, Lincolnshire, about 16 miles away. John’s brother Thomas was already separated from his wife and children in 1869. I wonder if they kept the company name after father Thomas (Generation 2) died? Maybe John maintained an interest in the business even though he had his own nursery in Spalding.

Another mystery is ‘Who are Charley and Emily?’ I suspect the former is Charles W Casbon, born in 1866, Thomas’ (Generation 3) son who was taken to London by his mother. The mother, coincidentally, was named Emily, but I doubt that she was the namesake for the flower advertised in 1882. A more likely answer is that the Emily Casbon flower was named after Thomas’ (Generation 4 – confusing, isn’t it?) daughter Emily, born in 1878. Another coincidence is that this latter Thomas named his son Charles, although he wasn’t born until 1880, 11 years after the Charles Casbon flower made its royal debut.

Interlude concluded. Next post will end the series with generation 4.

[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] “The Gardeners’ Chronicle.” Vol. XVIII, No. 467, 9 Dec 1882, page 738. London. Google Books https://books.google.com/books?id=4_A9AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 20 Sep 2016]
[3] “Royal Horticultural Society. Pelargonium Show, May, 22.” The Nottinhamshire Guardian, 4 June 1869. The British Newspaper Archive http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000176/18690604/053/0010 [accessed 25 September 2016]

How doth your garden grow? Part 2

September 27, 2016April 28, 2020 admin5 Comments

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 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]

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]

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]

(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]

(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]