Similar to Allison’s lineage, mine is also pretty straight forward although we have not yet proved (or disproved) that we are related. I got into the genealogy thing just before my daughter was born, around October 2002 by Googling “caffyn”. After a bit of analysis I made contact with Allison who sent me some details about my Dad and his family. If anybody has additional information, please contact me on phil@philcaffyn.cjb.net
First generation
I was born on Sunday 19th June 1966 at 7:25am at home in the small village of Lovedean near Portsmouth, England. We lived in Gibraltar from about 1968 to 1970 and then shifted back to England. Mid-1971 saw a significant change of direction for the Caff’s when my Dad retired from the navy and we came to New Zealand in August 1971, settling in my mother’s home town of Invercargill. I attended North School for a while, then Waverley Park School, Lithgow Intermediate School and then Southland Boys High School. After that I shifted to Christchurch in 1985 and completed a bachelors degree and a post-graduate diploma in electrical engineering.
In March 1994 I married Annemarie Patricia Wielemaker, and we have got three beautiful children – Brandon, Jackson and Rebecca (this total break from the traditional names of William, Samuel and Thomas will no doubt confuse future genealogists). Perhaps one of them will carry on the search for the long-lost ancestors. Sometime during all this I managed to complete a master of business administration extra-murally through Deakin University in Australia.
We now live in Hamilton, New Zealand where I occupy most of my time as a self-employed management consultant and the rest of my time doing family stuff or in a range of church activities.
Second generation
My dad is Alan Caffyn (like me, no middle name). Dad was born on 24th March 1931 in Haywards Heath, England but his birth was registered in Cuckfield. Dad went to the local school and recalls moving into a new house that had electricity some time around 1933. I guess his time in school was curtailed fairly promptly as he joined the navy as a trainee when he was about 12. Dad’s naval service included a spell in Korea (well …. more off the coast of Korea) and he achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
Dad married my mother Wilhelmina Rhoda Moi Cole in September 1963 and continued his naval career until he retired sometime in 1971 after serving 25 years. I recall Dad then worked in a plastics factory somewhere in or near Portsmouth and we lived in two rented houses, one in Hewitt Rd and the other in Baffin’s Rd. When we arrived in Auckland we stayed with Mum’s brother George who had had a parallel career to my Dad in the NZ Navy.
After settling in Mum’s home town of Invercargill around August 1971, Dad worked at the Tiwai Point Aluminum Smelter for about 3 years and then worked for the Dunlop Tire Company as the office manager until he retired in March 1991. Mum and Dad then shifted to Hamilton in 2000 once Annemarie and I decided we would settle there (which we did in May 2001).
Dad still enjoys very good health for a man of 75, and just loves the grand-kids.
Third generation
My grandfather was Alec Roland Thomas Caffyn, and he was born in 1908. Sadly I never met him as he passed away tragically young on 12 January 1966, 5 months and 1 week before I was born (however he would’ve seen his other grandchild, my cousin Justine Baker who would’ve been about 8 or 9 by this stage).
Alec married my grandmother Gwen Jones, from Yorkshire, sometime around 1928 and Dad’s older sister Jean was born in 1929. Sadly Alec and Gwen went their separate ways sometime around 1943 (Dad recalls he was on a Navy training ship which fixes the date approximately). Gwen moved to Southampton and owned a shop … I’d call it a dairy being a kiwi, but I guess an “Arkwright” might be more meaningful description.
Alec started work as a butcher for James J Box & Company, but in later life he was a butcher and slaughter man for the Brighton County Lunatic Asylum. Apparently he was exempted war service because he was in a reserved occupation. As Alec’s health declined in the early 1960’s he was assigned to “light duties” until cancer of the jaw and tongue finally overcame him early in 1966 - Dad recalls that Alec was very sick at Christmas 1965.
Alec had an older brother, Eli Samuel Alfred Caffyn who was born in 1905 and settled in Montreal about 1926. After a successful career in the insurance industry, Sam passed away in 1991. Alec also had a younger sister who never married, Hilbre Eva Marion Caffyn who was born in 1914 and passed away in 1989. Fortunately I do have fleeting memories of both Sam (when they visited us in Invercargill, New Zealand in 1978) and Hilbre (when we visited her in Haywards Heath in 1978).
Fourth generation
Like most genealogies, this is probably about where fact gets overtaken by hearsay and anecdote. My great-grandfather Alfred Caffyn was born on 4th March 1879, apparently the youngest of 6 children, although I have my suspicions that another child may have been born around 1875 but pre-deceased the 1881 census. The 1881 census may have also recorded Alfred’s name as Albert.
Alfred’s occupation was listed as “roadman” in the 1901 census, and apart from changing occupation to a farm carter I know little of what Alfred did for a living – Dad made the comment that Alfred “probably never saw a £5 note” suggesting a meager existence. What is confirmed is that Alfred married Lillian Marion Beamish on 3rd February 1904 in the parish church in Wivelsfield. As described above, Alfred had 3 children – Sam, Alec and Hilbre.
Dad’s recollection is that Lillian predeceased Alfred sometime in the early or mid-1950’s, which would’ve made Lillian about 80 as she was born in 1874. Apparently they lived in cottages tied to Alfred’s employment (I’m not sure what happened when Alfred retired) and his last residence was Franklyn Cottage, St John’s Rd, Haywards Heath.
Alfred died of colon cancer on 28th March 1962 at the age of 83.
Fifth generation
It seems that my great-great-grandfather was Thomas Caffyn who was born in 1833, apparently the 2nd of 6 recorded children. Apart from this I have no other details.
Thomas married Elizabeth Griggory, but I don’t have any record of the date – their first child William was born in 1867 (which seems surprisingly old for a first child) but that doesn’t necessarily suggest a marriage date preceding 1866 or 1867. At the time of the 1881 census Thomas’ occupation was listed as a farmers’ carter and he lived at “Herrings” in Twineham.
I’m not even sure when Thomas died … he certainly predeceased Alfred’s marriage in 1904 (the marriage certificate lists grooms fathers’ occupation as “deceased”), and may have predeceased the 1901 census as the only Thomas Caffyn of comparable age (69) listed in the 1901 census was a watchman living in Kent and born in Oakwood, Surrey.
Sixth generation
My great-great-great-grandfather may have been Thomas Caffyn. The most reliable fact that I have is his marriage to Sarah Grinstead on 5th September 1827. Thomas’ date of death is listed as 30th September 1869, and the age at death of 66 implies a birth date somewhere between September 1802 and September 1803. Apart from 6 recorded children, I know nothing more about Thomas.
The common recurrence of Thomas as a name, and the sparse and potentially inaccurate nature of parish records prior to 1 July 1837 makes the search almost impossible, not just in this case but broadly speaking.
Seventh generation
Its here that my trail goes really cold. I’ve searched for male Caffyn’s born around 1770 to 1780 and the only one that seems to fit is Thomas Caffyn who was born on 31st May 1775 and died on the 17th September 1803. His birthplace of Horsham may be a clue, but the prevalence of Thomas as a first name effectively negates any narrowing down of the search. Also this Thomas would’ve died around the time the above Thomas was born (although that doesn’t prove or disprove anything). This Thomas was the son of Matthew Caffyn (1726 – 1780) and Mary Knight (d.1825).
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