Who is Francois Demoy?

I have mentioned only once before a Francois Demoy. He is living as a ‘boarder’ with my great great grandparents Yves Marie Rabet and Jeanne Marie Rabet in the 1901 Census. The address is Ponterrion/Pontession Mill, Trinity, Jersey, Channel Islands. (Unfortunately I have not been able to confirm or decipher the census writing for the correct spelling of the mill).

Here are the details from the 1901 census:

Island: Jersey

Civil Parish: Trinity

No. of schedule: 23

Name of house: Ponterrion Mill

Name of person: Francois Demoy

Relation to head of Household: Boarder

Condition as to marriage: Single

Age: 23

Proffession: ? on farm (than scribbled on top are the possible words ‘ag horse’)

Where born: France

What has sparked a further interest in me about Francois is that I found him in the same cemetery as some Rabet’s. During my trip back to Jersey at Christmas I did quite an extensive search around the graveyards with my mother to find the graves I have not yet been able to find or weren’t aware of. At first I looked in Trinity graveyard in the hope of finding them there, when (rather slowly) it occurred to me that being of French origin my ancestors were highly likely to have been catholics. So we made a quick diversion to the next parish and nearest Catholic church and cemetery and ‘BINGO!’

I am a little familiar with this church through various family occasions. It isn’t very large and therefore didn’t take too long to look around. The next photo is of Francois Demoy’s grave and headstone;

The Francois in the 1901 census was 23, this makes his birth date 1878. The headstone has the birth date of 1874. He died at the age of 72.

Looking at some archive records at the Jersey Heritage Trust website for Francois Guillaume Demoy, the details show that he was born on the 10th September 1874, in Plaintel, Côtes du Nord, France. Plaintel is about a fifteen minute drive from Ploeuc where my Rabet family came from in France. Maybe they came over on the boat together when they heard there was workers needed in Jersey at the turn of the century 1900.

Is Francois Demoy a family friend or relation to my ancestors or just a stranger who needed work and somewhere to stay? Another mystery on my list of ‘Things to find out’.

If you know more about this person, I would love to hear from you!

Update:

Well would you believe it, the moment I press ‘PUBLISH’ for this post I find another Francois Demoy on Ancestry.com. Here are the details from the 1901 census:

Island: Jersey

Civil Parish: St. John’s

No. of Schedule: 76

Name: Francois demoy

Relation to head of household: Servant

Condition as to marriage: Single

Age: 28 (which would make his birth year 1873 and more accurate with the Francois in the cemetery!)

Profession: Ordinary Agricultural labourer

Where born: France