This lovely CDV was another of my finds from eBay earlier this year and despite the photographer’s studio not being in Dorset Great Aunt Hettie and all the family connected to her were. I find it really good to research in Dorset my adopted County as I learn more about the villages surrounding us here. She was born almost 200 years ago in Frampton just 12 miles from where I live.

Henrietta Adams was born on 4 March 1826 in Frampton, Dorset, her parents were, William 1793-1853 who was a Carpenter by trade, also born in Frampton and her mother Mary (Plowman)1785-1872 was a Dressmaker, born in West Orchard, Dorset. Henrietta, who was a Spinster on the marriage record, married widower William Raynold Vatcher 1826-1902, in July 1869 in Exeter, Devon where he had been born.

William Raynold Vatcher was born in 1826 in Exeter, Devon, the son of Elizabeth and Stephen. He married Julia Priestly in 1852 in Lambeth and they had two daughters. His wife Julia died in 1866, she was 39. William was first a Tailor Foreman, then a Tailor. William died on 31 December 1902 in Dorchester, Dorset. Later in 1901 living at 49 High East Street, Dorchester, now the Casterbridge Guest House in Dorchester. I did find this earlier record below of William’s, acquiring premises in Church Street, Dorchester.

1870. “Conveyance of a messuage and premises, Church Street, Dorchester, William Mansfield, Esq. of Dorchester, to William Raynold Vatcher of Dorchester, outfitter“.

Williams‘s two daughters who became Henrietta’s stepchildren were Jane Raynold Vatcher, who was born in 1854 in Dorchester, Dorset. She married George Ricks (1848-1913) in July 1873 in All Saints Church, Dorchester. George was a Postmaster on the 1881 and 1891 census, then he was employed at a hotel in Bournemouth in 1901 and then in 1911 he was a Commission Agent in Shirley, Hampshire. The couple had nine children. Jane died on 12 February 1933 in Burnley, Lancashire, at the age of 79.

William’s youngest daughter was Julia Elizabeth Vatcher who was born in January 1861 in Dorchester, Dorset. She married James Thomas Livesey (1855-1903) on 18 December 1889 in All Saints Church, Dorchester. The couple lived in Lewes, Sussex where James was a Chemist and Druggist, then on the 1901 census, the couple are living in Lancashire. The couple had one daughter, Glady’s. Julia died in January 1937 in Barrow-In-Furness, Lancashire, at the age of 76.

My thoughts are that the eldest daughter moved up to Lancashire when her husband died in 1913 or after Henrietta died in 1916, as her sister Julia was also a widow and lived and died there too.

Henrietta never had any children and died on 1 September 1916 in Dorchester, Dorset, at the age of 90, and was buried there.

Here’s the link to the small family tree for this family on Ancestry: Hettie Vatcher Family Tree

If you are a descendant or have any more information, I would love to hear from you. Comment on this blog or email me lynnswaffles@gmail.com

Till next time then……