Davey

Selina Davey – born 17th April 1869

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Selina Davey is my 3rd great aunt. She is the younger sister of Mary Frances Davey who I have written about here: Mary Frances Davey

Here is Selina’s timeline as I know it to this day:

1869 – 17th April Selina is born to Isaac William Davey & Ann Le Breton (AKA Nancy) probably at 14 Lempriere Street, St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, otherwise known as The Eagle Tavern.

1869 – 30th June, Selina is baptised. Father: Isaac William Davey – shipwright. Mother: Ann Le Breton. Godparents: Isaac William Davey Jnr. & Jane Canning. Jane married a shipwright which is how they may have all known each other).

1871 – Census details – Selina is one years old and is living at 14 Lempriere Street, with her father Isaac (head of household & shipwright), mother Ann (Tavern Keeper), siblings: William (mason’s labourer), Ann (apprentice tailoress), Mary, Esther, Cecilia, and Mathilda (scholars).

1881 – Census details – Selina is 12 years old, a scholar, living at 14 Lempriere street with her father Isaac, aged 60 (now a Victualler), mother ‘Nancy’ and siblings: William (seaman), Esther (dressmaker), Matilda (scholar). Also part of the household is Selina’s older brother Isaac (shipwright) and his wife Ellen Goudge and their two children: Isaac and James. That’s 10 members of the family in building that is a pub downstairs! Interestingly enough, all the neighbours have similar professions: dressmakers and ship carpenters.

1891 – Census details – Selina is 21 years old, working as a dressmaker. She is still living at 14 Lempriere Street, with her father Isaac (Victualler), mother Nancy, brother Isaac (shipwright), his wife Elenora and their children: Isaac (apprentice to plasterer), James (Errand boy), Elenora (scholar) and 6 year old George, my great grand father.

1895 – According to the 1911 census Selina has been living with her husband, William Chapman for 16 years (unconfirmed). That would make 1895 the year they got married. This might make sense,as in  many years to come, Selina’s brother George hires a nanny to care for their first child of the name Maria Chapman.

1898 – Selina is 29 when her mother Ann “Nancy’ dies.

1900 – Selina’s father Isaac dies to years after his wife.

1901 – Possible birth of her son William Charles Chapman on 1 December at 17 Seaton Place, Jersey.

1906 – Possible birth of daughter Gladys Rita Chapman on 12 June 1906, Seaton Place.

1911 – Census details – Selina is living with her husband of 16 years, William C Chapman (Tailor) and their children William, aged 9 and Gladys, age 4. If William is a Tailor, is this how Selina met him, at work?

This is as far as Selinas timeline goes for the time being.

In 1934 A Selina Davey died on 7 June 1934, aged 78 at 7 Winchester Street. Her burial was at St. Helier’s General Cemetery. the grave was in the name of James Davey. This Selina was therefore born in 1856, (thanks to a reader correcting me) , and can not be my Selina, unless I have the wrong birthdate for my Selina, of which I will have to go back and check another day.

Would her maiden name be used in Funeral records? If not then this is her married name and James (who the grave is named under) is possibly her husband? Or she left her husband and James is her brother? It was unusual for for divorced woman to revert back to their maiden name in those days.

Extract from Croad & Sons Funeral Directors Book.

Extract from Croad & Sons Funeral Directors Book.

I look forward to the 1921 Census being available as that will fill in the missing years from 1911 to 1934.

I wonder if Selina had a hard life. 65 isn’t a great age for a Davey, as most of them lived well into their 70’s and 80’s.

If Selina is in your family tree and you can share more information, I would love to hear from you 🙂

Isaac William Davey – born 30 December 1851

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I have been pleased with the amount of progress in my research on Isaac William Davey. His timeline is filled with many events. Some sad, some curious, some rather romantic. The only thing missing is a photo of him.

1851 – On the 30th December Isaac William Davey is born in St. Helier (possibly 143 Breton Yard, Jersey – which I think no longer exists). His parents were Isaac William Davey b.1821 and Ann ‘Nancy’ Le Breton b.1827.

