When gamekeepers weren’t pursuing poachers they managed game and organised shoots. My three times great grandfather Charles Catt worked as gamekeeper on the Heronden estate near Tenterden in Kent. A Thomas Catt is mentioned as a gamekeeper here in 1794 (Kentish Gazette 13 Nov 1804), and there had been Catts in Tenterden since at least the middle of the seventeenth century.  It may seem strange to us today but in the 19th century some surprising prizes were awarded to agricultural labourers at the annual shows. In 1863 Charles Catt, in the service of Mary Croughton was awarded £2, a first prize, at the Tenterden Agricultural Association twenty-fifth annual meeting and ploughing match, as he had brought up the largest family, 10 children, and received no parochial relief. Kentish Gazette 13 October 1863 He had won an unspecified amount in 1853, while in the service of her husband William Peel Croughton for bringing up 7 children with no relief. In 1865, just a couple of weeks before the following incident he had won a prize for “the labourer, workman, or servant (not engaged in agriculture) who has worked the greatest number of successive years under the same master, or at the same place of business: 1st, Charles Catt, to Mrs Croughton, Tenterden, 25 years”. This report from the Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser of the 30th October 1865, concerns an accident that befell him in the course of his work. Punch magazine had plenty to say on the subject of incompetent nouveau-riche shots, and I’m sure Charles Catt did too, though probably not in such genteel terms. It’s interesting how the article manages to turn the blame onto the gamekeeper! TENTERDEN. GUN ACCIDENT. Charles Catt late gamekeeper to Mrs Croughton, met with an accident from the gun of Mr. Warren, a gentleman with whom he was out shooting, on Friday afternoon. It appears that Catt was in a wood driving up the pheasants, but not hearing the order, he walked on and he drove up a bird, which, when it rose, Mr. Warren, not thinking Catt had moved, fired at it, when both bird and keeper were hit, about 30 shots going into the arm of the latter, two or three in the flesh part of the side, and about as many in the neck and shoulder. The accident is not of a very serious character. Catt had round his waist a bag containing five or six birds, which broke the force of the charge. He is progressing favourably. [The cartoon is from Punch] Isaac Catt of Tenterden Isaac Catt was born in Tenterden, Kent in the final quarter of 1841. There are two births of a Male Catt registered in that district for that quarter, and he is possibly one of those. His parents are Charles and Margery Catt, and they lived at Mansden Cottage from before 1851 to after 1881. Charles was a gamekeeper, (James and George Catt (his brothers?) are also gamekeepers in Tenterden) for the Heronden Estate, where another Catt - Joseph, probably a cousin - was Bailiff. In 1841 Charles, Margery and daughter [Charlotte] Jane, aged 2 are living in Newnhams Cottages, Birdsile, Tenterden, and Charles is described as an Ag. Lab. Isaac was born in the autumn of that year, and appears on the next census in 1851 aged 10, along with siblings Charlotte (12), Mark (8?), James (6), Stephen (3?) and Amos (? mths). Charles is still a gamekeeper and at Mansden. In 1861 Charlotte, Isaac and Mark are absent but Charles (8) and Albert (6) have been added. Charlotte had married William Oliver in Hastings in 1860. Isaac had moved to Deptford, and was a fireman on the railway. It’s possibly him in the 1861 census lodging at 76 Railway Grove, Deptford: though the surname appears to be Hirer, this Isaac has the right age of 19, was born in Tenterden and is a fireman on the railway. Louisa, his future wife (age 18), is living at 87 Railway Grove with her mother Susan Robson. Isaac married Louisa Robson on the 20th October 1861 at St Paul, Deptford as Isaac Cattley. I have no idea what could have prompted the surname change, but it was announced as such in the banns and he quite happily signs it on his marriage certificate. Although all five of their children were baptised with the surname Cattley, the family appears on the 1871 census as Catt, living at 17 Clifton Rd., Deptford. Isaac is an Engine driver (Railway), aged 31; Louisa is aged 27(?), Elizabeth (8), William (7), Stephen (3), Albert (9m). Louisa Margaret was born in 1872. ‘Catt’ remained Isaac’s surname at work with the London Brighton and South Coast Railway Company. He appears in the Locomotive & Carriage Department, List of staff at New Cross Station as at 31st December 1871:  “Badge no. 70, Isaac Catt, 31 next birthday, fireman, 4/- a day and coat and cap provided”. The List of alterations in the Staff etc. in the Loco & Carr Dept. for week ending 27th November 1873 shows that Isaac Catt (Fireman at New Cross) left the service of London Brighton & South Coast Railway week ending November 27th 1873. Isaac died on 22nd November 1873 from Typhoid fever and pneumonia at the age of 32. His death was registered as Isaac Catt by Louisa Catt. The adddress of 5 Angus Street and Isaac's occupation of Railway Stoker tallies with the details given on the baptism of their daughter Louisa Margaret Cattley on 23 Feb 1873. After his death the family name becomes consistently Cattley. Isaac's father died in 1900 at the age of 85, and his mother in 1907 at the age of 92. Louisa's Story Louisa Frances Robson was born on 31 December 1843 in Lewisham Village and baptised at St Mary’s on the 31st January 1844. Her father John Robson was a coachman and her