Diane's Genealogy Blog 2017

[if you wish to contact me, my email address is: diane27@gmail.com or use the Feedback button above]

<<2022 I am so sorry, all the photos appear to have dropped off this account.>>

Currently working on my mother-in-law Jessie née Manhire's tree, mostly centred in Cornwall, England. I worked on this tree here in 2015, so this is largely an update.

Saturday 15th July 2017

William Henry Retallick 1 was born 28 Jun 1847 in Luxulyan to Luke & Mary Ann née Pascoe and christened there at the Bible Christian church on 25 Aug 1847. He can be seen in censuses of 1851 & 1861 at Livrean, St Austell with parents & brother, in the latter listed as 13-year-old CCL (china clay labourer). In 1869 he emigrated to USA and on 14 Apr 1870 in Randolph, Morris, New Jersey he married Isabella Lecher, also from England. They had a son William John 3 months later, then a daughter Mary Jane in Pennsylvania the following year, but returned to the UK with them in the mid-1870s, as their fourth (& final) child Frederick was born back in Cornwall. This kind of thing is often associated with the illness and subsequent death of parents "back home", but I don't know the death dates of her parents, John Lecher & Jane née Tangye. Anyway, they can be seen in 1881 census at "Hamlet of Rose-in-Valley", Luxulyan - a nice-sounding place that I can find no trace of! William was trying his hand at being a mason, and this continued when they moved back to USA in about 1890 (his mother died in 1888, so maybe this was the reason they went home). In 1900 census they can be seen in East Market Street, Dauphin, Williamstown, Pennsylvania, with son Frederick, aged 9, and William John and his family (including 16-year-old boarder Homer Pontius, a relative of his wife Kate) next door. On 10 Feb 1907 William died, then in 1926 Isabella followed. Meanwhile 1916 & 1920 church records showed William John, Kate and Frederick devotedly attending the same Lutheran church in the same area until they ended up in Fairview Cemetery in 1940 & 1948.

William Henry Retallick 2 - see 28th Jan 2013 (and 21st Oct 2012) - nothing new

His son born Jul 1868 at Gilly's, Luxulyan was christened Willie Courtney Retallick on 31 Jul 1870 in Luxulyan (and had been registered as such at birth). His father being William and his mother's maiden-name Courtney may be enough to explain this, but there was also a Willie Courtney Retallick who appeared in the official Roster of Soldiers of Ohio in the War of Rebellion 1861-65, which may of course be a complete coincidence! He can be seen on 1871 census aged 4 at Gillys with parents & sibs, then 1881 at Innisvath with them and his grandmother. A fellow genealogist tells me he emigrated to New Zealand in 1888 with his cousin Thomas Tremewan Retallick and that he died there 22 Aug 1945 aged 77. I can see a trip he took in 1894 between Southampton & New York, in which he is described as a chemist, single, aged 26, but nothing in Australasia.

Woodman Retallick was born 15 Apr 1874 in Luxulyan to Adam & Ann, although I cannot find a baptism. On 21 Feb 1881 he was admitted to Lockingate Infant School, aged almost seven, the address given as Savath. That April the census said Innisvath, and he was there with parents & sibs in that and the next census. On 2 dec 1899 in Roche church he married Emmeline Jane Collins, whose parents were Cornish, although she had been born in Sussex. they settled in Lanivet and had eight children, although two died in infancy. In 1901 census they can be seen in Lanivet Village with one son, then in 1911 at Stenalees with 5 children. Woodman was a CCL, as was his son Raymond. Emmeline died in 1938, so 1939 Register shows him newly widowed, living at Hazelmere, Lower Stenalees with son Hugh & his wife Muriel (Hugh worked on Road building, Muriel UDD), son Raymond and daughter Emmeline Verna, Telephone Exchange Operator. There are 2 closed files, maybe Hugh's children. Woodman died 16 Mar 1956 at Hazelmere, leaving effects worth £8256 to Barclays Bank, son Francis (a local government officer) and son Ernest (clay works manager).

Yvonne Retallick ends this where it began! She was born 25 Nov 1939 in Deptford, London to Agar Alexander & Kathleen née Nicholls when they were living in Greenwich. The only records I can find are passenger lists between New York & Southampton in the mid 1950s, and she doesn't appear on 1939 Register as she is probably still alive. The address she gave in 1955 & 56 was The Glade, Ditton Hill, Surbiton (an unmade road I cannot access on Google Maps) and she was a shorthand typist.

As I have now completed this round of study, as I mentioned earlier in the year, I wish to change tack completely an dedicate my blog to another subject entirely. I shall be following the route taken in the past by a very famous canal writer, comparing his account with the situation now and relating this to our own canal holidays in the past.

Please bear with me for a while as I prepare the ground. It won't take long

Friday 14th July 2017

William Retallick 5 - see 28th Jan 2013 - please do, there's lots of interesting detail and stories.

William Retallick 6 was born Feb 1794 in Roche to Christopher & Mary Soby and christened there on 4 Mar 1794. He was Jessie's 3xgreat-uncle, as her branch came from his brother Francis. I can see in the records a William Retallick who married Lydia Bessant, emigrated to Canada and had a couple of daughters at least. However, as the marriage took place in her home county of Hampshire and his age was a few years out, I have my doubts... If it is him he died May 1842 in Ontario aged 53 and was buried at Columbus Bible Christian Cemetery. Daughter Harriet married William Hayes and daughter Lydia Zacharias Mark. (There is a record of an 18-year-old by his name attesting to the Canada British Regiment in Truro on 9 Apr 1816, which may provide the link and why the age is wrong - but he lied about his age in the wrong direction!)

William Retallick 7 was born Mar 1784 in St Wenn to William 9 & Elizabeth and was christened there on 18 Apr 1794, the youngest of their eleven children. The trouble here is that there are either too many records or none. There is a census record of 1851 that nearly fits, listing him at the Union Workhouse in St Columb Major, a 64-year-old widowed farm labourer born in St Wenn. But I cannot find him in 1841 and there are lots of suitable marriages, both in St Columb and St Wenn.

William Retallick 8 was born Apr 1774 at St Wenn to Henry & Elizabeth née Brenton and christened there on 8 May 1774. Similarly to the above, nothing else really fits.

Jessie's 4xgreat-uncle, William Retallick 9 was born Mar 1731 in St Wenn to Richard & Grace née Brenton and christened there on 12 Apr 1731, seventh of their nine. On 6 Oct 1755 in St Wenn he married Elizabeth, who always spelled her surname Retallack and I cannot see that they were related. She was the daughter of James Retallack and Jane Basely, born in St Wenn in Mar 1736. William & Elizabeth had eleven children, all baptised in St Wenn (with the spelling Retallack, just to confuse me) between 1757 & 1784. I have seen his Will document, coming into effect on 29th Apr 1808, stating that he died on 28th April in St Wenn, was aged 67 and a yeoman. As his wife had died the previous year, his eldest daughter Grace aged 10 forty years previously, and next daughter Jane died on the same day as her father (can't find a story here, although there may well be one!), he left items/sums to 5 daughters, 3 sons and a grandson. (I was pleased to be able to check the married names of the girls and they were all correct!)

William Drew Retallick - see 28th Jan 2013. I have since found a newspaper mention of the three brothers Elison, Fred and Drew, stopping off at the Cornish Arms, New York (441-3 West 23rd Street) on the way from Bugle to Houghton, Michigan in Jul 1915. The Cornish Arms is now an apartment block called Broadmoor (no, not THAT one!) but is still the same building. I must have passed it earlier this year, as it is near Penn Station. As I said in 2013, the brothers returned to Cornwall after WW1 and Drew married Millicent Blamey Oct 1921 and son Maurice followed the following June. In 1939 Register he (Maurice) is shown as "Incapacitated", but evidently this was not too serious, as he married and lived to the age of 69. In the same road can be seen Drew's brothers Arthur (Reginald, see below) and Frederick and their households. He was listed as China Clay Merchant (his brother ran the mine) and Millicent as UDD. I don't think they had any other children.

Oh, if you are at all interested in Cornishmen in New York, or the Cornish Arms Hotel take a look at this wonderful website:
http://members.tripod.com/cornish_letters/index.htm

Tuesday 11th July 2017

What happened on this day:
Henry Charles Gamble was born in 1845 and
Jessie's grandmother Tahpenes née Knight had the stroke in 1910 that killed her 17 days later

Thomas Sobey Retallick was born Jul 1841 in Bugle to Christopher & Ann formerly Thomas née Hoare and was christened there on 1 Aug 1841. I'm not certain when his father took on the pub licence, as 1841 census in June states his occupation as "retail (illegible, possibly backer, meaning baker, he was listed among other things as a flour-dealer)" and Thomas' baptism record as Farmer. I told the story on 8th May below (and 28th Oct 2012). By 1851 census Thomas can be seen aged 10 in the household at the New Inn, Carnsmerry - later renamed The Bugle and the village named after it. Christopher was Innkeeper, Ann Innkeeper's Wife. Also in the household were Ann's two children by her first marriage. Thomas was only 16 when he died here and was buried at Roche on 8 Apr 1858
As his mother Ann had died the previous year, the stone above commemorates them both.

Victoria Regina Retallick - see 19th Jan 2013 - nothing new

Viole Glanville Retallick - see 20th Jan 2013. 1939 Register shows both Viole and Hilda at Trenisson, Portloe, Truro, farming. There are two closed files, probably children. I have since seen his probate document, leaving effects worth £7338 to his two children Charles Freeman Retallick, farmer, and Margaret Hilda Beard, wife of Henry Marshall Beard. Also this gives his address at time of death as Trenisson, Portloe.

OK, on the home straight now. Tackling the Williams:

William Retallick 1 - see 26th Jan 2013. I have now seen the baptism record (it was mistranscribed as Retellick and his mother as Cathn) dated 27 Dec 1780. As I stated before, he died aged 34, Ann remarried 3 years later and died aged 71.

William Retallick 2 - see 26th Jan 2013. His children are a pain! The first, Richard, seems to have been born on the day of his parents' wedding - that must have been dramatic! - but then he wasn't registered, which had been mandatory for ten years by then. 1871 census names children not mentioned elsewhere (eg Jemmima - sic - the only one I can find was registered with mother's maiden-name of Seymour), and I suspect the youngest, Sarah, was always called Louie... Although both signed at the marriage, the ages & names given to census evaluators weren't consistent, which suggests they were illiterate/innumerate/both. William's burial record says his residence at the time was the County Lunatic Asylum, Bodmin. He died there on 14 Apr 1886 and was buried the next day in Roche. However, I cannot find any more details.

William Retallick 3 - see 28th Jan 2013 (the one I had to straighten out). Nothing new.

William Retallick 4 was born Apr 1851 in Roche to William & Elizabeth (Betsy) née Hancock (see William 5 following), just missing the census, taken on 31 March, and when he was four years old sailed with the family on board the SS Hooghly from Plymouth to Adelaide (3 Jan-19 Apr 1855). In electoral roll records we can see in 1903 William as labourer, alongside Alice, Charlotte, Jane & Janet performing Home Duties, also John farmer and John contractor. By 1916 also listed were George farmer and Mary Home Duties. This was in Lexton, Victoria, where William lived when he died 8 May 1918 aged 66 and was buried.

Monday 10th July 2017

Nothing new on either Simon Retallick, although I have found a marriage and daughter for Simon junior. However, if his age at enlistment is to be believed, this marriage is unlikely as he would be 13. I have found a death at Fort McHenry aged 39, 5 years after enlistment on 18 Mar 1824.

Terence Retallick was born Jan 1941 in St Austell to Hugh & Muriel née Rundle. In Jan 1961 in St Austell he married Valerie J Bonney and they had two daughters, Deborah & Karen. Electoral Roll records show Terence & Valerie from 1980 to 1984 at Dekaru, 24 Trethosa Road, St Stephens, then from 1999 to present (2014) at 9 Trevone Crescent, St Austell - both lovely bungalows.

Thomas Retallick 1 was born Jul 1858 in St Wenn to Richard & Hannah and can be seen in censuses of 1861-1881 with parents, sibs & uncle, in the latter as Ag Lab. In 1891 he can be seen at Princepark, Rosenannon, St Wenn (next to the vicarage), working as a gardener, servant to Joseph & Catherine Hicks. By 1901 he was back with his parents, but still working as a gardener, in St Wenn Village. Looking for these landmarks was frustrating as there doesn't appear to be a vicarage in Rosenannon or a Methodist Chapel in St Wenn nowadays to help me out. In the latter he was with his parents, sister Mary and nephew. On 19 Oct 1905 at St Stephen by Launceston church he married Jane Chubb from Devon and they had a son Roy the following year. They only had the one child, presumably because they were mid-40s on marriage. In 1911 they can be seen at Hill House, Roche with Roy, Thomas' father Richard (listed as "boarder", but he died later that year so they were no doubt caring for him) as well as 2 visitors, one of whom was Jane's mother. Richard, Thomas and Jane all died before 1939 Register, so Roy is shown then alone at Hill House, keeping the farm going. Thomas died on 28 Jul 1933 at Hill House, leaving £147 to Jane, then she followed in 1937.

Thomas Retallick 2 was born Feb 1769 in St Wenn to Henry & Elizabeth née Brenton and christened there on 29 Mar 1769. On 2 Jun 1806 at the same church he married Polly Merrifield and they had 7 children (although the first one died aged 8). 1841 census shows them at Carpet, St Wenn with five children (aged 15-30) and a servant. Thomas died there aged 77 and was buried 29 Nov 1846 in St Wenn churchyard (above). In 1851 Polly was living with son James at Carpet, acting as his Housekeeper. She died there aged 76 and was buried 28 Mar 1852.

Thomas Retallick 3 was Jessie's 5xgreat-uncle, born Sep 1726 in St Wenn to Richard & Grace née Brenton and christened there on 15 Oct 1726 (or 3rd Oct or 31st Oct by other sources), 4th of their nine children. I have sought high & low for further details, but the only really feasible record is a marriage in St Wenn 20 Jun 1754 with an Elizabeth White, however I have no proof this is him, and that marriage took place in Padstow according to some sources... I cannot pin down a death for obvious reasons.

Thomas Henry Retallick was born Dec 1860 in Luxulyan to William & Ann née Courtney and can be seen with them in 1861 census aged 4 months at Trescoll Cottage. Unfortunately he died aged 3 "of fever" and was buried 24 Feb 1864. They went on to have fifteen further children, and they re-used the name, as was the way at the time, firstly in 1865, not long after the first one died, but he perished in infancy too, then for their final child. So this Thomas Henry was born 2 Mar 1880 in Luxulyan to the same parents and christened 17 Apr 1881. Of their fifteen, seven died, including Augusta Courtney aged 24 in 1891 when Thomas was 10 years old (see 7th May below). He can be seen in censuses of 1881-1901 with the family at Innisvath, in the latter a Clay Labourer. In Oct 1904 he married Amelia Matilda Morris (aka Minnie) and they had one daughter Hazel (who travelled out to New York in 1929 to marry a Henry Bray immediately in Manhattan. She was a shop assistant). Thomas can be seen in 1911 census to have moved to Higher Bore Street, Bodmin and had changed his job. He now worked for the Council as an Asylum Attendant. I would think this was related to his sister Augusta, as this was where she worked too. The Asylum was just down the road. On 10 Dec 1915 he enlisted in the Army (described as Asylum Attendant aged 35 yrs 7m) for a short service or the duration of war, but on 8 Aug 1918 he attested to the Royal Regiment of Artillery for further service. I don't know what happened to him then until we pick them up again in 1939 Register. They were still at the same address, but Thomas was a "Mental Nurse Retired" and Minnie UDD. He still made himself useful, though, as he was still only 59, listed as "Auxiliary Fire Service Telephonist". Minnie died there in 1967 and Thomas in Jan 1970, aged 84 & 89 respectively.

Tuesday 4th July 2017 (Happy Independence Day to those Across the Pond)

What happened on this day:
Anthony Knight was christened in 1819, as were
Julia Manhire in 1869
John Manhire 2 in 1729 and
Lily Wooldridge in 1901.
Frank Hennig was buried in 1901

Reuben Retallick was born Dec 1839 at Tremoderet, Roche to John & Jenifer née Rowse and christened at Roche on 6 Jan 1840. See 5th May below for his brother Charles & sister Charlotte, censuses 1841-1861 the same, in the latter he was listed as Miner, but he died aged 29 and was buried in Roche churchyard on 13 Apr 1870.

Lets tackle the 10 Richards: See 12th & 13th Jan 2013

Richard Retallick 1 - brother of Reuben above and father of Polly (Sunday, below) - no new records

Richard Retallick 2 - son of Richard 5 - again nothing new

Richard Retallick 3 - father of Richard 5 - in 2013 I suggested that his father was John, based on his witnessing the marriage, but when I re-examined this on 12th May, below ("Elizabeth Retallick 3"), I saw that his father was Francis & mother Mary née Thomas. He (Francis) may have been one of the many children of Francis & Ursula baptised in Ladock through the 1730s & 1740s. Richard had 3 brothers that I am aware of, as well as another attempt at a Richard, born and buried in 1769, aged 4 months. I have checked all the births of children and discounted several, belonging to the other Richard & Elizabeth, so have returned to Richard's death occurring in 1803, burial 6 Aug at St Wenn. They had two sons and a possible daughter (suggested by other genealogists but I cannot find any evidence). Elizabeth died in Jan 1851, but I cannot find the 1841 census for her.

Richard Retallick 4 - was born Jan 1775 & christened 18 Feb 1775 in Roche as stated, but I know a lot more now. He had six siblings, although one died aged seven and one aged three. On 5 Mar 1799 at North Hill, near Launceston, 25 miles northeast of Roche, he married Susanna Burnberry and they had 3 children there, baptised by the Launceston Wesleyan Circuit at Liskeard Methodist Chapel. Again I cannot locate 1841 census, but Susanna died before it was taken (she was 7 years older than her husband), and in 1851 he can be seen living at Barn Street, Liskeard, with daughter Ann, Richard a Retired Watchmaker, which ties in with the Apprenticeships I have seen, in 1795 he was apprenticed to Thomas Reynolds, clockmaker in Egloshayle, 10 miles north of Roche. By 1802 he was a Master Clockmaker himself and had an apprentice William Tapson. Those of you who know my interest in canals will appreciate the pleasure with which I read the following about this ancestor:
Richard Retallick of Liskeard, a watchmaker and ironmonger, prospered with early 19th century canal building. He was on the original committee of management of the Liskeard-Looe Canal, subscribed and authorised by an act of Parliament in 1825 and opened in 1828. The canal had 24 locks in 6 miles, each lock rising 6 feet. The engineer was J. Green of Exeter, but the work was completed by R. Coad. Richard Retallick was Clerk of the Canal until the 1850's, administering freight charges and upkeep. In 1829, Richard Retallick issued a prospectus for another canal from Saint Columb Bridge to Mawgan Porth, and other works to make Mawgan Porth a secure summer harbour. This project however, did not come to fruition (Retallack Surname by Greg Retallack of the Dept of Geological Science, University of Oregon).

He died 18 Dec 1854 in Liskeard, aged 79, and was buried at Lezant on 22 Dec. This may be the house in Barn Street, it seems to still be a jewellery/watch repair shop, but this business only dates from 1966.

Richard Retallick 5 - nothing new

Richard Retallick 6 - nothing new except his burial date 25 Nov 1746 in St Wenn.

Richard Retallick 7 - nothing

Richard Retallick 8 - nothing new except exact baptism dates of 8 of his 9 children

Richard Retallick 9 - nothing new

Richard Retallick 10 - trying to fill in the details here, I found a son Richard Hicks Retallick born 1745 in St Wenn, a possible sibling for Simon, but the name would suggest Elizabeth's surname was Hicks, which I cannot trace. (He died in infancy, so was no further help). I have found scraps of information on 2 others, an R Retallick who worked as an Engine Cleaner in St Blazey in 1918 and an illustrious Royal Navy officer also Richard Retallick (1754-1813) who I was anxious to discover links to, but have not, I'm afraid.

Bad news on Sarah Retallick. She was born 12 Apr 1800 in Devonport to John & Sarah née Bellitha but I knew no more. I have now found a Stoke Damerel burial dated 1 Nov 1802 for a child of this name aged 2 years 6 months.

Monday 3rd July 2017

What happened on this day:
George Thomas Wooldridge was born in 1925
William Wooldridge married Ann Martin in 1804
"Elizabeth Retallick 1" married Gregory Tabb in 1746
George Matthews died in 1886 and
James Matthews in 1889

Ralph Clifton Retallick was born Oct 1905 at Stenalees, St Austell to Woodman & Emmeline née Collins and christened on 16 Aug 1905 at Beam, Bugle by the Bodmin Bible Christian Circuit. He can be seen in 1911 census aged 5 with parents and his 4 brothers (2 sisters had died in infancy). Unfortunately, Ralph himself didn't make it to the next record, the 1939 Register, as he died in Oct 1937 aged 32. He was buried in Roche churchyard and later joined by his parents.

His brother Raymond Retallick was born 12 Jun 1906 at Stenalees and christened 5 Sep 1906 at Treverbyn. He can be seen aged 4 in 1911 census at Stenalees as above. 1939 Register shows him at Hazelmere, Stenalees, the household now under brother Hugh - see 20th May below. In Apr 1948 in St Austell Raymond married Gwendoline Annie Gibbs, 15 years his junior, from Camelford. Raymond diied in Jan 1972 in Truro (probably in hospital there), aged 65, but being a lot younger, Gwen lived on until 1995. When she died she was living in a bungalow in St Stephen-in-Brannel, aged 73, and left £145,388 - probably mostly the house.

Reginald Arthur Retallick was born 17 Dec 1880 (and registered Jan 1881) at Livrean, St Austell to Luke & Ellen née Vercoe and can be seen there on 1881 census aged 3 months, with parents & brothers, then again in 1891. Bt 1901 census he was 20, an Overlooker at a Clay Mine, living at Bugle with parents & sibs. In Oct 1905 at St Austell he married Henrietta Carter, daughter of a Police Sergeant in Pelynt, near Liskeard. They had six children, although one died in infancy. In 1911 census they can be seen at Jubilee Terrace, Bugle with four of these, and they remained at this address [I cannot track it down now as everyone just used the address "Bugle"]. In 1939 Register they are still there [shown on the map as at Carnsmerry, changed beyond recognition since then by mining and then the removal of the railway], Reginald known as Arthur and a Captain at China Clay Works (by which they were surrounded!) and Henrietta UDD. She died there in 1968 and Reginald on 14 May 1957, leaving £1902 to son Gordon, male nurse and was buried in Roche churchyard.

Sunday 2nd July 2017

Percival Retallick was another sibling of Olive & Norman, born on 12 Jan 1902 at Kingsteignton, Devon. He can be seen in 1911 census at Wisteria House - see below - aged 9. Again I cannot locate him in 1939 Register - the fact that the entire family is missing worries me, but suggests they were all together, spelled badly. 4 years later he married in the Newton Abbot area, probably Kingsteignton, Annie Walling, who I think may have been born in 1910 in Worcester. I think they only had one child, Suzette in 1946, and Annie died in 1985 in Torbay, followed by Percival on 9 Aug 1986 at home in Kingsteignton, leaving £44,568.

Philip Retallick was born Jan 1804 in Veryan to John & Sarah née Bellitha and christened there on 12 Feb 1804. I expected a stoy, but discovered he died the following year and was buried in the Plymouth area.

Phoebe Retallick - see 7 Jan 2013 - nothing new.

Phyllis Retallick was born Oct 1923 in St Austell to Elison & Louisa née Sweet. As I outlined in brother Gordon's section below, 1939 Register shows the family at Fairview House, Bugle and Phyllis is one of the closed records, so she is probably still alive. In Jan 1945 in St Austell she married Oswald Venton.

Polly Jane Retallick was born Jul 1856 in St Wenn and registered in St Columb, to Richard & Hannah. She can be seen on censuses of 1861 at Tregurtha, St Wenn, with parents, sibs & Uncle John (a retired farmer), then in 1871 at a farm that seems to be called "Carpet" although I can find no trace other than this, still with uncle John boarding. In 1881 she was 24 and her father had relinquished the farm, they lived at Churchtown and he worked as Ag Lab. In Jan 1888 at St Columb she married her second-cousin Joseph Lobb Retallick (I didn't list this family as they are only 4th-cousins to my tree) at the same time as Emily Jane Lobb married Charles Skinner - she was probably Joseph's 1st cousin. I suspect Polly and Joseph had already had a child Claud, born and died in 1886, as she stated in 1911 that she had lost two children and I only have dates for one: Thomas born and died in 1891. They had three who survived. In 1891 they can be seen at Burney House, Roche (son Richard should be there as he was only 2 years old. He did live at Burney House after his marriage in 1916) with Mary Jane, Joseph's sister and a 12-year-old servant. By 1901 they had moved to Harrows, Lanivet and can be seen still there in 1911, each with 3 children, in the latter both boys working on the farm. Both Joseph and Polly died in Dec 1912, aged 56, leaving £1450 to the manager of a clay works and Polly's brother Thomas.

Saturday 1st July 2017

Olive Millicent Retallick was born Jan 1893 in Cockfield, Durham (reg. Teesdale) to Hart & Jane née Millar, sister of Norman (see below). She can be seen in 1901 census at Fore Street, Kingsteignton with parents, sister & aunt Ellen. Her father was stationary engine-driver and mother ran a confectionary/bakery from home, assisted by boarder Edwin Godfrey. By 1911 they had moved to Wisteria House, away from the high street, and Jane had given up the bakery. I searched the 1939 Register for an Olive Millicent and found a suitable candidate with surname Goody, but listed as single, working as Tea-Room Proprietor with what I took to be her widowed mother-in-law. However, I cannot find a marriage to prove this. Another puzzle...

Olive May Retallick was born 12 Jun 1897 in Luxulyan to John & Mary née Toms. She can be seen in 1901 census aged 3 at Trenower, Roche with parents & sibs, then in 1911 at Stenalees. In Jul 1921 in St Austell, she married Joseph Henry Snell, who was in 1911 an errand boy but by 1939 Register was employed as a Stevedore at Fowey Docks. They can be seen at 14 Polvillion Road, Fowey and Joseph also worked as "ARP Warden, Rescue & Decontamination", which sounds useful but dangerous! They had two daughters, who on the Register are still closed files, so they may still be alive. Olive died aged 70 on 24 Jan 1968 in St Austell and was buried in Fowey Cemetery, Joseph joining her in Jan 1972 aged 76.

Peggy Retallick - see 5th Jan 2013. I have found 2 more children for her, using the "new" GRO search method, but Emily died in infancy, so the name was used again. John got mixed up with William in the censuses but lived until he was 78. When Nicholas died on 21 Aug 1888, at home at Ruthern, he left £298 16s to John (farmer & butcher, like his father) and Richard, farmer.

Monday 26th June 2017

What happened on this day:
Hannah Woodford was christened in 1831 as was
William Retallick in 1815
Cheveletia Knight died in 1941

Myrtle Avanda Retallick was born 26 Feb 1901 at Mount Pleasant, Roche to Frederick & Annie née Lobb and christened at home on 17 Mar 1902 by the Bodmin Bible Christian Circuit. (See sister Augusta Ruth below for her early years.) On 8 May 1905 she was admitted to Lockingate Infant School, giving address of Savath. The 1939 Register shows her at home with her parents at Innisvath and husband-to-be Nugent is there with them. He was by then a Dairy Farmer, Heavy Worker (in 1911 census his father had called himself a "rabbit-trapper" by occupation!). I don't know if they had any children - I can't see any in birth records. Myrtle died on 9 Mar 1986 and was buried at Innis Chapel. Nugent (apparently known as Charlie, for some reason) was 6 years younger than her, and died on Christmas Day 1992. He was then buried with her at Innis.

