Cain Family

ABRAHAM CAIN . . . . . .. . M. . . . . JANE

born 28 Sept.1787.............. . . . . . ......b.c.1792

bap. 21 Oct. 1787...................... . . . . .married c.1808

Sunbury, Middx

d.21 October 1865 age 81 yrs. . .. . . . d.5th April 1850 aged 58yrs

Stanwell Workhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sunbury On Thames

of Old Age..........................................of Ulceration of the Stomach

St.Mary the Virgin,
Sunbury on Thames

The interior of

St.Mary the Virgin

A more romantic description came from
Charles Dickens who used his observation
of Sunbury in the following manner

"As they passed Sunbury Church, the clock
struck seven. there was a light in the
ferry-house window opposite which
streamed across the road and threw into
more sombre shadow a dark yew tree with
graves beneath it. There was a dull sound
of the old tree as it stirred gently in the
night wind. It seemed like quiet music
for the repose of the dead"

from Oliver Twist, - Charles dickens

EDWARD CAIN.......M.......REBECCA

When Abraham was born the roads of
Middlesex left a lot to be desired and
Sunbury was no exception. It meant that
there was no possibility of riding or driving
for several months of the year. The mud
was deep in winter making minor roads
impassable. In summer the roads were
thick with dust and had to be sprinkled
with water to damp it down.

Other hazards for travellors were the ever
present threat of thieves on lonely stretches
of land such as SUnbury common. One
traveller William Cobbett in 1822, had little
liking for the area commenting "The
buildings consist generally of showy tea-
garden like boxes and of shabby dwellings
of labouring people who are dirty and have
every appearance of drinking gin"

In 1801 when Abraham was 14 a " Bill of Fare for grown
up people in the Work-house of Sunbury till Michaelmas
1901" was duly recorded on the ' Select Vestry
Records.' the vicar was chairman of the parish officers
and they dealt with all local administration. One
hopes that by the time abraham found himself in the
workhouse in old age that he was fed a little more than
was laid down as sufficient in those days

MONDAY - Breakfast - Milk pottage or water gruel

Dinner - Meat, vegetables and one pint of small beer

Supper - One oz. butter or two ozs of cheese and one pint
of beer. - Other days of the week varied slightly in that
there was broth for breakfast and flour or rice pudding
for dinner. Always the staple drink was beer as tea was
far too expensive in those days .

1841-

Jane and son George

living at the National

School,Sunbury