My Cater ancestors were Churchwardens at Stapleton in the mid to late 1700's, among their duties was the management of the Poor House (at that time situated where College Court now is). Here's a document from that time

Rules and Orders to be observed by the Poor at the Poor House in Stapleton Parish 1 That they shall at all times behave Peaceably, and Quietly, shall not swear Quarrell or use Rude or Indecent Language 2 Shall not Strike or Abuse the Master or Mistress on pain of Punishment, but if Aggriev'd complain to the Overseers 3 Any Person during his or her Maintenance in the House Purloining Selling or Pawning any Materials Implements of Work or Apparell belonging to the House shall be Punished as the Law in that Case Directs 4 Shall take their Clean Linnen from the Mistress every Saturday Morning and bring their Foul Linnen to her every Sunday Morning 5 Shall not go out without Leave or beyond the time allowed on pain of Punishment 6 Shall if able go to Church or such as are Dissenters to some place of Publick Worship at least Once every Sunday and Return to the House as soon as Service is over 7 All shall be in Bed by Nine O'Clock in the Summer and Eight in the Winter 8 Shall not Smoak but Abroad and by no means in any Chamber 9 Persons Convicted of Lying or Swearing shall sit by themselves in the Dining Room the next meal time and have Papers fixt on their Breasts with Infamous Lyer or Common Swearer written thereon and Lose their Dinner Rules for the Master 1 That he do Admit no person into the House without an Order from One or both the Church Wardens of the Parish 2 That he do in no Case Admit any persons till they be first carefully Examined Washed Clean'd and have cloaths. If it be necessary their old cloaths (if worth it) to be Clean'd and Laid by till the poor person be Discharged and then Delivered to the Owner in Exchange for the Cloaths of the House 3 That he do keep Peace and good Order in the House and permit none to Fight Quarrell or Use Rude and Abusive Language without Punishment, either by loss of a Meal or Confinement 4 That he do keep able poor to such Work as they are fit for and call them to it by Ring of Bell at the Hours following from Lady Day to Michaelmas from Six in the Morning to Seven in the Evening and from Michaelmas to Lady Day from Seven in the Morning to Six in the Evening 5 Shall allow them half an Hour at Breakfast and an Hour and Half for Dinner and Play in the Summer and an Hour for the Latter purposes in the Winter and shall allow the Children to play abroad when the Weather will permit and a sufficient time for Learning to Read 6 That he allow none to go into the Garden but those who are set to work therein Rules for the Mistress 1 That she do make Ready the Provisions in a Clean manner and have Breakfast ready by Eight O'Clock in the Summer and Nine in the Winter Dinner at One and Supper when the Workers leave their work 2 That she see the Rooms kept Clean Swept every Day and washed as often as Conveniently may be and have the Windows set open every Day Rainy and Damp Weather ones Excepted and suffer no victuals to be Eaten out of the Dining Room (Except by the Sick) 3 That she keep the Children's Heads and Hands clean also all the Cloaths and Beds that she Mark all the Linnen with the Letters S P H and keep an Exact Acct in a Book of all Household Goods Cloaths and Linnen belonging to the House 4 That she or the Master do see all Fires and Candles be put out by Nine O'Clock in the Summer and Eight O'Clock in the Winter. That the Bill of Fare as Ordered be Punctually observed. 5th October 1773

Mystery and Conflict

One longstanding (25 yrs plus!) brick wall in my research is the relationship between the WYATT and CATER families in Bristol.

In 1714, Thomas WEBB (?-1718) wrote a will in which he described Andrew CATER the younger as his "wife's kinsman", and left him a significant piece of land in Stapleton, Gloucestershire. Mary WEBB (1649-1729), Thomas's wife, was born Mary WYATT, and came from a merchant family with strong London connections. Andrew's ancestors are believed to have had property in both Bedfordshire and London.

The use of the word 'kinsman' implies a more distant relationship than close family - but how distant? And can any further information be found on Andrew CATER - clearly he was the son of another Andrew, and I believe he may have been born about 1661 in Elstow, Bedfordshire. His wife may have been a Mary, but nothing further is known of her.

So far I have found no further clues, except that Andrew CATER named his first son Wyatt CATER, and his grandson was John Wyatt CATER. In fact I have found 17 direct descendants of Andrew who were named either John Wyatt CATER or Wyatt CATER. As for the bequest of land, that only lasted a little more than a generation, as by 1779 it was all mortgaged or sold.

Recently I came across a Probate court case between Andrew CATER and the heirs of Thomas WEBB - and I'm still discovering more about it. The National Archives have provided copies of 4 documents from the case - including the complaint of Andrew CATER, and replies from the widowed Mary WEBB, and from Francis JAY, a nephew of Thomas, who was guardian of Thomas's son (who was declared insane).

Even if this bundle of documents doesn't give the answer, it's another step towards a fuller picture of these families. Another brick in a very holey wall!