Answers

CATO, Kimpton (& Tring), 19th Century

February, 2005

Juliet Evans (juliet22 @t btopenworld.com) of Dorset noticed a reference to William Cato in the answer to BARBER, Tring, 19th century and wondered if there was any connection with her ancestor, William Cato of Kimpton. She writes: I think he died in 1866 aged 89 which would make him born abt 1777. I do know that he had children baptised at Kimpton between 1816 and 1828 and that he was a Harness Maker (ref:  his daughter Caroline's marriage certificate) .  His wife was Ann and she was born at Markyate abt 1780 (ref:  Ann aged 90 and her son Noah Cato aged 52 were on the 1871 census at Kimpton). I was hoping that may narrow it down enough to find the right man in the 1851/41 census.

First of all I checked the Kimpton entries in the 1839 Pigots Directory and the 1851 and 1855 Post Office Directories for Hertfordshire. William Cato is not listed there - suggesting he was not a master trader in his own right at Kimpton. Perhaps he worked for William Wren, who is described as a wheelwright - but as most tradesmen's occupations are only described in a single word William Wren may have had more extensive activities.

A quick glance at the 1841 census showed the following household in the village street, Kimpton, all born in Hertfordshire:

William Cato 55 Harness Maker
Ann Cato 50  
Sophia Cato 30  
Noah Cato 20 Coach Smith
Shadrack Cato 9  
William Wabey 30 Ag Lab
Maris Webb 15  

Note that the ages for adults on the 1841 census are in 5 year bands - so that William's "age" w as 55-59. However if there was some uncertainty at a time when most people were illiterate the census enumerator would guess!

My first reaction was that the names Noah and Shadrack are one's I would expect in strongly non-conformist families and as you mentioned that at least some of the children had been baptised in Kimpton I was curious to see whether this was in church or chapel and looked up the details on the IGI at familysearch. The following were baptised in the parish church:

  • Caroline - 11 JUL 1816
  • George - 20 DEC 1818
  • Noah - 23 DEC 1821
  • Amelia - 19 JUN 1825
  • Shadrack - 13 APR 1828

Clearly the children were baptised in the Church of England, but if, for instance, William came from a non-conformist background there may well be no surviving record of his birth or baptism. The fact that Shadrack was baptised in 1828 but is recorded as being 9 in the 1841 census suggests that ages recorded in the family may be unreliable.

I had a look for Sophia - and she was baptised in nearby Harpenden on 25th December 1807. I did not check for other siblings who might have been born in Harpenden.

Clearly there is plenty for you to do to fill in and confirm what is happening:

I must not forget that your question started out by asking if there was any connection with the William Cato of Tring mentioned in BARBER, Tring, 19th century. At first sight there is no obvious connection as in the 1851 census William Cato of Tring was a Canvas Weaver employing 11 men, aged 55, and born in Tring. However living nearby was a George Cato (master shoemaker, aged 35, born Amersham, Bucks) and his family. Familysearch shows that in 1859 his daughter Amelia Cato was baptised in Tring. Bearing in mind that Amelia is not a very common name, and names and occupations sometimes run in families, we have

(1) Your Kimpton William Cato was a leather worker with children George and Amelia

(2) The Tring George Cato was a leather worker with a child called Amelia

At this stage this is probably a coincidence but it is worth keeping in the back of your mind when carrying out further research.

Juliet Evans (juliet22 @t btopenworld.com) immediately responded:  Thanks very much for your answer.  The information from the 1841 census is especially helpful and I will follow up all your suggestions.  Shadrack is interesting.  I had a look at the the NBI and there is a Shadrack Cato buried aged 1+ on 18th July 1828.  So they must have had another Shadrack. I checked the census and there is a Shadrack Cato in 1881, 1891 and 1901 which fits his place of birth etc.  I cannot find him, however, in 1871.

There is a web page for Kimpton

December, 2005

Diana Speller (dspeller @t plashet.newham.sch.uk) wrote commenting on the above but unfortunately my original message was not clear and the comment that William Cato was not a master canvas maker applied to Kimpton, and not Tring - and I have now corrected it.  She said she would be pleased to receive any comments as there isn't much information on the canvas weaving business in Tring at all. 

CANVAS WEAVING IN TRING

A quick scan of the Militia List for Tring (published by the Herts Family History Society, and covering the period 1758 to 1786) shows there were quite a lot of weavers in Tring, throughout the period covered by the lists. Normally the word was not expanded to say what they were weaving but a couple are described as "Sack Weavers" and other references (with earliest date) are to "Flax Dresser" in 1759, "Hemp Dresser" in 1758 and "Hemp Man" 1778. There     were also a few references to Rope Makers, who would presumably also used hemp. Two members of the Cato family were weavers between 1772 and 1783, as was a member of the Cutler family. Members of the Olney family were also weavers between 1772 and 1786. This could well suggest that canvas weaving was well under way at Tring by about 1770.
 
The Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies hold records of Messrs Grace of Tring, corn and seed merchants, maltsters, millers, etc. "... Upon his retirement the business was carried on by his daughter Anne and son-in-law Thomas Grace. Although the opening of the Grand Junction Canal in 1800 had put an end to the milling trade a number of other enterprises were pursued. Carter and Grace were maltsters, corn merchants, bakers, coal merchants, and canvas weavers. This last business was perhaps inherited from Thomas Grace's father, who was described as a weaver, and was sold in the mid nineteenth century to a Mr. Cato. ..." It would appear that the records held in the Centre contain information on the canvas weaving business. [from Access to Archives web site.]
 
In the 1828/9 Pigot's Directory four canvas weavers were listed in Tring. They were George Cutler, - Langdon, Daniel Olney and Harding Olney.
 
In 1831 canvas weaving (along with the silk mill and straw plait) was important enough to be mentioned in the Tring entry to S. Lewis's The Topographical Dictionary of England. 
 
In the 1839 Pigot's Directory four Canvas manufacturers are listed for Tring. They were William Cato (Akeman Street), George Cutler (Frogmore End), Daniel Olney (Dunsley) and William Olney (Akeman Street).

In the 1846 Post Office Directory for Herts there were 4 canvas manufacturers in Hertfordshire - all in Tring. They were Wm Cato (West End), Geo. Cutler (Frogmore End), Danl Olney (Dunsley End) and Wm Olney (& brewer, Akeman Street).
 
In the 1851 directory only William Cato and Daniel Olney are listed - and in the (incomplete) 1851 HFHS census CD eleven canvas weavers are listed - all in Tring, with only William Cato being listed as an employer.
 
In 1866 there are only two canvas manufacturers in the whole of Hertfordshire. These are J Burgess, Canvas Manufacturer, Lower Dunsley, Tring, and W. Cato, canvas manufacturer, open canvas manufacturer & open canvas for berlin wool & gunpowder canvas manufacturer, West End, Tring.
 

tring-weaving-shop
The Old Weaving Shop
in Park Road, Tring
Copyright C A Howlett, Tring
In the 1890 Kelly's Directory the only two canvas manufacturers listed in Hertfordshire were Charles Cato, Charles Street, Tring and George Cato, Park Road, Tring.
 
The book Around Tring has a picture of Cato's weaving shop in Park Road in the 1890s and says "There were several weaving shops in Tring, making rough canvas for items such as horse nosebags through to fine canvas used for embroidery. Cato's started originally in Tabernacle Yard in Akeman Street but George Cato later ran his business from 12 Charles Street, The premises in Park Road employed a lot of young boys who were 'half-timers' from school. The building was later demolished as part of the Rothschild's clearance of the south side of Park Road."
 
The 1902 directory reports for Tring that "The business of the town consists chiefly in canvas weaving, straw plaiting and brewing" and lists Charles Cato, 12 Charles Street, and George Cato, Park Road, as the only canvas manufactiurers in Hertfordshire.
In the 1912 Kelly's directory the only canvas manufacturer in Hertfordshire was Charles Cato, 12 Charles Street, Tring. None were listed in the 1922 directory.
 
To conclude, it would seem that canvas weaving was a notable local industry in Tring from the mid-18th century or earlier until the First World War. Obviously more information could be added on individual workers from the 1841-1901 census returns.
 

George CUTLER, Canvas Weaver, Tring

Ted Cutler (Cutlerted @t aol.com) writes: I have come across details of a forefathers George Cutler's will dated 1845. According to the London - Birmingham train guide held in HALS he was the largest Canvas Manufacturer in Tring with 100 employees. Is shown in Pigot's from 1824 onwards. The will shows the family connection with the Fleet family (they are buried next to each other in Akerman Street Baptist church). Geo. owned properties in Akerman Street as well as Frogmore Street and I believe Lower Dunsley. Frogmore is shown in the will as the Canvas Manufactory and also a Common Brewery with a freehold house adjoining. I think his late wife Rebecca Tomkins was a daughter and niece of two of the largest publicans in the town.
 
A very useful bit of information which I am sure will be of interest to the Tring & District Local History and Museum Society - and I have asked Ted for a copy.

There is a web page for Tring

If you can add to the information given above tell me.

HOME

Page updated November 2007