Norman Kenneth Retallick was born 4 May 1904 at Kingsteignton, Devon to Hart & Jane née Millar. He can be seen aged 6 in 1911 census at Wisteria House, Kingsteignton with parents and sibs, also his auntie Ellen Millar as Housekeeper. Oddly, he married Olive Binding from Taunton twice - once in Jul 1932 in Clutton, Somerset and then in Apr 1936 in Taunton. I'm not sure why, maybe they were renewing their vows, but you don't normally do that after only 4 years, do you? Again this was quite recent, so I cannot see any children. (The GRO birth Register search only extends to 1912). They certainly had no children in 1939 Register, where they can be seen at 63 Cedar Grove, Yeovil, Somerset. Norman was an Aircraft Fitter (an occupation I worked with a lot for some years!) and Olive UDD. She died in June 1987 aged 87 and Norman on 10 Sep 1989 at a 13 Park Lodge, Yeovil, a care home, leaving £100k.

Olive Emily Retallick was born on 4 Jan 1901 at Fort Logan, Meagher, Montana (see Miriam yesterday for early years). On 27 Jan 1920 the census found them at North Main/Third Street, White Sulphur Springs, where Allivyan was working as a rancher. On 22 Jul 1920 in that town Olive married local lad Everet Harry. He had served in WW1 along with his twin Earl, who had been injured (a finger) & dismissed from the services, now both lived back with their parents, a few households away from the Retallicks in White Sulphur Springs and worked as ranch labourers. Witnesses at the marriage were her sister Miriam & husband Roy, (see yesterday) who lived 700 miles away, across the State. Everet & Olive moved nearer to them, as all four of their boys were born in Clark County, Washington and they can be seen there from census of 1930 (In 1924 Everet worked as a labourer for the Water Dept in Long Beach, California but the following year they can be seen in Vancouver and in 1928 he was a millworker at the Columbia Paper Mills, giving home address as 2912 Fairmount Ave). In 1930 census their home was in Minnehaha Precinct, Vancouver (a mile or two away), in Cameron Road [since vanished] and Everet was still in the same job. They had two sons then, but by 1940 census they had two more. They were then living at Farm Market, Clark, Vancouver, with Everet working as a butcher and eldest son Russell Everet as a labourer, both in a packing plant, stating they had lived in Rural Clark in 1935. Ironically for me, Russell fought in WW2 and was Killed In Action in England and is buried in the American Cemetery in Cambridge, England - this is only 40 miles from here! Everet was in his late 40s at wartime, so probably didn't see action, although he did have a registration card. He died aged 83 on 27 June 1978 and was buried at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, joined 13 years later by Olive

Sunday 25th June 2017

What happened on this day:
Priscilla Woodford was christened in 1837 as was
Eli Woodford in 1843 and
John Knight in 1701
Horace Matthews married Elizabeth Munns in 1914 and
James Knight married Philippa Hooper in 1788

Miriam Olivia Retallick was born 15 Feb 1894 in Roche to Alivyan & Alice Kate née Cock and christened there on 22 Apr 1894. As you know, Alivyan took his family to Montana in 1897, so in 1900 census Miriam can be seen aged 6 with her parents in Belt Township, Meagher, Montana. In 1910 she was aged 16 in "school district 14", Meagher, with parents and sisters. I have seen an application she made for a job on 20 June 1913 to US Northern Pacific Co. as a dining-car waitress. If she got the job she didn't do it for long, but met her future husband there, as on 30 Dec 1914 in Pierce, Washington she married Roy William Stambaugh, steam locomotive engineer. They settled in Tacoma, Washington and had two sons, Robert and Elmer. Unfortunately Elmer died in 1917 aged just two months. They lived at the time at 3607 McKinley Avenue, Tacoma, a mile and a half from where Roy's parents Martin Bloom Stambaugh and Laura E née Campbell had a feed store, supplying "Hay, Flour & Feed, Lilly's Seeds & Supplies" at 2324 Pacific Avenue. In 1920 census they can be seen at 6112 South Thompson Avenue. They did move around Tacoma a lot, as at each sighting they have a different address! In 1930 census they were at 1010 South 39th Street [numbering has changed so no pic] but from 1940 they settled at 924 South Grant Street, Tacoma and son Robert was also a loco engineer. As Roy died in 1948 aged 62, by 1953 Miriam was at the same address, widowed, then in 1955 at "Box 192, Everett, Washington". I cannot locate her death record, so she may have remarried, but I can't find that either. Robert died in Tacoma in 1992.

Friday 23rd June 2017

What happened on this day:
Susan Evangeline Knight was born in 1879
Selina Lockton née Hatton married Thomas Clarke in 1862

Milicent Retallick - see 14th Dec 2012 - nothing new except that I found another child, born Oct 1885 and died 6 months later.

Her sister, Miriam Retallick was born May 1854 in Luxulyan to John & Mary Ann née Matthews and christened there on 21 Jun 1854. She can be seen on 1861 census aged 7 at Bilberry with parents & sibs, but has left home by 1871, probably in service somewhere but I cannot find her. She may well be in the Liverpool area because on 21 Dec 1880 at St Jude, West Derby, Liverpool she married William Henry Jones, local plasterer and the following year they had a son William Manford Jones. In 1881 census they can be seen at 35 Dove Street, Toxteth, Liverpool. By 1891she had returned to Cornwall and was working at Trewollack, Rosenannon, St Wenn as Cook in the household of widow Frances Harvey (1 of 5 servants), listed as widow. You will appreciate how difficult the surname Jones is, and I am not surprised that I cannot find a death for William or where she was in 1901 census. Apparently she travelled to Canada and/or USA to visit her brother Charles in June 1893, then on 24 Aug 1915 visited sister Bessie, now married to Francis Hockaday and with 13 children and living in Vancouver. She was a nurse by then and may well have helped with the babies. Certainly, her youngest niece was named after her. She had married a John I Renier, but I cannot find a record and she was again a widow by 1925, when sister Bessie died and Miriam settled in Montana with her brother Charles. It appears that he co-ran the Montana Meat Market as Retallick & Baumgart with a partner Fred Baumgart at 112 South Main Street, Livingston, Montana and lived at 301 S 6th Street. She died on 8 Nov 1932 at Gig Harbor, Washington but returned to Montana to be buried at White Sulphur Springs, Meagher, Montana. Her son William Manford Jones married his first cousin Eveline Hockaday on 15 May 1907 and he died of cardiac failure and TB in 1949. He was buried in Silver Bow.

Tuesday 20th June 2017

Sorry, the hiatus was a little longer than I expected, but I have a "family" excuse. Daughter Vickie (a Retallick) came over from Norway, and has only just gone back. Family time is excusable, yes?

Mary Ann Retallick - see 12 Dec 2012 - nothing new

Mary Anne Retallick was born Mar 1816 in Luxulyan to Henry & Mary née Thomas and christened there on 9 Apr 1816. From there, however, her story becomes vague. There is a servant of that name aged 25 in 1841 census, one of six in the service of merchant Alfred Fox & family in Falmouth - and a death aged 27 two years later to go with it. There is also a marriage in 1844 in Bodmin, but no spouse given to follow through.

The other Mary Anne Retallick I covered in 2012 (13th Dec) and there is nothing new.

Mary Jane Retallick was also covered on 13th Dec 2012. I have now seen her detailed Death Record, stating her cause of death was due to "infection caused by dead foetus", quite graphic! But at least I know why her child wasn't baptised/christened. If a baby never breathed they were deemed to have never existed, so had no need to be baptised.

There was another Mary Jane Retallick, born Jul 1836 in Roche to James & Mary Ann née Stephens. She can be seen in censuses of 1841 & 1851 at Polskeys, Roche with parents & latterly sister. On 13 Nov in Roche she married "John Retallick 10" (both signed, bride was stated to be under-age as she was 20 and majority was 21, one witness was John's brother Reuben) - see 30th Sep 2012 for the rest of the story.

Melinda Retallick was born Sep 1846 in Luxulyan to John & Ann née Chapman and christened there on 20 Sep 1846 by the Bible Christians. She can be seen in census of 1851 aged 5 at Lower Ennisvath with parents & sibs. In 1861 she was a general servant aged 14 in Bowdens, Roche and on 29 Jan 1870 in Bodmin she married John Nankivell, both fathers John, labourers. They settled at St Breock and can be seen there in censuses of 1871 & 1881, had three children, all registered in St Columb Major area, and in 1881 had John Mortimer, professional actor and family boarding with them [not the one who played Rumpole of the Bailey etc, as he was born 80 years later!] in Back Lane. In 1891 the house was called Treguddick, but may have been the same. By 1901 they had moved to Trevanion Road, Wadebridge and can be seen there with all three children, daughter Mary now married, in 1911 the same. John died there in 1916 and Melinda on 17 Feb 1921. She was buried 21 Feb 1921 at St Breock churchyard

Tuesday 13th June 2017

Mary Retallick 1 was born 25 Apr 1898 in Darlington, County Durham and unfortunately this resulted in the death of her mother, who she was then named after. She can be seen in census of 1901 aged 2 at Hannaford Estate, Widdecombe-on-the-Moor, Devon with grandparents, father, sibs & servant, then in 1911 with same at Higher Putsham, Buckland. She never married and presumably nursed her grandparents, father & brother at home. I have told of 1939 Register - see "Charles 1" & "John 12" below, at 11 Sandygate, Newton Abbot. She died aged 72 alone in Newton Abbot (possibly the same house) in Apr 1970.

Mary Retallick 2 was born Apr 1770 in St Wenn to William & Elizabeth and christened there on 19 May 1770. On 14 Oct 1792 at the same church she married blacksmith Thomas Mill from St Columb Major and they lived at St Columb Bridge [a lovely road at the north side of the village, all old houses but I cannot track one down as a forge]. He died aged 56 & was buried at St Columb Major on 10 Dec 1823, Mary followed nine years later and was buried with him on 18 Jan 1832.

Mary Retallick 3 was born late in 1831 at Savath, Luxulyan to John & Ann née Chapman, (after a previous incarnation had died in 1829 aged 4) and was christened there on 8 Jan 1832. She can be seen in 1841 census aged 9 at Savath with parents & sibs, then in 1851 at Lamorick, Lanivet aged 19, working as a house servant to farmer Elizabeth Marshall & family. It seems the families were close, as when she, on 23 Aug 1851 in Lanivet, got married to John Miners from Probus, one of the witnesses was William Marshall (the other was her father John). They went on to have 17 children, but by 1911 twelve had died - at between ages 0 & 30 - and four had emigrated to California, USA. Only the eldest (William Henry, registered as Thomas) and Mary Hannah (child 11) lived to adulthood in UK. These photos show some members of the family at the wedding of James, 15th child, in Jul 1899 in Cumberland. Unfortunately neither Mary nor John is there. In census records they can be seen with an assortment of children & grandchildren (Lydia's children - child 9 - as she died when they were small) in Camborne, from 1871 onwards at Penponds, where Mary died in Sep 1911 and John the following year and were buried in the churchyard there. [I did note on their marriage record that they both "made their mark" because they were illiterate. This did not help me in my epic trawl through all these births; for example they didn't notice that they registered their eldest as Thomas then proceeded to call him William Henry all his life. Also, Mary Hannah was almost always entered on censuses etc as Mary Ann and Allivyan (x2) was spelled in a variety of different ways!]

Monday 12th June 2017

Two Lukes are next. Luke Retallick Senior was born May 1820 at Higher Menadew, Luxulyan to Henry & Mary née Thomas and christened on 25 Jun 1820 at Luxulyan. He worked for 40+ years as a tinner and can be seen in censuses of 1841-71 at Livrean Moor, St Austell in 1841 with parents & sibs, then on 13 Aug 1846 in St Austell he married Mary Ann Pascoe, farmer's daughter from Luxulyan. They moved in next door to his parents at Livrean and had two sons. In 1881 census they had moved to Lockingate and Luke was working as Ag Lab until he died and was buried on 18 Mar 1894 in Treverbyn. Mary Ann had died on 14 Oct 1888.

His two sons: William Henry emigrated to USA and Luke Retallick Junior stayed in Cornwall. Junior was born Dec 1849 at Livrean and christened by the Bible Christians on 11 Sep 1850. In Nov 2012 when reporting on his grave I said: Luke Retallick Junior was born in December 1849 at Livrean to Luke and Mary Ann nee Pascoe, and lived with them and brother William until he married in 1874. He worked as a China Clay Labourer, as did most people in the area, but after his marriage, Luke turned to working as a Packer on the railway, then an Agricultural Labourer in order to support his growing family. There were 14 children born, but only 7 survived childhood. By 1901 they can be seen living at Bugle, Luke listed as a Clay Merchant, Employer, working from home, with a servant. In 1911 they are living in Fair View, Bugle (a large house with 10 rooms, excluding bathroom - there are several terraced tenements on the site today) with 5 children, and when he died in 1929 he left effects worth £7400 to sons Reginald & Elison, clay merchants, and this handsome headstone. In 1935 Ellen died, and her inscription was added to the side.
I can add today that on 14 Aug 1871 he went out to America to visit brother William and his two children. I see that William & Isabella had been in England, visiting her family in the April, so Luke probably made arrangements then for a return trip. He married 3 years later and produced the dynasty I mentioned above.

Margery Honor Retallick was one of his grandchildren, born Apr 1913 at St Austell to Reginald & Henrietta née Carter. In Mar 1937 in St Austell she married farmer William Joseph Wherry and they had two children. 1939 Register shows them before they started their family, at Higher Penquite, St Austell, which I hadn't heard of but turns out to be 9 miles south east of Bugle, at Golant. Margery died aged 70 in Dec 1983 and William aged 79 on 11 Sep 1990 at Roselea, Indian Queens, St Columb Major, leaving "not exceeding £115k".

Maria Retallick - see 9th Dec 2012. The servant in their household in 1861 was Melinda Retallick, and I have tracked her down to the daughter of John & Ann née Chapman (see later)

Marina Retallick was born Jul 1862 at Trescoll, Luxulyan to William & Ann née Courtney and christened on 29 Mar 1863 in Luxulyan, sister of "Louisa 3" I mentioned yesterday. In 1871 she was aged 8 at Gillys with parents & sibs and in 1881 aged 18 in household of Richard Vercoe (maybe a relative of Luke Junior's wife Ellen, although I cannot find a link), Silk Mercer & Draper, in Fore Street, Bodmin, working as a general servant, her sister Alma also. In Dec 1890 in Bodmin she married Robert Bray, a carpenter apprenticed to his father, who interestingly was also an attendant at the Bodmin Mental Asylum (although he was retired by the time Lavina was there). They had 5 children over nine years and can be seen with them in 1891-1911 at this house in St Leonards, Bodmin, aka Town End. By 1939 Register, there were only 3 remaining in the household and Robert was long retired, so they had downsized by moving across the road into a much smaller cottage, number 22. Mabel remained with them, looking after her parents (in their late 70s) and taking in dressmaking. Marina died aged 87 & was buried on 29 Mar 1950 in Bodmin Old Cemetery, followed two years later by Robert, leaving £980 to daughters Mabel & Lucy.

Martin Drew Retallick was born Mar 1875 at Livrean to Luke & Ellen née Vercoe. He can be seen in censuses of 1881 & 1891 at Livrean with parents & sibs, in the latter aged 16 & working on the land. Unfortunately he died aged 18 and was buried at Treverbyn on 26 Jun 1892.

I shall tackle the various Marys tomorrow.

Sunday 11th June 2017

Lilian Retallick was born Jan 1890 in Withiel to Christopher & Mary née Lutey and can be seen there in 1891 census aged 1 at Bridgemans House with grandmother, parents, uncles & cousin. 7 weeks later they set sail for Australia, arriving in Brisbane on 20 Jul 1891 and remaining there for some years. I cannot track down the return journey, but the family were back on English soil for the birth of her brother Harry in 1903. 1911 census shows them settled in Millom, at 46/48 Queen Street, the fish & chip shop, and Lilian can be seen aged 21 with parents, brother & two servants. In Oct 1916 in the Bootle area (probably Millom) she married James Henry Edwards from Whitehaven, Cumbria. He was originally an iron miner and set off in 1923 to investigate America while Lilian brought a third daughter into the world. In 1929 she had a fourth child, this time a boy and almost immediately set off to Michigan, where James had a job as an "auto worker at auto factory". The following year 1930 census found them at 504 Begole Street, Flint, Michigan. However, I suspect Lilian was unhappy there, or unwell, as she returned to Millom in the 1930s and died there on 26 Jun 1937 at 75 Wellington Street, leaving £654 to brothers Wilfred & Thomas Kantenwein (don't know them). James remarried in 1939 - to a Mary Campbell but I don't know where they settled so cannot trace them in 1939 Register 3 months later, or at his death.

Lilian Maud Retallick was born Dec 1888 at Levrean Bridge, St Austell to Luke & Ellen née Vercoe and christened on 22 Apr 1889 at Treverbyn (brother Frederick had been buried aged one year on 9 Apr). She can be seen in censuses of 1891 at Livrean, 1901 & 1911 in Bugle, with parents & sibs. In Oct 1935 in Devonport, Devon she married Francis P Couch, a State-Registered Mental Nurse, and can be seen with him on 1939 Register at 33 Forest Avenue, Plymouth. As she was 47 at marriage it is no surprise that they had no children. She died there aged 57 in Oct 1945 and Francis followed 12 years later. At that time he still lived at the house above, but died at Freedom Fields Hospital, Plymouth, leaving effects worth £1293 to his brother Harry, house decorator.

Louisa Retallick 1 was born Oct 1875 in Roche to Allivyan & Mary née Liddicoat after a previous incarnation of the same name was buried on 4 Nov 1870 aged 1 year 8 months. She can be seen on censuses of 1881 & 1891 at Rosemelling Moor, Roche with parents & sister (Liddicoats next door). In Oct 1897 at Roche church she married Joseph Hosking, CCL from St Columb and moved in next door to her parents, where they can be seen in 1901 census. They had no children and by 1911 were living at Penstraze Villa, Victoria, Roche with Joseph's uncle, a retired tinner, and a servant. In 1939 Register they were at West End, Roche, Joseph now retired (he was 70) and he died in 1946 aged 77, Louisa following on 3 May 1960 aged 84 at Providence House, Carthew, leaving £427 to a solicitor.

Louisa Retallick 2 was born Jan 1843 in Luxulyan to John & Ann née Chapman and christened by the local Bible Christians on 7 Apr 1843. She can be seen in 1851 census aged 8 at Lower Ennisvath with parents & sibs and in 1861 at Savath with parents, brother & son Thomas Tremewan Retallick, which suggests his father was Mr Tremewan. She never married him, but that may be because she died in Oct 1865 aged only 22. (Thomas went on to emigrate to New Zealand in 1881, married in 1889, had a daughter and was almost immediately widowed. He died in 1927 aged 66.)

Louisa Retallick 3 was born 14 Mar 1870 at Gillys, Luxulyan to William & Ann née Courtney and christened at Luxulyan on 31 Jul 1870. She can be seen in censuses of 1871 at Gillys, 1881 & 1891 at Innisvath with parents & sibs. I have seen her admission document to Lockingate Infant School dated 3 Jul 1882. In Apr 1893 at the same church she married Richard Hicks, CCL, and settled with him at Netley (after the first child Lily was born in Luxulyan), which is I understand, the southern end of Bugle. They had 8 children, but two girls died in infancy. By 1939 Register they had moved half a mile up the road and can be seen at 3 New Street, Bugle with son Percy (also a CCL) & his wife. I must admit I was surprised to see them there, as I had her dying in 1937, and he was listed as "Dick Hicks", so led me astray for a while. I now see she died in Sep 1949 aged 79, and now I know to look for Dick Hicks, I found he died at New Street on 14 May 1951, leaving effects worth £785 to son Leonard Courtney Hicks, transport manager.

Saturday 10th June 2017

Joseph Nicholls Retallick was born 28 Apr 1854 in St Austell to Harriet - see 17th May below - illegitimate child of (probably) a man called Nicholls, going by the middle name, who didn't/couldn't marry his mother and she ended up in an asylum. Joseph, as I stated, worked as a Navvy, digging tunnels in Wales, met Henrietta Davies and married her in Apr 1878 in Merthyr Tydfil. However, after the 1881 census in Caldicot, Wales I cannot find either of them. They may have emigrated, listed as Mr & Mrs, there are a few of those, but I cannot prove anything.

Kitty Retallick was born Jul 1829 in Luxulyan to Henry & Mary née Thomas and christened there on 9 Aug 1829. She can be seen in census of 1841 at Livrean Moor aged 13 with parents & sibs, and the same in 1851, when she was listed as CCL. On 12 Sep 1852 at Treverbyn she married John Martyn/Martin, son of Clay Agent also John. Both bride & groom were staying at The Bugle. They went on to have five children (although in 1861 a "mystery" daughter born Jun 1860 appears on census, with a corrected name of Eden Ann, but no such child was registered) and can be seen with them in 1861 at Livrean, then 1871-91 in Roche. 1871 at Paradise with 5 children, 1881 at Lower Woon with four, then 1891 at Hallew "living on own means" ie retired. Kitty died later that year, buried in Treverbyn 17 Oct, and in 1901 census John was lodging with George Manhire in Roche - one of those lovely links you find occasionally. He died there in 1904 and was buried in Treverbyn with Kitty on 9 Aug 1904.

Jessie's great grandmother Lavinia Ann Retallick is the link-ancestor on this branch. She was born Feb 1834 at Rina Park, Lanivet to Francis & Kitty née Besetherick and christened on 16 Mar 1834. In 1841 census she can be seen aged 5 at Savath, Luxulyan with parents & sibs then in 1851 at Chollow, Luxulyan, working as a house servant for her Uncle William Beswetherick, master carpenter, and family. On 7 Jun 1853 at Roche church she married Robert Knight and I told the rest of this story on 4th Feb - please see below. A little more detail has emerged regarding her time in the Asylum; she was first admitted there on 26 Jul 1900, aged 66, but no mention of her condition. On 26 November, 4 months later, she was discharged and stated to be Recovered. However, two years later on 18 Oct 1902 she was re-admitted and died there on 3 Nov 1905. Robert died on 24 Jul 1909 aged 78.

Friday 9th June 2017

Well, I am back! I have spent the last week or so with the next generation in Brooklyn, having a good time and meeting our new granddaughter Amanda. Now I shall pick up where I left off.

What happened on this day:
James Woodford was christened in 1811, as were
Mary Ann Knight in 1806 and
Henry Herbert Smith in 1895
Percy John Wooldridge married Ethel Maria White in 1924
James Knight married Blanche Robins in 1766
Alice Emily Cox married Philip F T Smith in 1908
Alice Kate Matthews died in 1923

John Retallick 3 was born Feb 1767 in St Wenn to Henry & Elizabeth née Brenton and christened there on 2 Mar 1767. On 13 Aug 1797 at St Thomas', Portsmouth, Hampshire (aka Portsmouth Cathedral) he married Sarah Bellitha, who had been born in Ladock, Cornwall 10 years after him. They had two children; Sarah in 1800 and Philip in 1804, both christened in 1804, then Philip died the following year. Sarah & John can be seen in 1841 census at College Court, St Columb Major, John a 75-year-old maltster. He died and was buried there 29 Mar 1842 and Sarah moved back to her home town of Ladock. She can be seen there in census of 1851 with sister (?in-law) Elizabeth and in 1861 aged 84 at Higher Trelassick, Ladock (farm of 80 acres) with nephew John H and family. She died there in May 1866 aged 89.

John Retallick 4 was born Jul 1772 in Roche to John & Catherine née Martin and christened there on 22 Aug 1772. On 18 Jan 1806 at the same church he married Elizabeth Bray, who had been born there in 1780 but was living in St Stephen-in-Brannel (I suspect she was illegitimate, as no father is mentioned). They had 4 children but John died 14 Aug 1817 aged 45 and Elizabeth the following year aged 38.

John Retallick 5 - see 11th & 30th Sep 2012 - nothing new

John Retallick 6 - see 11th Sep 2012 - nothing new

John Retallick 7 - see 22nd Sep 2012 - nothing new

John Retallick 8 - see 6th Oct 2012 - nothing new

John Retallick 9 - see 2nd Oct 2012 - nothing new

John Retallick 10 - see 30th Sep 2012 - nothing new 

John Retallick 11 - see 25th Sep 2012 - nothing new

John Retallick 12 was born 13 Jan 1892 in Marrick, Yorkshire to Charles & Mary née Hodgson. He can be seen in 1901 census & 1911 - see Isabella below - with father, grandparents & 2 sisters in Devon, in 1911 working on the farm for grandfather. As I stated in his father's section on 5th May below, in 1939 Register he is listed as "invalid incapacitated". If he was the John Percival Retallick in WW1 1915-17 he lived in High Street Totnes, Devon, but I have no proof. If so, he may have been wounded. He died in Dec 1944 aged 53.

John Courtney Retallick - see 6th Oct 2012. He can be seen on 1939 Register (see son Agar below on 28th April), at 1 Wesley Terrace, St Austell with wife Mary E and son Agar L, listed as CCL Retired (he was 67)

John Robert Smith Retallick - see 3rd Dec 2012. 1939 Register shows him at 3 Beaumont Terrace, Lancaster with Edith & Muriel. He was listed as Stone Mason, as expected, Edith UDD & Muriel at school. There are 2 files still closed, probably relating to Robert & Ronald, as Muriel died in 2008 and I cannot see that they have yet. Also in the household were Charles & Susan Jessop (Edith's parents) and son Frank. Charles was a dentist and Frank a Silk Sizer. John died 10 Jan 1987, while living at The Chestnuts, Bolton-le-Sands, leaving £53,959.

Wednesday 24th May 2017

What happened on this day:
Stephen James Hodd was born in 1890
William May was christened in 1812
Henry Cox died in 1861 and
"Anthony Knight 1" was buried in 1772

Tuesday 23rd May 2017

What happened on this day:
Helena Hennig was born in 1902
Mary Woodford was christened in 1803
James Thomas Gamble married Annie Dorrington in 1915
Ellen Knight married William Trethewey in 1881
John Haines (who married Cordelia Woodford) died in 1883 and
Philip Frank Turner Smith (who married Alice Cox) in 1961

Jenifer Retallick (aka Jane), Jessie's 3xgreat aunt, was born Dec 1797 in Luxulyan to Christopher & Mary née Soby and christened there on 21 Jan 1798. In the same church on 25 Oct 1818 she married Richard James (groom signed, bride marked, witnesses included Christopher Retallick, her father). They had eleven children - possibly twelve - and 1841 census shows them at Horros, Luxulyan with nine of them. The eldest married in England, but some of the family emigrated in the late 1840s to Canada - I cannot be more specific as the passenger lists don't go back that far. I have seen a record dated 1851 where Richard is listed, but not names of members of his family, at Bosanquet Township, Lambton County, Ontario. In 1861 census they can be seen there, the household consisting of Richard, Jane, Martha & Joseph (the two youngest). By 1871 census Richard was 80, Jane 74, and they were living in the household of Joseph, married with 2 children, along with Martha (listed as "of unsound mind"), Joseph working as "farmer and lumber man". Richard died in 1878 aged 88 and was buried at Lake Valley Grove Cemetery, Jane joining him 4 years later at the same age.

Jennifer Retallick was born Dec 1774 in St Wenn to William & Elizabeth and christened there 15 Jan 1775 with her twin sister Frances - see 14th May below. On 14 Aug 1798 in Roche she married Joseph Stick and they had 5 children in 7 years. Then she had a very bad year, her mother, father, husband & sister all died between Apr 1807 & May 1808. 1841 census appears to be missing for her, but in 1851 she can be seen aged 76 widowed, alone, at Tremodret, listed as Annuitant (ie pensioner). She died Jan 1853 in New Town, Roche & was buried in Roche churchyard with Joseph on 20 Feb 1853.

I shall make a start on the Johns, but as there are 12 "plain" Johns alone, I'm not sure how far I will get...

John Retallick 1, Jessie's 5xgreat uncle, was born May 1719 in St Wenn to Richard & Grace née Brenton, eldest of their nine, and christened there on 1 Jun 1719. On 27 Mar 1743 also at St Wenn he married Elizabeth Docken and they had five children, three in Roche then two in St Wenn in the 1750s. Elizabeth died in Mar 1788 and was buried in Roche churchyard on 30 Mar 1788, followed 11 years later by John on 13 Jun 1799.