1852 – Four months later, Isaac is baptised in St. Helier, Jersey. His godparents were Isaac Davey Senior (his father) and Fanny Le Breton, aged 15 (his aunty/mother’s sister).

I wonder why Isaac was baptised so late after his birth? Nowadays, baptising your child four months after their birth doesn’t seem such a long time but in the 1800’s it was recommended that a baby be baptised very soon after the birth due to illness and high child death rates. I know that when my son was baptised he was almost 9 months old. This was due to the fact that we did a joint baptism ceremony with his cousin Anna. In an article by Stuart Basten from the Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure, he explains:

…in the early seventeenth-century, William Gouge wrote that ‘it is not meet for Christians to defer the baptizing of their children beyond eight days.

He goes on to say that:

However, both Gouge and the later seventeenth-century Prayer Books allow for a short period of rest for mother and child.

1861 – Aged 10, Isaac is living at 14 Lempriere Street, St. Helier, Jersey with his father Isaac – a ships carpenter, mother Ann and siblings William, Ann, Mary and Esther – all scholars (attending school).

1871 – Aged 20, Isaac is still living at 14 Lempriere Street ( once known as The Eagle Tavern). He is now a shipwright following in his father’s footsteps. His mother Ann is a Tavern Keeper. I wonder if she living upstairs and working downstairs in The Eagle Tavern? Isaac’s six siblings are also living at home with him: William – a Mason’s Labourer, Ann E. – Apprentice Tailoress, Mary, Esther, Cecelia, Matilda and Selina.

You can read more about shipwrights in a previous post here: Shipwrights

1876 – At the age of 26 Isaac marries Ellenora Goudge. Tony, a family historian and contact of mine gave me the following romantic story;

Screen Shot 2014-12-30 at 11.27.32 am

The marriage date was first worked out from 1911 census. Then on a visit to the Jersey archives one year I found the following information from his marriage record book ALL SAINTS C/E MARRIAGE INDEX SEPT 1872-JUN 1907:

NO.22    January 4th 1876

Name: Isaac William Davey

Age: 24

Marital status: Bachelor

Occupation: Shipwright

Place of residence at time of marriage: St. Helier

Place of birth: St. Helier

Father: Isaac William Davey               Rank: Shipwright

***

Name: Ellen Goudge

Age: 21

Marital Status: Spinster

P.O.R at time of marriage: St. Helier

P.O.B: Grouville

Father: Henry Goudge                Rank: Mariner

En presence de: A. H. Moon & Mary Frances Davey (Mary is Isaac’s sister and Mr Moon later becomes Frances’s husband)

1877 – On the 1st of January Isaac and Ellenora become parents to son Isaac Davey.

1879 – On the 20th February Isaac and Ellenora give birth to James Davey.

1881 – Isaac is still living at 14 Lempriere Street, St. Helier, Jersey. this residence must be feeling quite cramped by now as Isaac is living here with his parents, 5 siblings, his wife and sons Isaac and James. That’s 11 people!

(Note: the mother Ellenora’s birth place on the 1881 census says St. Martin, not Grouville.) It is here that Isaac and Ellenora’s third child Elenora was born.

1885 – Isaac and Ellenora become parents to my great grandfather George Perchard Davey born at 14 Lempriere Street, St. Helier, Jersey.

1888 – On 15th August, Isaac and Ellenora have another daughter, Eva Louisa Davey. Eva was baptised within a month. maybe they knew she was not going to survive. Sadly, Eva died of convulsions 5 months later in the following January. During this period Isaac is working as a carpenter.

1891 – Isaac, aged 39 and Ellenora, aged 36, become parents to another son, William Davey, born at 14 Lempriere Street, St. Helier, Jersey. Isaac is now recorded as a ‘shipwright.’ His son Isaac is apprentice to a plasterer and his son James is an errand boy. Isaac’s parents and one sister are also still living at this address.

1893 – On the 12th may, Isaac and Ellenora have another daughter Violet May Davey.

