Levi Caton

Levi Caton

born 6th March 1893 in Goldenhill.

died 16th September 1955 in Goldenhill aged 62.

married 5th Aug 1917 at St John the Baptist Church Longton.

Clara Dale

born 5th November 1895 in Longton.

died in Goldenhill abt 1963.

levicaton claradale

Levi and Clara.

levicaton

Levi Caton.

Photo of Levi taken possibly in the back yard of his house in Brakespeare Street in Goldenhill. The trophy cup he is holding was won by his son Derek in a swimming competion. Levi may have been around the age of 56 when the photo was taken.

Levi was the son of William Henry Caton and Annie Pimblot.

Levi and Clara got married on Sunday 5th August 1917 at St John the Baptist Church in Longton. Levi’s Job is described on the Marriage Certificate as a sulphur maker. There does not appear to be a job that matches this description and it is much more likely that he was a saucer maker, working in a local Pot Bank.

Levi suffered from an hare lip or cleft pallet and was also partly deaf, this impediment may have caused the confusion.

By the time my mother was a young girl, Levi was working as a Kiln Fireman at Keele Street pottery in Tunstall. He left there to do the same job (Kiln Fireman) at Booths Potttery in Tunstall, my mother (Mavis) remembers that she or her brother Derek would sometimes take his meals to his workplace when Levi had to stay sometimes for 48 hours in charge of the firing of the Kiln.

Levi eventually suffered from the smoke and fumes from working in the Bottle Kilns and went off work with illness, which in turn led to his death at the age of 62.

Some links descibing Kilns and the firing of a Bottle Kiln.

How a Bottle Kiln works

The Bottle Kiln.

You Tube video of last Bottle Kiln firing.

The you tube video is a talk with slides that lasts for about 20 minutes and is worth watching.

Levi and Clara lived most of their lives at 67 Brakespeare Street in Goldenhill.

Levi and Clara’s four children

Edna May Caton born in Goldenhill 9th February 1920 died 3rd November 1927.
Levi Caton born September 1925. Died December 1925.
Ada Caton born 5th December 1923 in Goldenhill. Married Raymond Wakefield.
Mavis Caton born 13th June 1931 in Goldenhill. Married Harvey Austin.
Derek Caton born 6th March 1939 in Goldenhill. Married Nora Hickson.

Edna May Caton was Levi and Clara's first child but died aged 7 and is buried in St Johns Church Goldenhill with her mother and father.
Levi Caton was there second child who they named after his father. Unfortunatley Levi only lived for a few months.
Ada Caton lived all her life in Goldenhill, she stayed in Brakespear Street after her mother died, she married Raymond Wakefield in 1960 and although she had no children of her own she did adopt Yvonne.
Ada had poor health and failing eyesight and passed away in the late 1980's. Her husband did not treat her well.

Mavis Caton married Harvey Austin in 1953 she had three children Steven, Philip and Martin and lives in Alsager.

Derek Caton married Nora Hickson and had three children Janine, Mark and Kerry and lives in Kidsgrove.

Derek and Nora Caton's Chidren





Back to Home