His eldest son John Retallick 2 (known as Junior) was born Nov 1743 in Roche and christened there 27 Dec 1743. As I said, they were living in St Wenn by the 1750s, so when he married on 12 Nov 1769 it was there. His bride was Catherine Martin who was also born in Roche & currently living in St Wenn (groom signed, bride marked, witnesses were his father & uncle Gregory Tabb). They had seven children, but Grace died aged three and Catherine aged seven. Catherine died aged 52 and was buried in Roche on 7 Jun 1796, John lived on at Trenoweth, Roche until he was 82 and was buried with her on 21 Sep 1826.

Monday 22nd May 2017

James Retallick 1 - see 8th Sep 2012. The only new record for me is his Australian will, where he left £20 to his friend John Henry Jessup and authorised him to sell up his estate and divide it equally amongst James' nine children and himself.

James Retallick 2 - also see 8th Sep 2012. Nothing new.

James Retallick 3 was born Jan 1788 in Roche to John & Catherine née Martin and christened there on 13 Feb 1788. Unfortunately I cannot match him up with anything else.

James Retallick 4 was born May 1813 at Bilberry, Roche to William & Ann née Williams and christened there on 27 Jun 1813. On 23 Jan 1836, also at Roche church he married Mary Ann Stephens & they had two daughters. 1841 census shows him at Polskeys, Roche with one daughter, working as a tinner, then 1851 same with 2 daughters, tinstreamer. I cannot find them in 1861 but there should be three of them as elder daughter Mary Jane was married (both girls married Retallicks). Younger daughter Ann married in 1864 so James & Mary Ann set off for Australia on the SS Florence Irving, arriving 13 Sep 1869 in Sydney, to join his brother William & family. The trip (this ship was ostensibly a cargo vessel) and the life out there weren't easy and Mary Ann died the following year. James can be seen in 1877 Directory at 5 O'Connell Street, Melbourne and died there in 1882, as did his brother William.

James Retallick 5 was born late 1761 in St Wenn to William & Elizabeth and christened there on 13 Feb 1762. On 26 May 1786 at the same church he married Hester Blake and they had six children before she died in 1812 aged 50. James didn't quite make it to the first census, as he died in Apr 1840 aged 79.

James John Retallick - see 8th Sep 2012. No new records for him, but 1939 Register shows his widow Jane at Eleric House (could be Electric going by Frederick's job), Gestridge Road, Newton Abbot with son Frederick and his wife Vera. Frederick worked as "District Rep Electricity Supply" and there was also a closed file, probably their daughter Iris, who was 6 years old. Jane died there in 1954 aged 84.

Jane Retallick 1 was born Dec 1757 in St Wenn to William & Elizabeth, elder sister of James 5 above, and christened there on 29 Jan 1758. On 18 Oct 1779 also at St Wenn she married Christopher Merrifeld (groom signed, bride marked, witnesses William Merrifield and William Pope). She gave birth ten times, but at least four died in infancy. One of these (7th child) was Betsy Merrifield, who married Joseph Knight Junior, and thus served to link up the branches again. Christopher died in Dec 1824 in Tregonetha, St Wenn and was buried there on 23 Dec that year. I cannot confirm Jane's death, as I have found one whose husband was Joseph and three where the age was decades out.

Jane Retallick 2 was born Dec 1865 in Roche to Allivyan and Mary née Liddicoat and christened there on 16 Jan 1865. She can be seen in census of 1871 and 1881 at Rosemelling Moor with parents & sister, with maternal grandparents next door. However, she died on 25 Mar 1886 aged only 20 and was buried 28 Mar 1886:

Sunday 21st May 2017

What happened on this day:
Edward Dance Cox married Harriet Annie Taylor in 1893
Amelia Roberts née Knight died in 1914 (in Australia)
Mary Knight née Hore was buried in 1803

Saturday 20th May 2017

What happened on this day:
Walter Woodford was born in 1892
Margaret Edith Matthews in 1907 and
Lily Rose Woodford in 1881
Grace Knight née Bennett died in 1883

Hugh Retallick was born 10 May 1910 in Roche to Woodman & Emmeline née Collins, and in 1911 census was 10 months old living at Stenalees with parents & sibs. In Apr 1936 he married Muriel Eva Rundle (aka Mo) and they had 2 children. 1939 Register shows them at Hazelmere, Lower Stenalees. Hugh built roads for the Council, Muriel UDD. They also had with them Hugh's father Woodman, his brother Raymond (both of these CCLs) and his sister Emmeline, a Telephone Exchange Operator for the Post Office. There are two closed files - one is presumably baby Marlene but as Terence was not born until 1941 the other cannot be him. Hugh died in Jul 1950 but Mo didn't follow until 2006 - hence the very new gravestone I photographed in 2012. Marlene, incidentally, followed her aunt into the post of Telephonist for the Post Office.

Isabella Retallick was born Jan 1891 in Hurst, Marrick, Yorkshire to Charles & Mary née Hodgson and can be seen on census of 1891 aged 3 months at Hill Top House, Marrick with her parents. Her mother died when she was 7, so in 1901 census aged 10 she can be seen living at Hannaford Estate, Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Devon with gradparents, father, sibs & a servant. In 1911 the same household at Backland, Ashburton, Devon, listed as Domestic General Assistant. In Apr 1918 in Newton Abbot she married William Henry Rundle Giles, local gardener. However, it seems she was not a well woman and she died aged 42 on 12 Sep 1933 in Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital after a long illness and no children. William remarried the following year and can be seen in 1939 Register with wife Gladys Evelyn née Baldwin at Glentor, Newton Abbot. He died in 1981 in Torbay and she in 2001.

Friday 19th May 2017

What happened on this day:
Rebecca Sophia May was christened in 1861 as was
Jane Knight in 1799
Frances Annie Gamble married Colin Spencer Lyddon Pring in 1903 and
Thomas David Roffey married Martha Owen in 1834

Hart Retallick - see 28th Aug 2012. Using the search method on the GRO site, I have confirmed all eight births of their children, the first Olive in Teesdale, then the other seven in Newton Abbot, Devon. So evidently Jane had her firstborn at her parents' home although the family were already in Devon the year before for the census. In 1939 Register the family can be seen at 82 Chudleigh Road, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, (which is the address at which they both died) Hart listed as Engine Fitter, Jane UDD, Percival Petrol Salesman, Roy (Cedric) "Balar Salesman" (I don't know what this was/is and Google can only suggest a kind of Indian jewellery) and Eunice Incapacitated. I have found Olive, living in Newton Abbot with her future in-laws and I have found Jane's funeral in the local paper 6 years later. Hart died there on 5 Feb 1956.

Henry Retallick 1 was born Feb 1728 in St Wenn to Richard & Grace née Brenton and christened there 17 Mar 1728 along with brother Alvon. On 3 Nov 1753 at the same church he married his first cousin Elizabeth Brenton and they had seven children. Elizabeth died Apr 1803 aged 72, then Henry Mar 1810 aged 82. Both were buried in St Wenn above.

His son Henry Retallick 2 was born at St Wenn in Sep 1756 and christened there 24 Oct 1756. The only other record I can be confident is his is the burial record dated 30 Mar 1824, which stated he was 68 years old and lived in Roche.

Henry Retallick 3 was born towards the end of 1795 in Lanivet to Christopher & Mary née Soby and christened there on 3 Jan 1796. On 16 Oct 1815 in Luxulyan he married Mary Thomas, who had been born there. They had 8 children, all in Luxulyan, but by the 1841 census had settled at Levrean Moor, St Austell, Henry working as an iron miner. In 1851 he was listed as Farm Labourer still at Livrean with 2 daughters at home and son Luke & his family 2 doors away. In 1861 daughter Harriet only was at home as she had a son Joseph - see Wednesday below. Same in 1871 but when Mary died in the summer of 1873, Henry was not capable of looking after her, so Harriett was committed and Henry died the following summer.

Hester Retallick was his daughter, born Jun 1818 at Higher Mendew, Luxulyan and christened on 26 Jul 1818, second of their eight. There is an Esther Retallick of about the right age who married Thomas Rundell on 25 Feb 1837, but no fathers' names given, so I have no idea if this is her. She would be only 18, so he would have to be there... I have seen another Esther Retallick who emigrated to America and married a William May, but seems to have the wrong parents, so I shall leave this here.

Thursday 18th May 2017

Harry Retallick was born 4 Feb 1903 in Millom, Cumberland to "Christopher 5" & Mary née Lutey and grew up in the Fish & Chip shop. He can be seen there in 1911 census with parents, sister & 2 servants. In Jul 1927, when his father died and left him a portion of £2470 he was an ironmonger and his premises was listed in 1936 as 14 Station Road, Portslade-on-sea, Sussex [now a chicken takeaway] and remained until at least 1954. In Jul 1930 in Bootle, Lancs he married Mary Amelia Leila Olds (known as Leila as her mother was Mary Amelia too) and they had 5 children. They originally lived in Penzance, Cornwall but soon moved to Sussex, where 1939 Register showed Harry & Leila with Eileen, 21 months old, but I don't know where Ian & Michael were, as they would have been 7 and 2 respectively. They had both been born in Penzance, and appeared to stay in the area, marrying local girls and raising families of their own, and the same applied to Geoffrey and Evelyn who followed. They retired in 1968, when Harry reached 65, to a bungalow at 43 Downsway, Southwick, where Leila died 17 Dec 1975 aged 68 and Harry followed on 7 Dec 1986 aged 83. He left £108, 909, presumably including the bungalow.

Wednesday 17th May 2017

Guy Wallace Retallick was born Jun 1878 in St Austell to Luke & Ellen née Vercoe, second of their ten. He can be seen aged 3 in 1881 census at Livrean, St Austell with parents & brothers and the same in 1891 a 13-year-old Ag Lab. In 1901 they had moved to Bugle where he was an Overlooker at a Clay Mine. In Oct 1909 in St Austell he married local girl Louie May Tonkin, and had a daughter Constance, who can be seen with them at Bugle in 1911 census, then another called Eleanor in 1912. Guy was taken ill in 1916 and admitted to East Cornwall Hospital, Bodmin, where he had an operation but died 23 Jun 1916 aged only 38. His obituary fills in a lot of other detail.
Another mention of music, and he too was called Captain. It must again be a church rank. Guy was buried in Treverbyn and he left £173 to Louie. In Jan 1924 she married William Johns in St Austell

Hannah Retallick was born Jul 1827 at Levrean, St Austell to Henry & Mary née Thomas and christened in Luxulyan 26 Aug 1827. She can be seen in 1841 census at Hendra, Roche, working as a servant. On 24 Oct 1846 in St Austell she married stone-labourer Benjamin Julian and they had 8 children, although Betsy died aged just a few months in 1856. 1851 census showed Hannah at Levrean, St Austell, with 3 children, next door to her parents and 1861 at 4 Canna, Luxulyan with 6 children. Benjamin died aged 41 in Oct 1866, when youngest child Joseph was only a year old, so in 1871 census she can be seen (as Anna) a widow, back at Levrean, next to her parents, with 5 children. I cannot be sure about 1881-1901 as she seemed to favour Anna, and there are lots of those. A death in 1910 seems possible, in the St Austell area.

Harriett Retallick was born Jul 1831 in Luxulyan to Henry & Mary née Thomas and christened there 10 Aug 1831. In censuses of 1841-1871 she can be seen at Livrean Moor, where her father Henry rented house & land, and she worked as a CCL with him and her brothers. In Apr 1854 she gave birth to an illegitimate son and in calling him Joseph Nicholls Retallick stated that she believed someone called Nicholls to be the father. I can't say who he is, she certainly didn't go on to marry him. She registered Josph in the St Austell area and her mother looked after him while she continued working at the Clay Works. She can still be seen there in 1871 census, but on 20 Oct 1873 she was admitted to Bodmin Lunatic Asylum as a "pauper lunatic" and was there for nearly 20 years before she died there on 20 Aug 1893 and buried there on 23 Aug. Meanwhile, Joseph got work as a Navvy, digging tunnels in Wales, where he met Henrietta Davies from the Channel Isles and married her in 1878 in Merthyr Tydfil.

Tuesday 16th May 2017

Frederick Guy Retallick - see 21st Aug 2012. 1939 Register shows him and wife Annie living at Innisvath. Frederick was a Road Stone Quarrier (Heavy Work) and Annie UDD. Also in the household were daughter Myrtle UDD and a young man who became her husband, Nugent Bloomfield, Dairy Farmer, who I mentioned in 2012.

Frederick Maunder Retallick - also see 21st Aug 2012. 1939 Register shows him at Fairview Terrace, Bugle with wife Ann and 3 school children, one his son Frank, one a Richard Green and one who I cannot place,as the file is still closed, but it looks like a female who married in 1943 (little red additions but no detail visible). I have searched, but cannot find a daughter.

Gordon Edmund Luke Retallick was born 5 Jun 1921 in the St Austell area to Elison & Louisa née Sweet. He was in 1939 living with his parents & maternal grandparents at Fairview House (see 12th May below), an apprentice carpenter, probably to his grandfather Edmund Sweet. In Oct 1941 he married Irene M Sandercock and they had two children. Phone book records show him at 3 Higher Bugle 1975-1984 and probably until his death 19 Sep 1995 (although his death was registered in the Truro area). He was buried in Treverbyn and I saw him in 2012:. If I am correct, Irene joined him the following year and the inscription may have been added to since (my doubt is that she was down as Gwendoline Irene Muriel)

Gordon Reginald Retallick - see 21st Aug 2012. 1939 Register was taken when they had been married 7 years and Pamela was 3 years old. They can be seen at 18a Lower Bore Street, Bodmin and he was working as a Male Mental Nurse, possibly in the prison. According to the 1950 Nursing Register, he qualiified in 1931 and now lived at 9 Vivian Road, Westheath, Bodmin. this is just arounnd the corner from Bodmin Hospital Treatment Centre, where he no doubt worked, as this has a strong mental health link, or did until recently, as it is about to close, due to a "requires improvement" decision during last year's inspection. He died in Jan 1980 and was buried in Bodmin, joined in 1990 by Dorothy.

I don't know if you remember, but Grace was a favourite name in 18th Century Retallicks, but not many records are around to support it. Still, I'll report to you what I can:
Grace Retallick 1 was born May 1733 in St Wenn to Richard & Grace née Brenton, christened 4 Jun 1733 but unfortunately died and was buried on 20 Jun 1733, less than 3 weeks later.

Grace Retallick 2 was born May 1746 in Roche to John & Elizabeth née Docken and christened there on 8 Jun 1746. I cannot link her up with anything else.

Grace Retallick 3 was born Jan 1757 in St Wenn to William & Elizabeth and christened 24 Nov 1759 aged 2. Unfortunately she died aged 10 and was buried at St Wenn on 29 Jul 1767.

Grace Retallick 4 was born 24 Jan 1759 in St Wenn to Henry & Elizabeth née Brenton and christened there 3 Nov 1759. On 1 Jan 1779 at St Merryn she married John Bennett, who had been born there. She died 10 years later, but by then had managed to produce 4 sons (although one died aged 6 the year after she did). John died Jan 1838 in St Ervan.
Grace Retallick 5 was born Jan 1784 in Roche to John & Catherine née Martin and christened there 2 Feb 1784. Unfortunately she died aged 3 and was buried there on 1 Jan 1788.

Grace Retallick 6 (Jessie's 3x great-aunt) was born Aug 1792 in Roche to Christopher & Mary née Soby and christened there 22 Sep 1792. On 25 Sep 1811 at Menheniot she married John Short and they had 5 children (they helped me by naming the third Christopher Retallick Short). In 1841 they can be seen in Liskeard - John has an "N" by whether he is from Cornwall, but we know from his marriage cert that he is illiterate, so would not have noticed. In 1851 Grace was missing, but she may have been in hospital etc as she died the following year, buried on 15 Dec 1852 in Liskeard. John had gone the January of that year, so by daughter Sarah's wedding in 1859 both parents had passed on and she had moved to Yorkshire.

Finally, Grace Retallick 7 was born Aug 1815 in Roche to Richard & Elizabeth née Lamb and christened there 4 Sep 1815. In 1841 census she can be seen at Broad Street, Penryn, working as a servant to a physician. On 14 Mar 1846 in Roche she married William Hancock, tin miner and they had 5 children. In 1851 census they can be seen at Broad Lane, Roche with 3 of these, her father (pauper farm labourer) and brother William (also tin miner). By 1861 Grace had been widowed and was working at the China Clay Works herself, and the two oldest boys were tin miners aged 14 & 11. In 1871 she called herself "domestic" and 4 children were still at home. In 1881 she was 65 years old, a "sewing woman" as she was no doubt by then not strong enough for the manual labour she had been doing. Daughter Elizabeth was still with her and granddaughter Nellie. Grace died aged 72 and was buried in Roche on 23 Oct 1887. Elizabeth moved in with brother William in Carbis and became his housekeeper (also with Nellie).

Monday 15th May 2017

Francis Retallick was born Feb 1762 in St Wenn to Henry & Elizabeth née Brenton and christened there 27 Mar 1762. On 4 Apr 1783 at St Newlyn-in-Pydar he married Ann Cock (where bride came from) and they had 3 children in St Enoder (where he was living). I cannot track down deaths for them.

Jessie's great great grandfather Francis Retallick was born Mar 1801 at Savath, Luxulyan to Christopher & Mary née Soby and christened there 25 Apr 1801. He lived at Savath all his life but it was at Lanivet that on 29 Apr 1833 he married Catherine "Kitty" Beswetherick (bride signed, groom marked, witnesses included William Beswetherick, her brother). She had given birth 5 years earlier to a daughter Asenath. I don't know if Francis was her father but he evidently adopted her, as 1841 census showed all the family as Retallick, including Asenath (although her age was rounded down to 10, but they did that in 1841). Unfortunately, I cannot find any further records for her. Francis' brother John was next door in 1841 and both Kitty & Francis' ages were rounded down to 30. By 1851 this was corrected and they can be seen at Savath with two sons & her mother, also Catherine. They had 9 children in all (including Asenath), but 5 died as infants or young children. 1861 census shows 2 sons at home and granddaughter Zerua Knight (Jessie's first cousin). Francis died 21 Mar 1865 at Savath aged 63, leaving £100 to Kitty and was buried 24 Mar 1865 at Luxulyan. Kitty remained at Savath and can be seen there in 1871 census, but son Adam was Head of Household. She died there Jul 1880 aged 78. I have found an intriguing snippet on the Ancestry site, from the Bodmin Gaol records. It states that a Catherine Retallick born 1804, occupation Housekeeper, was admitted to the gaol in Mar 1869 (ie 4 years after Francis died) and kept there for a month. The only details it gives are: "W+4 lost all front teeth but 1. Crippled l hand". This could be "widow for 4 years", but I don't know why she would be sent to gaol for being injured! I can't locate any newspaper reference or any other info at all. Most frustrating!

Francis Arthur Retallick was born 25 Aug 1900 in Lanivet to Woodman & Emmeline née Collins and can be seen on census of 1901 in Lanivet Village aged 7 months with his parents & in 1911 aged 10 at Stenalees with parents & sibs. In Jul 1927 at St Andrew's, Stratton, near Bude (her home town) he married Ethel Routley Jones, midwife and they had a daughter Dorothy there 5 months later. They soon relocated to Stenalees, St Austell, and can be seen there in records for the next 50 years (1929 & 1930 at 2 Moorland Terrace, 1931 at Chapel Terrace). Ethel soon went back to work, practising as a midwife/district nurse 1931-1955, including 1939, when the Register listed her as such at Morwenna, Stenalees with Francis, "District Secretary of Approved Society (*) and Timekeeper Clerk for Cornwall City Council", Dorothy at school and a single lady Phyllis Stephens as domestic (she became Jones in later years so may have married into Ethel's family). Ethel died aged 58 in Jan 1960 and Francis on 18 Nov 1977 at Morwenna aged 77, leaving £10,055, presumably to Dorothy, who was still single.
(*) Approved Societies were pre-NHS health insurance schemes, similar to Friendly Societies.

Sunday 14th May 2017

What happened on this day:
Elizabeth Wooldridge was christened in 1848
William Woodford 6 died in 1911 and
Reginald Arthur Retallick in 1957
Mary Woodford née Harris was buried in 1862

Ernest Retallick - see 20th Aug 2012. Searching for his return to UK has not come up with anything, nor 1940 census in USA. I have located a marriage in St Austell in 1935 to a Phyllis Kent and a death in 1974 also in St Austell aged 67, but cannot be sure it is him.

Eulalia Ellen Retallick - see 20th Aug 2012 - nothing new

Ewart Balthazar Walter Retallick - see 20th Aug 2012. In 2012 I mentioned the return trip from Chile in 1923, but have now seen the trip out from Liverpool to Antofagasta, Chile, departing on 22 Dec 1921. He was again listed as accountant, and gave his home address as 79 Reginald Terrace, Leeds. He had his own business at 30 Cheapside, Preston (1921 Directory) [now Nando's] 1939 Register shows him as one of four "households" at 233 Hyde Park Road, Leeds, working as a Local Government Officer, still single

Frances (Fanny) Retallick was born Dec 1774 in St Wenn to William & Elizabeth and christened there on 15 Jan 1775. On 15 Aug 1807 at St Wenn she married farmer Andrew Pearse from Roche and they went on to have 5 children. They can be seen in census of 1841 at Woon, with 3 sons & a servant. Frances died aged 71 and was buried 26 Dec 1845 in Roche. The only death I can find for Andrew is 1856 but the age is wrong and there is no 1851 census for him.

Saturday 13th May 2017

What happened on this day:
My mother Kathleen Matthews née Gamble was born in 1932 and also engaged in 1950. Happy 85th birthday Mum, and many more!
August Rudolph Hennig was born in 1850 and
Henry Albert Catchesides in 1854
Job Woodford was christened 1838
Robert Knight married Betsy Udy in 1799

Emily Ann Retallick - see 20th Aug 2012. Trying to track down the children who died, using the new (to me) search facility on the GRO site led me to nothing. Emily stated she had lost 3 children before 1911, and others researching this tree suggested 3 boys Horace, John & Robert. But they were all registered in Stratton, near Bude, all with different mother's maiden names. This leads me to conclude the children she referred to were miscarriages/stillbirths, unregistered because they didn't breathe. Sad, but no help to me. Reginald was registered in St Austell Jul 1904, married a girl from Truro & settled there. There was a daughter Thora born in 1913, she married a clayworks carpenter William Endean and they can be seen in St Austell in 1939 Register. Emily Ann evidently used her experience with childbirth, as in the Register she is described as a widowed Midwife, living at Chytane Farm, St Austell. She died Jul 1973 aged 90.

Friday 12th May 2017

Eden Retallick - see 7th Aug 2012 and her death announcement can now be added:

Edgar Retallick b1842 - see 7th Aug 2012

Edgar Retallick b1893 - see 7th Aug 2012. He lived in Ulverston all his life, so it is with no surprise that we meet him in 1939 Register at 3 Ainslie Street, Ulverston with wife Mystic and another couple, working for the Local Authority as a Market Inspector. Both Edgar and Mystic died here, Mystic on 15 Jul 1976, leaving £12,488.

Edmund Thomas Retallick - see 13th Aug 2012 The only "new" document was sight of the real marriage record. (I think it's a shame mother's name is never included, as Eliza's mother was called Noah Boswarthick)

Eleanor Ruth Retallick was born at Bugle on 29 Jul 1912 to Guy & Louie May née Tonkyn, sister of Constance. In Jul 1932 she married Alfred Martyn and they had one daughter, also Eleanor. In 1939 Register they were at Ashes Park, Stenalees, St Austell, Alfred working as a Fitter/Labourer (but I cannot read for whom), Eleanor Senior UDD and a closed file, presumably Eleanor Junior. Alfred died in 1974 aged 68 and Eleanor on 13 Sep 1984, living at 1 Kerrow Moor, Bugle, leaving £40k

Elfrida Retallick - see 14th Aug 2012 - nothing new

Elison Gordon Retallick - see 13th Aug 2012. 1939 Register found him at Fairview House, Bugle, working as Merchandise Manager & Clerk of China Clay Works. Louisa was UDD and also in the house were her parents and 18-year-old son Gordon, an apprenticed Carpenter, maybe to his grandfather, who was a carpenter and two closed files, no doubt Phyllis and Elison Junior.

Elizabeth Retallick 1 was born May 1721 in St Wenn to Richard & Grace née Benton and christened there 26 Jun 1721. On 13 Jul 1746 also in this church she married Gregory Tabb and they had 5 children, although the last Honour died in infancy. Gregory died in 1773 aged 53 and Elizabeth died in 1801 and was buried on 13 Jan 1801 in St Wenn aged almost 80.

Elizabeth Retallick 2 was born Aug 1749 in Roche to John & Elizabeth née Docken and christened 25 Sep 1749 also at Roche. On 15 Apr 1768 at St Wenn she married John Merryfield. They had two "attempts" at a daughter Elizabeth, both late in their marriage so either they struggled or the records are lacking. Elizabeth died 35 in 1785 and was buried in Roche (I thought I had a photo of her grave, but cannot find one) 26 May 1785, then John joined her 21 years later.

Elizabeth Retallick 3 - her story was an odd one in that her parents were both Retallicks and she married one. This makes things a little more confusing... She was born Jan 1765 in St Wenn to William & Elizabeth and christened there 10 March 1765. On 16 Feb 1791 in Roche she married Richard Retallick. He was 7 years younger than she was - in fact they were married by licence because the groom was 19 and thus under age, but their son John arrived later that year so may be the reason. Witnesses were two John Retallicks, possibly her uncle and cousin. Elizabeth & Richard had 4 children, I believe. There are various records involving a Richard Retallick, but as it is evidently a common name locally, I cannot prove any is him. There are various leasing arrangements for properties in the area and he is listed as Gamekeeper for the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, deputed by him in 1797, in which he is stated as living at "Tremoddrett". By the first census in 1841 he was 69, although the enumerator rounded down to 60, as they did for that census, living at Broad Lane, Roche, listed as Ag Lab, with son William. Elizabeth died in Jan 1851 aged 86 and Richard and William can be seen living there with Grace and family (her baptism in 1815 also gives Tremoderat as home). Richard died the year after his wife and was buried with her in Roche cemetery.

Elizabeth Retallick 4 was born May 1770 in Roche to John & Catherine née Martin and christened there 8 May 1770. On 4 Oct 1790 also in Roche she married chair-maker Richard Hawke, her father John one of the witnesses. They had three sons and Richard died Feb 1846 aged 80 and she followed in 1852.

Elizabeth Retallick 5 was the lady I discussed on 18th Aug 2012 who went to Australia with her family and married Yorkshireman Smith William Giles. They had 6 children and now I have a photo of their gravestone.

Elizabeth Ann Retallick - see 20th Aug 2012. I did think she had stayed behind when the family emigrated, but I see from the passenger list that they were all there. I did wonder why I couldn't find her. The record is clear, but the surname spelled Retallack, which doesn't help in searches! It seems she returned to England in the early 1860s, and settled down with Woodman Pascoe, who was living with his family at Woon in 1861. Elizabeth & Woodman had 10 children, although they didn't help me by baptising them en masse at various ages. Woodman Junior was ostensibly born 16 Dec 1864 but he was not registered then - or as far as I can see in any other quarter! After this they were registered but she appeared to think her maiden-name was Stanlick rather than Retallick! This is understandable in a way as she was illiterate (made mark on marriage record) and her family was on the other side of the world! This makes the mind boggle nowadays, but as long as you could scratch a cross it sufficed for many centuries!

There was another Elizabeth Ann Retallick, who we have met already - Catherine's sister, who married Edwin Knight and thus double-linked the families (actually, Woodman Pascoe Junior above also did this, but then there were thousands of Knights in Cornwall!) She was christened on 24 Nov 1842 in Bodmin and can be seen in census of 1851 aged 9 at Broad Lane, Roche with parents, sister & 3 lodgers. In 1851 she was 18 and can be seen at 87 Union Street, Plymouth, Devon, house servant to a Linen & Wool Draper (her sister Catherine was dressmaker there too). On 25 Jan 1866 in Roche she married Edwin Knight, tin mine agent. Over then next few decades they can be seen at various addresses in Roche with their 2 children until 1911, when Catherine, now widowed, can be seen visiting. Edwin died a few weeks later and was no doubt buried in Roche, Elizabeth joining him there 14 years later.

