Author: Linda Miles-Cartwright

Born: 1821

Died: 25 April 1872

Buried: 29 April 1872

William died in Sussex Lunatic Asylum in Wivelsfield on 25 April 1872 aged around 50 years of age and he is buried in the patient’s cemetery (St Francis).

So, what do we know about William?

Finding William Casselden or any records relating to him have been difficult. I found 2 William Casseldens in the 1871 census who were born between 1817 and 1820 who were possibilities, but our William eventually proved to be none of these men. He was not William from Brighton, the shoemaker married to Caroline, nor was he William from Tunbridge Wells married to Sophia.  

His death certificate revealed his occupation was that of a servant and his address was Gensing Station Road, St Leonards. This did give me more clues and helped me find him but not through records appertaining to him but through his wife and children. Strangely I have been unable to find William in many census returns and because he was born prior to birth registration I have not been able to find details of his birth. This is despite using variations of his surname such as Casselton, Casseldon, Castledine, Castledene and Castledone and Castleden.

Through the 1871 census I was able to find that a Catherine Casselden living at 7 Gensing Station Road was the wife of a man servant and this was William’s wife.

Currently, we do not know when William was born or where at present. His marriage records suggest he was of full age in 1847 – which means he was over 21 years of age. His death certificate states he was 51 at the time of his death which would make his birth year about 1821 but how do we know this given age is accurate?

A lot of William’s story is pieced together by looking at his close family.

Early Life

There is an entry for a William Castleden aged 20 working as male servant at the Rectory in Hurstpierpoint in West Sussex for the Reverend Carey Hampton Borrer who was newly appointed to the parish on 23 January 1841. Is it possible that William Castleden is our man? It’s the right age; the right occupation all be it the surname has a slightly different spelling.

On 10 February 1847 William married Catherine Towner aged 27 at St Paul’s church, Portland Square in Bristol. She was the daughter of Thomas Towner a builder from St Leonards.

William is described as a servant living at Wilson Street the son of William Casselden. He is described as of Full Age (Over 21) and a bachelor. Both parties were able to sign their names, and the witnesses were Robert Wright and Eliza Putt.

Catherine was a spinster who was born in Seaford in Sussex in 1820. Her parents had both died in the 1840’s and by the time she married William she already had a daughter by the name of Frances Pierce Towner who was under a year old. The name Pierce may point to the identity of the father. Frances was born in the Croydon area for reasons that are unclear.

1847 – 1850

After the marriage the couple had their own daughter Jane who was born on 30 November 1847 at 20 minutes to 11pm. She was born at Barrack Field in Croydon, Surrey. I presume this is Mitcham Road Barracks in Croydon which at the time was home to recruits of the Grenadier, Coldstream and Scots Guards. Jane was baptised on 23 December 1847 at St John’s church in Croydon.  William’s occupation was that of a servant. Was he possibly a servant to a military man?

Jane’s birth certificate is below.

1850’s

On 21 July 1850 their only son William was born in Saint Marylebone. He was baptised at St Mary’s church on 3 November 1850 the given address was 12 Northumberland Street and William was described as a Servant.

The movements of Catherine his wife and children can be traced through the census records.

In 1851 the family can be found at 1 Northumberland Street in the parish of Rectory, Saint Marylebone in London. This is now known as Luxborough Street. There were 10 households living at this address which amounted to 31 people. Catherine and the children were a family of 4. Catherine aged 31 is described as married a “Gents Servant’s” wife. The children were Frances aged 5, Jane aged 3 and William aged 8 months. William junior is said to have been born in Hathern in Leicestershire. This is incorrect as William’s birth certificate reveals.

On 14 April 1853 another daughter Ellen was born she was baptised in the parish church of Saint Marylebone on 8 July 1855. The family have moved around the corner to 19 Paddington Street. William is described as a Footman. Ellen was baptised alongside her younger sister Catherine who had been born on 21 March 1855.

A Footman’s duties were at that time varied, and included serving meals, opening doors and carrying heavy items. Other duties would have included assisting the Butler with his duties, accompanying the lady of the house when she went shopping, delivering messages, brushing hats and cleaning shoes. Footmen would have normally worn dress livery which would have been knee length breeches and a long coat. They normally lived in the household of their employer and not necessarily with their family. This would explain why William was not present with his family at the time of the census.

