WHEN CENSUSES AND TRANSCRIPTIONS RAMBLE AND PEOPLE WANDER or the tricky ways to recover my CAVE ancestors in Dorset Once upon a time there was a nice and lovely granny who used to tell her unique grandson a lot of stories about her ancestors and her husband's. And, thanks to God, she had enough time to do so for Gabrielle DAVIS lived nearly 103 years... Born at the end of Victorian era (1891), she is now looking carefully from heaven to her progeny since 1994. As a matter of facts, French born, my maternal grandmother married an English born gentleman, Charles E. P. DAVIS, in Paris the 23rd of December 1923. English born, but, asked to do his national service either in England or in France, he had chosen to be French... in 1914. Maybe the source of his great misfortune for he was severely wounded as a liaison officer between two French army corps on the 17th of September 1914. Doctors operated him with a magnet and removed all the shrapnels... except one ; more than 21 years later, on the 1st of April 1936, Charles DAVIS died after great sufferings : the last shrapnel had reached the heart, as shown on the radiographies. But why did he do this odd choice to become French instead of remaining English ? Born in 1893 very close to Bordeaux (exactly Cauderan, now taken in by Bordeaux), his father, Henry Francis DAVIS, as English as it could be, had married a French woman, Caroline Marie THEULIER SAINT-GERMAIN, whose ancestors were kings of France. Nevertheless, Henry Francis' father, Henry DAVIS (Dorchester Dorset 1843 – La Rochelle France 1907), didn't accept in his heart this treason, but sent his agreement by the British Consulate in Bordeaux, and didn't attend the wedding. So Henry Francis and Caroline Marie innovated with their honeymoon 12 years earlier before king Edward VII and president Emile Loubet signed the Entente Cordiale. So Charles DAVIS used to end his letters to his father with “Charles Davis, citoyen de la République Française” when his father answered, ending with “Henry F. Davis, subject of her gracious Majesty” ! But it was a kind of private joke, each one teasing the other : no Fachoda syndrome in the DAVIS family !

The DAVIS-CAVE family - Bordeaux 1886 - on the bench : Rosa Elizabeth CAVE

But I guess you reckon : Good Heavens, where are the CAVEs in this quirky beginning ? You only need one more detail : Rosa Elizabeth DAVIS, nee CAVE, was my rigid and severe Victorian 2x great grandfather's wife. And she was yet living when my lovely granny got married in 1923. Unfortunately, she died a few months later, in April 1924, in Paris. She was buried in Bordeaux, protestant cemetery, rue Judaïque (Jewish street) ; the grave is always visible. But Rosa Elizabeth was a nice, old, kind and gentle lady, who spoke French as well, but with a terrible English accent. Once, in the mid of a conversation, she told my young granny “J'ai dormi sur un très bon matelas”, that is to say “I have slept on a very good mattress”. But she pronounced it like “J'ai dormi sur un très bon matelot” which made a very amazing sense “I have slept on a very good sailor man”. And she was the widow of the Steam Pacific Navigation Company Director for France ! Here was one of the last words of my last CAVE ancestor. With such forefathers, when Mum, nee Micheline DAVIS, gave me birth in Paris, she wrote a few days later to H.M. The Queen Elizabeth to congratulate her for her coronation and to say she was very proud to have a baby on this very day, at the very time 11.15 a.m. GMT. And all her life she kept the answer of the private secretary of HM. with the seal of Windsor Castle : “the Lady-in-Waiting is commanded by The Queen to thank Mrs Aurejac for her letter. Her Majesty very much regrets that, owing to her rules in these matters, it is not possible for The Queen to send Mrs Aurejac an autograph for her son. 19th June, 1953”. But you are thinking : At last, damned chap, could we learn anything about your CAVEs ? Here we are ; I just wanted to tell you why I was so passionate, even young, by my English lineage. And so long have I looked for Henry DAVIS and Elizabeth CAVE marriage place, for 30 years ! He was born in Dorchester Dorset, she was born in London, he died in La Rochelle and she in Paris. However I had found nothing, neither in England (Dorset and Middlesex) nor in Bordeaux. But thanks to the Internet and to the dedicated websites, a few years ago, the mystery was revealed, for I had the brilliant idea to have a look at the overseas (consulates) registers : they married... in Paris, at the English Consulate, the 3rd of April 1869 ! She was not 20 : maybe that's why ; moreover, they were cousins, having the same maternal grandparents. So Rosa Elizabeth CAVE, my 2x great grandmother, was baptized on the 1st of July 1849 in London, Holborn St. George, of John CAVE, warehouseman, and Elizabeth Catherine CAVE, nee WOODFORD, 10 Devonshire street, Queen Square. She was the third of 5 known children. It was a long way to go to dig in the past and to follow the track of these always vanishing and elusive people. To be perfectly clear, I follow now the natural time line to tell you more. My CAVEs were living in Yetminster, Dorset since a very long time, obviously since the 16th century.

