Genealogy Chat

This article in the Gravesend and Dartford Miscellany Feb 6 1878 sums up the story. ______________ NORTHFLEET CASE OF INDECENT ASSAULT At the Bench of County Magistrates at Rochester on 29th ult Frederick Davis, clerk in holy orders, residing at Manor House, Northfleet, was summoned for indecently assaulting Selina Webb, a young lady aged 17, on the evening of Sunday December 16th. The offence was said to be committed in a train on the journey from Higham to Gravesend. Defendant did not appear. Mr Willis, solicitor to the South Eastern Railway Company, said he had received a letter from defendant's son, stating that while his futher indignantly repudiated such a base and foul charge he was afraid his unsupported testimony would not be taken against that of complainant. By the advice of his friends, he had gone on the Continent and would not return. Mr Willis expressed his belief that defendant had not gone to the continent, and a warrant for defendant's apprehension was at once granted, the Maxistrates' Clerk stating the Bench suggested granting a warrant when the information was made. Mr Willis said they had the testimony of the young lady and some circumstantial evidence. If that had been considered insufficient, and defendant had been arrested and discharged, the Company might have been open to an action. ________ Nobody's been able to find what happened to Frederick after that - no evidence of death or whatever. His son did run a private mental asylum and I wonder if Frederick lived out his days there under a new identity. The idea that he fled to the continent seems a tad convenient. Frederick was born in Hoxton in 1822. We have plenty on him before his disappearance. He was headmaster of a school in Northfleet.The victim's name in all other accounts is Rosina Webb, not Selina. So there you have it. If you can trace the pervy cleric, you're a better genealogist than me!

Crikey Paul, what a tale! Is the pervy cleric a member of your family tree? While searching the A2A database, I came across a dodgy rector (who may or may not be connected to my forebears' wider family). Isn't it amazing what details can be found in archives and old newspapers! Details below: East Sussex Record Office: PARISH OF LEWES ALL SAINTS FILE - Churchwardens' account book - ref. PAR410/9/1/1 - date: 1895-1900 Scope and Content At back: Lengthy notes concerning: appointments; collections; location of the banns register, stating 'other registers lie about the vestry all the week' and list of registers, 1679-1883; ongoing dispute relating to accusations against the Revd Charles Frederick Nolloth [1850-1932]: 'scandals about the rector continue to be reported to me, but as I cannot verify them I do not place them on record' (possibly relating to choir funds, frequent absence of rector and possible illegitimate child); arrival of the Revd F C Mills to officiate without licence from the bishop, Jan 1896; rector's public examination for bankruptcy, 10 Oct 1897; eventual sequestration of parish, Oct 1897, and notification of resignation of rector, Dec 1897; charging of Mrs Laurie accused of giving poison to her children and the likelihood of the rector being involved as 'she attributes all her troubles to him', Mar 1898; Apr 1895 - Dec 1898

Fortunately I'm not a direct descendant. His great great great granddaughter, to whom I am related, has been helping me with my family tree. She is a real expert genealogist, but this story has stumped her for 18 years. She is now bravely fighting cancer and I just wanted to try and give her a bit of a boost by solving this mystery that has bugged her for so long.

I've hust found a skeleton too!! Nothing was ever said about my great grandfather. I know that he died and my g grandmother married, (She wasn't married to my g grandfather). I knew that there must be 'something' there to find, I just couldnt figure out what. I had asked older members of the family who refused to talk about it. Recently i have found out that my g grandfather was married with 7 children when my g grandmother went to work for him helping with the children. He walked out on his wife and children and ran off with my g grandmother! I wasn't really surprised, I thought that there was a reason it was being kept quiet. Pat

Paul you should be very careful. Being on the board at two this morning,now saying you are chasing a pervy cleric!The mind boggles. Glen

Listen, mate - I'm not the one in the tinsel knickers!

And i'm not the one with special agent written on my train ticket. Oops,i just admitted i was on the boards till a silly hour this morning! Glen

Was I really at it at two this morning? No wonder I have bags under my eyes. Do tell, Glen, how did you come up with that name?

Blame Heather and Merry,i always do. I was supposed to be shot from a cannon when the 1841 census was released,alerting the masses to the new arrival,and the tinsel made me far more visible to the waiting millions. Heather missed the ancestry launch,blamed me and my pennance was to forever wear my tinsel knickers. Glen

Well at least your underwear stayed on throughout your stunt or your penance would have been far worse. So what do you think? Is there any way to find Frederick Davis?

To be honest Paul,i couldn't say how to find anything. My first thought was the continental excursion was too easy,I suppose it would have been fairly easy to lay low for a while,perhaps away from the area,but without going overseas. One of those mysteries that you may never solve.If he changed his name then he has just about cooked your goose. Glen

Sorry....I don't know if I've missed something, but do you have anything about this man BEFORE 1878, or is it only after his little.....erm.....indiscretion....that you need to trace him?? Merry

Yes, Merry, I'm satisfied we have enough about his life before 1878, so it's his life after he disappeared that I'd love to trace. Of course I know it's nigh-on impossible, but sometimes the GR crew can work miracles.

So, what do you know already? Do you have him on the 1871 census? I doubt he can be found, from what you have said......but maybe there will be some inspiration! What was the institution his son ran? Merry

1881 census: Frederick DAVIS Lodger (Head) W Male 59 Hoxton, Middlesex, England Boot Maker -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source Information: Dwelling 12 Farwig Lane Census Place Bromley, Kent, England Family History Library Film 1341202 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 0852 / 40 Page Number 59 Could he have completely changed occupations? George

Interesting story. Hope you find the answer. In the meantime. I wonder ? 1881 just a line where his Christian name should be. Germaine x Davis Age: 60 Estimated birth year: abt 1821 Relation: Boarder Gender: Male Where Born: London, London, Middlesex, England Civil parish: St Giles in the Fields County/Island: London Country: England Street address: 7 & 8 & 9 Dyott St Education: Employment status: Occupation: No Occupation Registration district: St Giles Sub registration district: St Giles, North ED, institution, or vessel: 4a

George, I too had seen the bootmaker and checked him back through previous censuses. This bootmaker is the genuine article and not my Frederick. Interestingly, a few minutes ago I came across a Frederick Davis of the right age as a patient in a mental asylum in 1871, seven years before his offence. Not enough hard evidence to go on, but interesting all the same. His sons Augustus and Wallace are easy enough to trace but nobody matching Frederick's description was living with either of them in 1881. I've seen the family on the 1861 census as visitors in somebody else's home.

Germaine, I hadn't spotted that one before. Very interesting.

Please could you give his details from one of the earlier censuses??? At the moment I don't know what age person we are looking for! Merry

Clerk in Holy Orders.....do you know if he was C of E? Merry