Thanks to contributor Charles “Tony” Casbon in Peterborough, UK, for this portrait of his paternal grandparents’ wedding.
Photograph courtesy of Charles Casbon. (Click on image to enlarge)
Charles Arthur Casbon (1880–1945) was the son of Thomas (1854–1910) and Elizabeth (Pettifor, 1856–1906) Casbon.[1] Charles and his family were descended from the Littleport/Peterborough line of the Casbon surname. This was his second marriage. The first, to Grace Parker in 1903, ended with Grace’s death in 1912.[2] In the 1911 census, Charles was working as a baker in Bourne, Lincolnshire, about 15 miles north of his birthplace of Peterborough.[3]
Eliza was born in Manthorpe, Lincolnshire in late 1888, the daughter of Joseph and Eliza (Coddington) Harvey.[4] She was listed as a servant, working in Peterborough, in the 1911 census.[5]
Their marriage was registered in Bourne.[6] The Bourne registration district includes a number of neighboring villages, so I don’t know the exact location. The photograph suggests a rural setting, but it might not have been taken at the same location as the wedding ceremony. It looks like they are standing on hay bales. Could this be a studio photo with a rural backdrop?
They are probably wearing their best clothing. It’s simplicity of design reflects their working-class status as well as the austerity of World War I, which had begun a year earlier.
We met Charles and Eliza earlier, in the post “A Family Outing.” Although they had six children together, the marriage was ended prematurely by Eliza’s death in 1932.[7] She was only forty-three.
[1] 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 4 September 2018), Charles Arthur Casbon, 1881, M[ar] qtr, vol. 3B:246; citing General Register Office.
[2] England and Wales, “Search the GRO [General Register Office] Online Index,” HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 4 September 2018), Grace Casbon, age 35, D[ec] qtr, 1912, Peterborough, vol. 3B:259.
[3] 1911 England Census, Lincolnshire, Bourne, population schedule, schedule 284, West Street, Charles Arthur Casbon; imaged as “1911 Census of England and Wales,” findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1911%2frg14%2f19456%2f0549%2f1 : accessed 10 March 2017); citing [The National Archives], ref. RG14PN19456 RG78PN1163 RD412 SD3 ED1 SN284.
[4] England and Wales, “Search the GRO [General Register Office] Online Index,” HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 4 September 2018), entry for Eliza Kate Harvey, M[ar] qtr, 1889, Bourn, Lincolnshire, vol. 7A/371. 1891 England Census, Lincolnshire, Manthorpe, population schedule, Witham on Hill, schedule 38, Joseph Harvey; imaged as “1891 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6598 : accessed 4 September 2018), Lincolnshire >Manthorpe >District 13 >image 1 of 4; citing The National Archives, RG 12, piece 2557, folio 153, p. 6.
[5] 1911 England census, Northamptonshire, Peterborough, population schedule, registration district 170-2, enumeration distric 5, schedule 251, London Rd., Kate Harvey in household of Henry Park; imaged as “1911 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2352 : accessed 4 September 2018), Northamptonshire >Fletton >06 >image 502 of 803.
[6] “England & Wales Marriages 1837-2008”, database findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fm%2f1915%2f3%2faz%2f000238%2f011 : accessed 23 May 2017), Charles A Casbon & Eliza Kate Harvey, Bourne, Lincolnshire, vol 7A:1089, 3d quarter, 1915; citing General Register Office.
[7] England and Wales, “Search the GRO [General Register Office] Online Index,” HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 4 September 2018), Eliza Kate Casbon, Sheffield, vol. 9C: 626.