The Daines family story commences with Rachael Daines who married Henry Spears Grinton on 16th December 1849 at Nu Parish Church in the Parish of Minster in Sheppey UK. Rachael was born about 1829 in Harwich a seaport and the background to this page. She was the 4th child of Martin Daines and Rachel Walford. Rachael's siblings were:
 

• John Walford Daines 1817-1898

• Christopher Daines 1825-1903

• Maria Daines 1826-1905

• Sarah Daines born 1830

• George Daines born 1832.

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Martin Daines was a coastguardsman. We know this from Rachael's marriage certificate. This explains the families places of residence in seaports like Sheppey and Harwich. Martin was born 18th December 1786 in Bacton also spelt Backton Suffolk according to a birth record and baptism record for Martin Daines born to Martin Daines and Mary Capps on 18th December 1786.  Or was he? The 1851 and 1861 census has him born in Bacton in 1792. Martin's naval record [Ticket # 249.114] lists his birth date as 8th April 1791 in Bacton. It also tells us he went to sea first as an apprentice in 1808 aged 17 yrs. He was five foot six, light complexion, brown hair and blue eyed. When unemployed he resided at Rochester and the document lists him in 1845 on the CoastGuard Comm [? possibly Command] Boat Rochester Sheerness. He was a boatman for the coastguard.

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Were there 2 Martin Daines born in Bacton to Martin and Mary? One in 1786 and one in 1789? There is no record of any births of Martin Daines in Bacton in the period 1789-1792 currently in Find My Past or Ancestry, If indeed Martin Daines and Mary Cap/Capps are his parents then all we know of them is that they married in Bacton on 19th December 1785 . Martin was a widower.  Could young Martin have lied to get into the Coastguard and instead of being 17 he was 22 years of age? Perhaps and we may never know the truth. Throughout his life his records show he stated he was born 1789-1792.

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Martin married Rachel Walford on 4th March 1811 in St Nicholas's Church Harwich in Essex. from census data we can put the family in the Coast Guards House in Sheppey in 1851 when martin was 55 years of age and Rachel was 52. They were living with their younger children Sarah aged 21 and unmarried and George aged 18 and unmarried. In 1861 Martin and Rachael were living at Union Rd Sheppey he was a coastguard pensioner at this stage. Rachel most likely died a year later in the first quarter of 1862 [ ref: Vol 2a page 417]. This data came from family trees which were not totally accurate but the death record cited is for a Rachel Daines of Sheppey.  In 1871 Martin is living with his daughter Maria then aged 45 yrs and her husband Michael Hegarty aged 55 yrs. Michael is listed as a pensioner Chief ? Coastguard and he was born in Ireland. Martin is a superannuant coastguardsman, a widower aged 83. This record has him being born in Harwich but this is unlikely given earlier census data. Thomas Kelsoe aged 14 the nephew of Michael and Maria was also living with them. Chief Coastguards are the highest rank obtainable. They were all living in the Cottages in the Parish of Palling, Norfolk.

 

Martin died around 13th June 1877 at  Russell Street and was removed from Christchurch, Luton He was buried on 13th June at Chatham Maidstone Road Cemetery in Chatham Section M Grave No. 132 (C). He was 88 years of age and this record puts his birth at 1789.

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Do we know anything about Rachel Walford? From the 1851 and 1861 census we know she was born in Harwich a coastguard town but they cite different dates. 1851 has her born in 1799 and 1861 has her born in 1793. There are no records on Find My Past for a Rachel Walford born in Harwich. Ancestry does not throw up any either. This is the end of the line currently.

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Below are some photos of Harwich taken in 2014 and under that are historic photos of Chatham dockyard available from the public domain.

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