1899 – The Channel Islands sees one of it’s worst shipwrecks in history. The sinking of the South Western Steamer, The Stella. You can read more about the disaster here in a previous post: The Stella. 86 passengers and 19 crew died. One of the crew was a W. Davey. As of yet I have been unable to confirm a link with my Davey tree. But what I do know is that family relations between Isaac and his father Isaac Senior deteriorate around this time. So much so that in Isaac seniors Will & Testament in October 1899, Isaac Snr states:

“…it is also my wish that my body shall not bee seen or touched by my eldest son Isaac William Davey after my death.-“

 These are quite dramatic and powerful words and one can only wonder at what on earth Isaac Jnr said or did to enrage the anger of his father so much. Did Isaac say something bad about W. Davey’s seamanship on the Stella?

Did Isaac reconcile with his father before he died 6 months later in July 1900?

1901 – Aged 50, Isaac is living at 15 Union Street with his wife Ellenora, son George P. Davey, a plasterer and daughter Violet M. Davey.

1911 – Aged 60, this years census states that Isaac is a ship-fitter, living with his wife Ellenora at 21 Charles Street, St. Helier, Jersey. The census also records that of the 8 children Isaac and ellenora have had, only 4 are alive in 1911. Also living at this address is Ellenora’s mother, Eleonore Hope Goudge (nee Perchard) a widow aged 81 along with grandson John Philip Bree, aged 25, single and a Baker.

Where Isaac William Davey died or was buried is still unknown to me, although I do know that his wife Ellenora is curiously in the same grave as Isaac’s father. Maybe Ellenora reconciled with her father-in-law at some point. Maybe she took sides? Whatever happened Isaac’s love for his wife was enduring as we can see from the photo image above where Isaac was calling for Ellenora on his deathbed.

I hope you have found this interesting, maybe have even discovered something new. And if there is anything new you can tell me or contribute to Isaac’s life I would to hear from you.

Thanks for stopping by!

Ramona

Some more information on the history of baptisms:

When were babies baptised? Some Welsh evidence

Birth baptism intervals for family historians

Cholera Epidemic reaches Jersey – 1832

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On August 6th in 1832, the cholera epidemic that had been sweeping through England and Europe had finally reached the shores of Jersey.

Cholera = an acute intestinal infection characterized by severe diarrhoea, cramp, etc.: caused by ingestion of water or food contaminated with the bacterium. (The Collins Concise Dictionary)

Go back through the death dates of some of your ancestors. You may find you have people in your family tree that died around this time and cholera may have been the reason of death.

Alex Glendinning writes about the Jersey epidemic here: JERSEY CHOLERA EPIDEMIC – 1832

The epidemic spread throughout the town areas first as it was high residential area and therefore spread from building to building quicker than it did in the countryside. Alex writes that…

‘When the cholera reached Jersey on August 6 1832, there had been a heavy downpour of rain the previous day and Dr Hooper theorised that the movement of all the accumulated filth in the streams helped spread the disease.
Hilgrove Lane was one of the first places to suffer outbreaks.’

The majority of my ancestors were town dwellers, so this is of interest to me. Although I have not been able to always find specific addresses for this time as it was before the first Census in 1841.

I scan through all my family trees for all the death dates during this year and only find a date match with my Davey family.

The Rabet’s didn’t arrive in Jersey from Brittany until the turn of the century in the early 1900’s.

The Lozuet’s were living in St. Ouen at this time so were relatively safe (I presume).

I find William Davey who had died on the 19th November 1832. I have written about him before:

Boxing Day marriage of Mary De France & William Davey – 1804

William Davy – died 19th November 1832

William writes his Will & Testament four days before he dies in St. helier, leaving his wife Mary Defrance as executor and his children are his heirs: Thomas, Rachel, William, Isaac, Mary Ann and George. Unfortunately his Will does not state his address unlike his son Isaac’s Will & Testament 60 years later.

snap shot of William Davey's Will - 1832

It says that he is ‘of sound and disposing mind.’ I don’t have a copy of this death certificate, so I can not confirm  whether he was ill from cholera.  He died at the age of 52.