Baby Catherine sadly died on 15 April 1857 at 27 Weymouth Street in Marylebone. Proof here that William was present at the death and therefore possibly living with the family at this point. Little Catherine was buried on 21 April 1857 in Saint Marylebone Cemetery Grave number F20 307.

1860’s

After this the family moved to the south coast, the place of their mother’s birth. In the 1860 Electoral Roll for St Leonards William is listed as living at 11 Gensing Terrace in the parish of St Mary Magdalene. Appearing on the Electoral Roll meant that William was entitled to vote. He was one of 800,000 men of England and Wales who had that entitlement.

The 1832 Representation of Peoples Act meant men over 21 years of age who fulfilled certain property rights – such as in the boroughs, men who paid £10 rent or more in a year and some lodgers. In county constituencies, franchise rights were extended to owners of land in copyhold worth £10 and holders of certain leases.   

The 1861 census show the family living at this address as follows. Catherine who is head of the household aged 41 – no occupation. The children Jane aged 13, William aged 10 and Ellen aged 7. William their father is not listed as living here. Catherine is living in this house with her brother Edward and her nephew Frederick Towner and their families. 

0n 24 August 1861 the couple’s youngest child named Catherine was born.

From 1861 to 1865 William continued to be listed as living at 11 Gensing Terrace. The map above from 1873 shows both Gensing Road (Terrace) and Gensing Station Road where the Casseldens lived.

On 9 June 1867 Jane Casselden married John Field at St Mary Magdalen church in St Leonards. It looks like from the witness’s signatures that William was present at the wedding and provided a witness signature.

1870’s

On 1 March 1870 Frances known as Fanny Casselden married David Flett at St George’s Hanover Square. David whose occupation was that of a Butler was the son of William Fett a Draper. Fanny described her father as William Casselden also as a Butler. Whether this was the case or not, we do know William was a Gentleman’s servant.

By the time of the next census the family had moved up the road to 7 Gensing Station Road where 4 families were living amounting to 19 people. Catherine is not described as head of the household but as a wife of man servant. She is 51 years old; the children are Ellen aged 17 and Catherine aged 9. Again, their father is not listed as living there. 

On 2 March 1872 William was admitted to Sussex Asylum, and he is clearly not in good health. On 25 April 1872 he died of what was stated to be progressive paralysis of the insane. This was the late stages of Syphilis a common disease of the time which was untreatable, and symptoms were likely to appear 10 to 30 years after being infected. Typical symptoms would have included a loss of social inhibitions, gradual impairment of judgment, concentration and short-term memory. As the illness progressed delusions would have become frequent, and seizures would be commonplace. If this was an accurate diagnosis, then things must have been difficult for the whole family.

William’s death certificate showing he died aged 51 at Sussex Asylum.

After William’s death

Just over a year later Ellen Casselden died at Hastings Union aged 20. She was buried on 21 May 1873 in Oare churchyard.

On 24 March 1874 William’s widow Catherine married again in what can only be described as what appears to be an upwardly mobile marriage. She married a widower named John Campbell who had been Hasting’s first Inspector of Police and was now a Sergeant at Mace. He was 19 years her senior and a hugely respected member of the community who had been in public service for decades. A Sergeant at Mace carries the Mace before the Mayor in civic ceremonial processions and at Council meetings. It is possible she had known him for years through the Towner family connections.

In 1881 Catherine and John were living at 7 Pelham Street in Hastings. John was aged 80 and Catherine 61. John is still the Sergeant at Mace.

Catherine died the following year on 12 September.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer 16 September 1882

John Campbell was to live a further 2 years, and he died in 1884 aged 84.

William’s surviving children

Frances

Frances probably was not William’s daughter as she was born before William and Catherine married but she adopted the Casselden surname. Her birth certificate reveals she was born in the Old Town of Croydon and no father’s name was given.

After she married David Flett in 1870, they moved to St Leonards. In 1881 the Flett family were living at 36 Gensing Station Road. David aged 42 who was born in Scotland was a Grocer. Frances aged 32 and their children Mary aged 10, Henry aged 8, Isabella aged 5 and Earnest aged 3 all born in St Leonards.

By 1891 the couple were still living at the same address although Gensing Station Road had become Kings Road. The family had grown even more with the addition of Eva born in 1881, Margaret in 1883, Grace in 1886, Arthur in 1888 and Alice in 1890.

