Yeovil people

james cayme the elder

Dowlas & Ticking Maker, Landed Gentleman

 

James Cayme was born around 1750, probably the son of glover George Cayme of Yeovil who was listed in the Yeovil Poll Book of 1733 as a Glover of Wigdon & Huntley and later mentioned in a lease dated 1753. Possibly his brother was William Cayme, the sail-cloth maker who lived at Hendford Lodge in Hendford. James married Winifred Lush, daughter of Samuel Lush (1712-1773) of Thornford, on 3 February 1778 at Thornford. James certainly had extensive land holdings at Thornford later in his life, probably acquired through his wife's family. James and Winifred had at least four children; James the Younger, John, Elizabeth and Mary. Mary was later to marry Samuel Colman (1780-1845) an early Romantic landscape painter.

He was a dowlas and ticking maker with a manufacturing facility in Grope Lane, today's Wine Street. Dowlas is a plain cloth, similar to sheeting, but usually coarser. It was made in several qualities and was used chiefly for aprons, pocketing, soldiers' gaiters, linings and overalls. Finer quality dowlas was sometimes made into shirts for workmen, and occasionally used for heavy pillow-cases. Ticking is a cotton or linen textile, tightly woven for durability and to prevent down feathers from poking through the fabric. It was used to cover mattresses and bed pillows.

In the Charities Commission Report of 1819, on the table of properties leased from the Woborn Almshouse, the first reference is to a house and garden with sub-component premises on Wine Street. Every year shown, from 1802 through to 1819, James Cayme paid 16/- rent to the almshouse, having assumed the lease of Samuel Daniell.

E Watts' map of 1806 (see below) reveals that James had extensive land holdings either side of Mill Lane. This included his large house on Back Street (today's South Street) with extensive gardens and a large orchard at the rear stretching all the way to Frogg Mill. In today's terms his South Street frontage ran from the corner of Addlewell Lane as far as the old Gaumont cinema while his garden and orchard stretched from South Street to Summerhouse Terrace. On the other side of Mill Lane he owned the large field called Mill Close - again, in today's terms, it included the whole of Central Acre and ran as far as the western side of the Gateway (see maps below). By 1831 Thomas Fooks owned the house, gardens and orchard and John Glyde owned Mill Close.

In September 1811 it was announced in the London Gazette that James Cayme the Elder, of Yeovil, was giving up his dowlas and tick-making factory in Wine Street, and that his sons, James Cayme the Younger, and John Cayme were taking over. Certainly Pigot's Directory of 1822 lists James Cayme Jnr as a 'Dowlas & Tic Manufacturer' of Wine Street. (The next entry is for Samuel Cayme, a shoe thread manufacturer of South Street - but whether or not he was another of James' brothers is unknown but unlikely.) Nevertheless James Cayme the Elder still had property in Wine Street and he was listed as the owner of the Full Moon Inn in the Land Tax Returns of 1828. However by the year of 1828 both his sons were dead.

In his will of 1828 (reproduced below) James the Elder, then living in Sherborne, instructed his executors about what to do with his properties including that on Wine Street. He also owned some 37 acres of land at Thornford, Dorset. Since by this time his sons had died, the estate had to be settled between his daughters Elizabeth Meech and Mary Colman (who had legal wranglings to get the will interpreted and sorted out in a dispute lasting from 1835 until 1838). James Cayme the Elder, eventually died in 1835 (probate date 19 August 1836). He also left five houses in Grope Lane in the care of Henry Etheredge, accountant, and Thomas Fooks, glover, for his six (see note below) grandchildren; Mary, Elizabeth, Hannah Hammond, Cyrus, Charlotte and Henry. He also left his six grandchildren plus a seventh, John Lush Cayme, "my new built dwellinghouse in Grope Lane in Yeovil aforesaid with the Garden and Premises thereto belonging containing in length fifty two feet and in breadth twenty seven feet". He also left his household goods to his son James' widow, Grace, for her lifetime but these were to be passed on to his grandchildren after her death!

Following James' death, legal squabbles involving two Yeovil inns, the Full Moon Inn and the Seven Stars Inn in the Borough, went on from 1835 until 1838. It is most likely that the Cayme property, the Full Moon, was successful in the case since the Seven Stars ceased trading at this time and a different Seven Stars Inn opened in Bond Street in 1835. Strangely, James Foan was the first licensee of the Bond Street Seven Stars but by 1841 he was the licensee of the Full Moon - coincidence or something to do with the legal case?