Tuesday 9th May 2017

Constance Beryl Retallick was born Sep 1910 in Bugle to Guy & Louie May née Tonkin and can be seen in 1911 census with them there, aged 7 months. 1939 Register shows her living in Fore Street, Bugle with her mother, who was now remarried and Constance was a Shop Assistant. In Apr 1940 she married Leslie Rosevear, local bus conductor, but died 3 years later, with no children. In Jan 1945 Leslie remarried.

Cyrus Retallick was born 14 Nov 1871 in Luxulyan to Adam & Ann and can be seen at Innisvath, Luxulyan in censuses of 1881-1911 with parents & sibs, in the latter two listed as China Clay Labourer (CCL). In 1939 Register he was lodging at 2 Moorland Terrace, Bugle, very close to Constance above (on the same page!), and he died on 2 Jul 1946 aged 74 at The Bungalow, Stenalees, leaving £560 to Alfred Bunt, Secretary.

His brother Daniel Retallick was born 21 Jan 1887 at Innisvath and can be seen there in 1891 census aged 3, 1901 aged 13 (Ag Lab) & 1911 aged 23 (CCL) He never married, but died Jul 1933 aged 45. I have documents relating to him dated 22 May 1893, on his admission to Lockingate Infant School and in WW1 he attained medals as a Private in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.

There was a previous incarnation, born Daniel Edgar Retallick in Oct 1866 but he must have died in the mid-1880s and "plain" Daniel was born 1888. Daniel Edgar was in census of 1871 & 1881 at Savath with the family but disappears about the time his namesake appears. However, I cannot find a death anywhere.

David Retallick - see 6th Aug 2012. I have since seen his baptism record of 24 Sep 1871 at Luxulyan and his death notice in 1914 and memorial in 1915. His death was evidently due to an accident in the Duchess mine, but more detail I couldn't track down. He was only 44.

The other David Retallick - also see 6th Aug 2012 - died aged 7 and was buried at Luxulyan.

Donald Retallick - see 7th Aug 2012. 1939 Register was taken when they were living at Higher Stenalees with 2 sons, having been married for 9 years. When Donald died it was 23 Apr 1974 at 39 Trenovissick, St Blazey Gate, he was 64 and he left effects worth £1599.

Monday 8th May 2017

Charlotte Retallick 2 was born 14 Oct 1846 in Roche (probably Tremodrett) and can be seen there in census of 1851 aged 4 with parents & sibs. In 1855 she set off with the family aboard SS Hooghly for Adelaide, Australia. They evidently settled in well, as her siblings John & Mary Anne married in 1861, then on 18 Mar 1865 at Avoca, Victoria, NSW she married Isaac Morvell, brother of James, who had married her sister Mary Anne 4 years earlier. Charlotte had a joint wedding with her sister Elizabeth, who married Smith William Giles. Charlotte & Isaac had 10 children but 4 died in infancy. On 8 Apr 1901 Isaac died aged 63 in Lexton, Victoria and in electoral roll records of 1903, 1914, 1919 & 1924 Charlotte can be seen at Lexton with various children & in-laws, until she joined him in 1927:

For all five Christopher Retallicks see 4th Aug 2012. I'm afraid I still cannot find Christopher 2's mother's name, not for want of trying! I mentioned that "Christopher 3" ran The Bugle pub, then a drapery/grocery shop & Flour Dealership with his children, who died young so he had to leave his effects to his business partner. I have now seen the sales particulars posted in 1866, when son "Christopher 4" died, as his father retired, and indeed died aged 71 eight years later:.
Reading around this, it appears that the previous year, Christopher Senior had been sued by a wholesaler for an outstanding £97 and brought to bancruptcy due to debts run up by Christopher Junior, to whom he had transferred the business in 1862, but he was evidently not up to running it (in fact was called to appear in court but was too ill to do so). To be fair, he died on 5 Mar 1866 of Tuberculosis, aged only 29. He had sold everything he could but this outstanding bill pushed it all over the brink. In the account of the bancruptcy hearing Christopher Senior was described as "Cattle Doctor... Grocer, Tea, Corn & Flour Dealer". One detail on him was that he was buried at Treverbyn 9 Jun 1874, although I didn't see a stone for him. Ann & son Thomas I did find and wrote about on 28th Oct 2012. The fifth Christopher Retallick, unrelated to the dynasty above, I also dealt with in 2012 - the one with the fish & chip shop in Millom. There are no more details here though.

Clara Retallick was born Apr 1869 in Luxulyan to Adam & Ann and can be seen aged 1 in 1871 census at Savath with parents, brothers & grandmother, then in 1881 at Innisvath with parents & sibs. 1891 finds her at The Western Hotel, Cockington, Devon, working as a housemaid, one of a staff of 28. Unfortunately I lose her at this point, as I can find no marriage nor death, nor track her down in 1901 census.

Claudia Ann Retallick was born Oct 1885 in Livrean nr St Austell to Luke & Ellen née Vercoe. She can be seen there in census of 1891 aged 5 with parents & sibs, then in 1901 aged 15 and 1911 aged 25 at Fairview, Bugle. Shortly after this she married Stephen Hancock and they had 4 children, although I suspect two died. If Claudia Ann was known in later years as Ann Claudia I may well have a death record for her in the St Austell area Jan 1959. Howeveer, my doubts remain as I cannot find her under either in 1939 Register.

Friday 5th May 2017

What happened on this day:
Victoria Regina Retallick was christened in 1859 and
Robert Matthews in 1810
Elizabeth Treverton Knight married Walter Williams in 1777
Sabina Knight née Chapman died in 1854 and
James Hugh Gamble was buried in 1890

For the two Catherine Retallicks b1777 see 1st Aug 2012. The one b1840 the same, except her death date. I have since discovered she did (as I suggested) return to Cornwall in her later years, and can be seen in 1911 census staying with her sister Elizabeth (who married Edwin Knight), then retiring to Plymouth, where she died 14 Dec 1922 aged 82, leaving £28 to daughter Emily, now Mewton. Another interesting detail was on her marriage certificate, one of the witnesses was Edwin Knight, her brother-in-law. The final Catherine b1812 died in Bodmin Asylum, a lunatic, again intriguing but I can find no detail.

Charles Retallick 1 - see 3rd Aug 2012 - new record was 1939 Register, showing him widowed, living at 11 Sandygate, Newton Abbot, Devon, retired, with his two youngest children. Son John (who was last seen in 1911 assisting on his grandfather's farm) listed as "invalid, incapacitated" - but I cannot find details of his accident/condition - and daughter Mary UDD. Son John died 5 years later, aged 53.

Charles Retallick 2 was the one who mined in USA after his wife died. I now have access to his baptism record (at the age of 4 with brother David) in Luxulyan on 24 Sep 1871 and his death. I now see that he didn't go to Arizona but died in Butte Silver Bow aged 61 (I was worried that his age was a little wrong in 1930 census anyway).

Charles Rowse Retallick was born Aug 1828 at Bawdens, Roche to John & Jenefer née Rowse and christened there 21 Sep 1828. He can be seen in census of 1841 at Chill Brook, Roche, a 10-year-old working as servant in the household of William Trethewey (very close to home, which was on the same census page). In 1851 he was 20, living back at Bawdens, listed as Farmer's Son, with parents & sibs. On 17 Nov 1853 in Roche he married Mary Ann Lobb. [Using the new search method on GRO site to find births with a given mother's maiden-name doesn't work in this case, as at least 3 Retallicks married girls called Lobb and all the births are in the St Austell area, so only serves to confuse]. They can be seen in 1861 census at Fancy, Roche, Charles working as an iron-miner and they had 4 children. 5 months later, still at Fancy, Charles died aged 33 and was buried in Roche churchyard on 9 Oct 1861. I can't track down Mary Ann after that, maybe she remarried in another town or died (although I would expect to find a death record). John & Jane went to live with her parents, Kitty died, Ellen married.

His sister Charlotte Retallick 1 was born Feb 1826 in Roche and christened 5 Mar 1826. In 1841 she was at home with parents & other sibs at Tremoderett, Roche and on 10 Apr 1850 she married Reuben Searle, a tin miner, and they had 8 children in Roche. In Oct 1866 they registered a boy with no name who became Herbert, but when he was only 2 years old Reuben died aged 44 and Charlotte moved to Nanstallon, Lanivet, where she can be seen in 1871 census with 6 children. Poor Charlotte lost her husband and her father in a few weeks, and it isn't a surprise to find in the next census in 1881 her mother and she are living together in Nanstallon, Charlotte describing herself as "Miner's Wife & Housekeeper" and her mother as "Outdoor Pauper", with 5 children (aged 15-26 all working). Her mother Jenifer died in 1883 and in 1891 Charlotte can be seen still at Nanstallon with quarryman son Joseph at home, but next door to son Hart & his family. There was in her household also an 8-year-old granddaughter Ida Lily Nicholls, born in Plymouth, illegitimate daughter of Lily, who had been working in that town as a servant at that time. By 1901 Ida was 18 and a nurse - useful as her grandmother was now 75 and died in 1907 aged 81. Ida never married - nursing tended to preclude this - and has a grave in Canada, where she died in 1954 aged 71. When Charlotte died on 20 Sep 1907 she was buried in Nanstallon Cemetery (which is why I didn't see her in 2012 when I visited Lanivet and photographed several family members in the churchyard there)

Tuesday 2nd May 2017

Augusta Courtney Retallick intrigues me. I have mentioned her before, she is the lady who I suspect worked at the Bodmin Asylum. I have searched, but suspect that any staff records would be among those held at the National Archives and they charge to look. In 2012, on seeing her gravestone, I said: Augusta Courtney Retallick is a name I mentioned, but not her story, as I didn't think it was interesting, as she was a Dairy Maid in Luxulyan at 14 and died at 24. However, the inscription on her headstone above says: "Erected by the nurses and attendants of the Cornwall County Asylum in token of respect to the memory of Augusta Courtney Retallick who died March 23rd 1891 aged 24". Intriguing - this suggests to me that she worked there, rather than as an inmate. I am not aware of the records being available, although there is a website where you can see the crumbling remains before it was demolished. The website shows a handsome building, but even these remains are now gone. With regard to Augusta, unless one day I pay to view staff records, I will never know more.

Augusta Ruth Retallick was born 18 Sep 1899 in Roche to Frederick & Annie née Lobb and can be seen in census of 1901 aged 1 at Griglands, Roche with parents & sister. On 8 May 1905 she was admitted to Longingate Infants School, giving home address as Savath and in 1911 census they were at Innisvath, Bugle with her grandparents. In Apr 1922 in the St Austell area she married Stanley Gilbert Marks and they had (I think) three children; Frederick, Edgerton & Pauline. 1939 Register shows Augusta as UDD at Gracca, Charles Street, St Austell with Fred, assistant in fruit shop & Pauline at school. The only issues I have with this record are that her husband is called Garth and Edgerton is missing. This may be explained by the fact that Edgerton's middle name was Stanley but he used his full name when he died aged 25 in 1950, as did his father on his death in 1967. Anyway, Augusta herself died aged 86 in 1986 in the Truro area.

Austell Glendower Retallick (excellent name!), one of Oliver's second-cousins, was one of the Ulverston branch, born there 10 Apr 1904 to Adam & Sarah née Smith. He can be seen in 1911 census at 20 Quebec Street, Ulverston aged 7 with parents & brothers. In Oct 1928 in Ulverston he married Freda Jenkinson and in 1939 Register they can be seen at The Studio, Lake Road, Ambleside in the Lake District - a place we know well from our holidays! Austell is listed as "Gas & Water Foreman Fitter" and Freda as UDD. There are 7 closed files, which will be the 7 children they had at the time, Pamela was one of those "afterthoughts" born 9 years after Robin, and 8 years after the Register. Several have died in recent years, too recently to have been opened yet. Austell died in Oct 1997 at Grange-over-Sands aged 93 and Freda also at Grange, just after her hundredth birthday in 2007.

Barnet James Sturbridge Beswetherick Retallick was the one I described as having a name longer than he was! Born Jan 1849 in Ennisvath, Luxulyan to Francis & Catherine née Beswetherick he died aged 2 in late Feb 1851 and was buried in Luxulyan on 7th Mar 1851.

Bathsheba Retallick - In 2012 when I saw her grave I said: She was born in Apr 1838 to John & Ann nee Chapman, later sister to Allivyan, brought up at Ennisvath, Luxulyan. In Apr 1860 she married John Merrifield, but he died aged 32 in 1870 and she can be seen in the 1871 & 1881 censuses at Woodley, near Lanivet, widowed with 6 children. In 1887 she married again, to widower (William) Hart Searle, and lived with him and his 2 sons at Lamorrick, Lanivet, with her son Solomon next door. She & Hart moved to Bugle & she died in 1922, he in 1926. Her first marriage was 16 Jun 1860 at Luxulyan church, both living in Ennisvath, she a dressmaker, John a tin-streamer like her father, witnesses John Retallick (probably her father) and John Hobbah. John Merrifield's father was James, a farmer. They had 6 children together but she had no children in her second marriage (she was 49). In 1901 they had moved to Bugle and can be seen there with her son John, then in 1911 just Bathsheba & Hart. He died there aged 73 in 1917 and she aged 83 in 1922.

Bessie Retallick - in 2012 I left myself a note "?married Bootle, but I can't find in 1881 census". I now know why and all is revealed! She was born Jan 1859 in Roche, 3rd of the 10 children born to John & Mary Ann née Matthews and can be seen with parents & sibs at Bilberry in 1861 aged 2. Then in 1871 she was at Marks, Luxulyan, working as a domestic servant. She must have travelled up north, either to visit family eg the Ulverston branch, or for work, as on 14 Apr 1879 in Newtown, Millom, Cumberland she married Francis John Gordon Hockaday from Marytavy, Devon, son of a copper-miner Stephen Hockaday and Priscilla Gordon (hence one of his names), They had 13 children over 30 years, the first Francis Albert coming along 7 months after the marriage. I still cannot find the 1881 census, but they left their mark so I know exactly where they were. In Apr 1881, when the census was taken, they had their second child in Millom, and christened him the following March, when the Bible Christian Circuit came to town. They helped me no end by calling him Harry Retallick Hockaday. In 1891 census they can be seen at 6 Lord Street, Millom with 7 children, then in 1901 at 8 Katherine Street, Millom (2 streets away) with eleven. In 1903 son Harry R in Millom married Beatrice Bowden and soon Francis and Bessie set off for America. They were "caught" on censuses two years running and can be seen in Montana with 5 children in 1910, David and Francis miners, Ernest a printer. Then the following year they were in Canada for the 1911 census, at 1140 Odlum Drive, Vancouver with 4 children. Francis was working as a labourer in the street, as was Harry, who had just arrived with his new wife. By 1921 census Bessie was 62, at Old Maclellan Road, Coverdale, New Westminster, British Colombia (40 km away) with son Ernest a foreman on an "electrical road gang", Francis farming. Bessie died there on 14 Jan 1925 and was buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Francis joining her 11 years later. Harry died at Butte, Silver Bow, Montana in 1941, joining some of his ancestors if he did but know it.

Monday 1st May 2017

Ann Retallick 1 was born Mar 1843 at Polskey's, Roche to James & Mary Ann née Stephens and christened 2 Apr 1843. She has already been mentioned - see Adam last Tuesday - as she married a relative she appears twice in this tree. In her own right she was Oliver's 4th-cousin-once-removed but married his great uncle. She can be seen in census of 1851 aged 8 at Polskeys with parents & sister, but 1861 is missing. The rest of the story was told already. Adam died 1919 and she 1929 both in Ennisvath. (One new thing I have found was a stillbirth in Jul 1878)

Ann Retallick 2 was born Oct 1752 in St Wenn to John & Elizabeth née Docken and christened there 24 Nov 1752. She married George Carhart in Roche on 5 Oct 1777 and he died in 1811 (buried Roche 20 Oct). They had two sons; Robert in 1778 and George in 1781 but I cannot find a death for Ann. I did think I had found her in Brooklyn, New York, as it stated "widow of George", but then I realised the date was 1873 and thus she would be 121 years old!

Ann Retallick 3 was born Sep 1772 in St Wenn to William & Elizabeth and christened there 19 Oct 1772. On 22 May 1793 she married Richard Stephens and baby William arrived a month later. I'm not sure if they had any other children - there are records in St Wenn for a daughter Ann born 1805 and died aged 13 in 1818, buried in St Wenn, but I can't find a sure link with them. Ann senior died Nov 1838 aged 66 and was buried in St Wenn 30 Nov, address Burlawn, St Breock. I think Richard's death record is the one with burial at St Wenn 26 Mar 1826 (I cannot be sure as I have no link to his date of birth, but this makes sense as he was 52 so would be 2 years younger than Ann).

Anna Maria Retallick was born early 1853 in Broad Lane, Roche (registered in the Jan quarter) to William & Ann née Roberts and christened there 29 May 1853. She can be seen in census of 1861 & 1871 in Broad Lane with parents, sister & boarder, in the latter described as 18-year-old Domestic. I cannot find her in 1881 bur suspect she was in service in London. On 17 Apr 1887 at Holy Trinity, Newington she married Grocer's Warehouseman James Kent from Shoreham and they settled in Southwark nearby. They had a daughter Eulalia Ellen (named after her sister) who died in 1890 aged 2, and William in 1892. In 1891 census Anna can be seen in Roche, visiting her mother, who had been widowed in 1889. In 1901 she was at home in 203 Rotherhithe New Road, London with son William and in 1911 at 16 Blakes Road, Peckham with sister (Eulalia) Ellen - 2 miles away but now modern blocks. Electoral roll records show Anna in 1921-28 at 24 Crawthew Grove, Camberwell and she died there Oct 1930 aged 77. Son William can be seen in 1939 Register at 35 Euston Road, Croydon.

Saturday 29th April 2017

Two Allivyan Retallicks - see 30th Jul 2012 - no new records for the one born 1840. Christening record for the younger dated 22 Dec 1872 at Luxulyan and 1920 census in White Sulphur Springs, Meagher, Montana just confirmed what I knew.

Alma Retallick was born Jan 1864 at Trescoll, Luxulyan, 4th of the 15 births to William & Ann née Courtney and christened 24 Feb 1864. She can be seen in census of 1871 at Gillys, Luxulyan with parents & sibs, 1881 aged 17 as general servant to a Silk Mercer & Draper and his family in Fore Street, Bodmin. I cannot find her in 1891 but I know she must still be in the Bodmin area as a few weeks later she got married in Luxulyan to John Webster, local mason and they had 3 children, all baptised in the local Bible Christian Chapel. They can be seen in Bodmin in censuses of 1901 & 1911 at Higher Bore Street & Robartes Road, a turning off Lower Bore Street. John died in 1937 aged 73, so 1939 Register shows Alma widowed, living as UDD at 70 Higher Bore Street with daughter Minnie, who is described as PDD - Paid Domestic Duties, ie a servant or cleaner. Alma died Jul 1953 aged 89 and Minnie married.

Friday 28th April 2017

[I just need to pause here to quickly explain how to pronounce this surname - re-TAL-lick - it rhymes with metallic]

The other Adam Francis Retallick was born Jan 1865 to the Adam Francis discussed on Tuesday and Ann, at Savath, Luxulyan and christened 29 Jun 1865 at Lanivet. See 29th Jul 2012 for his story, the only addition I have since is the 1939 Register, where he can be seen lodging at 1 Braddyll Terace, Ulverston, Lancs with the Young family and another lodger Joshua Woodburn. I have seen a local newspaper report of an incident at this address at the end of that year. Adam (75) was woken by shouting in the next room, went into Joshua's (89) bedroom to find him sleepwalking at the window. With the help of others in the house Joshua was put back to bed, but the following night he did the same again at 5.30 am but this time fell out of the window into the garden. A doctor was called but he died 12 hours later. Adam had 4 sons and gave them wonderful names: more of this later.

Agar Alexander Retallick - see 30th July 2012. I have discovered 2 more siblings for him, one who died in infancy, one who survived many decades. New record is 1939 Register, which finds them, as expected, at 66 Foyle Road, Greenwich. Agar is calling himself Alexander and a Police Sergeant, Kathleen UDD, also there is a closed file, no doubt Yvonne. Electoral roll records show him at Blackheath Police Station & Section House after Kathleen's death, extending now into the mid-50s when he started working on the transatlantic liners. Unfortunately I had hoped to find details of his police career but I can find nothing, as the records appear to have vanished from the Ancestry site (if that was where I used to find them); they are held at The National Archive but they charge to access. A 3rd-cousin-once-removed of Oliver (Jessie's father) is not close enough, so moving on.

Agar Lloyd Retallick was born 1 Nov 1908 at Stenalees to John Courtney Retallick & Mary née Toms and christened at Treverbyn on 6 Dec 1908. He can be seen in census of 1911 aged 2 at Stenalees with parents & sibs, then in 1939 Register with parents at 1 Wesley Terrace, Stenalees. [This was another of those settlements related to the Clay works, and although there is a Wesley Close nowadays, it is in a fairly modern estate]. By the time he died on 9 Mar 1976 aged 67 he was living at 32 Fernhill Road, Newquay, to which he had probably retired. His probate gives this address and says he left £10,787 but not to whom, which is particularly frustrating here as I have no idea, as I cannot locate a marriage etc. He was buried in Treverbyn churchyard, and I photographed his stone in 2012.

Albert Retallick was born Jan 1861 at Bilberry, Roche to John & Mary Ann née Matthews, and appears there in 1861 census aged 3m with parents & sibs. He was their 4th child and this was another mining family, so moved around the area to where the work was. Thus each child was registered at one of Bodmin, St Austell or Totnes areas, depending on which was most convenient. Two of the children were registered without first names but were soon known as Milicent (b 1856) & Christopher (b 1865). 1871 census shows them at Trescoll, Luxulyan, a tin mine near Lockengate which is no more and Albert was 10. In 1874 they had their last child Harry but he died, so the family moved up north and can be seen there in 1881 at Arlecdon, Cumberland, 40 miles from Ulverston, where his 2nd cousin Adam lived (see above) some decades later. Father John and sons Albert & Christopher were all iron miners, but the following year Albert died aged 21 and was buried in St Michael's churchyard, Arlecdon.

Tuesday 25th April 2017

I have a very sad story for you this morning.
William James Manhire was born Jul 1875 in Camborne to William & Eliza née Bennetts, older sibling of Thomas John yesterday and thus the early years are the same. In 1891 census he was 15 and listed as Tin Miner. I think the family group photograph below was taken on the occasion of his marriage - he can be seen to be wearing a flower in his buttonhole - and he is standing top middle. It was 19 Aug 1896 at Redruth Register Office and he married Adeline Nicholas, from a large tin-mining family. He evidently was bitten by the gold-mining bug and set off 3 days later for South Africa to work the New Comet Mine there. He had managed to conceive a child before he left, and son William Lambert Manhire was born later that year. Then misfortune took over, as the following article shows. He had only worked in South Africa for 8 months, and even more sadly, his baby son died the day before him on 3 May 1897 aged 6 months. I told the rest of this story on 2nd Jul 2012 and 15th Mar 2017 - Adeline went on to marry his brother Edward and run the Cornish Choughs pub.

His father was William Richard Manhire, whose story I told on 28th Jul 2012. One thing I didn't mention was his career. Originally he worked down tin mines, as a "labourer under surface" up until 1891. I saw from 1901 census that he was trying his hand as a butcher, and now have seen in a newspaper of 1893 that he had badly diseased legs, and they wanted to amputate one. Now, this would be disastrous for a miner, who was active or standing all day long. Apparently he found an ointment cure which meant he didn't have to have the operation and he took to the road selling this and also Insurance, so on 1911 census he described himself as Insurance Agent. When he died on 5 Oct 1928 he was 76, so if he had both his legs intact maybe there was something to his claims after all.

There were two ancestors called Willie Manhire, sons of Nicholas, one with Mary Jane née Barratt, born Jan 1885, died aged 11 & buried 22 May 1896 at Treverbyn (seen aged 6 in 1891 census at Cannacarrow). Then with Bessie née Sloman, born Jan 1902 at Cannacarrow. He can be seen in 1911 census aged 9 with parents, brothers and half-brother. In Jan 1924 in St Austell area he married Louisa Eveline Runnalls, daughter of local CCL (and her mother had the wonderful Christian name of Armnell) and they had two daughters. On 5 Jul 1930 Willie left Southampton on board RMS Empress of France (here pictured in Vancouver). Willie called himself "28 year old miner & farmer from Carnagga, St Dennis, intending to settle in Canada". He was obviously happy with Canada, as no sooner had the Empress docked back in UK she returned with Louisa and the girls. However, they were evidently less impressed because a year later Louisa returned to London with the two girls. 1939 Register shows these three back at Enniscavan, Louisa UDD, Ruby a Box-Factory Apprentice and 12-year-old Dulcie at school, living 3 houses away from Armnel, now widowed. Both girls married and settled in England, Louisa died on 6 Sep 1959 at Royal Cornwall Infirmary, Truro, leaving effects worth £557 to Willie's attorney. I don't know what happened to him. There are tantalising glimpses of a Willie Miner in Canada, working as a chauffeur in the 1960s & 1970s, but nothing I can catch onto. And no death record - as he would be 115, I assume he is now gone.

Wilson Manhire & Woodman Manhire, Oliver's 1st cousins, I covered in 2012 and have mentioned a few times also this year, Wilson was the music teacher & composer, Woodman the goldminer who travelled to South Africa & Australia. New records are really only 1939 Register, and as Woodman died in 1914 he doesn't appear (also he lived abroad anyway) and I have mentioned Wilson was at Molinnis Crossing with sister Lona at the house with her middle name.

Now onto the final family, the Retallicks. As you may know, this is Jessie's grandmother's branch, as her grandfather Robert Knight married Lavinia Retallick. Again, I covered this branch in 2012.

Adam Francis Retallick - see 29th Jul 2012 - Lavinia's brother, thus Oliver's great-uncle. No new records.

Monday 24th April 2017

Thomas Manhire (Jessie's great-greatuncle) was born Mar 1813 at Colevreath to George & Mary née Snell and christened in Roche on 4 Apr 1813. He can be seen in census of 1841 in Roche with parents & sibs, aged 28 & working as a Tin Miner. In Sep 1843 in St Austell area he married Ann Brewer, born in Roche but in service in Lanivet. They had one son Joseph and they can be seen in 1851 census at Tremoderate, Roche but Ann died aged 34 in 1856, when they were living at Carbis Common and was buried in Roche churchyard. In Jul 1857 in the St Austell area he married Mary Ann Roberts, and although I cannot find them in 1861 census they can be seen on 1871 at Retew, St Enoder and 1881 at Barthy Row Down, St Enoder. I cannot find either of these addresses - as I said last week, Retew was swallowed up by the Clay Mine it served and no longer exists. This may well also apply to Barthy Row, (I told of their son Joseph on 3rd April. He was still with them in 1881, working with his father). They were in the latter lodging with a colleague. Mary Ann died Oct 1886 aged 70 and Thomas followed 3 Nov 1890, home address given as Hensbarrow. He was buried 5 Nov in Roche (and is probably on the stone above, although it is very hard to read) leaving £327 to brother John.

The other Thomas Manhire, Jessie's greatuncle, was born Oct 1842 in Roche to George & Jane, registered as Mennear with no mother's maiden-name on the record (I'm not 100% certain they ever did marry). He can be seen in 1841 census aged 8 in Roche with parents & sibs, then 1861 in St Austell with parents, sibs & grandfather, working as a CCL. In Oct 1865 in the St Austell area he married Hannah Yelland, miner's daughter from St Stephens, and they had 10 children over a 20 year period, although 3 died in infancy. They can be seen in censuses of 1871 at Netley, 1881-1911 at Molinnis with a selection of these. Thomas died 13 Sep 1916, aged 74, leaving £625 to Hannah, who then died 25 Jun 1920 aged 74, leaving £753 to son Wilson, music teacher. Both were buried in Treverbyn

Thomas John Manhire was born 22 Apr 1879 at 35 Wesley Street, Camborne to William & Eliza née Bennetts and can be seen there in census of 1881 with parents & sibs and in 1891 at Adelaide Street, Camborne (just around the corner). When I dealt with him in 2012 I despaired as these censuses were all I could find. Using the new method of searching the GRO listings, I was confident of finding his birth registration this time around. But have just confused matters further by finding him registered as a female child called Elizabeth, which in itself is odd because he had a sister with this name born just over a year before him. (I think this only goes to show that no records can be totally relied upon, even those of the Government!) These two obviously co-existed as they can be seen top left and top right of the family portrait of 1896 (and not twins over a year apart!). The trail appeared to lead to a marriage at St Dennis 1 Jul 1897 to a Lily Grigg, but when I investigated, this was a Thomas Henry Mennear with father William, and led to a different birth with maiden-name Trethewey in the St Austell area, not Camborne-Redruth as this family. It seems the more I look, the less I find, and there are no 1939 records etc. under his name.

