Information courtesy of Selina Draper
James Davis (c1772- 1851) & Elizabeth Jefferies (c1775-1847)
(Selina’s 4 x Great Grandparents)
James Davis and Elizabeth Jefferies were both born in Dorset but their parishes of birth are not known.
James & Elizabeth married on Tuesday 30 May 1797 (as the register entry below shows) in the Parish Church of St. Andrews, East Lulworth.
Although James & Elizabeth were married in the C. of E. parish church, their children were all baptised in the Roman Catholic chapel in the grounds of Lulworth Castle. The chapel’s baptism records show the couple had (at least) nine children. Their sixth child, George Davis, is Selina’s 3 x Great Grandfather.
According to the 1840’s Tithe Map, James Davis was a landowner and occupier of house, garden, yard & buildings.
According to the 1841 Census, James Davis was an Agricultural Labourer.
James, wife Elizabeth and some of their children are mentioned in Henry Rolls’ Journal. It would appear that the family dabbled in the world of smuggling;
‘All the boatmen came and searched all the premises of Jeames Davis’ on Monday the 6th of March 1837. Took 28 tubs and a flagon in John Cooling’s cow house above Davis’ garden. Boatmen of West Lulworth.’
The journal also mentions both Elizabeth and James’ death:
‘Elizabeth Davis, wife of Jeames Davis, died on the 9th of May 1847, aged 72 years. Died on Sunday morning.’
‘Jeames Davis died on the 25th March 1851 at 3 o’clock morning, buried on 27th, aged 79 years old.’
Both were buried in the graveyard surrounding the Parish Church.of St. Andrew, as the following burial register entries show:
Children of James & Elizabeth Davis
James and Elizabeth had the following nine children, all baptised in the Roman Catholic chapel:
- Elizabeth Davis (1798-?) – baptised 2 April 1798, died by 1813.
- James Davis (1800- ?) – baptised 20 May 1800, died by 1802.
- James Davis (1802-?) – baptised 26 August 1802.
- John Davis (1804-?) – baptised 23 September 1804.
- Lucy Davis (1806-?) – baptised 11 October 1806.
- George Davis (1808-1870) – George was Selina’s 3 x Great Grandfather. Please see next section below.
- Mary Davis (1811-?) – baptised 18 January 1811.
- Elizabeth Davis (1813-1871) – baptised 13 December 1813.
- Ann Davis (1820-?) – baptised 4 February 1820.
Please note: Selina is further researching each of George’s siblings and more information will be added in due course.
George Davis (1808-1870) & Sophia Tewkesbury (1813-1882)
(Selina’s 3 x Great Grandparents)
George Davis was born on 2 December 1808 and baptised the next day at the Roman Catholic chapel in East Lulworth. Records suggest that he spent his entire life in and around East Lulworth.
Like his Father, George was an Agricultural Labourer. He was also a smuggler. He appears in the Dorchester Prison Registers when he was 18 in 1827 and again when he was 22 in 1831.
In the register he was described as:
- 5’8½ or 5’9 in height, depending on which record you read.
- Dark brown hair, grey eyes, rather swarthy or fair; again depending on which record you read.
- His markings are described as ‘A slight mark of a cut on the right side of upper lip; marks (white spots) of the scurvy on the back of both hands.’
On 16 May 1833 George married Sophia Tewkesbury in the presence of George’s brother- in- law Joseph Champ and sister Mary.
According to the 1840’s Tithe Map, George Davis was an occupier of Plot 150; garden.
Children of George & Sophia Davis
George and Sophia had six children, all baptised at the Roman Catholic chapel at East Lulworth:
- George Davis – baptised 4 May 1834
- Francis Davis – baptised 15 November 1835 – Francis was Selina’s 2 x Great Grandfather, Please see next section below.
- Edwin Davis – baptised 16 April 1837. Died 10 months later in 1838.
- Selina Davis – baptised 6 April 1838
- Ellen/Ellena Davis – baptised 28 April 1839
- Edwin Davis – baptised 10 September 1840
Sophia Davis, neé Tewkesbury was born 9 May 1813 in West Lulworth and baptised on 16 May 1813. Her parents were John & Mary Tewkesbury. John was a labourer.
George and Sophia were mentioned in Henry Rolls’ journal:
‘George Davis married Sophia Tuxbury of West Lulworth on 15th May 1833.’