Alex Glendinning  goes on to state that:

According to Dr Hooper’s carefully kept statistics, 803 people were taken ill and 347 died over an eleven week and five day period. The deaths were so concentrated in the poorer parts of town, that the Rector of St Helier had to inaugurate a new Strangers’ Cemetery (below Westmount) on August 27 to cope with the extra burials. On October 27, the Board of Health reported the Island free of cholera and adjourned, the very day that the first case was reported in Guernsey.

Sadly, another cholera epidemic returns 16 years later, in 1848. You can read more about it in an article in the Jersey Evening Post: Containing Cholera In The 19th Century.

My next step is to get hold of a copy of William’s death certificate from the Jersey Registry Office to confirm details of his death.

I may have had more ancestors that fell ill or died from the cholera in 1832, but I do not know many of their dates of death. This is especially the case with my female ancestors. If I do not know the surname of the man they married I cannot trace their whereabouts and therefore when they died or where.

Have you found a family death during 1832?

Ann Elizabeth Davey – born 24th June 1854

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On this day, the 24th June 1854 my 2nd great grand aunt  Ann Elizabeth Davey was born. She was the 4th out of ten children born to Ann ‘Nancy’ Le Breton and Isaac William Davey. I get great satisfaction in writing about my female ancestors. They can disappear very quickly in history and in the records, especially once they lose their maiden name and become married.

Here is Ann’s timeline from what I know so far:

1854 – On the 24th June, Ann is born in St. Helier, Jersey. the first daughter for Ann Nancy Le Breton and Isaac William Davey.

1854 – On the 3rd September Ann is baptised in the Parish of St. Helier (source: http://search.jerseyheritage.org/wwwopacx/wwwopac.ashx?command=getcontent&server=files&value=%5CGC03A215.pdf)

Screen Shot 2014-06-24 at 10.14.58 am

1861 – In the 7th April 1861 the Channel Isalnd Census was taken. At the age of 6 Ann is recorded as a ‘scholar.’ She is living at 14 Lempriere Street with her mother, father, older brother’s Isaac and William and younger sisters Mary and Ester.

1871 – Ann is 17 and is working as an Apprentice Tailoress. This could be a tough job in cramped conditions working long hours.

“Dressmaking was an essential service in Victorian Britain, no community could really be without a dressmaker, and those who were trained and skilled had a job for life. “

(Quote from Amanda Wilkinson: D is for Dressmaker –http://19thcenturyhistorian.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/d-is-for-dressmaker/)

1881 – Ann is now called Ann E. Blackmore. She has married Henry Blackmore although he is not in the household on the day this Census is taken. Ann, aged 26 is living in Dorset Street (possibly No. 13). She is sister-in-law to the head of the household Jas Blackmore (her husband’s brother), a Seaman. Ann is still working as a Tailoress. Also in the household are Jas’s sister Mary Messervy, a Dressmaker, aged 26. Jas’s other sister Emma Blackmore, aged 18 also a Dressmaker and Maud M. Messervy, aged 3, a niece (probably Mary’s daughter. Interestingly, the neice Maud was born in Sydney, New South Wales!

I wonder why Mary and Maud are back in the island? I wonder why Mary went to Australia, had a daughter there and how did she have enough money to travel back?

I currently can’t find Henry Blackmore’s whereabouts on the day of the census but will update this page should I find out.

1891 – Ann is now lodging at Duhamel Place with her 5 children:  Henry, aged, a scholar/ Ann E., aged 7, a scholar/ Alfred, aged 5/ William, aged 4 and Arthur S. aged 1.  Ann is still working as a Tailoress. The head of household is a William Nudd and his wife Cecelia, aged 39 and a Dressmaker.

In the household are two other lodgers: Mary Whelan, aged 64, a Charwoman and Ellen Whelan, aged 59, a Dressmaker.

Local news:

On the 30th March 1899 the London and South Western steamer, the ‘Stella’ sank on it’s way to Guernsey and Jersey. It hit the rocks off Alderney’s coast and sank within 15 minutes. 86 passengers and 19 crew died. The Wreck of the Stella – Titanic of the Channel Islands Among the drowned was a W. Davey, I have yet to confirm whether or not he is a relation. He was the son of Capt. Davey of the brig ‘Union’. Were any of your ancestors among the dead?1901 – On the 31 march, the Census is taken and Annie is 47 years old,  a ‘widow’ working as a Tailoress of her ‘own account’. She is living with her children: Anne E. (16) – dressmaker, William (12) and Arthur S. (11).

I don’t know anymore beyond this date. I can’t find Ann in the 1911 Census. Although many women were not in the 1911 Census due to ‘suffragette’ tendencies. Did Ann object to have her name in the census? Maybe you can help me?

Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

 

Matilda Davey – born 19th March 1863

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Screen Shot 2014-03-19 at 11.06.41 am

According to my records my great great grandfather Isaac’s younger sister was born, Matilda Davey. A child of nine to the parents Isaac William Davey and Ann ‘Nancy’ Le Breton.

Any family historian will tell you that tracing our female ancestors can be tricky because once they have married they can disappear if you do not know the surname of their new spouse.

I have created the following timeline of what I beleive is Matilda’s life, but there is always the sneeking fear that you may have got it wrong and matched your female up with the wrong husband, especially when their name is as common as Davey.

1863 – Matilda is born on the 19th March very likely at 14 Lempriere Street (once The Eagle Tavern), St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, UK.

1863 – On the 5th April Matilda is baptised in a town church of St. Helier. Her godparents were Philip Le Breton and Mary Leath. It is likely that Philip is the mother Ann’s brother. Ann came from a huge family with 11 brothers and sisters! (Source: Jersey Heritage Archive Catalogue)

1871 – In the Census, Matilda aged 7, is a scholar and is living with her father Isaac: a Shipwright, mother Ann: Tavern Keeper, and siblings: Isaac W: Shipwright (aged 19), William: Mason’s Labourer, Ann E: Apprentice Tailoress, Mary and Esther: Scholars and Selina aged 1. I would love to know more about the life of women Tavern Keepers, it can’t have been easy with such a large family where your children’s age range from 19 to 1 years old.

1881 – In the Census, Matilda is 18 and is still a ‘Scholar.’ This seems quite old to still be at school.

The Elementary Education Act 1880 insisted on compulsory attendance from 5–10 years.      (Source:Wikipedia. Lincolnshire School Resources Genuki.org.uk)

She lives with her father Isaac, now a Victualler. Her mother is no longer a Tavern Keeper. Her older brother Isaac lives with them with his wife and kids. 

1885 – Matilda, aged 22 married Arveld George Winter Bishop.

1891 – Matilda is 28 and is living at 12 Goucester Street with her husband Arveld, a Stationary Engine Driver and their 2 month old son Arveld.

1899 – Matilda, aged 36, gives birth to a daughter, Lilian Beatrice Bishop, eight years after her son. This is quite a lengthy time between children, it may be that Matilda lost some to miscarriage in between.

1901 – In the Census taken on the 31st March, Matilda is living at 17 Seaton Place, St. Helier, Jersey with her husband Arveld – an Engine/Crane Driver and their children Arveld (10) and Lilian (2).

This is the year that tragedy strikes matilda’s life. She loses her 10 year old son Arveld to Tuberculosis. Having a 10 year old son myself, I can not even begin to understand how unbearable it must have been to experience this.

Tuberculosis infects the lungs and causes breathing difficulties which would have been very distressing to watch in a child.

In large cities the poor had high rates of tuberculosis. Public-health physicians and politicians typically blamed both the poor themselves and their ramshackle tenement houses (conventillos) for the spread of the dreaded disease. People ignored public-health campaigns to limit the spread of contagious diseases, such as the prohibition of spitting on the streets, the strict guidelines to care for infants and young children, and quarantines that separated families from ill loved ones.                                                                     (Wikipedia – Source: Diego Armus, The Ailing City: Health, Tuberculosis, and Culture in Buenos Aires, 1870–1950 (2011)

1903 – Aged 40, Matilda has another daughter, Muriel Evelyn Bishop.

1911 – Aged 48, Matilda is living at 29 Windsor Road with her husband Arveld, now working as a Ships Stoker and daughters lilian and Muriel who are both attending school. A ships Stoker was hard work, shovelling coal into the ships engine. I wonder why he changed jobs?