Death of Rosa Elizabeth CAVE - Paris 1111- you can find 1big mistakes To begin with the modern period, and according to Sarah CAVE's will at Cerne Abbas, Dorset on the 16th of March 1814 (she was buried there on the 25th), she gave everything she owned to her son William CAVE. Obviously, she seems to be the same as Sarah PORTER, of Frome Vauchurch, who married John CAVE, of Chetnole, at Yetminster on the 23rd of October 1783. John CAVE, his wife Sarah and their son William are matching well together and none of them could be better elsewhere, regarding all the CAVEs living in the Yetminster area and in the surroundings. The fact is that William CAVE baptism cannot be found anywhere in Dorset, and probably in the neighbourhood. But, according to the 1851 and 1871 censuses, he declared to be born in Yetminster, Dorset. Why should we not trust him ? He told it twice (in 1861 census, the birth place is said “not known”, which seems a little odd). I guess it was the Chetnole parish, and it must be around 1788/1789, according to the age given to William in the different censuses. But what was the job of his father John CAVE ? And did he have a unique son ? Mystery. Moreover, we notice in the transcription of Yetminster parish registers : “9 May 1791, John CAVE, 47 years, died suddenly, at Yetminster. Names of father & mother : John & [not given]". Despite the age given (often false : people, when they died, were often thought to be older than they were actually), I suggest that this John may probably be the same as the son of John CAVE and Elizabeth nee KEECH, who married the 5th of April 1745 and had got 6 children among whom we cannot find any hint of John's baptism. But there is a very big gap between 1749 and 1755, for Thomas was baptized in 1746 in Melbury Bubb, William in 1747, and, all of the following children in Yetminster (Chetnole) : Randolph in 1749, Edward in 1755, Edward in 1758 and Suzanna in 1760. Finally, to end with my clues, when Sarah CAVE died, she was thought to be 68 ; but her parents got married in 1752, her mother was born about 1734, so she would be hardly thought to be born before 1753, that is to say she was probably only 61 or about when she died, instead of 68. The same difference for John CAVE when he was buried in 1791, in fact about 40 instead of 47. But these are guesses. William CAVE married Suzanna nee KINGSBURY, of Maiden Newton, Dorset, at Loders, Dorset, the 27th of July 1818. He is said to be “o.t.p.” (of this parish). But, the following year, even if he was said to be of Cerne Abbas, when baptizing his son John in 1819, he was staying... in Stourbridge, Worcestershire ! Without the 1871 census, it would have been impossible to imagine such a journey ! And it might not be the more amazing information, because the baptism was done among the dissenters, in the High Street Independent Church ! Might it be a clue to explain the fact that we have trouble to find baptisms in this family ? However, William and his family lived a brave part of their lives in Cerne Abbas. In "The Parish Book of Cerne Abbas", Vivian & Patricia Vale noticed a CAVE in 1820. We find him in the Pigots (p. 281) at Cerne Abbas in 1830. And since 1836-1837, he is declared to be “Workhouse 2nd

Relieving Officer at Cerne Abbas”. Why then to be qualified grocer in 1841 when his son John got married ? The fact is he is said to be “Relieving Officer” in the 1841 census, living in Long Street, and we cannot find him among the 7 grocers & dealers in sundries in the 1842 Pigot & Co's Directory. We are following his track at the Dorset History Centre, because we find him in the Maiden Newton parish informations in 1845, ref. PE/MAD/OV 3/2/2 "William Cave, relieving officer of the Cerne Poor Law union, concerning the settlement of William Smith". Always living in Cerne Abbas, in 1851 (spelled CANE !) and 1861 censuses, but in Duck street and always Relieving Officer. At http://www.workhouses.org.uk/ we learn about the main duties of a Relieving Officer : “- To receive applications for relief, and forthwith to examine into the circumstances of every case by visiting the house of the applicant, and making all necessary inquiries into the state of health, the ability to work, the condition and family, and the means of such applicant, and to report the results of his inquiries to the Guardians at their next meeting, and also to visit from time to time, all paupers receiving relief. - In any case of sickness or accident requiring relief by medical attendance, to procure such attendance from the District Medical Officer. - To ascertain from the District Medical Officer the names of any poor persons attended or supplied with Medicines. - In every case of sudden or urgent necessity, to afford relief to the destitute person, either by giving such person an order of admission into the Workhouse, and conveying him thereto, if necessary, or by affording him relief out of the Workhouse, provided that the same be not given in money, whether such destitute person be settled in any Parish comprised in the Union or not. - To report to the Guardians all cases reported to him by an Overseer, and to obey the direction of the Guardians with reference to the relief administered in such cases. - Duly and punctually to supply the weekly allowances of all paupers belonging to his district. - To visit, relieve, and otherwise attend to non-settled poor, being within his district. - To present his weekly accounts to the Clerk for his inspection and authentication before every ordinary meeting of the Guardians, and to the Guardians, for their approval. - To submit to the Auditor of the Union all his books, accounts, and vouchers. - To assist the Clerk in conducting and completing the annual or other election of Guardians.” Also we learn that they had got a girl, Ann Elizabeth, but, once more, it is impossible to find out her baptism. However, she was born about 1826/1827, probably in Cerne Abbas. Unfortunately there are lots of births missing in the 1826 register. She also might have been declared at the dissenters'. She was living with her parents in 1841, and married a widower, Charles J. HADDON (born South Molton Devon about 1811, and died in 1878 in Wellington Somerset), in Wellington, Somerset, in december 1848. So William CAVE and his wife Susanna moved once more, but for the last time, in Wellington., where Suzanna was buried on the 8th of January 1870. In the 1871 census, William, widower, was yet living at his son-in- law's, 271 Trinity Street, Wellington. There he died, "shock following a fall", and was buried on the 24th of July 1872, aged 83. Here comes now the story of their son, John CAVE, born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, on the 24th of May 1819, and baptized the 27th of the following June. On the 13th of April 1841, he married in Dorchester, Dorset, Elizabeth Catherine WOODFORD. He was declared to be 25 ! He worked as a Draper. The same year, in the census, he was living in Newman Street (ref. 2293), Marylebone, London, Middlesex. He was said to be a "Linen Draper" and aged 22 (which is absolutely correct) and living with his wife, 2 years older. But in June 1845 they had a son, John, and in March 1847, another son, Francis Woodford, both born... in Sherborne, Dorset, as we can conclude from the free BMD website. John disappeared from the family before the 1851 census, and Francis Woodford after the 1861 census. Maybe the