‘George Davis’ child died on the 15th Feb. 1838, buried on the 20, age 10 months old.’
‘George Davis went into Bower’s house on 15th April 1836’
‘George Kitcatt came out of Common to Hodgekiss’ house on the 18th Feb. 1840 and George Davis went from Bower’s house to Kitcatt’s house in Common.’
‘George Davis died on the 14th of March 1870, aged 62 years.’
‘Suffia Davis died on the 20th February 1882, aged 69 years.’
George and Sophia are buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery at Mount Pleasant, East Lulworth.
The photo below was taken by Selina on a rainy day in July 2012. It is of her Mum and her son; respectively, 2 x Great Granddaughter & 4 x Great Grandson of George & Sophia. The headstone on the far left is that of Ellen Davis, daughter of George & Sophia.
Francis Davis (1835-1890) & Ellen Wilkes (c.1841-?)
(Selina’s 2 x Great Grandparents)
Francis Davis was born on 15 November 1835 in East Lulworth and was baptised later the same day at the Roman Catholic Chapel in the grounds of Lulworth Castle. Francis grew up in East Lulworth and then pursued a career as a gardener, working in stately homes across England.
The 1861 census shows Francis working as an Under Gardener for Arundel Park (and Castle?) and living in the Gardeners Cottage in Arundel, Sussex.
By 1871 we find Francis in London where he married Ellen Wilkes (born c.1841) of Arundel, at St Mary of the Angels, Kensington on Tuesday 17 January 1871.
Witnesses for the marriage are Francis’ brother Edwin and Ellen’s sister Eliza.
At the time of the 1871 census, taken on 2nd April, the couple were living in Park Lodge, Wetherby Road, Kensington St Mary Abbotts, London. Francis was working as a gardener, domestic servant.
By the 1881 census Francis and Ellen, with their young children were living in Rudding Gardens, within the Rudding Hall estate in Follifoot, Yorkshire. Francis again working as a gardener.
Children of Francis & Ellen Davis
Their first child was born at Caverswall, Staffordshire and the rest of their children were born at Rudding Park, Follifoot, Yorkshire:
- Philip Joseph Davis – born 1871
- Gertrude Mary Davis – born c.1873
- Francis Joseph Pancratius Davis – Born Monday 5 April 1875 – My Great Grandfather
- Disbrowe Joseph Davis – born c.1877 & died 1913.
- George Ernest Joseph Davis – born c.1879
- Joseph Davis – born c.1880
- Ethel Mary Davis – born c.1883
All of Francis and Ellen’s children were given the name Joseph or Mary, further evidence of the couple’s devout Catholic faith. I have yet to confirm this but I suspect that the children born at Rudding Park would have been baptised in the estate’s Catholic chapel, pictured below.
Sometime between Ethel being born in 1883 and April 1890 Francis and his family moved back to East Lulworth. Francis died in East Lulworth on 6 April 1890. His death is noted in Henry Roll’s diary, page 82.
Like his parents and some siblings, Francis was also buried in the Catholic cemetery in East Lulworth.
Pray for | Francis Davis | Born November 15th 1835 | Died Easter Sunday | April 6th 1890 | Upon whose soul sweet Jesus have mercy | RIP
Francis’ brother Edwin and his wife are buried right next to Francis in the cemetery.
Pray for | Edwin Joseph Davis | Who Died 28th January 1919 | Aged 78 Years
And for | Julia his wife | Who Died 23rd December 1920 | Aged 80 Years | On whose soul sweet Jesus have mercy
It is not clear who of Francis’ family went to East Lulworth but the 1891 census shows his wife Ellen, and children Disbrowe, George, Joseph and Ethel all living there.
Ellen moves up to London sometime after 1891 and we find her living at 14 Gowan Avenue, Fulham, London in 1901. She has her daughters Gertrude & Ethel and her son Joseph living with her. Gertrude and Ethel are dressmakers but there is no profession listed for 20 year old Joseph.
By 1911 Ellen is still in Fulham, now at 142A Harbord Street. Gertrude and Ethel are still with Ellen, both single and working as dressmakers. This census states that Ellen had 7 children and all 7 are still living.
I have yet to discover what lead Ellen to Fulham and am still investigating when and where she died.
To come
Sibling stories & Francis Joseph Pancretius Davis, my Great Granddad….
Page last updated: 19 September 2023