1924 – At the age of 60, Matilda writes her Will & Testament. It appears she has separated from Arveld as she beqeathes her property and possessions to her daughters.

1941 – Matilda dies at the grand age of 78. I do not know where she is buried.

***

If Matilda is in your family tree and you can confirm some details above, that’s great I’d love to hear from you or maybe you ar related to her husband, let me know.

Hope you enjoyed reading this timeline, until next time, bye for now.

Boxing Day marriage of Mary De France and William Davy – 1804

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Davey marriage

On Boxing Day in 1804 my great great great great grandparents were married. The above image says the following:

‘William Davy, the son of John Davy of the Parish of West Coker in the County of Somerset, & Mary De France, the daughter of Thomas De France, of this Parish (Guernsey), were married together on the 26th of December 1804.’

In this day and age, Boxing Day seems an odd date to marry but there was method in their madness. In the 1800’s, Christmas Day and Boxing Day were official holidays which was quite a big deal in a time when most people were working 6 days a week and more than likely going to church on the 7th day.

Times were hard and with families saving up for the big Christmas celebrations and with the rare opportunity of a few days off many couples took the opportunity of getting married. Family and friends would be gathering together so they could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

William and Mary didn’t stay  in Guernsey, as they were in Jersey by 1813 when their daughter Rachel Mary was born. They went on to have 6 children, that I am aware of and both lived till a grand old age.

Questions:

  • Why was William in Guernsey? This was at the time of the Napoleonic Wars. William came from West Coker, a town  which had a long history of growing hemp and flax for sailcloth manufacture, which made “Coker Canvas” highly prized by naval captains. (Thank you Kelly for this info.)
  • Why did they move to Jersey? Jersey had it’s own rope walks. Was there a shortage of ropemakers in the islands?

If you know the answer to either of these questions or you are related to William or Mary I would love to hear from you.

Happy Boxing Day and if you are getting married today, ‘Congratulations!’

William Davy – died 19th November 1832

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William Davey, my 4x great grandfther died on the 19th November 1832.

I have come across William’s surname spelt in a few different variations:

DAVY is recorded in his own marriage to Mary De France in 1804

DAVIS is recorded in his Will & Testament in 1832

DAVEY is recorded in the marriage certificate of his son Isaac to Ann Le Breton in 1850.

It is the latter spelling which stuck and is still used today with William’s descendants and myself.

Here is William’s timeline as far as I know so far:

1780 – William Davy is born about 1780 in West Coker, Somerset. The exact date is unknown. His father was John Davy, his mother is unknown.

1804 – William, aged 24 marries Mary De France, age 22 and born in Guernsey, daughter of Thomas De France, on 26th December, Boxing Day.

Davey marriage

1813 – William’s daughter Rachel Mary  is baptised in St. Helier on the 7 August. The family have now moved to Jersey from Guernsey. Was this for work? In the marriage certificate of his daughter Mary Ann to George Le Breton, William’s proffession is recorded as a CARTER. This is a job of low earnings.

1816 – Birth of  son William George.

1819 – Birth of daughter – Mary ann

1821 – Birth of son Isaac William on the 24th July. Isaac is my 3x great grandfather.

1832 – A cholera epidemic swept through St. Helier and some of the outlyinf parts of the island. Special centres were established to cope with the level of illness. 

1832 – On the 15th November William, aged 52, writes his Will & Testament – “my desire is to be buried at the discretion of Mary De France, my dear wife.”

mark X of William Davis

mark X of William Davis

1832 – On the 19th November, only 4 days after writing his Will & Testament, Willaim dies. UPDATE: He was buried Green Street Cemetery.

Cemetery plot 230 - Green Street Graveyard, Jersey

Cemetery plot 230 – Green Street Graveyard, Jersey

Although I do not have firm evidence of where William lived, I can presume that it was in St. Helier where  his children were born. It may be that William became one out of the 348 vicitms of cholera in Jersey.

To find out more about the history of cholera in Jersey click on the following link: (http://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/1832_cholera_epidemic)

If you think you are a descendant of William Davey than I would love to hear from you!