Dear Donna,

In brief, here is what I can tell you about my branch of the Cain(e) family:

[In these first generations they are inconsistent about the use of the "e" at the end of the name, though it becomes firmly established later].

Nathaniel, born 1808 Liverpool (not 1810 as I had thought when I posted my original message 18 months ago) died 1 Oct 1877 Broughton-in-Furness. Son (as Joan points out) of Thomas Caine 1755-1814 and Ann(e) Sproston (b? 1774 Birmingham?). Co-owner of the Hodbarrow mine in Millom which he and John Barrat developed, against all the odds, from c1855 to become the most successful source of iron ore in the country. His brother, William Sproston Caine 1803-1876, was also a partner at a later stage.

He married, 15 Nov 1836, Hannah Rushton 1812-1861 daughter of William Rushton (a wealthy woolen draper/merchant of Liverpool) and Phebe Copley (whose father was a woolen cloth manufacturer) so textiles were in the family, with Thomas being a Merchant Tailor!

Their children were:

1. Phebe Caine 1839-1884 who was the second wife of Hugh Stowell Brown 1823-1886, a well known Baptist preacher.

2. Fanny Caine 1841-?

3. William Sproston Caine 1842-1903 Started life in his father's business but left to go into politics where he became an MP. Devout Baptist, like most of the family, with strong views on temperance which didn't always help him in his career! He married Alice Brown b1849, daughter of Hugh Stowell Brown (who married William's sister Phebe, above!). Their children were:

3.1. Hannah Rushton Caine 1869-1951 who married Sir John Roberts 1863-1955 and had 3 children.

3.2. Dorothea Caine 1871.

3.3. Ruth Caine 1872 who married Sir John Lewis.

3.4. William Caine 1874, barrister.

3.5. David Howard Caine 1885 (Medical student in 1901).

4. Nathaniel Caine 1844-1926 Iron Merchant married 1870 Jessie Olivia Bell 1851-?. Their children were:

4.1. Nathaniel Caine 1872

4.2.Margaret Ethel Caine 1873

4.3. Douglas Caine 1874

4.4. Thomas Caine 1876

4.5. Muriel Caine 1878

4.6 Howard Mackenzie Caine 1880

4.7. Ella Mary Caine 1882

5. Adah Caine 1845-1893 married 1867 William Barrow Turner 1840-1916 Director of several railway companies etc. They had 6 children, I descend from their son Charles.

6. Howard Thomas Caine 1848-1892 married 1887 Florence Gray

7. Nora Caine 1850-?

Don't know whether any of this fits in with other Cain(e) info you have? Would be interested to hear if it does.

Oliver.