In 1901 they were still at 36 Kings Road only Ernest, Margaret, Grace and Arthur were living with them.

Frances died in July 1904 and is buried in Camberwell Old Cemetery.

I have been able to trace most of Frances and David’s children (William’s step grandchildren) and their stories are not to be told here. Other than to mention Henry Flett who became a photographer and operated out of 2 London studios and examples of his work can be found online. I wonder what William Casselden would have thought of that?

Jane

Details of Jane’s birth have already been covered.

Jane was the daughter of William and as I have mentioned earlier, she married John Field on 9 June 1867. John was the son of William Field a labourer. John’s occupation was that of a porter.

By the time of the 1871 census Jane and John were living at 47 Gensing Station Road with their sons William aged 2 and Albert aged 1. John was working as a Cellarman.

In April 1877 John Field died aged 34 and in 1881 Jane is recorded as living in St Leonards with her surviving children William aged 12, Herbert aged 11, Alfred aged 9 and Alice aged 6. She was working as a Charwoman. Young William was working as an Errand Boy.

On 22 February 1883 Jane married a widower named John Sweetman Drayton aged 61 who hailed from the Isle of Wight. It is possible Jane was his third wife.

In 1891 the couple are living at 44 Kings Road (previously Gensing Station Road) John aged 69 is working as a jobbing carpenter, Jane aged 45 and her 3 sons William aged 25 a poulterer, Herbert aged 21 a greengrocer’s boy and Alfred aged 19 also working as a greengrocer’s boy.

Jane was to be widowed in December 1893 when John died.

Jane was to marry again on 17 February 1897 in Chelsea. Her third husband was Philip Joseph Francis Brady a widowed Lawyer’s Clerk aged 48. Philip was born in Dublin.

The next census I have been able to trace Jane and Philip is over 20 years later in the 1921 census where they are living at 79 London Road in St Leonards at the home of Florence Fox. Jane is aged 73 and Philip aged 79 is running a Bath Chair business.

Jane died in 1924 and Philip in 1930. 

 Jane’s children with John Field have been traced and most of them remained locally, married and had their own families.

William

William’s birth certificate shows he was born on 21 July 1850 at 4 Northumberland Street in Marylebone but the 1851 census states his place of birth was Hathern in Leicestershire.  whether Hathern has a link to the family cannot be proved. After 1861 William cannot be traced. There is a Death Certificate in the December quarter of 1864 for the Hastings registration area in the name of William Casselden. I believe this could be our man. If this is the case he died at the age of 14.

Catherine

The second Catherine Casselden married Arthur Alfred Every on 5 June 1879 at St Mary Magdalene Church in St Leonards. She was only 18 and Arthur was only 19. He was a Stationer and the son of Alfred Cornelius Every who was deceased.

By 1881 the couple were living in Mount Pleasant Road in Hastings. This would be where the couple would live for a number of years. Arthur aged 21 from Maidstone was living off income from Dividends. Catherine aged 19 and their daughter Catherine aged 6 months.

In 1891 Arthur now aged 31 was working as a Pianoforte dealer. Catherine aged 29. The family had grown – Catherine aged 10, Arthur William aged 9, Ernest Alfred aged 8, Herbert Charles aged 5, Elsie May aged 6 months. Arthur’s mother is also living there and a lodger who is an apprentice to Arthur.

In 1901 Arthur is still working as a Pianoforte Dealer. His son Arthur is working as a piano tuner and repairer, whilst sons Ernest and Herbert are working in the jewellery business. The family had grown by one with the arrival of Christine who was born in 1900. 

In 1911 most of the older children had flown the nest leaving Arthur aged 51 who was still working as a manager of a Music Shop. Catherine was aged 49 and Christine aged 17 and another child born 10 years later Stanley Cecil when Catherine would have been 42. All 7 of the Emery children survived into adulthood.

Sometime during the first World War Arthur and Catherine for reasons unknown started to live apart

By 1921 Catherine had moved to 27b Havelock Road in Hastings she was 59 years old. Her daughter Catherine aged 27 was a professional Pianist working at a Cinema, Stanley aged 17 was working as an Opticians Apprentice. 

Catherine died in 1940 in Surrey aged 78 and Arthur died in 1944 aged 85 having lived apart for 20 plus years.

Catherine and Arthur had 7 children who I have traced. Most married and went on to have families of their own. Stanley died in 1924.