 

Many thanks to the late Professor Hugh Pinchin of Colgate University, Hamilton, New York, for supplying much of the above information.

 

Note: The children of James Cayme the Younger, and hence the grandchildren of James the Elder mentioned in his will, were Mary (b1806), Eliza (b1808), James (b1810), John Lush (b1812), Cyrus (b1816), Charlotte (b1818) and Henry Samuel (b1820). The birth dates and baptism dates of all the children are recorded in the Yeovil Nonconformist Register of Births. James (the grandson) had presumably died before his grandfather's will was written in 1828 and why John Lush Cayme was omitted from a share in the five Grope Lane dwellings is unknown. As for Hannah Hammond Cayme - who knows? James the Younger and his wife Grace were having children every two years from 1806 until 1820, as seen above, but with a gap in 1814 - could Hannah have been born then but not baptised, or the baptism not recorded, at Yeovil? It is almost certain that she was their daughter as she is listed with her mother Grace, living with her aunt, 86-year-old Mary Glyde - her mother's widowed sister.

 

See Cayme Family Tree

 

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E Watts' map of 1806 shows the extensive land holdings of James Cayme at the time.

 

To give a better indication of James Cayme's land, the top area outlined in red would have been his garden and orchard while the bottom area is (roughly) the size of Mill Close.

 

The Will of James Cayme, 1828

 

The will of James Cayme was written on 9 October 1828. James died in 1835 and the will was proved on 19 August 1836.

 

 