latter gave Henry Francis DAVIS, his nephew, my great grandfather, his second name. In 1849, as indicated above, he was back in London, warehouseman, 10 Devonshire street, Queen Square, London. In 1851, his wife and his children were living at 9 Brighton terrace, Lambeth, Surrey. She was said to be a Milliner (like in 1841). But he was out ! And I found him in the 1851 census, spelled CASE, in the parish St. Alkmond in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, 16 Pride Hill, living at Mrs Elizabeth A. Farnall's, 29, Mercer's wife. There were 11 persons living together at the same address. And he was said to be a “clerk to an accountant”. In March 1855, they had a son, Frederick William James, spelled CARE, born... in Wellington, Somerset. John and his family probably joined his sister Ann Elizabeth HADDON, nee CAVE. In March 1858, always in Wellington, Somerset, they had their last child, Alice Eleanor. Once more, in 1861, she was living alone with her family, but at 13 Bywater street, Chelsea, Middlesex. She was said to be an "Accountant's wife". He was out. This time, registered in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire (20 miles NW far from Oxford), 52 Bank, at a Draper's, Thomas Rolls, 57, wife, children, boarders and apprentices, 13 persons together in the house. He was said to be an “Accountant” and “Visitor”, and once more his name was spelled CASE. In 1869, when his elder daughter, who was nearly 20, escaped to get married in Paris, he was always said to be an accountant. So was he in the 1871 census, but once more he moved, lodger in Fulham Road, Chelsea, Middlesex, with his wife. No more children. Finally, in 1872, not very old, only 52, like a huge mass of poor people in this century, he died of “phthisis pulmonalis”, living at Ifield road, West Brompton, London. He was only said to be an "accountant's clerk", in a lower position than previously. We seem to enter the very squalid and miserable Dickens' world. I wonder whether he was buried in the very close Brompton cemetery, where "there are two areas of unconsecrated ground in the cemetery for the burial of dissenters , i.e. those who are not of the Church of England faith." Who knows ? His widow, Elizabeth Catherine, came across the Channel to Bordeaux, where she was registered in the French 1872 census, 23, cour pavée des Chartrons, at her son-in-law's, Henry DAVIS, with her younger and surviving son, Frederick, 17, “commis agent maritime” (committed shipping agent). She was said 63, when she was actually nearly 56 : once more, 7 years more than the truth ; it becomes to be an habit, even in France ! I insist, for those who rely too much on this kind of informations. She seemed to be nowhere in England in 1881 : maybe yet in Bordeaux ? In 1891 census, she was back in England, "Housekeeper, widow, leaving on own means", in Wellington, Somerset, 54 South street, with her younger daughter Alice E., spinster, 33. Did she want to live closer to her sister-in-law Ann Elizabeth HADDON ? There she died and was buried, in December 1896. Her possibly surviving son, Frederick William James CAVE, was noticed in the 1891 census, 36, “Cargo Clerk” or “Clerk in the Customs”, patient of George Symes Saunder, Medical Superintendent, St. Thomas, Kenton, Devon. But I couldn't obtain any information about him in the 1901 census. Nevertheless, in 1901, we can see her second surviving daughter, Alice Eleanor, 42, in Exeter, Devon, 217 High Street, “Housekeeper Draper's shop Assistant”. I'm now waiting for the 1911 census issue... But if the latter remained spinster, as it seems likely, I must admit, alas, that I have a sad chance to be the last descendant of this CAVE branch of Dorset. Arnaud C. Aurejac - La Bouffière Bioule FRANCE - August 2009