The Towner family – William’s in laws

The history of Catherine Towner’s family can be encapsulated in the obituary of her brother Edward. The Hastings and St Leonards Observer of 12 August 1882 printed this article 

“THE LATE MR. TOWNER.

 We quote the following from ‘Brett’s Gazette’ –  “The first to be noticed is Mr. Edward Towner, whose death occurred on the 16th inst., at 40, Gensing-road, originally 10, Gensing-terrace. The deceased was one of 13 children of the late Thomas Towner, who, with a portion of his family, came from Seaford on the 29th of May, 1828 two months after the commencement of St. Leonards town and located himself in Duley’s cottage, at the eastern end of the Ropewalk, which is now the site of the Queen’s Hotel. The said Thomas Towner was a builder, and one his first contracts in this neighbourhood was to convert the cabinet-making workshops of Mr. W. H. Honiss (where now stands the Holy Trinity Church) into the Blacksmith’s Arms public house. After that, Mr. Towner and his elder sons were engaged in the construction of property at St. Leonards, including the Assembly Rooms, the lower portion of East Ascent, the central portion of Mercatoria, and the north-west corner of Lavatoria; and soon the last-named houses were ready for habitation, Mr. Towner occupied one of them, and brought the remainder of his family from Seaford. It may be mentioned, in passing, that the name of Towner like that of Woolgar is very old one at Seaford, and that the work of reconstruction or conversion which Mr. Thomas Towner was entrusted with in the parish of Holy Trinity, Hastings, was for a member of that well-known and numerous family of Woolgar, of Seaford. Mr. Towner continued as builder at St. Leonards, and his name has been mentioned in this History in connection with the first National school-house, Adelaide-place, Adelaide Cottages, the sea-walls, and the elder Towner lost his wife when she was 60 years of age, she having died January 17th, 1843. She was interred in the St. Leonards burial-ground, and was followed her husband 1846, who died on May 29^th the 18th anniversary of his removal from Seaford to Hastings. Edward Towner, the subject of the present obituary notice, at first worked with his father: but he afterwards followed the calling of a painter, and, for upwards of 40 years, was the successive employ of Mr. Charles Neve and his son. He was also one of the choir of St. Leonards Church from the time of its erection until some ten or twelve years past. He died at the age of 65, which was just his father’s age at death, and has left a widow, two sons, and a daughter, to lament his loss. Of his twelve brothers and sisters there are still four survivors viz., one brother and three sisters, two of whom are over seventy years of age. It is thus shown, that though the deceased was not the senior inhabitant, he was one of those who first settled in the town. 

 St. Leonards Gazette”

This article shows the respect that was held for the Towner family. It seems as if they were involved with the building of St Leonards. I have been able to trace 12 of the Towner siblings but it seems only 4 remained in 1882, one of whom was Catherine who only survived her brother by a few months. The only other Towner children remaining were John, Frances and Eliza.

Authors Thoughts

William’s life has been difficult to follow due to the absence of records and his story has had to told through the records of his wife and children. We know he was a servant, so he probably lived in the home of his employer, but he is absent from any census return which is frustrating and unusual.

 I have been unable to find out where he came from and how he came to meet Catherine Towner is a mystery. If I assume that Catherine’s first daughter Frances was not William’s child than it appears he was willing to take on her baby daughter. They married in Bristol which seems random and then the couple return to Croydon where their first daughter is born. It is not clear why.

It would seem the whole family moved to St Marylebone in London sometime between 1847 to 1850. It is unclear where William is working but baptism records for his children describe his occupation as that of a footman.

 After the death of their daughter Catherine the family move to St Leonards and seem to be taken in by the Towner’s – William’s in laws. It is unclear where William is working again but he remains in service as a Gentleman’s Servant. For some reason he disappears from the Electoral Roll after 1865. Perhaps this is when things begin to unravel for him, and he did not fulfil the property qualification. But after 1867 this did not matter as that qualification was lifted and any working man aged over 21 could vote. 

I feel as if this story has become a wider story of the Casselden family as in my search for William, I found myself searching for clues elsewhere. He may have been known in his professional life by a different name perhaps William Casselden was not his birth name. He remains an enigma, but I feel I have uncovered enough of his life for him to be remembered as a man who lived his life in the service of others. He sadly lived out his last days at Sussex Asylum.