Ann Caesar married William Linfield at St. Nicholas’ Church, Brighton on 30th September 1850. She was the only daughter of Benjamin and Anne Caesar of Godalming and had been born on the 9th November 1822. The Caesar family were well known and respected in the district. Ann had six brothers, the youngest of whom was Julius, the well-known cricketer who played for Surrey and England, being in the first teams to visit America and Australia.

Ann Caesar, aged 8, from a
silhouette of about 1830

Our first known Caesar ancestor was Stephen, who was born in 1711, probably the son of Edward Caesar of Mattingly, Hants. Stephen was married to Ann —– and they lived in Ash, Surrey. They had six children and Stephen died in 1745. Their eldest surviving son, Joseph, a basket-maker, was our ancestor. He married Mary Coles of Elstead and settled there. Joseph and Mary had a large family and she died in 1804. Ann Linfield’s grandfather was their son William, born in 1765, who lived in Peperharrow and worked for Lord Middleton as a farmer. He lived to the age of 90 years and had a large family. Benjamin was his fourth son and married Anne Bowler in 1816. He lived and worked in Godalming and his six sons were all cricketers, several playing for Surrey.

Anne Caesar (n� Bowler)
1796-1880, from a silhouette of
about 1830

There is a mystery surrounding the marriage of Ann and William Linfield. Their marriage certificate shows them both living in a cheap boarding house in Brighton. They were married by banns, but none of the family witnessed the wedding. The Census for the following year shows William staying in Worthing at the Spaniard Hotel in Portland Road and he is described as an unmarried visitor from Croydon. Ann is living with her widowed brother in Farncombe as an unmarried woman.

Benjamin Julius Caesar 1797-1867,
about 1830

Their eldest child was born in 1854, so they probably came to Worthing sometime between 1851 and 1854. Their first home was 2, South Place where William set up a business as a tailor. Several members of Ann’s family eventually came and settled in Worthing and are buried, together with their mother, in South Farm Road Cemetery.

William Linfield 1822-1892, who married
Ann Caesar in 1850