Catherine DOWNING [7077]

   Cause of her death was consumption.

  General Notes:

A picture in the possession of E L Fenn is titled Mrs Liveing, on the image, on the back it is endorsed "Catherine Downing b. 27 Nov 1767 d. 8 July 1802. Related to the Liveings - Adria" see picture file.
This appears unlikely to be of Catherine Mary Downing?

Claudia Buxton writes in 2008.
With regard to (Claudia's image of) Catherine Downing b.1767 - this is the same image as the one you sent me as Catherine Chambers. However, since the inscription on the back of your image matches the inscriptions on the back of (my) image I believe she must indeed be Catherine Downing, the daughter of George Downing, Rector of Ovington. She would be "related to the Liveings" by the marriage of her brother George whose daughter, Catherine, married Edward Liveing. I am unclear why it is inscribed Mrs Liveing (on the image). Perhaps it was a copy intended for Mrs Liveing (i.e. Catherine or Harriet nee Harrold)?

2020 - The researcher believes these letters throw a light on this matter, and if so it is Catherine Downing, left to Edward H T Liveing by Sarah Elizabeth Dewe in 1922.

Liveing Archive 274a-b 275a-b
38 Kildare St
London W2
February 7, 1922.
Dear Sir
Miss Dewe passed away on Monday morning 1.25 she left a letter to be opened after her death written in 1914 and stated she would wish you to have a picture of her great aunt Fanny Downing, there is an photograph of G D Liveing ( . . . . . Sir J Reids picture) and perhaps if no provision in the Will contracts [?] As is unlikely Miss Dewe's expressed wish and no references [?] be made to the photographer you would like both sent to you.
Page 2
An early answer what oblige Mrs Ashwin and myself do not wish to stay here longer than certain duties and responsibilities seem to demand.
Yours sincerely
C M Ashwin.
Usual address but probably not till after Sunday next
Poyntington Rectory
Sherborne
Dorset.

38 Kildare Terrace
Mar 1, 1922
Dear Sir
Mrs Ashwin and I were obliged not altogether willingly to come up to town on a Monday and being authorised by my fellow executor am sending off various things today by the . . . . . & L S Weston Railways tomorrow all well. Carter Paterson takes things to the great Eastern so all well your picture of Miss or Mrs Downing should arrive all safe. We have had a proper packer and instructed C & P's man to be careful and to get fragile labels on the cases etc.
Perhaps you would be so good as
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2 let me have any bill of Release [?] As we hope to pay them out of any profit that may accrue from the Sale on Mar 15th a sale that necessitated clearing the house of things otherwise to be dispatched off.
Believe me
yours sincerely
C M Ashwin

Data from Aunt Millie's collection, Baldwin & Downing Pedigree.

Catharine Downing
Single
Event year1802
Birth year1768
Age at death 34y
Burial year1802
Burial date04 Aug 1802
Burial placeSt. Michael, Bristol, England
PlaceBristol
CountySomerset
England Deaths & Burials 1538-1991

  Other Records

1. Catherine Downing: Image, & notes by G D Liveing.
A miniature of Catherine daughter of the Rev George Downing Rector of Ovington in smooth gold setting with a small lock of her hair under glass on white twill silk at the back (size of this sketch).
Blue dress, white lace tucker, red hair, extremely fair delicate white and pink complexion, dark eyebrows, dark blue eyes, white silk fillet in hair. Grey background.
She died of consumption when young. My mother remembers going to meet her from Castle Hedingham (where my mother was then living) at a Turnpike on the road from Ovington to London. She was then on her way with her sister Maria (after Mrs M KNOTTESFORD) to Bristol for the sake of change of air, whence she never returned, poor soul, and she was buried in . . . .(Bristol)


About the first year or two of the present century there was a great scarcity, the poor were half starved and there were bread riots in many towns. Many good and conscientious people thought it their duty to abstain from all super abundance of food at this time, and Aunt Catherine was rigorous in her self-denial in this respect, and being of a natural delicacy of constitution it was believed she there laid the seeds of the malady of which he died.

Notes by Prof George Downing Liveing