Hi Oliver and Donna

I hope I don't let you down with my info. I would be willing to photocopy my info, which consists of family letters, Caine tree which I'm afraid is hard to read and goes back to only Thomas and Ann Sproston and a document from Walter Moon, Town Clerk Liverpool 21st January 1931 and mail them to you so you then have all my info in front of you.
I have found out Nathaniel (1843-June 14 1926) was a Master of the R.R.B. from 1916-1919. I have a horn from the R.R.B. to the master 26th March 1859
Someone mentioned the same Nathaniel had children ... my grandmother who is still alive stated (I will double check this) her father in law Douglas Nathaniel was Nathaniel's son but she only mention two sisters Muriel and Ethel. Muriel wrote a letter (1953) to my grandfather Douglas Andrew in which she goes through our Caine history back to Thomas and Ann. This is where I get most of my info.
I know Thomas's first wife Sally died in 1796 at 39 years of age. She had 9 children. I only know of William (1790 died 9 months), John (died 13th November 1800 18 years old), Ellen (died10th September 1804 11 years), Thomas (died 6th July 1810 23 years)
2nd wife Ann they had 7 children together... 3 died in childhood... but I think you know all that.
The portraits ... there was 4 Thomas and Ann Nathaniel and Hannah
First Thomas and Ann... Fanny (1801-1894)had them, then willed them to Ann (daughter of Mary and George Beckett) At some point they ended up in Millicent (Granny Mim) possession (she married Douglas Nathaniel) (not sure if its Douglas Nathaniel or Nathaniel Douglas)
In a letter to my grandfather, Aunt Muriel states you would have seen them in the dining room at Spital and later at New Ferry (does that mean anything to you)
Second Nathaniel and Hannah The story from my mother goes like this... The portraits where at Nancoleth (the farm in Cornwall where i was born) and everyone used to say my Aunt Jill looked like Hannah. My Aunt Jill didn't like this plus with the poor condition of the portrait when we emigrated to Canada in 1973 it was left behind. Mum doesn't know what happened to it.
Nathaniel's portrait came over with us as well as the first two. The first two have been reconditioned and hang on my walls and Nathaniel has a new frame after falling of the wall and resides at mum's house... he has been willed to me to keep them all together. Apparently there were minatures of the portraits but they were seperated from the bigger ones at some point.
Hope you find this not only interesting but helpful.

Stephen