Verena Josepha Manhire - see 17th Jul 2012. New records include 1939 Register, showing Verena, widowed, living on her savings at 7 Glen Road with daughter Margaret Lilian, who was a Furniture Shop Assistant. When Verena died at this same address on 15 Aug 1949 aged 75 she left effects worth £500 to her daughter.

William Manhire 1 was born Apr 1855 to George & Jane née Trethewey and registered as Mennear. He was christened on 8 May 1855 by the Bible Christian Circuit from Luxulyan, at "a friend's house in Roche" and can be seen on censuses of 1861 at Gunbarrow and 1871 at Molinnis with parents and sibs, in the latter a 16-year-old CCL. However, on 24 Jun 1874 aged 19 he died.

William Manhire 2 - see 28th Jul 2012, also a short life.

And another one, William Manhire 3 was born Apr 1878 at Ermington in Devon, registered in Plympton St Mary, to Joseph & Jane née Brewer. He can be seen in 1881 census aged 2 at 16 Albert Street, Dawlish with parents, sibs and aunt, then in 1891 at Hillside Cottages, Shaugh Prior with parents & sibs aged 12. He died there in Jan 1899 aged 20.

Saturday 22nd April 2017

What happened on this day:
Jessie Mabel Wooldridge was born in 1880
Thomas John Manhire in 1879 and
William Henry Taylor (Harry) in 1872
Walter Charles Wooldridge married Mary Ann Lunn in 1880 and
Lilian Alice Gamble married Frederick George Prior in 1917

Theophilus Manhire - see 3rd April below (apologies, much of yesterday's was a repeat from that day too. I put it down to lack of sleep!)

Friday 21st April 2017

Well, the next generation has officially begun. Amanda Rose Smith was born last night 20 April, to our son Alden & his lovely wife Jennifer in New York. Congratulations to all and we are looking forward to meeting her in a few weeks. Meanwhile, on with the tree...

Sarah Manhire was born 16 Nov 1818 in Roche to George & Mary née Snell and christened on 13 Dec 1818 by the Bodmin Wesleyan Methodist minister. She can be seen in 1841 census at Pentivale, Roche with parents & sibs, aged 22 but rounded down (as they did in that census) to 20. I'm not sure what happened but by the next census she had a baby but no husband. She named him after her recently-deceased brother Joseph. In 1851 census she was with her parents at Hillyvreath with brother John next door with his family. By 1861 Mary had died so Sarah's father George was living with her eldest brother George in Gunbarrow, leaving Sarah & Joseph alone in the house at Pentivale, Sarah working as a Charwoman (domestic cleaner). In 1871 she was 52, living alone at Treseaze, Roche and working as a Housekeeper (possibly for the widowed schoolmistress & miner sons living next door). When Sarah became ill, she had to go to the Workhouse for medical attention, she died there and was buried in Holy Trinity St Austell. After that Joseph moved to Devon and married there.

We seem to have a theme developing here. Susannah Manhire was the first illegitimacy I discovered, as she was born Oct 1840 in Roche to George & Jane, who didn't marry until 1842. However, I cannot now find the marriage, nor her registration on the GRO site to confirm mother's maiden name. She can be seen in 1841 census at Colevreath, Roche aged 9 months with parents & a servant, then in 1851 aged 10 in Roche with parents & by then 4 (although sister Mary was to die later that year). She died at Gunbarrow, Bugle in Aug 1858 aged 17 and was buried in Roche cemetery on 23 Aug.

Oliver's 2nd-cousin Theodore Manhire (Ted) was born 14 Jun 1868 in St Stephen-in-Brannel to John & Harriet née Best and christened on 3 Dec 1884 at Treverbyn (if you remember, they had lost two of their six children so baptised them all at once) at the age of 14. He can be seen in census of 1871 at Higher Colevreath, Roche with parents & brother, then 1881 at Hensbarrow, St Austell with parents & sibs. In 1891 he was 22, living at Bunney, St Austell with parents & sibs, working as a Stationary Engine Driver, like his father. On 6 Feb 1892 at Parish Church, Treverbyn he married Lucinda Martyn, both from Stenalees, where her father was a butcher (her mother's maiden-name was Minear so they were probably distantly related).

and this is also the address in 1921 census, when they can be seen there with 4 children, Frederick working as a "Car Repairer on St Railway". The next I can see is Fred's death in 1955 and Ellen's in 1970, both are buried in Mountain View Cemetery.

Wednesday 15th March 2017

Dorothy Manhire (Jessie's 1st cousin) was born 20 Aug 1912 in St Austell, probably in Bugle, to Jasper & Lilian. In Jul 1938 she was married to the wonderfully-named Grenville Joseph Bunney, son of a Police Constable in Penryn. They can be seen the following year on the 1939 Register at Tehidy Road, Tywardreath, but on Google Streetview cannot see the houses to find the one called "Sorendor" or something like that - the handwriting is rather difficult on their sheet. Grenville was a Mason and Dorothy UDD. I am pretty sure they had no children, Dorothy died in Jan 1983 aged 70 and Grenville in Apr 1997.

Edgar Manhire, one of Dorothy's brothers, was born Oct 1910 at Bilberry, Bugle. He can be seen there in census of 1911 aged 6 months, with parents & brother Kenneth. Then in 1939 with mother (father died 1920), at the cottage called Kengarthy, working as a builder's labourer. In Jan 1970 at St Austell he married Alice Baudet and they disappear from the records. If they travelled abroad after marriage, the records stop at 1960 on Ancestry, so this may be the case. A fellow genealogist has stated Edgar died in 1987 but with no detail at all.

Edward Manhire - see 2nd Jul 2012. I postulated that he left for USA in 1902 & sent for his wife. I have now seen the documents that show he left on board SS Philadelphia on 27 Sep 1902 (they lost baby Edward in the June). 1939 Register finds them at The Cornish Choughs, Trewithian, Camborne, as expected, Edward Licensed Victualler, Adeline UDD and daughter Hilda ATS Section Leader (she went to USA with them as a child but returned with them too and was the daughter who died in London in 1952, leaving money to her father). Adeline died 11 Oct 1949, at the pub, leaving £435 of her own money and was buried in Penponds Churchyard with the rest of her family (she was one of 12 children). My favourite detail was the wreath "To my dear little wife from Eddie". He died on Christmas Day 1968 and joined his "little Wife" and her family in the plot mentioned above.

Elizabeth Jane Manhire was born Apr 1866 in St Austell to Thomas & Hannah née Yelland and christened at home at Goonbarrow, St Austell by the St Columb Bible Christian Circuit (claypit just to the west of Bugle, now abandoned)
She can be seen aged 4 at Netley with parents & brothers in 1871 census. This could well be the same place as was called Goonbarrow a couple of years earlier as it is all the same pit, now modern housing covers it. By 1881 they family had moved around to Molinnis (just half a mile away, beyond Bugle station). I have said before that I don't think it's a coincidence that this house is called Armena, which is her sister Lona's middle name. When in Sep 1890 she married John Warne, they lived next door to her parents and had their 6 children there. They gave them lovely imaginative names; Claudia Olive, Hedley Ewart, Llewellyn Vernon, Gladys, Evelyn Hyacinth & Silvanus! I had believed that Elizabeth died there in 1915, aged 49 - there certainly is a death record for her age in the St Austell registration area. However, I can now see that in 1939 Register both she and John were living on Clann Farm, Lanivet, where John helped with the horses belonging to his son-in-law William Allen & daughter Gladys (4 miles from Molinnis). I have found a death for John, 8 Oct 1952 in the Bodmin area. He left effects worth £381 to Gladys, so it would seem that Elizabeth predeceased him. He was living at Little Trehudreth, Blisland, but Elizabeth being such a common name I cannot find her death (of course probate was not necessary, her goods going straight to John anyway). I suspect the Sep 1946 is correct.

Tuesday 14th March 2017

David Manhire was born Apr 1854 in Roche to Richard & Martha née Stephens and christened there 22 May 1854 (as Menhire). He can be seen aged 7 in census of 1861 at Brea, Illogan with parents & sibs, then 1871 at Roskear Fields, Camborne with them, when he was listed as "Tin Miner at Surface" (all the men in the vicinity were miners). In Apr 1876 in St Austell he married Ellen Mary Lukes, iron miner's daughter from Trethurgy (near Bodelva) and they settled at Meledor Downs. They had 4 children, the eldest Samuel arriving 3 months after the marriage, then 3 daughters. On daughter Ellen's baptism record David was described (in 1878) as a "Traveller with Tea", then just as "Labourer". This latter employment was in the Clay Works nearby, the reason why the whole area is now one big pit. He died on 10 Jan 1884 aged 29 (having lost a daughter Mary at 5 months old the previous year) and was buried with her in Churchtown Cemetery (the one on the top of this page) on 12 Jan. I don't know the cause of his very early death, but his widow, being only 26 herself, soon re-married, to Samuel Buscombe, another clay labourer, and had 4 more children with him, living in Meledor, then died aged 45 in 1902.

The other David Manhire I covered in detail before - see 2nd July 2012. In 2012 I couldn't locate his first marriage record, but now have it with a date 25 May 1907 in Shoshone County, Idaho. However, Emily Jane died in 1911 when youngest son William was almost 2. As I said, daughter Lilian was given as David's Next of Kin but lived elsewhere. This was because he was in the services and couldn't care for the children. His second wife, Laura did travel out to US in 1916 but not to marry him. She married Thomas Cory, another miner at Butte, 4 days after emigrating, but he died aged 30 in Feb 1919 and a few weeks later she married David. After he died in 1923 she married yet again, to Walter Pike, divorcé originally from Devon. He evidently didn't last long either (if the environment wasn't riddled with poisons we would be suspecting her of foul play!) as he died Jan 1932 and in 1940 census she was again a widow. She did have 3 children with him, though. She didn't marry again, as she died in the name of Pike on 9 Mar 1982 aged 92, at Silver Bow.

Monday 13th March 2017

Andrew Manhire - full details given on 26th June 2012

Annie Jane Manhire - see 30th June 2012. You may remember this family. Annie is bottom left and I told how she travelled the Atlantic to marry her childhood sweetheart (not unlike my own son 92 years later). I can fill some more detail into the story now. Exact date of marriage was 29 Sep 1923, at Highland Park, Michigan (3 months after her arrival in US). Ernest had emigrated 9 May 1914, listed as Miner. When he was drafted 4 years later he gave as his employer the Adventure Consolidated Copper Company (I don't think he saw any action as WW1 ended about then)
They settled in Michigan, but looks like they had no luck with children. Only one birth is registered, Janett born Jul 1928 but died 6 months later of a heart condition. The 1930 census showed they had moved to Detroit and Ernest was working as an inspector in the car factory (he probably knew Nicholas Knight's sons also working there at the same time - see 27th January below). Evidently Annie was unhappy and returned to England in 1933, then Ernest died 1937, so she can be seen in 1939 Register as a widow, living at 3 Carclew View, Truro, working as Housekeeper to a Marine Engineer. She died 12 Mar 1978 in Camborne aged 89.

Arthur Stanley Manhire - little blond boy top left of photo above - see 30th June 2012

.
Betsey Manhire (Jessie's great great-aunt) was born in Roche Aug 1814 to George & Mary née Snell and christened there 29 Sep 1814. On 27 Nov 1836 in East Stonehouse, Devon she married Samuel Trethewey. 21 years older than her, he was a widow, having been married to Maria Snell, no doubt related to her mother. He already had six children, and Betsey added two more. In census of 1841 they can be seen at Tresayes, Roche with 6 children, Samuel an Ag Lab. (This is the part of Roche just behind the Rock, a mineral mine in later years, but evidently still farmland at this time - as it is again now). By 1851 census they were at Higher Tresawl, St Columb Major with 4 children & a servant. Evidently Samuel went wherever the woork was as, despite farming 83 acres then, by 1861 he had moved on again and they can be seen at Trevean, near Newlyn, 45 miles away with 3 children & 2 sevants, the same in 1871. Despite being so much younger than her husband, Betsey died first, in Oct 1874 and was buried in Roche on 26 Oct 1874, followed by Samuel the following March, when he left £450 to son Joseph.

Betty Joan Manhire (Jessie's 1st Cousin) was born 5 Aug 1916 in Croydon to Roderick & Edith née Rhodes. In Jul 1939 in Croydon she married Horace Henry Lewis and they can be seen in the Register, taken in September of that year, at 80 Norbury Hill, Thornton Heath, Croydon with her parents. Horace was listed as "Authorised Insurance Broker for Lloyds" and Betty as "Shorthand Typist to Chartered Accountants". I can only find two children, Colin born 1947 and Heather in 1951, both died in their 50s in Southampton. Horace died at home, 39 Rectory Park, Sanderstead on 20 Dec 1991, leaving £125k. Betty died 7 years later in Sutton.

Charles Manhire - little blond boy bottom right in photo above - see 1st July 2012. I can now add the 1939 Register to his records; he can be seen at 13 Adelaide Street, 4 houses from where he grew up, he was alone and listed as "Under Steward British Legion Club", which sounds like fun! He may well have remained here until his death, as he died locally, in Camborne Jan 1964 aged 73.

Jessie's uncle Claude Manhire was covered in detail in 2012 - see 1st July. At that time I wasn't too sure of his marriage, but have now seen the marriage certificate and it does have the correct fathers' names on. Also, when I tracked him down in 1939 Register, he had a wife called Grace! He was listed as Postman, she UDD and she had a daughter from her first marriage, also Grace Jones, a 30-year-old Sweet Packer. they lived at 6 Denmark Grove, Islington. I can see from Electoral Roll records that he had lived there from 1919, when demobbed from the Navy. However, when he died just 2 years later in Jan 1941, his death was registered in Surrey Mid-Eastern region, which is the area including Sutton, so maybe he was staying with family or in a hospital etc. I still cannot track down Grace's death, although I can see her at the Islington address above until 1950, with daughter Grace, and then Grace junior was married from Islington in 1957.

Sunday 12th March 2017

Alma Manhire was born 14 Jul 1897 at Shaugh Prior, Devon (registered Plympton) to Joseph & Jane née Brewer and christened at the Methodist Chapel on 14 Nov 1897. She can be seen at Shaugh Prior with her parents & sibs in 1901 census, then mother & brother Joseph in 1911 as her father died a few weeks before that census was taken. These cottages were miners' houses and had been known as Hillside Cottages as they were on the side of the only hill in a wide flat plain, but by 1900 the two terraces had been renamed Blackalder & Saltram Terraces (and still are).  In Jan 1923 at the Methodist Chapel - which was just across the field in front of the cottages - she married Harold Samuel Nicholson. I have just noticed that she was christened by what looks like a T Nicholson. The only one in this family with that initial is his mother Thirza, but I don't know if women ministers were in the Methodist church in those times, or if this is just a coincidence anyway. Harold worked with China Clay, in the Brick Works (his father too, although his grandfather was a Farm Labourer). In 1939 Register they can be seen at 5 Blackalder Cottages with son Stewart aged 10 and Alma's sister Hetty and her husband Harold Willcock (also a China Clay Labourer). Harold Nicholson had served in the navy in WW1 at the Vivid II (shore-based barracks at Devonport) & then HMS Ajax 1915-19 as Stoker 2nd Class, then 1st Class and he died aged 94 in Oct 1990. As far as I can see they only had one son Stewart and Alma died in Oct 1991 also aged 94.

Saturday 11th March 2017

What happened on this day:
no births
Lilian Ada Cox was christened in 1890 and
James Knight in 1821
Sarah Ann Woodford married Charles Saddington in 1874
Charles Parker married Minnie Edith Speller in 1922
Sarah Holmes née Roffey was buried in 1943 and
Lancelot Hore (who married Elizabeth Knight) in 1843

Friday 10th March 2017

What happened on this day:
9th Feb:
Daniel James Knight was born in 1856
Joseph Hodd married Ellen Reed in 1918 and several deaths:
Agar Lloyd Retallick in 1976
John Retallick in 1868
Florence Manhire née Bare in 1963 and
James Knight in 1883
10th Feb:
Jessie Woodford was born in 1907
Viole Glanville Retallick in 1900 and
Douglas Henry Matthews in 1925
Rebecca Knight was christened in 1812 as was
Suzannah Woodford in 1757
Anthony Knight married Philippa Varcoe in 1825
Elizabeth Woodford (née Tuckwood) died in 1907
Edwin B Matthews in 1910 and
James Knight in 1892

Just 2 remaining Knights left.
Yvonne Eugenie Marjorie Knight was born 18 Sep 1900 at Penpell to Woodman & Elizabeth née Ashton (see Tuesday). The final child, she appeared to have received all the names left over from the previous 10! There does not appear to be a baptism record, as this couple only baptised the first 3 children (Yvonne was 11th). She can be seen in census of 1901 (as Marjorie) at Penpell with parents, sibs & a farm labourer/servant then in 1911(also as Marjorie) in Hadlow, Tonbridge with parents & sibs. On 20 Apr 1921 at St Dunstan's - see below - she married Frank Sidney Pritchard, local boy, who can be seen in 1911 census living with his uncle in High Street, Hadlow. Both were clerks at Kenwood & Court's Close Brewery located in this road, now converted into flats. Yvonne & Frank settled in Sevenoaks for a few years and had 2 sons there, although the second Philip only lived for one day (at the Foye Nursing Home, Pembroke Road) and by the time the third child Christopher was born in 1929 they had moved to Tonbridge. This could well have been the house where they were living in 1939 when the Register was taken; Granchester, The Ridgeway. I cannot track down the house, as they have all been given numbers, but it is a very nice road with some lovely properties. It was then, as neighbours are listed as Director, Engineer, Master Ironmonger, Teacher, Architect, Director, Managing Director and Headmaster. Frank was by then Manager of an Insurance Brokers. Yvonne was UDD, son Guy at school and one closed record - probably Christopher as he died in 2007 and this information has probably not filtered through yet. On 1 Aug 1977 Yvonne died in the Westminster area of London, giving home address of 22 Stack House, Ebury Street, which is still there, a fairly nice block built in 1952, part of the Grosvenor Estate. She may have been renting an apartment there while attending a hospital (there are many nearby) or they had a London Residence. Either way, when Frank died 4 years later aged 87 he gave the same home address but his death was registered in Canterbury (just to confuse matters!)

Zerua Rosina Knight was covered on 26th June 2012 and 29th Oct 2012. Apart from the 3 children mentioned on the stone above, I now know death dates of the other 9, all in the St Austell area or nearby.

I still intend to move on to another subject after I have finished here, but have 2 more branches to investigate on this tree: the Manhires and the Retallicks.

Tuesday 7th March 2017

I have been away, meeting the latest addition to this tree. Welcome Harriet Dawson, I hope you will in future years be interested in your family history - and maybe even read this blog!

Woodman Knight was born 10 Aug 1849 in Roche to James & Grace née Woon and christened there on 5 May 1850. He can be seen aged 1 in census of 1851 at Carbis Common with parents & sibs, also in 1861 aged 11 at Bodelva, St Blazey, a China Clay Labourer and same in 1871 aged 21. On 11 Nov in St Austell he married Elizabeth Ashton, barmaid at the Four Lords Inn, St Blazey, daughter of the Innkeeper. [the pub is still there, very proud of their long history. Bodelva is where the Eden Project is now, a mile out of town. You can see on http://www.edenproject.com/ how the desecrated land where the Clay Pit used to be has here been saved for nature]
In 1881 census Woodman can be seen farming 33 acres, at Bodelva, very near his parents' & brother Nicholas' farms, with 4 daughters. In about 1890 the family relocated to Penpell, Lanlivery. I told this story on 5th Feb - see Reginald below - how the family lived here for a couple of decades then relocated again to Tonbridge in Kent. In 1891 & 1901 censuses they can be seen at Penpell with 8 and 7 children respectively, cousin Minnie Ashton & servants. By 1911 they had moved to Park Farm, Hadlow, Tonbridge with 7 children. On 5 Jul 1912 Woodman arrived in Liverpool, back from a trip to USA, I assume due to the serious illness of his sister Susan, who lived in Pennsylvania and died the following year. He himself died on 2 Apr 1915 at Park Farm, aged 65, leaving effects worth £2047 to his widow Elizabeth. She stayed there until 1927, when she moved again, this time to Tonbridge itself and lived there for 12 years until she died herself on 17 Feb 1939, aged 84, leaving £478 to Leslie. Her obituary in the local newspaper told of the funeral at West Peckham, attended by a long list of people, including Leslie, Kate, Elizabeth, Elsie & Hilda, also 2 married daughters (Renee Gwendoline & Yvonne). Leslie was the only son, as Reginald died in 1934). St Dunstan's West Peckham is very close to Hadlow, and was no doubt their local church while they were living there.

Tuesday 28th February 2017

William James Leslie Bevill Knight (known generally as Leslie) was born 6 Feb 1896 in Lanlivery to Woodman & Elizabeth née Ashton but was not christened, as they only baptised the first 3 of their 10 children (he was 9th). He can be seen in 1901 census at Penpell, Lanlivery with parents, sibs & a servant, then moved with them to Kent, as he is next seen in Hadlow, Tonbridge with parents & sibs in 1911. In 1929 in Eastbourne, Sussex he married Marjorie Grace Bullock, born in the Croydon area, living in Staplehurst. As far as I can see they had just one daughter Shirley, born in 1931. The 1939 Register shows the three of them at a house called Allegheny, Common Lane, Ditchling, nr Chailey, Sussex. To me the name of the house is significant, as I spent yesterday chasing around Allegheny County in Pennsylvania after William 9 and his family. I have looked, but cannot see a link between these "twigs", but it can't be a coincidence, surely. [Incidentally, Dame Vera Lynn lives next door and is one of my mother's great heroes. This is not her tree.]. In 1939 Leslie was working as a "Miller's Representative". Marjorie was UDD, and Shirley's file is closed, as she may still be alive. I suspect she married John Gillam in Tonbridge, but can't tell without sight of the certificate. I suspect Leslie and Marjorie retired some 30 miles to the east as Leslie died in Hailsham in 1971 (aged 75) and Marjorie in Lewes in 1978 (aged 80).

The two William John Knights I dealt with in 2012. One on 17th Jun 2012 was the one who travelled to America, married a fellow Brit, then took her & their children to New South Wales Australiia and established a dynasty there.
The other William John Knight died aged 15 and was only significant in that I found his grave and reported on that on 19th Oct 2012.

William Orinsa Knight (love that middle name!) was born Jul 1859 in Church Village, Lanivet to Philip & Elizabeth née Willcocks and christened at Lanivet 23 Feb 1860. He can be seen in census of 1861 with parents, sister & grandparents at Church Village, then in 1871 aged 17 (probably a typo, as he was 12) in Lanivet Village with parents & sisters, listed as Tin Labourer. He died in Aug 1872 aged 13 and was buried on 25 Aug in Lanivet churchyard

William Roberts Knight was born in Oct 1840 at Higher Menadew, Luxulyan to James & Rebekah née Roberts (hence the "plural" middle name) and christened at Luxulyan church In census of 1841 he can be seen at Higher Menadew with parents & Elizabeth Common, servant. In 1851 at Croft [nowadays a Holiday Park] he can be seen aged 10 with parents, sibs & a different servant. He must have left home in his teens, as when next seen at the age of 20 he was in St Mary Magdalen, Old Fish Street, London with dozens of others, warehousemen & porters, for some reason lodging at the church. He was listed as "warehouseman to Manchester Warehouse (cotton cloth warehouses)". I can see from my research that this church was badly damaged by fire in 1886 and rather than rebuild it was demolished. Maybe because it was a doss-house rather than a functioning church! Anyway, 1871 census finds him lodging at 48 Castle Street, Marylebone, now unemployed [I cannot track this down, if it is Great Castle Street, I cannot reach it on Google Streetview]. Equally inaccessible is where he was in 1881 census 23 Torriano Avenue, Kentish Town [Torriano School was built on the site in 1910]. He was (still or again) unemployed at that time but by 1891 census can be seen lodging at 1 Hillmorton Road, Islington, only a mile away but a huge rise in property value. It can be seen that he now works as a Commission Agent. We have come across this term before and know it to be very lucrative (something like a bookie). By 1901 he was still there, although next door at number 3, now Head of Household, a Racing Commission Agent with his Own Account. He died nearby on 20 Jun 1908 aged 67 at his home at 45a Gaisford House, Gaisford Street, leaving effects worth £85,388 17s 3d to his brother Josiah, yeoman and John Hocken Knight, merchant (his cousin) - equivalent to £7 million today, I understand! He was buried on 25 Jun 1908 in Luxulyan and brother Josiah joined him on 13 Oct 1925 ie 17 years later.

William Udy Knight was born Mar 1800 in Luxulyan to Robert & Elizabeth Udy (hence the unusual middle name) and christened there on 6 Apr 1800 (using the font above, presumably). On 16 Dec 1825, also in Luxulyan he married Mary Haly. As far as I can see, they only had 2 children, both sons, but 2nd son William died aged 7. They can be seen in 1841 just with son Joseph & 1851 with both, latterly at Church Town Luxulyan, also with Mary's widowed father John Haly, 2 servants and a visitor. In 1858 her father died - buried in the churchyard above, leaving £200 (£17,375 today) to Mary and in 1861 they can be seen still at Church Town, with son Joseph & nephew Joseph also house servant. In 1871 they were in Luxulyan Village with servant & a visitor. Mary died in 1869 and William on 6 Apr 1874, leaving £300 to son Joseph (£23,718 today)

Monday 27th February 2017

What happened on this day:
Florence Minnie Matthews was born in 1903 as was
William James Taylor (Jim)
Kitty Knight married Elias Pinch in 1827
Clara Ann Knight married John Grose in 1894 and
Richard Retallick died, also in 1903

William Knight 9 was born 24 Feb 1843 at Tresibble, Roche to James & Rose née Common and christened in Roche on 2 Apr 1843. He can be seen in census of 1851 at Criggan Downs with parents & sibs, then in 1851 at Parsley Manor Miners' Inn, St Agnes, boarding along with his father (James Knight 5 - see 1st Feb 2015), working with him as a mining engineer. On 4 Feb 1865 in Roche church he married Susannah Hancock, farm labourer's daughter and in 1871 they can be seen at Carbis with her widowed father Nicholas Hancock and 4 children. In October 1862 Susannah (aged 16) and her sister Lydia (aged 21) had been in trouble, arrested and committed for trial for Lydia having stolen some goods from her employer, a draper she had been working for as servant, and Susannah for receiving them. Lydia was given 6 months imprisonment but Susannah acquitted, evidently unaware they were stolen. In 1866 Lydia married and settled down too. In 1881 census Susanna, with 6 children, can be seen at Woon Bridge with her father & brother Joseph. William is not there, because he has gone over to USA - he said he went to 1880, although I cannot find him on a passenger list. Eldest son Albert followed on SS Adriatic, landing at New York 3 Sep 1881, aged 16, to work as a carpenter. The rest joined them later, landing at New York 10 Jul 1882, on board SS Britannic. As 1890 census is missing, the next we see is 1900 census, where William & Susannah can be seen at Woodward Township, Pennsylvania with 2 daughters, William in charge of a Stationary Engine. He died 2 May 1906 aged 63 of apoplexy. I cannot find Susannah's next move, whether death or remarriage, but there are one or two stories among the children. They had 7 in all, but one died in infancy before they emigrated. The eldest, Albert married Cora Getty in 1887, produced 10 children and died in 1939. Lydia married J Edward Hayes in 1895, but he died, and on 19 Mar 1942 she died in Montifiori Hospital, Pittsburgh aged "about 75" of "shock & crushed chest due to jumping out of a 3rd storey window" at home, probably suicide. Informant was Roy Knight, her nephew. Nicholas was always known in the States as James. He married Anna Liames in 1891 and had 3 children Ada, Preston & Harold and I suspect he died in 1913. Janie (may also be known as Jennie) I think travelled to Georgia, married & died there. Bessie married Roy Griffith in 1900 but again fades out due to possible alternatives for her name.
William Knight 10 was born Jul 1861 at St Stephen-in-Brannel to John & Amy née Rowe and can be seen in census of 1871 aged 9 at Bloomdale, St Stephens. After this I lose him, although it may be him at Housey Farm in 1881, a "Farm Servant Indoor" aged 20. However, the only other record I can find is a marriage in Staveley, Derby and n othing to corroborate that.