mother was Susannah Rosina Robson formerly Divall. I have been unable to trace their marriage which must have taken place (if it did ...) after the 1841 census when Susannah Divall with her brother John and sister Maria are living with their grandfather and uncle - both called Henry Grubb - in Lewisham Village. I can’t find Louisa or her parents on the 1851 census but in 1861 Louisa and her mother, now widowed, are lodging at 87 Railway Grove in Deptford with the Ross family. Aged 39 and 18 respectively they both give Lewisham as their birthplace, and Needlewoman as their occupation. Louisa married Isaac Cattley on 20 October 1861 at the parish church of St. Paul, Deptford, both she and Isaac are minors. Isaac's father Charles Cattley is stated to be a gamekeeper, and Isaac is described as a farmer. Louisa's mother Susan Robson witnessed the marriage, with her new husband of a week, William Cater - both widowed, they had been married in the same church just seven days before. Susan(nah)'s father is given as John Divall, licensed victualler, and the witnesses are Isaac Cattley and Louisa Robson. Their first child Elizabeth Alice was born on the 21st February 1863. She was baptised at St Mary’s, Lewisham with the surname Cattley on the 9th August 1863; the family address is Esplanade, and Isaac’s occupation is Stoker. By the time of the baptism of their next child, Wiiliam Charles, early in 1866, Isaac and Louisa had moved to 6 Clifton Road, Deptford. When Stephen James was baptised in November 1868 they are living at 15 Clifton Road, and they are still there for Albert’s baptism in June 1870. By the time of Louisa Margaret’s baptism on 23rd February 1873 they are living at 5 Angus Street, Deptford, and it was at this address that Isaac died. Louisa gave birth to another daughter, Emily, on the 16th January 1875, at 5 Angus Street. Rather too long after Isaac’s death, there is no father named on the birth certificate. She does not appear to have been baptised, and in every subsequent reference to her in the censuses, she is Emma. Susannah, Louisa’s mother died at an Angus Street address on the 10th March 1875,  her widower Charles Cater is the informant. In 1881 the widowed Louisa and her children Elizabeth, Stephen, Albert, Louisa and Emma are living at 22 Gervase St, Old Kent Road. Louisa and Elizabeth both have the occupation of furrier, while Steven is a box maker; the remaining children are scholars. In 1891 Louisa is living at 248 Commercial Road, Peckham. She has not remarried and her occupation is machinist. With her are William Cattley, her son, aged 23 and a carman, Albert Cattley her son aged 20 and a printer's assistant; Louisa Cattley, 18, a machinist; and Emma Cattley, 16 also a machinist. The Molnars Her daughter Elizabeth Alice is now married and living at 268 Commercial Road, Peckham with a family of her own. She was married to Mihaly Molnar on May 28th 1888 at the parish church in Camberwell. Mihaly was a Hungarian-born furrier (his father was also Mihaly Molnar, also a furrier) aged 37 in 1891. The marriage was witnessed by Louisa Cattley - Elizabeth's mother and Henry Rossner a Hungarian- born, naturalized wholesale furrier, possibly Mihaly's - and the Cattley machinists' - employer. Elizabeth and Mihaly's children are Nellie Erehn (Yren) Molnar, 2, born 70, Falmouth Road, Newington (Southwark), 20 March 1889, and Emma Molnar, 6 months, born in Camberwell. In 1901 Louisa Cattley is still living at 248 Commercial Road, Peckham, and with her is her youngest daughter Emma now aged 25 and a furrier. Also at this address are Nelly Melnor, her grandaughter aged 12, Emma Melnor, her granddaughter aged 11, and Louis Melnor, her grandson aged 1. Louisa’s daughter Elizabeth had died on 14 June 1900 shortly after giving birth to Louis, and the informant on her death certificate is Louisa Cattley, her mother. Mihaly Molnar appears on the 1901 census at 722b Old Kent Road. Aged 47, he is a widower, working in the fur trade (furrier), a foreign subject born in Hungary. He is a lodger, and a note appears above his name to the effect that he "slept in the City of London". Louisa (66) and her daughter Emma (32) are still at 248 Commercial Road, Peckham in 1911, along with the three grandchildren. Emma Cattley and Nellie Molnar (21) are both fur machinists, while Emma Molnar (20) is a Brace Cutter. Lewis Molnar (10) is at school. Mihaly is living not too far away at 21 Asylum Road, Peckham. Again he’s a boarder and describes himself as a fur cutter, aged 59 and Hungarian. Interestingly - but probably not all that surprisingly - the householder has asked him to write down his name himself and it appears in a completely different hand, complete with accents.  He describes himself as having been married for 25 years and having had four children of whom 3 are alive. (Incorrect in terms of the census but very handy for family researchers). Mihaly died on 31 October 1913 in Camberwell Infirmary at the age of 61 - Nellie Molnar, his daughter, of 4 Engleheart Road, Catford, is the informant. Louisa died on the 7th November 1918 at 6 Hornshay Place, Deptford. Her age is given as 71, but she was in reality, 74. Her daughter, Louisa Parkin of 11 Blockhouse St. was the informant, (her youngest daughter had married George Colvin Parkin in 1891). She is described as the widow of Isaac Cattley, Railway engine driver. Nellie Erehn Molnar Nellie Erehn Molnar married Charles Frank Murray on 4 January 1914 at St. Laurence Catford.

Murray families: The Catts Catt to Cattley

Nellie Erehn Molnar 20th March 1889 - 29th April 1931