This is the last Will and Testament of me James Cayme late of Yeovil in the County of Somerset but now residing at Sherborne in the County of Dorset Gentleman I give and bequeath to my daughters Elizabeth Meech and Mary Colman All those Closes of Land Meadow and Pasture heretofore divided into four Closes afterwards into three Closes and now or late into seven Closes commonly called or known by the name of Whibby alias Whibbys alias Leigh Closes with the Appurtenances containing by estimation thirty seven Acres or thereabouts situate lying and being within the parish of Thornford in the said County of Dorset formerly in the successive occupations of Mary Barnes Griffin [Frainkars ?] Robert Bullon and others James Critchell and James Lush and Esau Lush late of James Cayme the younger my late son deceased and now in my occupation or that of my Tenant or Tenants together with all and singular their [two words illegible] and appurtenances To have and to hold the said Closes Lands & Premises and every part thereof unto the said Elizabeth Meech and Mary Colman as tenants in Common and not as joint tenants and their respective executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns for and during the rest residue and remainder which shall at the time of my decease be to come and unexpired of a certain term of eight hundred and eighty seven years heretofore [two words illegible] and which commences on or about the tenth day of April one thousand seven hundred and twenty five and for and during all and every other terms and term which I have [thereon ?] subject to the payment of the yearly rent [word illegible] and made payable to the Chief Lord or Lords of the Fee of the said premises and to the performance of their services therefore one and of right accustomed And also subject to the yearly rent charge or [word illegible] sum of Eighty pounds payable by a certain Indenture bearing date on or about the twenty sixth day of December one thousand eight hundred and seventeen made [wherein ?] James Lush and Esau Lush of the one part and the said James Cayme the younger of the other part unto them the said James Lush and Esau Lush and their [assigns ?] for and during the term of their natural lives and the life of the longest [word illegible] of them [word illegible] after the death of the survivor of them unto John Lush and Margaret Lush the Brother and Sister of the said James Lush and Esau Lush and their assigns for the term of their natural lives and the life of the longest liver of them and likewise subject to the payment of the sum of Seventy five pounds to Easu Cretchall of Batcombe in the County of Dorset Yeoman and the like sum of Seventy five pounds to John Cretchall of Yeovil aforesaid Builder the sum of fifty pounds to Winifred Guppy Wife of Francis Guppy of Alweston in the said County of Dorset Dairyman and the like sum of fifty pounds to Mary Sansom of [word illegible] aforesaid Widow which said four primary Legacies I do hereby direct to be paid to her and Esau Cretchall John Cretchall Winifred Guppy and Mary Sansom respectively in twelve months next after the death of the survivor of them the said James Lush Esau Lush John Lush and Margaret Lush in equal proportions by the said Elizabeth Meech and Mary Colman I give and bequeath to Henry Etheridge Accountant and Thomas Fooks Glover both of Yeovil aforesaid my five dwelling houses with the Appurtenances In Grope Lane in Yeovil aforesaid in the occupation of Joseph Rowsell and John Williams To hold to them the said Henry Etheridge and Thomas Fooks their executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns from the expiration of twelve months next after my decease for all my Estate [word illegible] and interest therein Upon trust nevertheless for my six Grand Children Mary Cayme Eliza Cayme Samuel Hammond Cayme Cyrus Cayme Charlotte Cayme and Henry Cayme to be equally divided between them on their respectively attaining the age of twenty one years and their respective executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns and if either or any of them shall die before attaining that age leaving no Child then upon trust as to the share or shares of him her or them so dying for the survivors or survivor of them my said Grand children and their respective executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns share and share alike if more than one and if but one then Upon trust for such one his or her executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns And I do hereby direct that the rents of the said Dwelling houses and premises shall be applied by and at the discretion of my said trustees their executors or adm[inistrat]ors in and towards the maintenance and [word illegible] of my said six Grand Children during their respective minorities I give and bequeath to the said Henry Etheridge and Thomas Fooks All that my new built Dwellinghouse in Grope lane in Yeovil aforesaid with the Garden and Premises thereto belonging containing in length fifty two feet and in breadth twenty seven feet be the same more or less late in the possession of A'Court Daniell and George Daniell or one of them their or one of theirs tenant or tenants since of my Son James Cayme deceased his tenant or tenants and now in my possession to hold to them the said Henry Etheridge and Thomas Fooks their executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns for and during all my Estate term and interest therein Upon trust nevertheless for my seven Grand children John Lush Cayme Mary Cayme Eliza Cayme Samuel Hammond Cayme Cyrus Cayme Charlotte Cayme and Henry Cayme to be equally divided between them and their respective executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns as tenants in common and not as joint tenants And I do direst my said trustees to apply the rents and profits of the said last mentioned Dwellinghouse garden and premises to and for the use and benefit of my said seven Grandchildren during their respective minorities in equal proportions as they my said trustees shall in their discretion think proper I direct that an Inventory of my household goods and furniture in the said last mentioned dwellinghouse be taken immediately after my decease And I give and bequeath the use but not the property of such household goods to Grace Cayme Widow of my late Son James Cayme for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease I give and bequeath such household goods and furniture to my said seven Grand Children to be equally divided between them And I direct that such Inventory shall be signed by the said Grace Cayme and also an acknowledgement that such household goods and furniture are so disposed of by me as aforesaid I give & bequeath to my said daughter Mary Colman the sum of fifty pounds of lawful money to be [found ?] raised and paid out of my real and personal Estate and after payment thereof I give devise and bequeath All my said real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever And all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto my said two daughter the said Elizabeth Meech and Mary Colman and their respective heirs executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns equally to be divided between them share and share alike as tenants in common and not as joint tenants And I appoint said two daughters Elizabeth Meech and Mary Colman joint Executrixes of this my Will And I do direct that it shall be lawful for my said trustees the said Henry Etheridge and Thomas Fooks and each of them to reimburse themselves and himself and their their respective heirs executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns out of the said trust premises all costs charges damages and expenses which they or either of them shall or may sustain expend [word illegible] lay out or be put unto in or about the execution of the aforesaid trusts or in relation thereof that they shall be chargeable only for such monies as they shall respectively actually receive that they shall not be answerable for each other but each of them for his own receipts neglects and defaults respectively and that they or either of them shall not be answerable for any loss or damage which may happen to the said trust premises unless the same shall happen by or through his or their own wilful default respectively In Witness whereof I the said James Cayme have to this my Will contained in three sheets of paper subscribed my name to the first three sheets thereof and subscribed and set my hand and seal to this third and last sheet thereof this ninth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight - James Cayme

Signed sealed published and declared by the said testator James Cayme as and for his last Will and before the Judge by the Oath of Testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed out names as Witnesses - WL White      JS Orton      HS Sabine

Proved at London 19th August 1836 before the Judge by the Oath of Mary Colman (Wife of Samuel Colman) the daughter the surviving Executrix to whom Admin[istration] was granted having been first sworn (by Common) only to administer

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn