David Dant

David Dant

b: 5 FEB 1808
d: 28 NOV 1892
Biography
From Blenda Ainsworth nee Dant, website: http://www.john-blenda.co.uk/Blenda/index.htm

David Dant's will:

Note: Huntingdon Record Office
Note: Manor of Somersham( with the Soake in the county of Huntingdon) 19 Jan 1866 ref: 35/775
Note: Elizabeth Bedford of Earith widow a copyhold tenant of the manor---. Covenant contained in an indenture between Mary Wragg of Chesterton in the 1st part Elizabeth Bedford in the 2nd part and David Dant of Cambridge in the 3rd part--------
Note: sum of £500 lawful sterling money paid by D.D. to and on account of the said E.B.as in the said indenture is particularly mentioned. Did out of court surrender into the hands of Reuben Ginn---------all that piece or parcel of land situate lying
and being in the wash in Earith 2 acres and 32 perches --formerly Searlesand bounded by land of Messrs Brown and the Drove and formerly in the occupation of Robert Crisswell E.B. admitted tenant by the will of her husband on 19th April 1865
bearing date 17th July 1862 proved in Peterborough District Registry Probate 17 Feb: 1863--------and also all the estate right title interest property claim and demand whatsoever both at law and in equity of her the said E.B. of in to out of or
uponthe said Lands hered itaments and premises and every part thereof to the use of the said D.D. his heirs and assigns for ever----------unless E.B. by 19th July next pay to D.D. £500 together with interest for the same after the rate of £500 f or
every £100--------if not paid D.D. could sell or dispose of Lands etc:---Conditional surrender as a collateral security for £500 and interest.


More about David Dant, to be read with the map 'cutterferry1.jpg' showing the Dant Ferry in Cambridge (between the dotted parallel lines):

Originally there was a "Cutter Ferry Path" which went along the rear of the properties, joined St Andrew's Road and thence to Church Street. De Freville Avenue and Belvoir Road at one time ran almost to the river, but new roads have been added and there is now a Beaulands Close at the end of De Freville and Belvoir has a Manhatten Drive and Pentlands Close between its end and the river. The comparatively new Elizabeth Way, built across the river in 1972, follows the eastern boundary of the Cutter Estate. It is still possible to cross the footbridge which replaced the ferry in 1928 but of course the cottages which stood there have all been demolished and the site occupied by college boathouses. I have a fairly good reproduction of the photo which was taken just before the footbridge was opened and will pass it on in due course. (ie when my long-suffering husband can find time to scan and transmit!)

The author of the newspaper article was a grandson of Emma Dant, David's youngest surviving child. He did a considerable amount of research long before I started and was most helpful in passing on ideas and suggestions. He was born in 1910 so knew many of the older members of the Dant family and learned a great deal about his great grandfather from his grandmother, Emma. It seems that David Dant presented each of his children with a Bible in which he had written all their dates of birth. Mr Fyson still had one of these and sent me a photocopy of the front page. Unfortunately it did not reproduce too well (1970's) and I'm not sure that a copy of a copy would be worth sending.

From the same source I learned of a tragedy that occurred in 1864. It seems that David allowed his horses to graze on Midsummer Common in Cambridge, immediately opposite the ferry. Sadly, one of these horses kicked and killed a child who was playing in the area. At the Lent assizes of 1865, David was found guilty of manslaughter, fined £50 and gaoled for one month. There is a brief report of the case in the Cambridge Chronicle of 25th March 1865, on film in the Cambs Collection. I bought a photo-copy of that report but it was printed close to the fold of the paper so once again the results are disappointing. I learned that the full details are held by Cambs University Library but as I do not possess a reader's ticket for that facility I have never been able to read it. As far as I can judge, the result of this sad event was to encourage David to replace his horses with one of the new steam tugs then becoming available.

An obituary for David Dant was published in the Cambs Chronicle on 2nd December 1892 and can also be read on micro film at the Cambridge Library. Recalling the poor result previously obtained, this time I sat and copied it out, longhand, and typed it into my programme on returning home. Results are much more satisfactory. If you are interested I can transmit this via the internet.
Facts
  • 5 FEB 1808 - Birth - ; Cambridgeshire. Christened 6 November 1811, St Ives, Cambridgeshire
  • 28 NOV 1892 - Death - ; The Cutter, Cambridgeshire
Ancestors
   
William Dant
1739 - 26 OCT 1805
 
 
William Dant
25 NOV 1767 - 13 MAR 1827
  
  
  
 
David Dant
5 FEB 1808 - 28 NOV 1892
  
 
  
?
 
 
Sarah
ABT 1770 - 28 JUL 1830
  
  
  
?
 
Family Group Sheet - Child
PARENT (M) William Dant
Birth25 NOV 1767St Ives, Huntingdonshire
Death13 MAR 1827 St Ives
Marriageto Sarah
FatherWilliam Dant
MotherSarah Rawlings , widow
PARENT (F) Sarah
BirthABT 1770
Death28 JUL 1830
Marriageto William Dant
Father?
Mother?
CHILDREN
MDavid Dant
Birth5 FEB 1808Cambridgeshire. Christened 6 November 1811, St Ives, Cambridgeshire
Death28 NOV 1892The Cutter, Cambridgeshire
Marriageto Catherine Leak
FCatherine (Kitty) Dant
Birth25 MAR 1797St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death16 APR 1825St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Marriageto Francis Hull
MJohn Dant
Birth21 JAN 1805St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. Christened 15 February 1822, St Ives
Death1 AUG 1857St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Marriageto Phoebe Stocker
Family Group Sheet - Spouse
PARENT (M) David Dant
Birth5 FEB 1808Cambridgeshire. Christened 6 November 1811, St Ives, Cambridgeshire
Death28 NOV 1892 The Cutter, Cambridgeshire
Marriageto Catherine Leak
FatherWilliam Dant
MotherSarah
PARENT (F) Catherine Leak
Birth29 DEC 1807St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Christened 20 January 1808, All Saints, St Ives
Death9 APR 1861 3, Quayside, Cambridgeshire (St Giles sub-dist).
Marriageto David Dant
FatherWilliam Leak
MotherElizabeth Whitfield
CHILDREN
MGeorge Dant
Birth2 DEC 1844St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. Christened: St Clement 11 May 1862
Death28 NOV 1891Chesterton, Cambridgeshire, England.
Marriageto Anna Maria Scales
FCatherine Dant
Birth25 JUN 1826St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death16 SEP 1826St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
MSamuel Dant
Birth16 AUG 1832Christened 28 May 1834, St Ives, Cambridgeshire
Death12 JUL 1907
MDavid Dant
Birth30 MAR 1829St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death28 FEB 1911Chesterton, Cambridgeshire, England.
Marriageto Sarah Ward
FCatherine Dant
Birth29 APR 1835St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death19 FEB 1838St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
FSarah Dant
Birth27 JAN 1839St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death
Marriageto John Rogers
MCharles Dant
Birth25 SEP 1843St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death1902Croydon, London, England
Marriageto Maria Hart
FEmma Dant
Birth19 APR 1846St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death20 OCT 1922Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England
Marriageto James Simeon Fyson
MIsaac Dant
BirthJUN 1850St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death31 AUG 1850St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
FSusannah Dant
Birth13 NOV 1827St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death
Marriageto Samuel Rogers
FEliza Dant
Birth29 OCT 1830St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death
Marriageto James Parnell
MJohn Dant
Birth13 NOV 1833St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. Christened 20 May 1834, St Ives, Cambridgeshire.
Death4 SEP 1879Gosberton, Spalding, Lincolnshire, England
Marriageto Maria Flanders
FMary Ann Dant
Birth7 JAN 1837St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death
Marriageto John Shingles
FElizabeth Dant
Birth14 MAY 1840St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death
Marriageto Harry Joseph Evans
MAbraham Dant
Birth8 DEC 1848St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Death12 NOV 1849St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.
Evidence
[S26630] http://www.john-blenda.co.uk/Blenda/DantTree/gp525.htm#head1
Descendancy Chart
David Dant b: 5 FEB 1808 d: 28 NOV 1892
Catherine Leak b: 29 DEC 1807 d: 9 APR 1861
George Dant b: 2 DEC 1844 d: 28 NOV 1891
Emily Charlotte Dant b: ABT JUN 1874 d: 14 AUG 1874
Emma Jane Dant b: 1868
George Albert Dant b: 1872 d: 20 FEB 1873
Anna Elizabeth Dant b: MAR 1869 d: 29 NOV 1896
Harry Wood b: 22 JAN 1869
Winifred Emilie Wood b: 15 APR 1892 d: 30 MAR 1992
Maurice Martineau Welcher b: 13 NOV 1893 d: 14 MAY 1981
Eileen Mary Welcher b: 26 NOV 1922 d: 10 APR 2015
Elizabeth Ethel (Bebet) Welcher b: 29 MAR 1930 d: 1 MAY 2024
Alan Ray-Jones b: 17 MAY 1930 d: 20 January 2025
Mabel Wood b: ABT 1890
Wilfred Wood b: ABT 1891
Catherine Dant b: 25 JUN 1826 d: 16 SEP 1826
Samuel Dant b: 16 AUG 1832 d: 12 JUL 1907
David Dant b: 30 MAR 1829 d: 28 FEB 1911
Catherine Dant b: 29 APR 1835 d: 19 FEB 1838
Sarah Dant b: 27 JAN 1839
Charles Dant b: 25 SEP 1843 d: 1902
Emma Dant b: 19 APR 1846 d: 20 OCT 1922
Isaac Dant b: JUN 1850 d: 31 AUG 1850
Susannah Dant b: 13 NOV 1827
Eliza Dant b: 29 OCT 1830
John Dant b: 13 NOV 1833 d: 4 SEP 1879
Mary Ann Dant b: 7 JAN 1837
Elizabeth Dant b: 14 MAY 1840
Abraham Dant b: 8 DEC 1848 d: 12 NOV 1849