William Alfred Knight was mentioned in 2012, because I found his grave near that of his parents. He was born 27 Dec 1929 in Lanivet to Ernest & Amy née Wills and can be seen with them in 1939 Register (see 2nd Jan below) at Higher Rosewarrick, aged 9 at school. As far as I can see, he was virtually an only child, as his brother Alfred died in infancy before William was born. When he died on 21 Nov 1992 aged 62 he was in Kenwyn Nursing Home, Truro and left £245,827, but I don't know to whom, probably his mother, who survived him for 6 years.

His uncle William James Knight was born Oct 1899 in Lanivet to Ernest & Gertrude née Rowse and I mentioned him in 2012 too, having found his gravestone. He can be seen in 1901 & 1911 censuses at Rosewarrick with parents, brother & grandmother in the former. In Dec 1824 he married Annie Wills, whose sister Amy was to marry his brother Ernest in Apr 1826. They had one daughter Maud and can be seen with her in 1939 Register at Woodley, Wadebridge, where William was farmer, and Maud was at school. Annie died in 1976 and William 29 Jul 1978, both aged 78. Maud married Cecil Harris in 1952 & died in 1964 aged 36.

Sunday 26th February 2017

What happened on this day:
Sarah Ann Matthews & Alice Kate Matthews were christened in 1854
"Thomas Woodford 3" married Elizabeth Ann Tuckwood in 1855
James Woodford married Ann Adams in 1833
William Gordon (who married Augusta Knight) died in 1910

William Knight 8 was born Jul 1831 at Pentevale, Roche to Thomas & Elizabeth née Hammer and christened at Roche on 14 Aug 1831. He can be seen aged 10 in 1841 census at Drinnick, St Stephen-in-Brannel with parents & sibs. On 21 Sep 1850 in St Stephens he married Ann Best, local girl, daughter of a clay agent, and they can be seen in 1851 census at Nanpean with her widowed father and their baby daughter Ann, William listed as Blacksmith. By 1861 they had 2 children and Ann can be seen in the census at Nanpean with them and her father, working as Housekeeper for him. William is nowhere to be seen, but soon they set off for Australia, so maybe he was away, scouting for somewhere to go. On 28 Sep 1867 they set off on the SS True Briton from Plymouth to Melbourne:
21st September 1867. Sailed from London, Captain George H. Bawn, for Melbourne.
23rd September 1867. Sailed from Gravesend for Melbourne.
24th September 1867. Passed Deal for Melbourne.
26th September 1867. Called into Plymouth to embark passengers for Melbourne.
29th September 1867. Sailed from Plymouth for Melbourne.
27th October 1867. Crossed the Equator.
17th November 1867. Crossed the meridian of Cape of Good Hope.
18th December 1867. Anchored in the Hobson’s Bay.
22nd December 1867. Berthed alongside the pier at Melbourne.

Ann died in 1881, and William re-married in 1883 to Bridget O'Brien, who had a grown-up son Arthur. Unfortunately his son John died in 1887 aged 34, William in 1890 aged 59. His will named son Arthur as executor and he left "real estate worth no more than £510 and personal property worth no more than £386" to Bridget. She died herself in 1892. William's daughter Ann married John Harris in 1874 & died in 1936. All were buried in Majorca Cemetery

Saturday 25th February 2017

What happened on this day:
Dorcas Matthews was born in 1867
Caroline Woodford died aged 7 weeks in 1854 (one of The Babies Who died and started me on this path)
William Matthews died in 1919

Friday 24th February 2017

What happened on this day:
22nd Feb:
My father Walter Charles Matthews was born in 1922
"John Wooldridge 5" was christened in 1874 as was
Elizabeth Knight in 1801
Louisa Elizabeth Cox married (John) George Chapman in 1898
23rd Feb:
"William Knight 1" was christened in 1806
William Catchesides married Margaret Willett in 1755
24th Feb:
"William Woodford 2" died in 1911 and
Silas Matthews in 1866

William Knight 4 (Jessie's 5x great grandfather) was born Jan 1672 in Roche to John & Jane née Neave and christened there on 26 Jan 1672. On 21 Apr 1694 also in Roche he married Katherine Jenking from St Stephens. Unfortunately with these early records there are currently just Births, Marriages & Deaths, so all else I know is that they had 3 children before William died aged just 38 and was buried on 14 Mar 1710 in Roche. Katherine followed 45 years later, buried on 6 May 1755.

William Knight 5 was born Sep 1731 in Roche to John & Dorothy née Bray and christenned there on 11 Oct 1731. On 18 Dec 1757 in St Merryn (near Padstow) he married Sarah Treverton. They already had 2 children by then, but as Sarah, born in 1755, was christened in Liskeard, which was over 30 miles away, they probably avoided the gossip this would entail. The other 3 daughters were christened in St Dennis, near Roche. And as far as I can see, Sarah & William lived there for the rest of their lives, buried in St Dennis churchyard on 5 Jan 1794 and 8 Mar 1814 respectively.

I think that William Knight 6 was born in May 1803 in Roche to Anthony & Mary née Hore and her mother did not survive the birth. In all the chaos of this and Anthony finding a new mother for his surviving 5 children, William was not christened until after this subsequent marriage - 23 Jun 1805. On 25 Mar 1826 in Roche he married Mary Truscott and they had 13 children (although one died aged 11) in Carnrosemary, now known as Bugle, followed by Mount Whistle (Higher Bugle). In census of 1841 you can see William, Mary & 8 children at Woon with Mary's family around, William working as a Tin Miner. In 1851 the address is given as Mount Tol but I can't locate that anywhere, but it is evidently still Woon, as the family remains here for decades. William is now Tin Miner and farmer of 12 acres, with 9 children (Charlotte & Elizabeth have married and left home, Jane was in service. William died on 11 Apr 1860, leaving effects worth less than £200 to Mary, his widow, and she can be seen still living at Woon in 1861 & 1871 censuses with children, then grandchildren. She died Jul 1877.

William Knight 7 was born May 1823 at Carnrosemary (Bugle) to Anthony & Ann née Jeffery and christened at Roche on 8 Jun 1823. He can be seen aged 17 at Carnrosemary in census of 1841 with parents & 4 sisters and grandfather next door. He was listed as a Tinner. In census of 1851 (taken on 30 Mar) his father had died, so he was head of the family, living with his mother Ann at Mount Whistle. In the same house, but a separate household was one Ann Martin, widowed china clay labourer, and her 4 children (I assume this means widow OF china clay labourer, not that she mined clay herself). On 17 Aug - 4 months later - William aged 27 married Ann aged 40, although her husband Philip was not buried until 18 November! In census of 1861 they can still be seen there with William's step-son John Martin, a fellow tin-miner, then the same in 1871 but intead of John there was a boarder William "Goudge", possibly Ann's brother as her maiden-name was Goodge, and next door Mary Martin & 2 children, possibly Philip's sister-in-law. William died on 8 May 1879 at Mount Whistle, leaving effects worth less than £100 to Ann, and was buried in Roche churchyard 9 May 1879. 1881 census shows Ann alone at Mount Whistle with 13-year-old grand-daughter Polly Martin. She died aged 80 on 9 Mar 1887 and was buried with William.

Tuesday 21st February 2017

What happened on this day:
Jenepher Knight was christened in 1816
Winifred Alice Cox married Albert Bowsher in 1920
"Richard Retallick 5" married Christiana Hoskin in 1832
William Hodd married Lucy Emily Dyer in 1885
Martha Hodd married John May in 1882 (Cliff's grandparents)
Frederick Ricketts (who married Louisa Matthews) died in 1938
Jessie Woodford in 1936
"Edward Roffey 3" in 1886 and
"William Wooldridge 3" was buried in 1853

William Knight 2 was born Jul 1815 in Roche to John & Mary Ann née Williams and christened there on 13 Aug 1815. He can be seen in census of 1841 at Tresibble, Roche with parents & sibs, aged 26. [Tresibble was 2 houses, next to Hallew, which itself comprised 9 - and this is still the case, I understand.] On 29 Oct 1846 in Luxulyan he married Catherine "Kitty" Roach and they can be seen in 1851 census with 3 children and 2 servants (one house, one farm), farming 60 acres, leasehold land, surrounded by family. Unfortunately, 1853 was a bad year for William, as both his father (aged 61 - mother had died 10 years earlier) and Kitty died. Her demise was a few weeks after giving birth to their 5th child Fanny, so was probably due to complications. To make ends meet, William took on the job of Clay Agent along with farming 30 acres (possibly another family member took on the other half) and must have had help from relatives living nearby in looking after the children, the youngest of whom was by then 7. His brother James lived close by and was often away (was boarding at St Agnes at the time of the census, working with his son), so no doubt Rose took care of his 4 children along with her 4 (although her eldest was 18 & working himself). In 1871 he was still at the same address but had dropped the Agent job, and taken on more land. He was now farming 48 acres, with daughter Fanny now 17, but we see he has 2 more daughters, also a farm servant and a "Boarder", dressmaker Charlotte Knight (his distant cousin, only related in that their great grandfathers were brothers, which makes them third cousins, I understand) and it was her with whom he had the extra children. I have dealt with this on 28 Oct 2012 and 17 Dec 2016. It wasn't until 1881 that they married and thus made the girls legitimate (2 boys both died in infancy). I still don't know what made them wait so long, and why they had to nip across the border to Devon (36 miles) and marry by licence - he was 66, she 50, but then maybe that raised objection too. In 1881 census, taken in April, she called herself Wife, but as seen above she was not until 8 December. The farm was 52 acres, and the other dwelling at Tresibble uninhabited, the girls teens at home and they had an 18-year-old domestic servant. By 1891 William was 75, nephew Edward had moved into the other house in Tresibble, vacated by his parents (they were lodging with daughter Sarah) on his dishonourable discharge from the army, until he took his family back to USA a few years later. William's daughter Clara was employed by William on the farm, as was another servant. In 1901 Charlotte had moved, with Clara on her marriage, to an area called Slades, in Charlestown, St Austell. She died there aged 74 in 1905. (Clara had died in 1903, probably in childbirth, aged 37 and her husband John married a lady 20 years his junior).

William Knight 3 was his eldest son with Kitty, born May 1847 at Trisibble, christened in Roche on 7 Jun 1847 and can be seen with the family as above in 1851 & 1861. There are two versions, who emigrate to USA, one to Pennsylvania, one to Utah, and I have nothing to link either.

Monday 20th February 2017

What happened on this day:
Anthony Smith was christened in 1825 and
Eden Knight in 1820
Frederick William Hennig (my great grandfather) married 1st wife Maria Cox in 1848

Walter Cock Knight was born on 3 Aug 1873 in Luxulyan to Oscarlando & Mary Ann née Cock and christened there on 24 Oct 1875. You know the story, the family emigrated in early 1880 to Clinton County, Michigan when he was 6 and can be seen in census that year in Riley. 1900 census shows them in Bengal Township, Walter was 26 and a labourer on his father's farm. On 14 Nov 1903 at Bengal church [no photos available] he married Pearl Elizabeth Jury, sister of James Loren Jury, who had married Walter's sister Lucy a few weeks before (see 10th January below) and they took on their own farm nearby. In 1910 census they can be seen there with one son Oliver, aged 6. Walter is farmer on his own land, mortgaged. In 1920 the situation is the same, but by 1930 Oliver has married and set up in his own farm next door (well, it seems so on the census return) and they have one of their eventual 3 sons. Walter died on 10 Dec 1938 and was buried in the family plot at Mount Rest Cemetery. Pearl lived at the same place for another 29 years, and can be seen there in 1940 census with a live-in farmhand, and joined the family in the cemetery in 1967.

As with the Thomases, in 2012 I only covered one William Knight, born Jan 1806 to James & Philippa née Hooper - see 16th June 2012. However, in the almost 5 years since this report a lot more research has been done by colleagues on the other side of the world. I may have mentioned a book "Knights of Roche" by Elaine Bolitho. I have known about it for years, and spoken to the author several times in years past, but only now have seen some of the contents. It is this branch that she descends from, and has done much detailed work on them. Also another book "More Bygone Days in Lower Hutt" by George Kaye has been scanned and I have access to the scans. So can bring more detail to you, gleaned from the research of other genealogists (easy but risky).
Apparently (related from excerpts from local newspapers) there was much disease and bad conditions, attributed locally to the work of witches, as Cornwall was proud of its Celtic roots & heritage, and families were queueing up to emigrate. The New Zealand Company was set up to take them to that country to start a new life.
As fellow genealogist David Knight says, William's mother was living at Woon Farm, Roche when he left these shores, so maybe it was here he grew up as a child. It seems that the church where William married Mary Ann Penrose was Holy Trinity and afterwards they settled at Penpillick. Elaine doesn't believe that Mary Ann was the child of this couple, and certainly she does appear to have been living in Carnrosemary and baptised at Roche, mother Mary, not Mary Ann, although father named as William Knight. The problem is, there was a Mary Ann went with them to New Zealand, Elaine suggests may have been the child of somebody else... I am not convinced. From 1831-37 they lived at Penpillick and christened four sons at St Andrews, Tywardreath. On 8 Sep 1839 Samuel was christened at Lanlivery, with home address of "Greediow" (although I cannot find anything about this, so it may be mis-transcribed) but they must already have been on a waiting-list (possibly since the death of baby William in 1834 aged 3) as they set off 2 weeks later. They boarded the third ship sent out by the Company, the SS Duke of Roxburgh, at Gravesend on 20 Sep 1839 calling at Plymouth 5 Oct and landed at Petone, New Zealand on 7 Feb 1840, where apparently temporary huts & shacks were waiting on the beach.
William and Mary Knight landed at Petone with five children, off the N.Z.Co's third immigrant ship the "Duke of Roxborough" (sic) the day after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed...There were 25 married couples, 12 single men, 16 single women and 48 children onboard. During sailing the captain was lost overboard in a storm. After 125 days the vessel arrived in port. Extract from "More Bygone Days in Lower Hutt" by George Kaye (1980s):
To end our journey along Knights Road of the past we'll look briefly at the family after whom the road was named. With their five children, William and Mary Knight arrived at Port Nicholson (Wellington) in the Duke of Roxburgh on Feb 8th 1840. They settled at The Hutt and in the 1840s William built a house in what is now Penrose Street. Aged 61 he died at The Hutt in 1867. In 1872 his eldest son James built on the northern side of the first house, which was then used as stables. the new one was called "Penrose" after his mother's family estate in Cornwall. Her maiden name was Mary Ann Penrose... This pioneer accessway led from the evillage near the river to the present-day corner of Hautana Street and Knights Road. From there a track across the paddocks led to the site of "Penrose". James Knight was a Lower Hutt borough councillor from 1891 to 1985. Mary, his first wife, died in 1861, Jane the second in 1930 and James himself in 1904. He was the father of 14 children. His son Willoughby born at "Penrose" in 1872 built Wai-Ponga which became one of the largest poultry farms in New Zealand.
To fill in the gap, Between 1841 & 1851 seven children were born to William & Mary Ann, including twins Daniel & Joseph in 1845, but Elizabeth (one of only two daughters in the 12 confirmed siblings) died aged 2 on 4 Dec 1852. In electoral roll records of 1853-64 both William and son James are listed as leaseholders of farms at Waiwetu in the Hutt District. William died at Lower Hutt on 17 Oct 1867 and was buried there at St James Churchyard. Mary Ann followed in 1871. In 1990 there was a reunion of descendants, largely of 5th son Samuel, and a plaque was placed to commemorate them.

Sunday 19th February 2017

What happened on this day:
Martha Eliza Hodd was born in 1863
Joanne Hennig married Friedrich Hardt in 1860
Arthur Pears (who married Frances Hatton) died in 1952 and
Henry Taylor was buried in 1891

Thomas Oscar Knight was born on 21 Dec 1870 in Roche to Oscarlando & Mary Ann née Cock and christened there on 13 Feb 1871. In census of 1871 he can be seen at Bilberry Farm with parents & sibs, aged "2 months" (really over 3 months but they evidently lost count). With the rest of his family, he emigrated to USA in early 1880 and can be seen there in census of that year, aged 9 at Riley, Clinton, Michigan. As we know, 1890 census is missing, and when we next see the family they have moved 5 miles north to Bengal Township and Thomas can be seen there aged 29 in 1900. He remained there for the rest of his life, never marrying and living in West Walker Street with his parents & two widowed sisters, until each died, through censuses of 1910-40. Thomas died aged 79 on 24 Apr 1950 and was buried at Mount Rest Cemetery in the family plot.
 
Uriah Knight was born in Jul 1843 in Roche to Anthony & Ann née Pinch and christened there on 20 Aug 1843, their first child, 9 months after their marriage. He can be seen in census of 1851 aged 7 at Carbis Common with parents & sibs, then in 1861 at Woon Common the same, but he was by then 17 and a China Clay Labourer. On 31 Oct 1870 at St Columb he married Philippa Thomas and they can be seen in census of 1871 at New Mills, near the village of London Apprentice, St Austell, where he was listed as Railway Labourer, so was evidently trying his hand at something else. This was a very interesting time to be involved in these projects.
Pentewan Railway history: The output of China Clay locally had increased rapidy in the period 1826-1838 and a narrow-guage railway line was built to deal with this from St Austell to the coast in 1829. In 1833 a coal-yard & siding were built at London Apprentice (which was named after the Inn on the St Austell to Pentewan road which functioned 1813-71 at least) to serve the tin mine at Polgooth & a number of small mica works, also St Austell gasworks. In 1874 an Act of Parliament authorised the use of locomotive traction on the Pentewan line and extension north into the clay fields. Strengthening of the track had already taken place in anticipation of this - and that was probably what Uriah was involved in. Everything seemed good and it all functioned well - but only for a couple of years. On 1 Jan 1876 the Cornwall Railway was taken over by the Great Western Railway and china clay traffic was redirected through their facilities at Fowey. Plans to electrify Pentewan were not implemented and by 1880 the line was running at a loss. This was when Uriah moved on, and the company functioned on a much reduced scale until WW1 took it's toll on staffing and the line closed in 1918.
We next see him in 1881 census at Wheal Prosper, Roche, working as a clay agent. This was a clay works, very famous in its day, and the last to be closed in 1989, now converted to holiday lets but retaining most features
A clay agent was what we know today as a Rep. He was living at the clay works, but presumably travelling about selling the product. In 1891 & 1901 censuses he can be seen at Virginia Clay Works, St Stephens. They didn't move far. Philippa died here in 1907 aged 61 and was buried at St Stephen on 18 July. The following year he married Elizabeth Jane Udy née Husband, also widowed in 1907, and they can be seen in 1911 census at Higher Fraddon, St Enoder (a few miles to the north), retired. As I said in June 2012, when I found his grave, at his death at Indian Queens, St Columb Major he was buried with Philippa on 25 Mar 1912 at St Stephens but left effects worth £323 to Elizabeth, who followed in 1918. Also in 2012 I said I would look into the term Captain on his stone, but I cannot find anything. I scoured the local newspapers, but only found that he won 2nd prize for hedging in 1863 when he was 19, then 3rd when 21 then 4th when 24. Also I found his 2nd marriage announcement - which explained the move to Fraddon, also his death announcement which contained no information, and didn't call him Captain.

Saturday 18th February 2017

What happened on this day:
"Richard Retallick 4" was christened in 1775
Lavinia Knight married George Henry Jarrett in 1883
Henry Von Joel (who married Jane Matthews) died in 1917

The only Thomas Knight I covered in 2012 was born in 1766 in Roche to John & Joyce née Williams and was Jessie's 3xg grandfather, and I will call him Thomas Knight 1. If you remember, I was surprised to read in his will about the illegitimate grandson John Knight Snell. I have since found the baptism document of this child and the note on it "the said John Knight (ie Thomas' son) is now deceased and Miriam is a daughter of John Snell, miner". Also on that same day in the same church was the funeral of John, who died aged 22 but I cannot find the circumstances. This all came to light when Thomas' will was read at his death in the September. However, I still cannot get to the bottom of how John could have had another family in the same town... The other problem I have with this file is Elizabeth's death. I have 1814 as the date, but this was the year her son & husband died and I cannot find a burial record for her.

His son Thomas Knight 2 was born Sep 1797 in Roche and christened 1 Oct 1797 in Luxulyan. On 18 Nov 1816 he married Elizabeth Hammer from St Mewan - banns were read at both St Mewan & Roche through October. Elizabeth, known as Betsy, had been born in St Mewan Apr 1796 to Jonathan & Ann Hammer, her father one of the witnesses at the marriage. For a few years they lived at Pentevale, Roche then moved to St Stephen-at-Brannel and had 8 children. In 1841 census they can be seen farming at Drinnick, St-Stephen-at-Brannel [*] with 7 children, then in 1851 (farm was 50 acres) with 3 children, 2 granddaughters & a lodger. In 1861 they are still there, with daughter-in-law Mary & youngest son Edwin. Thomas died there on 27 Nov 1867 aged 70 and was buried at St Stephen's. Elizabeth got a position as a Housekeeper with a butcher in Truro and can be seen there in Goodwives Street in censuses of 1871 & 1881, with Edwin, now a Brewer. [This area is now called Moresk]
* a quick history of Drinnick, as I see it. In the 1840s, 50s & 60s, when our family lived there, it was multiple acres of farmland, but soon the railway came, and spread over large parts of this with branchlines & sidings, for the clay industry. Suffice to say, this didn't last very long either, as the clayworks themselves swamped the railways, until they ran out, and the industry left. Now these are derelict, as in so many areas in Cornwall, but the areas are now reinventing themselves again. Warehouses and distribution units are replacing the sidings here, but no real "town" development at the moment.

His son Thomas Knight 3 was born in Feb 1825 in Pentivale, Roche and christened on 27 Feb (after a previous incarnation was born and christened Jun 1820, died and was buried in May 1823). Pentivale is most well-known as the source of the River Fal, although this has several sources that join together to rush on down to the sea at Falmouth. By the time brother Edwin was born, the family had setted at Drinnick (see above) and Thomas 3 can be seen there with parents & sibs in 1841 census. On 6 Dec 1846 at St Stephen he married Mary Ann Bullock, daughter of a carpenter and a milliner, also living in Drinnick. They moved in next door to Thomas' parents and he worked as a miner. They had 9 children and can be seen there with them in censuses of 1851-1871. On 11 May 1879 Thomas died here aged 54 and was buried at Churchtown Cemetery (a photo of which I use at the top of this page) on 13 May. In 1881 census Mary Ann can be seen at Nanpean with her two youngest, and also a Mrs Emma Knight, lodging (not sure who she is, as I said there are many Knight families around the area), Mary Ann working as a tailoress, Emma as seamstress. Next door were Thomas' brother John & sister-in-law Amy with their two youngest. Mary Ann died there on 10 Aug 1884 aged 57, leaving £63 to her daughter Ernestine.

Thomas Knight 4 was born early May 1734 in Roche to John & Dorothy née Bray and christened there on 27 May 1734. Unfortunately that is as far as I can go with him.

Thomas Knight 5 was born Jun 1828 in Bodwen, Luxulyan to Philip & Elizabeth and christened there on 27 Jul 1828. He can be seen in census of 1841 aged 12 at Hallew, Roche with parents & sibs, then in 1851 at Bilberry, working on the farm as a labourer aged 22. There are multiple possibilities concerning what he did & where he went next, but I cannot confirm any.

Friday 17th February 2017

What happened on this day:
Bessie Knight was born in 1857
Mary Ann Hatton Gamble married James Pearce in 1862
"Anthony Knight 3" married Ann Jeffery in 1822
Frederick Maunder Retallick died in 1953 and
Silas Matthews in 1875

Tahpenes Ann Knight was Jessie's grandmother and I don't know why I haven't covered her before, as she is pivotal in this tree. She was born on 17 Sep 1853 in Roche to Robert & Lavinia née Retallick and christened there on Christmas Day. She can be seen aged 7 in census of 1861, in Roche with parents & sibs, surrounded by other Knight families, then in 1871 age 17 at Bilberry, looking after her grandmother Betsy Knight, next to the main farmhouse where Oscarlando & family lived (until they emigrated in 1880). On 23 Jul 1877 at St Peter's, Treverbyn she married Richard Manhire, carpenter, born in Roche & living at Molinnis. The first child Claude was born on 12 Aug 1879 in Roche but christened by the Luxulyan Bible Christian Circuit at a "Private House in Pimlico, Middlesex" on 15th Sep 1879 (i.e. London). 2nd child Lilian followed the next year - although there is a baptism at the Bible Christian Church in Bugle dated 31 Jul 1878 I think this date must be an error as there are no other records to suggest she was older. In 1881 census Claude is with his grandparents in Cornwall, while Richard, Tahpenes & Lilian (aged 5 months) can be seen at 42 Oakley Crescent, Chelsea, with a fellow carpenter from Roche and his family [there must have been renumbering at some point, as even numbers nowadays only go up to 32] along with boarders with the wonderful names Frank Skipworth & Grantham Bowler! Marian was born there, but in 1884, when they had a son Roderick who was born and died in the same quarter, followed in 1885 by another, who fortunately survived, this was all in the Wandsworth area, i.e across the Albert Bridge on the south side, in Battersea. In 1891 census they can be seen at 19 Anhalt Road, a familiar address to us! They lived here with 5 children, a boarder and 5 other families, Richard working as a carpenter & Joiner, and can be seen at the same address in census of 1901 with 4 children and another couple. Tahpenes died there on 28 Jul 1910 of a stroke (on 11 Jul) brought on by chronic Bright's Disease (kidney nephritis) and associated heart failure. Richard moved about after her death and can be seen in 1911 census , one of 4 carpenters lodging with a confectioner in Theale, Berkshire [I wonder if this was connected in any way with the fact that his youngest son's wife later had a confectionery shop in Battersea (Jessie's parents). At this point Oliver was a 15-year-old Law Clerk still at 19 Anhalt Road with his siblings]. Richard died on 26 Jun 1930 at the Mayday Hospital, Thornton Heath, with home address given as 57 Stratford Road, effects worth £291 going to son Roderick, described as an "agent".

I will tackle the Thomases tomorrow, as there are several...

Tuesday 14th February 2017

Simon Knight - fully covered previously, nothing new

Susan Knight - nothing new concerning her, as she died in 1934, but Charles can be seen in 1939 Register with Victoria, her mother and possibly her sister, at Central Corner, Roche. He ran the shop, now a Co-op. After his death there in 1955, effects worth £2114 went to his wife Victoria, who was 30 years younger than him, and she remarried.

Susan Jane Knight - I have discovered why I didn't find her in 1880 census. The enumerator got her husband's name reversed - he was listed as Bennett Johnson rather than Johnson Bennett, so the rest of the family had surname Johnson instead of Bennett. They can be seen at Jermyn, Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, as expected, Johnson and sons William & Johnson jnr all miners unemployed for 6 months. 1890 census is missing, but I reported in 2012 on her whereabouts in 1900 & 1910. I can now describe her death too. In 1885 Johnson had purchased a plot of land at All Saints Churchyard, Philadelphia and subsequently he, Susan, Louisa & Lydia were buried there (I don't know the girls - they may have been daughters-in-law or sisters) Susan died 25 Sep 1913 in Jermyn of intestinal obstruction she had had for 9 days, and was buried in the plot, joined at later dates by the others.

Saturday 11th February 2017

Sarah Knight was born at Christmas 1755 in Liskeard to William & Sarah née Treverton and christened there on 19 Jan 1756. Her parents were unmarried at the time and only made her legitimate when she was 2 years old (when her mother came of age). There is a marriage record in Liskeard dated 24 Mar 1807 and one of the witnesses is William Knight. This is perfectly feasible as he was still alive, but was 76 years old, and it is a very common name. I do not believe it is her though, as this lady died in 1859 which would mean she was 103 years old. There is a newspaper article giving her age as 78, which is more like it. So I cannot offer a believable story here, I am afraid.

The other Sarah Knight was confusing also. She was sometimes known as Sally, which was confusing for a while as I thought these were separate sisters. But although she was christened as Sally and married as Sarah, this probably wasn't even noticed as both bride & groom were illiterate. On 12 Aug 1815 at St Austell she married Hugh Hewett. He was a local lad who had been in the British Army serving in Canada in the 2nd Foot Soldiers from 25 Aug 1807 for "limited service". They settled in St Breock (he was already living there when he joined the army) and had 11 children (although two died in infancy). By the 1841 census Sarah was 45 and Hugh "50" (really 59) and they were living at Porlees Cottage, St Breock with 7 of them, Hugh working as an Ag Lab (Agricultural Labourer). By 1851 they were at 38 Gum Gate [I can't locate this address, and St Breock is very small nowadays], Hugh now 69, Sarah 54, and daughter Elizabeth was living with them with her 5 children. As Sarah died aged 57 at Gum Gate on 24 Jan 1856, in 1861 census Hugh was alone, lodging in St Breock, and he died in Apr 1867 aged 85.

Sarah Ann Knight was born Jul 1863 at Tresibble, Roche to James & Rose née Common and christened at Roche church on 8 Nov 1863. She can be seen in censuses of 1871 aged 7 at Hallew with parents & brother, then 1881 aged 17 with parents at Rosemelling. On 28 Feb 1885 in Roche she married Woodman Pascoe and they had 8 children. In 1891 census they can be seen at Higher Woon, Roche with 3 children & her parents, then in 1901 & 1911 at Paradise Farm, Bugle. They both died there, Woodman in 1932 and Sarah in 1938, leaving effects worth £55 to Woodman junior, clay labourer.

Thursday 9th February 2017

What happened on this day:
8th Feb:
Mary Ann Catchesides was christened in 1807 as was
John Retallick in 1829
Edward Isaac Gamble married Mary Ann Pitt in 1885
Louis Hennig married Maria Jan Carver in 1885 and
Susan Jane Knight married Johnson Bennett in 1862
Margaret Catchesides died in 1787
Lilian Woodford née Bailey in 2000
Ruth Woodford née Brewin in 1871 and
Margaret Retallick née Marks in 1889
Agnes Knight aged 11 was buried in 1787
9th Feb:
Thomas George Hodd was born in 1883
"John Woodford 2" was christened in 1794 as was
Maria Carolina Hennig (same day, entirely different trees!)
Frances Burbage Woodford married William Keays in 1852
Alfred Miles Woodford died in 1932 and
Susan Hodd née Brewster in 1881

Tuesday 7th February 2017

What happened on this day:
Elizabeth Matthews married William Calpin in 1811
but this was a very bad day for deaths:
David Knight died in 1917
My Great great grandfather Reuben John Woodford in 1906
James Knight in 1894 and
his daughter Lezette Munro Knight in 1885
John Sadgrove (who married both Emma Wooldridge and Caroline Amelia Catchesides) was buried in 1890, as was
Ann Knight née Jeffery in 1863

The final Robert Knight was son of the one I mentioned last thing yesterday. He was born in Apr 1856 to Robert & Lavinia (3rd of 11) and as he never married, he was with his parents all his life, except 1871 census, when he was 15 and possibly in service somewhere (but I can't find him) and in 1911, when he was boarding in Springfield with Charles & Eva Simcock after his parents' deaths (he may even be a sitting tenant). He died aged 75 at Rosevear Road, Bugle and was buried in Treverbyn churchyard.

Robin Knight senior was born Sep 1753 in Roche to John & Dorothy née Bray and christened there on 3 Oct 1753. The names Robin & Robert were fairly interchangeable in days gone by, it seems, and when we next see him he is marrying as Robert on 17 Apr 1775 to Mary Robbins (about whom I can find nothing). They had 5 children, but one died aged 3. I cannot find anything else on Robin & Mary as the dates are early and the names very common.
His eldest son Robin/Robert Knight was born Feb 1776, apparently in St Stephen-in-Brannel - it seems they lived there but christened at Roche - which he was on 19 Mar 1776. On 15 Sep 1794 in Liskeard he married Eleanor Kite, who had been born in St Ives but lived in Liskeard (her father William was one of the witnesses). They had 7 children, but two died in their early teens, all in Roche. Eleanor died aged 53 in 1825, was buried at St Stephens on 25 Apr, and Robin on 5 Nov 1838 aged 62.

Rosa Mary Knight - see 8 May 2012 - nothing new

Sarahs & Susans will now have to wait until next week.

Monday 6th February 2017

What happened on this day:
William Catchesides was born in 1794 and
Kate Elizabeth Martha Roffey in 1874
Henry Smith was christened in 1831 and
Martha Roffey married William Crowfoot in 1857

Richard Knight b1832 - nothing new

Richard Knight b1854 - in 2012 I couldn't find him between 1871 & 1896. I have "tracked" him down on the railways! He was working as a smith with the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway, based in Brighton, Sussex and I believe I found him boarding at Newhaven in 1881 census. I can't find him there in 1891, although I have a document of that year stating he worked at that time for the above railway. He must have returned to Cornwall soon after this, though, as in 1894 he was listed as a Foreman in the Union, the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, in the Truro branch. After marriage, he settled back into Cornish life as owner of a grocery & drapery shop, although I cannot find any details about it. The census says he worked from home, so must have lived "over the shop", although I cannot find a suitable house in this small village. 1939 Register was after his death (1923) so Emily is shown still at Whitemoor, listed as "General Grocer Retired", with a 34-year-old General Servant to look after her. She died there in 1944 and was buried with Richard at Nanpean Cemetery.

Robert Knight b1776 - see 22 Oct 2012 for the basics (I gave his outline when I discovered his gravestone), Jessie's 3x great grandfather. He was born Feb 1776 in Roche to Robin & Mary née Robbins and was christened there on 19 Mar 1776. By the time of his marriage on 13 May 1799 to Elizabeth "Betsey" Udy, he was living in Luxulyan and was a yeoman. They married in Lanlivery, where Betsey was living, and her father William was one of the witnesses (and both bride & groom signed their names). They lived in Luxulyan and all 9 children were christened there. They are next seen there in 1841 census at Higher Menedew, Robert listed as 60-year-old (1841 rounded down ages, he was almost 65) a miner, with son Joseph, daughter Eden & 2 servants. Similarly in 1871 they were at Higher Menadew, and I have seen a voters' list stating they owned Freehold House & Lands. Robert was by now a "Tin Stream Agent", aged 75. Betsey died on 11 Nov 1860, as reported by the Royal Cornwall Gazette on 16 Nov. So by 1861 census he can be seen as a widower at Higher Menadew with a housekeeper. He died at home just before his 89th birthday, leaving effects worth £2000 to sons William (farmer) and James (tinner). As I discovered from his gravestone, he was a well-respected churchman and Captain
 
Robert Knight b1806 was covered fully in 2012. He emigrated to Australia and founded a new dynasty there. Nothing new.

I can't believe I haven't covered Jessie's great grandparents Robert Knight b1830 & Lavinia Retallick, but it seems I have only mentioned them in passing, related to their (many) children. Robert was born towards the end of 1830 in Bodwen, Luxulyan, to Philip & Betsy and christened there on Boxing Day (26th Dec) 1830. This was where the family lived until late 1830s, when they moved to Hallew Farm, less than a mile to the Southwest. He can be seen there in 1841 census with parents & sibs, then 1851 census the address is described as "Bilberry Turnpike", but it may well have been the same place. He worked as a Tin Streamer. On 7 Jun 1853 at Roche parish church he married Lavinia Ann Retallick, who came from Luxulyan and was employed as House Servant for her uncle William Beswetherick. They moved in with his parents and soon (i.e within 3 months) started producing children. By the 1861 census they had five, but Philip had died and presumably Betsy helped take care of the children. And they lived in a whole road of Knight families, so it may well have been a very supportive extended family! By 1871 Robert had given up mining, and they were now at Molinnis, Bugle (Betsy had moved in with Oscarlando & family - or they with her - at Bilberry) with 6 childen, Robert listed just as "Labourer". In 1881 he had taken a job as Manure/Coal Agent and did this until he died, living right next door to the station on a road called Springfields. Lavinia had mental problems; in 1901 census she was described as "feeble-minded", and on 18 Oct 1902 she was admitted to the Bodmin Asylum, never to leave as she died in there on 3 Nov 1905, aged 71. I understand "feeble-minded" at this stage in her life could mean Alzheimers. She can't have been too feeble as she produced & reared eleven children! (But hence the mention of help, above). Robert died on 24 Jul 1909 aged 78 at the house by the station, leaving effects worth £420 to youngest son Alexander Adolphus Knight, straw hat salesman.

Sunday 5th February 2017

What happened on this day:
Florence Jessie Wooldridge was born in 1869 and
Elizabeth Retallick in 1849
William Robert Knight died in 1894 and
Matilda Golder née Hodd in 1966

Prudence Knight (see 21 May 2012) was born in Jul 1856 in Lanivet to James & Emmeline née Cook and christened there on 30 Sep 1856. She can be seen in censuses of 1861 and 1871 at Rosewarrick, Lanivet with parents, sibs & servant, but unfortunately her story is short, as she died aged 16 at Rosewarrick and was buried in Lanivet churchyard on 21 Jan 1873

Rebecca Knight was also dealt with on 21 May 2012. Today I have confirmed all but added nothing new

Reginald Woodman Knight - I cannot see that I have covered him before but I don't know why not. He was born 12 Dec 1882 in St Blazey to Woodman & Elizabeth née Ashton. I cannot find a baptism, so first glimpse of him is in 1891 census, aged 8, living at Penpell, Lanlivery with parents, sibs, cousin & 2 servants. By 1901 he had left home and was working as a servant/draper's assistant for Joseph Rose, shopkeeper from St Blazey. Joseph's entire family & staff (including cook, draper's assistant and draper's shop manager) all came from St Blazey. The business/shop, Joseph Long Rowse & Co, "wholesale linen drapers" was at 172 Bethnal Green Road - listed in 1921 Directory [I have walked along there a couple of times in the last year or so, but this part of the road is now modern buildings] and the family lived at 174. By 1911 his parents had moved to Tonbridge in Kent and taken on a very large farm, so he joined his siblings and can be seen in the census that year at Park Farm, Hadlow with parents and 6 siblings. There are records for a Reginald W Knight in the Rifle Brigade of the Royal Engineers, Railway subunit, fighting in WW1 & being awarded the Victory & British War Medal as a Private/Sapper, but I cannot be sure it was him. If it was, he didn't join up until late in 1917, as the local newspaper the Sevenoaks Chronicle announced on 20 Apr 1917.
His father died in 1915 and the family moved to 8 London Road, Tonbridge. In Jul 1923 in Lewisham (then Kent, now London) he married Alice Maud Beresford, daughter of a market porter from London, and they settled in Croyon, Surrey. Daughter Beryl was born there in 1926, but unfortunately died aged 6 in 1932. They moved back to Tonbridge and when Reginald died two years later, it was at his mother's address 8 London Road. His mother died in early 1939, so missed the Register, but Alice was there. If I'm correct, she was living at Keeper's Cottage, Flanes Wood, nr Ightham Mote, Sevenoaks, as Housekeeper for Henry Knight (if a relative, not one I know) the local Gamekeeper. Alice was listed as doing Land Work for the War Effort there. She died aged 72 in 1958, also at 8 London Road, and was presumably buried with her husband.

Renee Gwendoline Knight was his sister, so shared their early years. Unfortunately, as is often the case, she dropped her lovely first name after infancy, and in censuses of 1901 & 1911 she was with the family, listed as Gwendoline. On 2 Nov 1921 at St Dunstan's, West Peckham, Kent she married widower Henry Heath Hellyer. He already had one son Eric, but they had 5 more children together, Eric passing away just prior to the marriage, aged 13. I have seen electoral roll records from 1928-1935, where they are registered at the business address of 4 St Mary Axe, Aldgate, London. This is very interesting as it is now squeezed between the old church (on the corner of Leadenhall) and the famous modern tower called the Gherkin, numbers 2-28 occupied currently by the building Fitzwilliam House. Renee joined the record from 1929 onwards, and it says for both of them "abode Osborne House, Tonbridge", so they evidently didn't live there as such. Henry described himself in 1911 as an "Assurance Superintentent" and in 1939 Register as an Insurance Company Manager (it was Norwich Union in Maidstone, apparently). They can be seen then at Correnden, 36 Dry Hill Park Road, Tonbridge with son John, another boy of similar age, who may have been an evacuee, servant Dorothy Tocker and 2 closed files (probably Derek aged 13 & Anne aged 12, as Audrey was away at school Bedgebury Park in Goudhurst, 15 miles away). Eldest daughter Joan emigrated to USA, son Derek to New Zealand. When Henry died in 1951, at Osborne House, leaving effects worth £19,235 to Renee, Audrey & Anne, as well as a solicitor, Renee straight away set off for America, presumably to stay with Joan & her family - looks nice enough! Joan went on to live in Florida and died there in 2001. Renee returned home 27 Nov 1952 and she died at home in Tonbridge 12 Nov 1967 aged 78.

Saturday 4th February 2017

What happened on this day:
Grace Hilda Wooldridge was born in 1909 and
James Knight in 1826 in Chile
Gladys Smith was christened in 1898
James Henry Cox married Ellen Gibson in 1866
Kate Rengert née Roffey died in 1958
Mary Cleveland née Wooldridge was buried in 1892 and
Ada Bourner née Kither (who married Harold Roffey) in 1950

Philippa Knight was born in Aug 1794 in St Austell to James & Philippa née Hooper and christened there on 14 Sep 1794. On 29 Oct 1814 in Roche she married John Menear/Manhire, another link between the branches on this tree! Both parties "made their mark" because they could not write (hence the uncertain spelling of both Philippa (Philipia) and Manhire), groom was from St Austell, bride from Roche, witnesses Edward Manear (brother who married Philppa's sister Jane) and John Rowe (also a family linked by marriage a generation or two later). In 1841 & 1851 censuses they were at Menna, St Dennis, firstly with son John, then alone when he married (but didn't move far, staying in Menna). Philippa died aged 59 and was buried in St Dennis churchyard on 24 Oct 1853. So in 1861 census John was alone, widowed & living in Lower Carwallon, St Austell [probably where the modern road is now called Carwollen Road] with a lot of other Minear families living close by, listed as Retired Farmer". He died there in 1863 and was buried with Philippa in St Dennis churchyard.

Friday 3rd February 2017

What happened on this day:
1st Feb:
Louisa Woodford and Emily Elizabeth Woodford (aged 3) were christened in 1899
Arthur Henry Hennig died in 1951, as did Edgar Matthews and
Hester Ferres née Cox was buried in 1872
2nd Feb:
Dinah Wooldridge was born 1853 and
Thomas Roffey was buried in 1845
3rd Feb:
Edwin Woodford was born in 1849
Thomas Howell (who married Mary Catherine Woodford) died in 1930
Elizabeth Knight née Rooke died in 1908 in USA and
Henry Wooldridge was buried in 1892

Jessie's great-uncle Philip Knight 3 was born Oct 1859 in Roche to Robert & Lavinia née Retallick. He can be seen in censuses of 1861 at Hallew, Roche with parents & sibs, aged 1 and 1871 at Molinnis with them, working as an Errand Boy. I cannot track him down in 1881, then in 1891 he appears back with the family, but under the name Thomas. I am confident this was him, as he died at home in Hallew in October of that year, aged 32, and was buried at Treverbyn on 20 Oct 1891. I suspect Robert had a very broad accent, or something, as there were many slip-ups with names in this family...

Philip Knight 4 - records are very old here as he was born in Aug 1791 in Roche to Joseph & his 2nd wife Jane née Harvey and christened there 1 Sep 1791. I cannot prove any links from here, as no record has father's name, but there is a fairly cohesive story. On 26 Oct 1834 in Maker, Cornwall a Philip Knight was married to an Ann Stoddon. They can be seen in census of 1841 in Kiln Lane, St Austell with 3 children, Philip working as a tin miner. In 1861 they have another child and are living at Carvath. I think Ann died in the October of that year aged 53 and Philip followed aged 67, buried on 17 Jan 1856 from the Union House ie Workhouse. I think this happened because Sophia married Welshman John Allen and went to Wales with him, Sarah married Thomas Maunder and went to Yorkshire with him, Elizabeth/Betsey died in Jan 1854 aged 16 and Joseph was a servant at that time - he eventually emigrated to South Dakota, I think. But I must stress this is all unproven

Philip Orlando Knight, as you may guess, was the son of Oscar Orlando, dealt with on Tuesday. He was born Jun 1867 in Roche and chistened there on Christmas Day aged 1, with his sister Annie. He can be seen in census of 1871 at Bilberry, Roche with parents & sibs, then between 1877 & 1880 the whole family emigrated to USA and settled in Riley, Clinton, Michigan. He can be seen there with them in 1880 census, aged 12. On 1 Sep 1887 in Clinton he married Lois Adelia Wellington, daughter of a local painter. The marriage didn't last long, although I don't know if there was a divorce or if Philip died. He travelled back to UK in 1895, possibly for work (*), listed as a Labourer aged 27, and Lois remarried in 1897. Michigan only started recording divorces in that year, so it may have occurred the previous year and is lost in the mists of time. In this case, he could have been any of the several deaths in various parts of the UK in the next few years, not using his characteristic middle name. Not finding the return journey is not unusual, so I won't draw conclusions from that *.

Tuesday 31st January 2017

Oretta Knight - In October 2012 I found her grave and blogged as follows:
"She was born 19 Mar 1871 in Roche to Robert & Lavinia nee Retallick, sister to Tahpenes (Oliver's mother). In the 1871 census she is 2 weeks old living at Molinnis with parents & lots of sibs, in 1881 aged 10 at Bugle too. In 1891 she is aged 20, staying with her grandparents at St Columb Major. In Jan 1891 she married Edwin White and in the 1901 census can be seen in Totnes, Devon with him & their 2 sons Alick & Tom. Unfortunately, as you can see above, she died aged just 38."
There are no new records.

Oscarlando Knight - see 19th May 2012. New record that has come to light is his death certificate. He was 85 and suffering from "Senility & Chronic Myocarditis" (heart condition) but what killed him was an accident with a threshing machine, when he sustained head injuries & broke his right leg and he died in hospital 12 hours later!

Paul Knight b1852 - new record is not of Paul, but his son George, who inherited the farm on Paul's death. In 2012 I suggested he may have lived at Tretoil until his death in 1964. 1939 Register shows him with his mother & sister Prudence at Blenheim, Bilberry, Bugle, working as a clay labourer & the females UDD. At his death he left effects worth £2033 to his unmarried sister Prudence, as Fanny had died 10 years before.

Paul Knight b1835 - died aged 16 see 20th May 2012

Percy Kingdon Knight - was born 4 Feb 1907 in Roche to John & Louisa née Kingdon, an only child. He can be seen in 1911 census aged 4 at South Moor, Whitstone, North Cornwall with parents & Kingdon grandparents. He never married and 1939 Register shows him aged 32 at the same farm (so he evidently inherited it from his grandparents) with his widowed mother and housekeeper Mary Hatch. I was very pleased to see he was known by his unusual middle name. He still lived there when he died on 25 Nov 1989 and left £141,835 - unfortunately the probate documents that recent do not say to whom.

Philip Knight 1 - was born Dec 1802 at Luxulyan to Thomas & Elizabeth née Mark, and christened there on 23 Jan 1803. He was father of Oscarlando, above. In 2012 I said:
"Philip Knight was born at the end of 1802 to Thomas & Elizabeth nee Mark, one of the most important ancestors as he was great grandfather of Oliver (Clive's grandfather, whose tree this is). He married Betsey Knight 6 Apr 1825 in Luxulyan and had 5 children there before settling in Hallew, Bugle, farming until he died in 1858 aged 55. Betsey lived another 20 years and although there was space on this stone for her details, it is still blank and I cannot track down her stone, although I do know she was buried here in 1878."

His son Philip Knight 2 was born at Bodwen, Luxulyan, 12 years before Oscar (their first four children arrived at 2 year intervals, then Oscar was a surprise, I think, when Betsey was 40). He can be seen in census of 1841 at Hallew, Roche with parents & sibs, then 1851 at Bilberry with them, working as a sawyer. On 5 Mar 1859 in Lanivet he married Elizabeth Willcocks , daughter of a widowed road labourer from Churchtown, Lanivet In 1861 they can be seen at Lanivet with Elizabeth's father Thomas (by then a sexton), brother and 2 children. They had 5 in all, although the first Edith died, speedily replaced by another. In 1871 census they are still in the same place, but Thomas had died, and they had 4 children. However, this was a bad time for the family, as following on from baby Edith's death (Edith Leonora) in 1871, their only son William died aged only 13 in Aug 1872, then Elizabeth herself in 1874. So by the time we next see Philip in 1881 census he has lost these family members and his own mother too (Betsey died in 1878, as I said above). He can be seen in Churchtown Lanivet with 3 daughters & a lodger. He died there in Jun 1888 and was buried on my birthday (but 68 years earlier!) 27 Jun 1888.

Monday 30th January 2017

Nicholas Knight 3 was born in May 1845 in Roche to Anthony & Ann née Pinch, was christened there on 9 Jun 1845, died aged 3 at Carbis and was buried in Roche churchyard 6 Nov 1848.

Nicholas Roach Knight was born Jan 1852 in Roche to William & Kitty née Roach and was christened 27 Feb 1852 by the Luxulyan Bible Christian Circuit. He can be seen in census of 1861 aged 9 at Tresibble, Roche with father, sibs & a servant (his mother had died at the birth of his sister Fanny in 1853 when he was a year old). In 1870 aged 18 he set off for USA (although I cannot find a passenger list) and can be seen in census of 1880 aged 28, a miner boarding at West 5th Street, Leadville, Lake County [he was one of 11 boarders, so presumably was staying in a boarding house)  In 1885 the state of Colorado ran its own census and Nicholas can be seen at Chaffee, still boarding, but on his own. Unfortunately records from 1890 are missing, which is a pity as this was when he had a change of career-path. In 1888 he can be seen in Denver City Directory, listed as in Real Estate, boarding at Western Hotel, built that year. He stayed there until his marriage on 15 Mar 1893, when in Golden, Jefferson County he married Anna/Annie M Bridge and they ran what may have been a restaurant/hotel for a few years together, Rosedale House, 1610 Wazee [now gone]. In City Directory he is shown 1893-5 as Proprietor. It seems this wasn't a success as by 1896 he was listed again as a miner and now living on 32nd Avenue. However, the property he was involved in seems to have been worthwhile. He was listed in the Directory at 3208 Downing Avenue and it seems he owned all of 3200-3210. [I can only find Downing Street, not Avenue and cannot assume they are one and the same]. His marriage certainly was not a success, despite having a son William, as on 20 Jul 1901 at Clear Creek, Colorado, he was divorced from Annie. 1903-16 listings showed him as miner in Downing Avenue, and 1910 census "Prospector in the mining industry" at 1207 32nd Avenue. On 8 Oct 1923 he was in Clements, Kansas, where he also owned property, when at age 71 he died. This was awkward for son & heir William, as he had to go to Kansas, ship his father's body back to Denver and arrange the funeral - he was buried in Wheat Ridge, Jefferson County (to the west of Denver) then file all the papers in both states! The property was valued at $20,583, which is about $300k (including the land he was buying in Kansas) and William inherited all.

Friday 27th January 2017

Muriel Ellen Knight was born Jan 1904 in Dulwich, Surrey to Alexander Adolphus & Ellen née Blackwell and christened there on 7 Feb 1904. She can be seen in census of 1911 at 6 Milestone Road, Upper Norwood with parents and cousin Eva Jarrett. [Right by Crystal Palace Park] In Jul 1940 she married a man called Paine, but his part of the national record is missing and Surrey Marriages only go up to 1937! Likewise I cannot track either of them down in 1939 Register, just prior to marriage. How frustrating!

Nancy Ann Knight - fully covered on 16th May 2012

Nicholas Knight 1 was born Oct 1840 in Roche to James & Grace née Woon and christened there on New Year's Day. He can be seen in censuses of 1841 & 1851 at Carbis Common with his parents & sibs, in the latter aged "9" (actually almost 11), already a Tin Streamer. In 1861 the family had moved to Bodelva, St Blazey [the site of the Eden Project now] and Nicholas had become a china clay labourer. On 22 Oct 1863 in St Blazey he married local girl Sophia Helman, daughter of a fellow miner. They settled at Bodelva and can be seen in 1871 with 2 sons. They did have 4 children; 2 boys then 2 girls but unfortunately in 1868 they had to bury the girls, Harriet in January aged 1 and Kate in April aged 5 months. In 1881 the boys were still at home, working as clay labourers and by 1891 they had left home and Nicholas was 49 and a China Clay Agent (ie in sales rather than production). See 8th Jan below for James' story, Nicholas junior emigrated to USA in the 1880s. In 1901 census Nicholas had taken on the dairy farm at Bodelva vacated by his brother Woodman but died in 1905 aged 65. Sophia was evidently shaken enough by this to travel out to be with her son Nicholas in Michigan. She travelled from Liverpool on the SS Etruria, arriving in New York on 21 Jul 1906. Unfortunately she died aged 66 on 14 Sep 1908, so she didn't have long in the US.

Nicholas Knight 2 was the son mentioned above, born on 18 Feb 1865 at Bodelva & christened at St Blazey on 17 May 1865. He can be seen in censuses of 1871 & 1881 at Bodelva with his parents & brother, in the latter a 16-year-old Clay Labourer. As I said above, at some point in the 1880s he emigrated to USA & settled in Michigan. All the documents over the next few years bear different dates for his arrival in the country, from 1878 (when he was 13 & obviously at home with his parents) to 1886 (more like it). Anyway, on 21 Sep 1889 at Imlay, Houghton, Michigan he married Emma Jane Nichols, also from Cornwall with a mining father. In 1900 census they can be seen at Quincy Township, Houghton with 4 children & 2 boarders, Nicholas working as a Copper Miner, as was one of the boarders. Nicholas & Emma had 8 children, and a touch of good imagination in many of their names: Russell, Opal, Vernice, Heath & Addison along with others slightly more mundane. I can only locate baptisms for William & Vernice, oddly. 1910 census shows them still at Quincy, now with all 8 children. By 1920 Nicholas was aged 54 and had relocated the family to Detroit, where he had a job as a clerk in an "Adding Machine Company" (probably Burroughs, which strangely has come up before on this blog). Six of the children were still at home as well as daughter-in-law Edith & grand-daughter Fay. William worked as an electrician in a famous "Motor Car Company" started in 1899 in Detroit by one Henry Ford, and Russell worked there too as a "Finisher". Estelle worked at the Adding Machine Company too. In 1930 the address had been numbered and we can see it is 2637 Northwestern Avenue [all I can find on Google now is Northwestern Street, and the houses are missing or falling down] and they can be seen there with 2 children. Nicholas was by then working as a janitor at the car factory and daughter Heath was a stenographer (typist) at a "Seed Factory". In 1940 census Nicholas said he was 70, but was really 75, working as a Sweeper at the car factory. Also living with them (at the same address in Detroit) was widowed daughter Opal and her son Jack Vaesch, an apprentice tool-maker at Ford's. Emma died the following year, in Jan 1941 and Nicholas in May 1945.

Tuesday 24th January 2017

The story of Mary Jane Knight was all settled except for the fact that I couldn't find the marriage record to Alfred Marshall he referred to in 1911 census. Searching today, I found it, but it was a different Mary Jane! This checking & re-checking is essential, and I just proved it again. So I had to start over. She was born in Sep 1847 at Menheniot to Simon & Grace née Bennett and christened at Liskeard Wesleyan Methodist church aged 11 weeks [at Menheniot, although I won't include a photo as the current one was built on the same site in 1905]. She can be seen in censuses of 1851 & 1861 aged 3 & 13 respectively at Polpinka with parents & sibs, in the latter listed as Mine Girl. There are several possibilities after this, including a couple of deaths in Liskeard of Mary Knights of the right age, but nothing certain. I have excluded the marriages as they have different fathers' names, but there are also lots of records of emigration etc with no middle name.

