West Lulworth

a Registered One-Place Study and part of the Dorset OPC network

William Rule Jeatt (1814-1879)

& Jane Jeatt nee Harvel (1814-1891)

The Jeatt Family

William Rule Jeatt was born in 1814 at Dartmouth, Devon to Richard and Rebecca Jeatt. Richard Jeatt was in the Preventive Service and after William’s birth was stationed at Bembridge on the Isle of Wight and is mentioned in  the local press on various occasions from 1816 to 1820 for seizures of contraband and capture of smugglers.


At the time of the 1841 census, William Rule Jeatt was a Coastguard at West Lulworth, living in one of the Coastguard Cottages which were built in 1824. In an adjacent cottage lived Graham Hewett, a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, along with servant Jane Harvell, the daughter of James and Hannah Harvell. Three years later, William Rule Jeatt was to marry Jane Harvell.


William & Jane had five children:


At the time of the 1851 census, Jane Jeatt was at the Coastguard Cottages in West Lulworth with her first four children. Meanwhile, her husband William was recuperating at the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar, near Gosport. His occupation was shown as Chief Boatman, Revenue Services.


On 12 March 1860, William Rule Jeatt (Senior) was promoted to Chief Officer at Chesil Coast Guard Station, Portland. When the 1861 census was taken, William, wife Jane, daughter Hellon and sons Arthur and Augustus were living in a private house in Portland. William’s occupation was shown as Chief Officer Civil Guard. Meanwhile, William Rule Jeatt (Junior) was aboard the Coastguard Tender ‘Defence’, meaning three generations of the Jeatt family had served in the Coastguard/Preventive Service.


The Portland Directory of 1865 showed the following entry:

Coast Guard Station: Chesil. JEATT, William R, Chief Officer and twelve men


In 1871, William and Jane, together with two of their sons, William and Augustus, were living in the Coastguard Houses at Weymouth. William (Senior) was shown as Coast Guard (Chief Officer), William (Junior) was shown as a Naval Pensioner and Augustus was shown as a Solicitor’s Clerk.


William (Senior) died in 1879 aged 65. There is no trace of Jane in the 1881 census but the 1891 census shows her living alone at 12 Hope Way, Weymouth. She died a few months later.


William also wrote poetry and several of his works are reproduced below.

William Rule Jeatt (1844-1916)

& Emma Jeatt nee Hebley (1844-1932)

William’s birthplace in the census returns is shown as West Lulworth but he was baptised at East Stoke. In the 1851 census William was at West Lulworth with his mother and siblings. In 1861, he was aboard the Coastguard Tender ‘Defence’ serving as ‘1st Clap Boy’ and shown as age 18. By 1871 he was a ‘Naval Pensioner’ living with his parents in Weymouth.


In 1873, William married Emma Hebley from Weymouth. In 1881, they were living at 2 Prospect Place, Weymouth and William was a Storekeeper. By 1891 they had moved to 6 Ebenezer Place, Weymouth and William was now a Water Clerk. Ten years later they were still at Ebenezer Place, William shown as ‘Clerk CC’ and their niece Eleanor F Maun, a Photgrapher, was living with them. William died in 1916 and Emma in 1932. They had no children.

Richard Brooking Jeatt (1845-1927)

& Frances Jeatt nee Monckton (1845-1919)

Like his older brother, Richard’s birthplace in the census returns is shown as West Lulworth but he was baptised at East Stoke. In the 1851 census William was at West Lulworth with his mother and siblings. In 1861, aged 15, he was aboard the Coastguard Cutter ‘Eagle’ at Holyhead in Anglesey serving as ‘Boy 2nd Class’.

By 1871, Richard was Leading Seaman on board the tender Achilles at Devonport.


In 1873, Richard married Frances Monckton and they had five children, two of whom died shortly after birth and two of whom died in their late teens:


The only child to live to a good age was Frances, who died in 1941 aged 65. She never married.

In 1891, Frances was living at 11 Franchise Terrace, Weymouth with children Frances, Richard and William. Her husband was away but the family must have been quite well off as they employed a domestic servant.


Frances died in 1919 and her husband in 1927.

Hellon Rebecca Gaze Jeatt (1847-1876)


In 1861, when the family were living in Portland, Hellon was shown as a scholar aged 13.

Ten years later, age 22, Hellon was a Draper’s Assistant working and living at Portland House, Fortuneswell, Portland. Unfortunately, she died in 1876 aged just 29.

