Charles Cavell

2 Lower Street
Prospect House Lower Street
Tufnell House, 2 Crown Court

Occupation: Fishmonger & Poulterer

Charles Cavell was born in 1807 the son of John Cavell & Frances Isabella Dear, and the third of their six children. By the time of his first child’s baptism, he was a poulterer living and working in Lower Street. The 1851 census tells us that he had also become a Fishmonger as well as a Poulterer.

Charles had married Eliza Upton at St. Leonards Church in 1834. Eliza herself was born in Eastry in 1812, the daughter of  Morris Upton and Mary Wyborn. Morris who was a carpenter had died in Eastry in 1832. Whether Eliza had already found work in Deal at that time is not known, though her father’s death, and the need to support herself, may well have prompted her to move into the town.

St Mary the Virgin, Eastry

Mary Upton, Eliza’s mother, is living with her and Charles from at least 1841. By then their first child, also named Eliza, had died and was buried in the church at Eastry. Sadly two more daughters, Mary Ann and Eliza Isabella, also died and they too were buried at Eastry.

An incident of theft from the shop brought a mention in the newspaper when three females were caught stealing ‘fowls’ from him and given six weeks hard labour. These three do not show up in the census records for Deal, so who exactly they are is unclear. The record showing their Indictment for larceny at the Deal Borough Sessions on the 28 December 1849 is available online.

Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser – Saturday 29 December 1849

Charles moved from 2 Lower Street to Prospect House, the former home of the Hayward family, sometime between 1851 and 1861.

On January 15 1861, Eliza dies. The notice in the newspaper says that she died ‘….. at Lower Street, after a long and lingering illness, Eliza, wife of Mr. Charles Cavell, poulterer, aged 48’. This left Charles to care for his five younger children and this may be why his widowed sister, Mary Ann Johnson and her daughter are staying with him at this time.

In the days before domestic fridges and freezers Charles becomes an Ice Merchant and places adverts in the local newspaper

for ICE, ICE, ICE, that was, “Fresh Every Morning”. This ice was almost certainly brought in from Norway, who had begun to take over the American ice market in the UK, and delivered daily by train. This was a smart business move as Deal at this time was establishing itself as a seaside resort and the upper-class hotels would have wanted to provide their visitors with iced desserts and ice for their drinks. The other food industries and outlets in the town would also have wanted this commodity not to mention the ice cream seller on the promenade.

                                                                                                                               Deal, Walmer, Sandwich Mercury

Not much more is actually known about Charles. He appears to have been a man that quietly went about his life, growing up, marrying, supporting his family and hopefully quietly dying at home in his own bed in Deal.

Name Born Baptised Married Died Buried
Charles Cavell 1807 5 April 1807
St. Leonard’s
Eliza Upton
10 September 1834
St. Leonard’s ChurchBorn 1812
Eastry
Died 1861
Deal
1894
94 Middle Street
24 May 1894
Hamilton Road Cemetery

The Children of Charles Cavell & Eliza Upton

Name Born Baptised Married Died Buried
Eliza 1835 23 Sep 1835
St. George’s
1836 15 March 1836
St Mary the Virgin, Eastry
Mary Ann 1837 21 April 1837
St. George’s
1847 20 June 1847
St Mary the Virgin, Eastry
Charles Upton 1839 1 March 1839
St. George’s
Frances Pinyon
1861
St Botolph Bishopsgate London
1929- Deal
Eliza Isabella 1841 28 July 1841
St, George’s
1843 24 April 1843
St Mary the Virgin, Eastry
Morris William 1845 25 June 1845
St. Leonard’s
Alice Rebecca Martin 1877  Marylebone 1912
Weedon Daventry
Frances E 1847 8 January 1847
St. Leonard’s
William Thomas Hill 1871
Deal
1895
Deal
Hannah Mary 1848 19 November 1848
St. Leonard’s
1908
Sarah Ann Wyborne 1851 30 May 1851
St. Leonard’s
William Walter White 1881
Deal
1933
Oxford
Emily Jane 1855 28 October 1855
St. Leonard’s
About 1871 Deal

Census

Year Address Name Relationship Occupation
1841 Lower Street Charles Head Poulterer
Eliza Wife
Mary Daughter
Charles Son
Mary Upton Mother in law

Census

Year Address Name Relationship Occupation
1851 2 Lower Street Charles Head Fishmonger & Poulterer (Master employing 1 man)
Eliza Wife
Charles U Son
Morris W Son
Frances E Daughter
Hannah M Daughter
Mary Upton Mother-in-Law

Census

Year Address Name Relationship Occupation
1861 Prospect House, Lower Street Charles Fishmonger & Poulterer
Morris W Son Fishmonger & Poulterer Assistant
Frances E Daughter Scholar
Hannah M Daughter Scholar
Sarah A W Daughter Scholar
Emily J Daughter Scholar
Mary Ann Johnson Sister Lodging House Keeper
Mary Johnson Niece Assistant Lodging House Keeper

Census

Year Address Name Relationship Occupation
1871 Prospect Cottage, Lower Street Charles Head Fishmonger & Poulterer
Morris Son Fishmonger & Poulterer Assistant
Elizabeth Daughter Dressmaker
Hannah M Daughter
Emily J Daughter Scholar

Census

Year Address Name Relationship Occupation
1881 Tufnell House, 2 Crown Court Charles Head Fishmonger & Ice Merchant
Frances E Daughter Dressmaker
Hannah M Daughter Bookkeeper
Percy W Grandson Scholar
Charles U Grandson Scholar

Census

Year Address Name Relationship Occupation
1891 Prospect Cottage, Lower Street Charles Head Fishmonger & Poulterer
Frances E Hill Daughter Poulterer Assistant
Hannah M Daughter Poulterer Book Keeper
Percy W Hill Grandson Poulterer Assistant

Trade and Street Directory

Directory and Year Trade or Occupation Address
Bagshaws 1847 Fishmonger 2 Lower Street
Melville’s Directory 1857 Fishmonger 2 Lower Street

Poll Books

 Year Profession Residence
1841 Poulterer Deal
1842 Poulterer Deal
1852 Poulterer Deal
1859 Fishmonger Deal
Sources and further reading:
Page 1 image from Reminiscences of Old Deal by E C Pain
Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved.
With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk).