Do you remember John Casbon, the 10-year old boy who was sentenced to 7-years transportation for setting a brush pile on fire (see “The old cow got round it”)? Well, it seems that he got in trouble with the law once more, as reported in the June 12, 1869 South London Chronicle.[1]
When we last heard of John, he was serving time at the Philanthropic Farm, Redhill, Surrey. He next appears on the 1861 census, living in his father William’s household in Meldreth, and working as a “Labourer.”[2] He married Ann Barnes in Meldreth, 1863.[3] Sadly, it was a short-lived marriage. A daughter, Eliza Ann, was born late in 1863.[4] Then, Ann died, in April, 1864.[5]
Evidently, John learned to read and write, probably during the time he was at the Philanthropic Farm. He signed his own name on his marriage records. He also adopted the spelling of Casban for his surname.[6] This is the spelling that appears on official documents and in his signature from 1863 on. It’s interesting that the common variants of our surname in use today – Casban and Casben – both arose from John and his immediate siblings. His brother Samuel Clark also adopted the surname Casban, while brother Reuben adopted the name Casben.
He must have moved to London shortly after Ann’s death. He married Mary Hall in Lambeth, London, in October, 1866.[7]
After his release from prison, John and Mary had three children: George William, born 1871; Kate, born 1874; and Edward James, born 1878.[8],[9],[10] John’s daughter from his first marriage, Eliza Ann, died in 1873.[11] Son Edward James died in 1879.[12] His wife Mary died in 1880.[13]
Apparently John learned his lesson after his second imprisonment There’s no evidence that he had any further troubles with the law. He married Sarah (Lawrence) Cave, a widow, in October, 1880.[14] They did not have any children, and remained married until her death in 1913.[15]
John’s stated occupation fluctuated after his release from prison. He was at times a gardener, carman, coachman, and labourer at a gasworks.[17],[18],[19],[20] He died in 1927 at the age of 86.[21] Some of today’s Casbans living in the U.K. are his descendants, through his son George. Hopefully one of them will read this & leave a comment!
[1] “Surrey Sessions … Robbery from Nine Elms Station,” South London Chronicle, 12 Jun 1869, p. 3, col. 4; image, “British Newspaper Collection,” findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/bna/ : accessed 21 March 2017). [2] “1861 Census of Engand, Wales & Scotland,” Meldreth, Royston, Hertfordshire, England; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1861%2f0005027198 : accessed 23 March 2017), entry for William Carston (age 56); citing [The National Archives], enumeration district 15, RG 09, piece 815, folio 64, p. 24. [3] Meldreth Parish (Cambridgeshire, England), Parish register, 1681-1877, John Casban & Ann Barnes, 24 January 1863; FHL microfilm 1,040,542. [4] “England & Wales births 1837-2006,” Royston, Hertfordshire, vol. 3a: 238; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fb%2f1863%2f4%2faz%2f000195%2f077 : accessed 31 Jan 2017), Eliza Ann Casban, 4th quarter, 1863. [5] Meldreth Parish (Cambridgeshire, England), Parish register, 1681-1877, Ann Casbon burial (1864); FHL microfilm 1,040,542. [6] Meldreth Parish register, John Casban & Ann Barnes, 24 January 1863; FHL microfilm 1,040,542.. [7] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Parish of St Mary Lambeth, Surrey, John Casban & Mary Hall, 9 Oct 1866; images and transcriptions, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 March 2017); citing Church of England Parish Registers, 1754-1921, London Metropolitan Archives, London. [8] “England & Wales births 1837-2006,” Edmunton, Middlesex, Vol. 3A: 198; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fb%2f1871%2f4%2faz%2f000104%2f029 : accessed 22 March 2017), George William Casban, 4th quarter, 1871. [9] “England & Wales births 1837-2006,” Edmunton, Middlesex, Vol. 3A: 203; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fb%2f1874%2f1%2faz%2f000094%2f223 : accessed 22 March 2017), Katie Casban, 1st quarter, 1874. [10] “England & Wales births 1837-2006,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 251, database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fb%2f1878%2f3%2faz%2f000096%2f213 : accessed 23 March 2017), Edward James Casban, 3d quarter, 1878. [11] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 133; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1873%2f4%2faz%2f000056%2f130 : accessed 1 February 2017), Eliza Ann Casban, 4th quarter, 1873. [12] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 164; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1879%2f1%2faz%2f000069%2f263 : accessed 23 March 2017), Edward James Casban, 1st quarter, 1879. [13] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 151; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1880%2f1%2faz%2f000064%2f143 : accessed 23 March 2017), Mary Casban (age 40), 1st quarter, 1880. [14] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Parish of St Jude Bethnal Green, MIddlesex, John Casban & Sarah Cave, 9 October 1880; images and transcriptions, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 November 2015); citing Church of England Parish Registers, 1754-1921, London Metropolitan Archives. [15] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmonton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 697; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1913%2f1%2faz%2f000173%2f099 : accessed 23 March 2017), Sarah Casban (age 73), 1st quarter, 1913. [16] “1881 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” Tottenham, Edmonton, Middlesex; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1881%2f0006584773 : accessed 20 March 2017), entry for John Casbur (age 38); citing [The National Archives], RG 11, piece 1381, folio 45, p. 25. [17] “1881 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” Tottenham, Edmonton, Middlesex; findmypast, entry for John Casbur (age 38). [18] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Bethnal Green, Middlesex, John Casban & Sarah Cave, 9 October 1880; Ancestry. [19] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” St James Church, Parish of Edmunton, London, Frederick Gunn & Kate Casban, 9 Apr 1898; images and transcriptions, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 March 2017); citing Church of England Parish Registers, 1754-1921, London Metropolitan Archives. [20] “1911 Census of England and Wales,” Edmonton, Middlesex; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1911%2frg14%2f07352%2f0141%2f1 : accessed 20 March 2017), entry for John Casban (age 68); citing [The National Archives], ref. RG14PN7352 RG78PN357 RD132 SD5 ED2 SN70. [21] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol 3A: 87; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1927%2f1%2faz%2f000195%2f138 : accessed 23 March 2017), John Casban (age 86), 1st quarter, 1927.
I wonder what family stories have been passed down about Grandfather John!
Or was it a family secret? The surviving children were born after his release.
[…] John, baptized 1843;[14] adopted surname Casban. He was the subject of “The old cow got round it” and “In Trouble Again.” […]