Arthur James Jeatt (1850-1919)

& Emma Tuck Jeatt nee Hayward (1859-1946)

In 1861 at Portland, Arthur was shown as a scholar aged 10.


In 1878, Arthur married Emma Tuck Hayward in West Lulworth. Emma’s father John Westmacott Hayward was a farmer in Abbotsbury. Arthur and Emma had ten children:


In 1881 Arthur and Emma were living at the School House at Arreton on the Isle of Wight.

Arthur was the Certified Government Teacher and Emma was the School Teacher of Infants. Through the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses, Arthur and Emma were still teachers living at the School House. Arthur died in 1919 and Emma in 1946.


Egbert became a Wheelwright and moved to London where he married in 1905. Hellon married Montague Charles Faulkner in 1907 at Arreton on the Isle of Wight and later moved to Sussex. George emmigrated to British Columbia, Canada, as did younger brother Cecil. William married Ella Paice in Hertfordshire in 1908 and later founded the White Bus Company which is still running today under the control of his grandson, Doug Jeatt. Kathleen died age 18 at Arreton. Douglas married was in the Merchant Navy and was killed in the Second World War on board the SS Somme in 1942. Marjorie did not marry and lived on the Isle of Wight all her life. Mary married Norman Edmund Dodridge in 1925 and later lived at Totton near Southampton. Tony Jeatt, who kindly provided the photographs shown above, is their son. It is not clear what happened to Robert.

Photographs and information courtesy of Tony Jeatt, great-great grandson of William Rule Jeatt b 1814

THINK OF ME

Oh think of me dearest when morning is peeping

When day spring enliven the face of the sky

When bathed in nights dew drops the rose buds are weeping

Oh breath me one ------Oh waft me one sigh

Oh think of me dearest when sunlight is beaming

When nature is clothed in her richest array

I ask but one thought in thy sweet spirits dreaming

Oh remember me even on thy life's brightest day

Oh think of me dearest when eves star is shining

When stillness is breathing oer---------and thee

When memories of friendship & love are endearing

their flowers ---my heart , then Oh think of me

Oh think of me dearest , when tenderly beameth

the light of the moon oer our own fertile sod

Oh remember the past for my fond heart yet dreameth

oh bright happy moments of pleasure have trod

oh think of me dearest when darkness obscurest

With midnights deep gloom the sweet moons gentle say

oh think of the friendship whichever endureth

which darkest of sorrow can neer chase away

Oh think of me dearest at mornings light waking

At noontide or eve or at night think of me

And I still beloved one thy feelings --------------

Will ever yes ever be -----on thee

LULWORTH Wm RULE JEATT 25 APRIL 1839


Augustus Bissett Jeatt (1853-1932)

& Charlotte Jeatt nee Ayles (1854-1933)

Augustus’s birthplace in the census returns is shown as Wyke Regis but he was baptised at East Stoke like his two eldest brothers. At Portland in 1861 he was shown as a scholar aged 8. Ten years later he was still living with his parents in Weymouth and was now a Solicitor’s Clerk.


In 1880, Arthur married Charlotte Ayles from Portland. Augustus and Charlotte had three children:


In 1891 they were living at Lynchford Road, Farnborough and Augustus was now an Auctioneer.


In 1911 they were living at 82 Somerset Road, Farnborough and Augustus was now an Insurance Agent. Augustus Junior, wife Minnie and daughter Doris were also staying with them.


Augustus Senior died in 1932 and Charlotte died a year later.


Hellon married Christopher John Saward in 1907 and in 1911 sister Jane was staying with them at 36 Burwash Road, Plumstead.




AN ADIEU TO LULWORTH COVE


Adieu then to sweet Lulworth Cove

My happiest moments were there

For those were the scenes that I love

And to them I would gladly repare


But I ne’er shall behold any more

The place where I lov’d so to roam

I must greet those repeals that are dear

To visit my friends and my home


I shall ever remember the day

When the sails of our Bark were unfurl’d

And she glided away from the Bay

Away from the noise of the World


The evening was calm & serene

Rude Boreas was lulled to repose

The Moon in her splendour was seen

As above the wide ocean she rose


We entered the Cove by her light

Few objects appeared to our view

All was hushed in the silence of night

Save the voices of  *____  ____  ____


*Lulw Coast G Station