Matthew Knight - nothing

Mildred Knight was another (like Mary Jane above) I had problems with records. I had census records in 2012 from 1871, where she was called "Mildra" by her parents, Philip & Elizabeth née Willcocks, with whom she can be seen in Lanivet Village aged 5. Then in 1881 in Churchtown, Lanivet aged 14 and called "Milda". Searching with an open mind, I have just found her baptism under the name "Ludgamilda" in Lanivet on 2 Jun 1867. However, after this, my searching for "Milda" just came up with mis-transcribed Hildas and "Mildra" with lots of Mildreds, none of which made a cohesive history. Such a shame...

Monday 23rd January 2017

Mary Knight 5 was born Jun 1783 in Roche to Joseph & Elizabeth née Mark and christened there on 7 Jul 1783. On 31 Jan 1804 in Roche she married Richard Grigg, a labourer from St Dennis. The information (particulary ages) on their census records is a bit unreliable, which is not really surprising, considering they had 13 children. In 1841 St Dennis seems to be made up of mostly Griggs households - again unsurprising as Richard was one of 11 himself and his father Abraham one of 10! In this household at Enniscaven was Richard aged "65" (should be 60), tin streamer, as was son Richard "35" (should be 25), daughter Mary "33" (correct!), son William 8, daughter Ann 10, also John 6 , Maria 5 & Isaac 3. Richard junior's wife had just died and the last 3 are his children. Mary was staying in her home village of Roche, "Mid Wife" to a local couple. Richard's brothers Abraham, Jacob & Isaac can be seen nearby with their families - rather an Old Testament theme running through here! In 1851 Richard & Mary can still be seen at Enniscaven, but with "Illegitimate grandchildren" Mary Ann & William Henry living with them - no political correctness in those days! Son Richard lived next door with an assortment of other Griggs. Richard snr died aged 72 in 1853 and Mary aged almost 77 in Apr 1860, both buried in St Dennis churchyard

In 2012 I covered 4 Mary Ann Knights:
Mary Ann Knight 1 b1825 - nothing new except I now know she was buried in Feb 1900 in Treverbyn. I have just gone through my gravestone photographs of Treverbyn I took in Oct 2012, but I cannot see one named Mary Ann Chapman. (Her husband Henry had died 21 years before, when they lived at Woon, so it appears he was buried at Roche).

Mary Ann Knight 2 b1806 - I omitted that her parents were Anthony & Elizabeth née Grose, but other info is there on 15th May 2012

Mary Ann Knight 3 b1827 - this Mary Ann was daughter of Anthony & Philippa née Varcoe, and in 1871 when she was staying with mother & aunt, she was evidently nursing her mother in her terminal illness, as she died 4 days after the census was taken.

Mary Ann 4 b1838 I called "mundane" in 2012, but only because the one I was following up a false alley was a felon. She was born Apr 1838 in Roche to James & Grace née Woon and can be seen with them and her brothers in 1841 & 1851 censuses at Carbis Common, Roche. She appeared once with her husband, a few months after their marriage in 1861 at Killhalland, Tywardreath, but died there 4 years later and was buried on 3 Sep 1865 at nearby Par. George then confused me by marrying another Mary, so I thought for a moment I had things wrong, when I saw what I thought was Mary Ann with him in 1871 & 1881 censuses. What happened was that he took both the children with him, after Mary's death, to North Wales and took a pub called the Crown Inn in Llanasa, Flintshire. There he married local girl Mary Hughes, daughter of a fellow lead-miner (he did 2 jobs, it seems), in Oct 1868. [I cannot locate this pub; the village of Llanasa only has one pub, the Red Lion. The same applies to the Weaver's Arms, where he is at the time of next census, in Albert Row, Holywell] George died in Jan 1889 in Holwell.

Mary Ann 5 was born Dec 1792 in St Austell to James & Philippa née Hooper and christened there on 6 Jan 1793. On 30 Aug 1823 in Roche she married Peter Eddy, a tin miner, and they lived in an area called Kenidjack (according to baptism of their son Henry, just a few days later, and burial a few days after that), where filming has been done for Poldark. They had several children, although by the time of census most had gone and only 2 girls remained; in 1841 eldest daughter Mary (who married another Eddy) and youngest Philippa Knight Eddy, who was then only 3 years old. In 1851 she was 13 and the Mary with them was 7 and called grand-daughter. This entire clan was very confusing as they reused names and thus duplicated things. The oldest child Henry I mentioned above appeared to have been buried at 3 weeks old, as I said above, but then married and departed with his family for Australia.

Philippa Knight Eddy was born in 1828 and 1838, with the first incarnation dying aged 6 months of inflammation of the lungs, buried 20 Oct 1828. Other children born were Peter, Joanna, John and Elizabeth, although as they were not in evidence in 1841, I am concerned they may have all died. There are long lists of deaths in this very pretty place, which may or may not be linked to the presence of arsenic mines....

Peter died at Holmbush in Jan 1856 aged 73 and was buried in Charlestown on 15 Jan 1856. Mary Ann followed 4 years later.

Sunday 22nd January 2017

In 2012 I covered 3 of the Mary Knights:
Mary Knight 1 b 1802 - (Oliver's great great-aunt) I have seen a photo of her grave, which confirms date of death as 3 Feb 1866, rather than the 1870 I had been told. 1841 census missing, 1851 is agricultural, showing details of William and his 2 sons' ownership of land. It seems William farmed 100 acres, 65 cultivated (54 crops, 10 pasture & 1 gardens/orchard) and 35 wood/wild. The "boys" (aged 27 & 26) had 50 acres each, similarly used, although Joseph had no garden. By 1881 census he had turned all the land over to them and lived with daughter Lydia, as he was by then 84, and he died a few months later.

Mary Knight 2 b1849 - unfortunately I can still find nothing after 1891

Mary Knight 3 b1793 - nothing new

Now maybe I can fill in a bit more on the others:
Mary Knight 4, born Aug 1703 to parents William & Katherine Jenking, christened 12 Sep 1703 in Roche, she married 22 Apr 1724 Robert Dyer and had 4 children before dying aged 36, then her husband followed a year later, all in Roche

Friday 20th January 2017

Louisa Knight was born Sep 1850 at Polpinka, Menheniot, Cornwall to simon & Grace née Bennett, and christened on 26 Oct 1855 at Criggan Cottage by the Luxulyan Bible Christian Circuit when she was 5 years old. She can be seen in censuses of 1851 at Polpinka with parents & sibs, then in 1861 at Criggan Downs with grandparents & aunt (there were now 6 younger chidren at home). In 1871 she was 20 and living at Bodway, Menheniot (the other side of town to Polpinka), working as a servant in the household of farmer Edward Hambly. Unfortunately at this point I lose her; father remarried after the death of her mother and I cannot find her elsewhere, or in death records. The only possibility I have found is of a servant of her name in Aug 1884 who is reported in The Cornishman newspaper having given birth to a baby in staff quarters at the Commercial Inn, Newquay, and concealed the body in a box. She was bailed for £100, then an inquest jury brought a verdict of "found dead" and she as imprisoned for 1 month. Unfortunately the process was repeated in March 1886, this time she attempted suicide by cutting her own throat & stabbing herself. I'm afraid I cannot find the rest of this story, but then I do not know it was her anyway.

The other Louisa Knight I covered on 1st May 2012. I'm not sure of the story behind Christopher's children, as he only had the first baptised, and even then as Ozmasinda Hannah, the first name never used. The subsequent 5 children are conspicuous by their absence from parish records, and she was one of these. Fast forward to the end of her life for new records. 1939 Register shows her at 69 Victoria Road, Poole (as 1911, the house they named Criggan after where she was born), but I have seen old maps of this area and this was an end-terrace house, so I was correct in my conclusion that the detached houses there now are fairly new. Louisa & Frederick can be seen alone in the household, UDD & Retired Gardener repectively (they were 70) and still lived there at their deaths, Louisa 13 Apr 1948 just 5 days off her 80th birthday, and Frederick in the General Hospital 26 Feb 1952 aged 85. As they had no children, bequests were made by Louisa to a baptist minister, and a bank and a schoolteacher by Frederick.

Lucretia Elsie Ashton Knight - see 1st May 2012. It seems she was known in the family as Elsie, as on 1901 census she was listed under this name (aged 16) and in the list of mourners at her mother's funeral in Feb 1939. 7 months later she can be seen on the Register at 8 London Road, Tonbridge with 3 sisters Kate, Elizabeth & Hilda, all 4 keeping house. She died on 9 Aug 1962 at the local cottage hospital, home address given as 50 Lyons Crescent, Tonbridge and left effects worth £1847 to her two remaining single sisters Kate & Elizabeth.

Lucy Beatrice Knight was born 6 Aug 1877 to Oscar & Mary Ann née Cock, twin of Frederick. When she was 2 the family moved to Clinton, Michigan, USA and she can be seen with them there in censuses of 1880 & 1890. On 29 Sep 1903 in Clinton she married local farm labourer James Loren Jury. They had only been married for 2 years, had one daughter, when James filed for divorce on the grounds of "extreme & repeated cruelty" in Aug 1905. Lucy contested this and it was withdrawn, but their reunion was short-lived, as on 4 Mar 1907 she realised there was no future in it and filed herself - again for cruelty but also non-support. He contested, but it was granted, and went Absolute on 26 Mar 1909. James immediately married again on 21 Apr 1909 (methinks another party was involved, although not cited) to Rose Haynes, another English girl, who had come out to America in 1904. They went on to have 6 children together, died and were buried in Clinton in the 1950s. Lucy lived with her father until he died, then with her unmarried brother Thomas on his farm in Bengal until she died herself in 1951.

Mabel Knight was her sister, born Jan 1876 in the Bodmin area, seen in census records of the family in 1880 & 1900 in Bengal, Clinton, then died aged 27.

Maria Knight was born in Dec 1826 at Pentevale Roche to Thomas & Elizabeth née Hammer and christened on New Year's Eve in Roche. She can be seen in census of 1841 aged 13 at Drinnick, St Stephen's-in-Brannel with parents & 6 brothers. Drinnick, incidentally, was the site of a Mill in the past, then an estate grew up there in Nanpean, and became famous amongst trainspotters as a special branch line. It is now, I think, back to being a business-centre, but the area is all now called Nanpean (Google Streetview doesn't help as it hasn't been updated for 7 years). On 15 Jan 1848 at St Stephen's she married Joseph Thomas, carpenter from St Columb. They settled at Molinnis, Bugle and can be seen there in 1851 with baby son John, but by the time Harriet, their 3rd child arrived in 1859 they had moved to Devon. She was born at Ilsington, near Newton Abbot, and in 1861 census they can be seen at 4 Hewleigh, Ashburton on Dartmoor [now a modern cottage] with 3 children. In 1871 they can be found in the village of Mary Tavy with 4 children, but Maria died Jan 1878 aged 50, so by 1881 Joseph had taken a job as carpenter in the copper mine at Wheal Josiah, near Tavistock and can be seen on the census living in the miners' cottages there with son William apprenticed to a Cabinet Maker and sister Alice Coade as his housekeeper. He died here in Apr 1885 aged 59.

Tuesday 17th January 2017

Kate Knight was born on 30 Sep 1875 in St Blazey to Woodman & Elizabeth née Ashton and christened there on 21 Nov 1875 (as Katie). She can be seen in census of 1881 at Bodelva, St Blazey with parents, 2 sisters, 2 servants & her aunt Annie Ashton. In 1891 at Penpell, Lanlivery with parents, sibs, 2 servants & cousin Minnie Ashton, same in 1901 (without cousin), working At Home. Then in 1911 at Park Fam, Hadlow, Tonbridge, Kent with parents & sibs. 1939 Register shows sisters Kate, Elizabeth, Hilda & Lucretia at 8 London Road, Tonbridge along with 1 closed file and a couple. She died Jan 1968 in Tonbridge, aged 92, I am told living at 50 Lyons Crescent

Lavinia Knight - see 29th Apr 2012 - Jessie's great-aunt. In 1925 she went on a trip to Quebec, Canada with daughter Eva (Eva popped back & forth several times in her 30s, before marrying & settling down in England) but neither Lavinia (nor husband George) quite made it to 1939 Register. She died a matter of weeks before it was taken, in Apr 1939 in Croydon, probably 28 Luna Road

Lavinia Jane Knight - nothing new

Lezzette Munro Knight - was born in Jan 1858 in Lanivet to James & Emmeline née cook and lived with them all her life at Roswarrick. I showed her gravestone in Oct 2012, inscribed "In affectionate remembrance of Lezzette Munro 3rd daughter of James & Emeline Knight who died 7th Feb 1888 aged 30 years"

Sunday 15th January 2017

Josiah W Knight was discussed in Oct & Nov 2012 with regard to photos of graves. He was born 29 Jan 1845 in Luxulyan to James & Rebeccca née Roberts and christened there on 29 Jan 1845 by the Bible Christian Church. He can be seen in census of 1851 at Croft, Luxulyan with parents, sibs & a servant, then at Higher Menedew Farm House from 1861-1911, firstly as son of farmer, then when his father died he inherited the farm and lived there with his own family. On 16 Jul 1881 in Lanivet he married Elizabeth Ann Solomon, by license. Witnesses were James Knight (groom's father, probably, as his brother always used his middle name too, see later) and Sampson Downing. Elizabeth's father Samuel had been a yeoman from Lanivet but had died when she was 14. In the census, a few weeks before the wedding, Josiah had been described as the farmer of Higher Menedue, comprising 87 acres, his mother had just died, and his father James was working as a merchant, selling the clay rather than mining it. This was why he was in London when he died 5 years later. Eldest brother William followed him, and on James' death changed his career from Warehouseman to Racing Commision Agent (a kind of bookie) and made a lot of money too. When James died in 1886 he left £468 and the farm to Josiah, who can then be seen there in 1891 census with his widowed mother-in-law and 4 servants (2 farm, 2 domestic) and 4 children. He had 8 children in all, most with somewhat more imaginative names than the norm; Claudine, Ruby (baptised 23 Nov 1884), Lilian Jane (bapt 18 Jul 1886, married Henry Box Apr 1912), Preston Solomon (bapt 1 Apr 1888, died the following year- see 2012 for grave photo), Vernon Roberts (bapt 4 May 1890, buried 24 Apr 1937 aged 47), William Roberts (bapt 4 Mar 1892 privately, died aged 2), Daisy Kathleen (bapt by Bodmin Bible Christian Circuit at home 19 Jul 1894, married Ernest Wosley 1914 & died 1973) and Clarence Heinrich (bapt 1 Jul 1898). In censuses of 1901 & 1911 Josiah can be seen there with 5 children and a servant and Elizabeth died there on 22 Feb 1922 [oddly, my own father's birth date], leaving her own effects worth £1387 to sons Vernon, yeoman & Clarence, gentleman. Then Josiah died there in 13 Oct 1925 and left £44, 677 to these two sons. Following them through, I noticed that when Vernon died 12 years later, he left £17,223 to the Midland Bank! So most of his share had gone.

Joyce Knight was born Aug 1769 in Roche to John & Joyce née Williams and christened there on 19 Sep 1769. At the same church on 10 Aug 1793 she married Edward Rowse and had 6 children. Both bride & groom "made their mark" as they couldn't write, witnesses were Samuel Roberts & John Julyan. She died aged 69 and was buried on 9 Jan 1839 in Roche (address Hallew) then Edward died 10 years later aged "83" (really 80).

In researching Josiah above I came across details for his brother James Joseph Knight, who I had missed out earlier as I knew nothing about him at the time. I shall now amend that. He was born Feb 1843 in Luxulyan to James & Rebecca and christened there by the Bible Christian Church on 12 Mar 1843. In census of 1851 he can be seen at Croft Farm with parents, sibs & servant, then in 1861 at Higher Menedew, listed as Farmer's son. (I have just noticed his grandfather Richard was in a cottage on the land with a housekeeper, in the last few years of his life). On 1 Oct 1867 at Luxulyan he married Sarah Louisa Meager, daughter of John, yeoman of Methrose (a local farmhouse, famous as where John Wesley used to stay when in the area). In 1871 census James & Sarah can be seen at Methrose, as John must have been frail and moved into town, then died Nov 1873, buried in Luxulyan churchyard.
James was running the farm, 148 acres, employing one man & 2 boys, the latter can be seen in the household in the census, one 18 and one 13, as well as a domestic servant and a child's maid. James & Sarah had 2 sons at this time and soon there were 4 children. In 1881 census they can be seen still at Methrose, with Sarah's widowed mother (who died the following year), 4 children and 3 servants (1 domestic, 2 farm). As Sarah died in 1888, at the next census in 1891 James was alone with 3 children & 2 servants at Methrose. He died there on 22 Jan 1899 aged 56 and was buried 25 Jan at Luxulyan church with all the others. He left effects worth £258 to unmarried daughter Florence and it was at Methrose that daughter Annie died in 1918.

Saturday 14th January 2017

Joseph Knight 7 - see 26th April 2012 - petered out after 1861 census. Today's investigations went in a totally unexpected direction when I found this was his 2nd marriage, and it was a tragic story that unfolded! He married first on Valentine's Day 1857 at St Stephen in Brannel to Thirza Trethewey (very local name), daughter of a farm labourer at Nanjeath, an estate just outside St Stephens [the cottages are now holiday lets]. After marriage, they settled at Drinnick (Nanpean). Baby Tom was born 15 May 1859 but there were evidently problems, as Thirza died a few weeks later and was buried 26 Jun at St Stephens (above). Tom was baptized 25 July but died aged 13 weeks and was buried with his mother on 4 Sep 1859. So Joseph had been through a lot when he married Mary Rowe on 24 Nov 1860 at the same church. She was a smith's daughter. I mentioned in 2012 that they had a son Edwin in 1861 and in the census of that year Mary & Edwin were with her parents, Joseph lodging at Illogan. There are deaths for both a Joseph and an Edwin at St Germans in 1869, but I cannot prove they belong here, nor pin down Mary at the time, the names are just too common!

Joseph Henry Knight - I dealt with him in reasonable detail on 23 Apr 2012 but finished by saying there might be a story around his death. I was correct, but only in that there was an inquest because as his wife said "he had had a slight cough lately but was fairly well"... On retiring for the night he fell down in the bedroom and died before a doctor arrived... a post-mortem revealed both old and acute pleurisy. This brought on heart failure. Natural causes was the verdict. The newspaper article (Exter Western Times 18 Dec 1918) states he was 68 years old and had been retired for 20 years - this was when he turned from farming to hotel-keeping. The inquest was the reason for the bequest to a solicitor. As his wife had died in 1911, the above directed me to look for a new marriage and I found he had married Agnes Groves in Oct 1912 in Exeter. Worryingly, when Agnes died 12 years after Joseph, she had to leave money to the same solicitor.

Friday 13th January 2017 (!)

Joseph Knight 2 - see 24th Apr 2012 for a broad outline, no new records since

Joseph Knight senior (3) - he was born in Oct 1736 to John & Dorothy née Bray in Roche and christened there on 13 Nov 1736. On 1 Sep 1761 he married Elizabeth Mark and had 7 children with her. When she died, probably from complications after the birth of Mary, she was buried in Roche churchyard on 25 Jul 1783. On 26 Jan 1784 he married Jane Harvey, about whom I previously knew nothing. A fellow genealogist has told me that he had 10 children with her (but one died aged 2), so this tree should be much larger even than it is! I cannot find all of the baptisms this is based on on the Ancestry site, but as I can see them on the Cornwall OPC (parish records) I am happy they exist. Dorothy b1785 may have married Robert Nicholls in Jun 1826 in Roche. Jane b1787 may have married (possibly relative of her mother) Richard Harvey in 1814. Elizabeth b1788 has 3 possible marriages in Roche 1810-18, of course the problem with subsequent marriages is I cannot cross-check with Joseph's name as he died in 1808.

Joseph jr, who I suspect was actually christened Joe, was born Sep 1789, but unfortunately therafter gets mixed up with Joseph 5 (see later, son of 4) as their birthdates were only a few weeks apart, and their fathers both Joseph too. ** Philip was born Aug 1791 and my colleague suggests a death in 1857. I cannot find anything to match this, so reserve judgement. Sarah b1792 supposedly married Hugh Hewitt in 1815 and died in 1856, but all documents associated with this have birth date of 1797, so I am afraid to take it all on board (some people of course didn't know their age, but with so many siblings born one year apart it is unlikely she was unaware of her place in the heirarchy!) There followed two Williams and there is a clear paper-trail here as the first was baptised 26 Nov 1793 & buried 18 months later on 20 Apr 1795, then the subsequent child was baptised 15 Feb 1796 and there are two possible marriages in Roche in 1815 & 1826. Sally was born Nov 1798 and baptised 11 Dec 1798, and gets mixed up with Sarah here. I suspect it was she who married Hugh Hewett & died in St Columb Jan 1856, but of course can't prove it... Final child John was christened 8 Apr 1799 in Roche and may be the one who married Maria Williams in 1826 - or not - and died in 1853 - or not.
** later I found a burial record of a Joe Knight aged 4, son of Joseph, buried at Roche 2 Sep 1793 so am confident this is him.

Joseph Knight 4 - born May 1763 in Roche to Joseph & Elizabeth née Mark was christened there 12 Jun 1763, then on 7 Apr 1788 married Elizabeth Williams and had 3 children. They were named Elizabeth, Joseph & Jane - it's not surprising they get mixed up! I am told she died in 1793, but can't find the record, Joseph died Mar 1837 at Woon and was buried 12 Apr 1837.

His son was Joseph Knight 5, born Nov 1790 in Roche and christened there 28 Dec 1790. On 14 Jan 1817 at St Wenn church he married Betsy Merrifield. Both bride & groom "made their mark" as they couldn't write, witnesses were Thomas Brenton & Joseph Knight - probably groom's father, as he was still around. They had 11 children and Joseph worked as a tinner, seen in censuses of 1841, 1851 & 1861 at Criggan Down with some of them. He died in Oct 1870 at "Caraggan" and was buried 8 Nov 1870 at Roche

Joseph Knight 6 - (Oliver's great great uncle) this was the guy who I said in Apr 2012 he "wasn't terrifically interesting as he unfortunately died aged 44. So his main achievement was 3 children", then on visiting his grave in the October found he was a yeoman and was buried in the lovely Innis Chapel graveyard, on his stone the inscription "a man of strict virtue". I have now found his probate record, where he left effects worth £1000 to his widow Priscilla (neé Hocken, a name which now resonates somewhat more intriguingly) so I was unkind to say he wasn't interesting.

Thursday 12th January 2017

What happened on this day:
11th Jan:
Lucretia Elsie Ashton Knight was born in 1885 and
Louisa Matthews in 1876
12th Jan:
Edith Kate Hennig was born 1894 and
John Retallick in 1800
George Wooldridge was christened in 1823
Eliza Caroline Wooldridge in 1873 and
Arthur Fardell Woodford in 1851
Dewey Dance married George William Cox in 1848
Christopher Retallick 3 married Ann Thomas née Hoare in 1837
Rosina May married William Henry Freeman in 1918 and
Elizabeth Knight married Lancelot Hore in 1811
Henry Matthews died in 1877 and
John Knight was buried in 1859

Tuesday 10th January 2017

Here we go with 17 Johns.
John Knight 1 - Jessie's 7g grandfather. I couldn't confirm his birth or Jane's maiden-name, but confirmed birth & death of son and his own burial
John Knight 2 & 3 - nothing new
John Knight 4 - nothing new except that at his burial in 1813 they lived at Short Cross, 3 miles south of St Agnes, and in 1819 at Grace's burial she was at Trevellas Down 2 miles northeast of St Agnes
John Knight 5 & 6 - nothing new
John Knight 7 - At his death I think daughter Anne had moved to Redruth and married there, almost 25 miles away
John Knight 8 - nothing new, despite further searching for his death in Australia
John Knight 9 - nothing new. I had a bit of a shock when I found a report of a trial of one John Knight for possible beating-up and then poisoning his wife Elizabeth, until I saw that this was 5 years after her death and they lived in St Germans, not Tywardreath!
John Knight 10, 11& 12 - nothing new
John Common Knight - very detailed in 2015, no new records since
John Gerald Ashton Knight (Jack) - died aged 25, nothing new
John Henry Knight - nothing new
John Hocken Knight - grandfather of Gerald (the famous musician I dealt with on Friday) to whom he gave his distinctive middle name - it was his mother Priscilla's maiden-name. It was detailed in 2015 & so nothing new
John Roberts Knight - nothing new

At this point in 2015, when I reached the end of the Johns, I went to New York to celebrate the wedding of my son, and when I returned moved on to the next tree. Thus, the rest of this tree needs checking now, but my work dates from 2012 (which may or may not be more forthcoming).

Joseph Knight 1 - He was born in Jan 1812 at Littlejohns, St Stephens to Robin & Eleanor née Kite. He was married on 13 Jun 1846 in St Cleer to Frances Kellow, local miner's daughter. Joseph was a miner too, as had his father been (died 5 years earlier), so they may have all worked together - even Frances, I understand! Joseph had been boarding in Lanivet in 1841 census, working as Copper Miner. They can be seen in 1851 at Tremar Coombe, St Cleer with 2 children, and a family lodging with them, the father another miner. In 1861 census the address was Middle Coombe, St Cleer, but it may have been the same. Joseph and eldest son Thomas were Copper Miners, but Joseph died aged 54 in Nov 1866. He was buried 11 Nov 1866 at St Cleer General Cemetery (above) and Frances can be seen in 1871 census at Coombe Gate with the 3 youngest children, Mary a Copper Dresser and Joseph a copper miner. She died herself in Jan 1881, so didn't make the next census, and the family scattered.

Monday 9th January 2017

What happened on this day:
Robert Richard Catchesides was born in 1806 and
Ruth Isabella Smith in 1900
Silas Matthews married Sophia Ayres in 1856

Jane Knight 1 & 2 - very detailed in 2015 & nothing new
Jane Knight 3 - I daren't look too far into possible Minear/Mannear/Manhire connections; as I said in 2015 it makes your head spin! Apart from noting that these Mannears lived in Tregonissey, as did the inlaws of James Helman Knight, below. I have found Edward's death record; he died in May 1837, when youngest child Ellen was only just over a year old. Home address given was Carluddon, as in 1841 census, and he died of "inflammation of the bowels". Looking for Carluddon now, there appears to be nothing there, just a big water-filled tip where clay was removed by people like Edward, although there are plans currently to develop a "Technology Park" there in future. It's such a shame what repeated mining did to Cornwall, tin etc then clay, there are whole areas resembling a moonscape even a hundred years later...
Jane Knight 4 - nothing new (red herring lady Jane Toms' husband was killed in mining accident & she by runaway horse - shame it wasn't them, I do like a good story!) I cannot track down Joseph's death records, but he did travel around a lot and US records are spread out. I have a note stating this was in 1887, which would explain why Jane travelled right across from Michigan to California to her daughter and then died there in 1890.

Jenefer Knight - twin of Ann. I have found the shop they ran in Penryn in Kelly's Directory of 1839, where it says he is "ironmonger & shopkeeper", so wasn't "just" a grocer, as he was listed in 1844 directory.

Jenepher Knight - I have found a mention of her in the local newspaper at her death. I did know they both died in the same quarter, registered on the same page, now I have a date for her demise, and the above sounds as if John was still around at the time. However, I can't find mention of him at all, apart from the registration above.

I shall tackle the John Knights tomorrow.

Sunday 8th January 2017

Hart Knight - it's a shame he died at 18, as he has such a nice name! Actually, locally the name seemed to be somewhat cursed, as records in Roche show 3 deaths of children by this name, in 1870, 1874 & 1877.

Hilda Clarice Knight - the lady who went to South Africa, then returned to UK. I found her on 1939 Register at what had been her parents' house 8 London Road, Tonbridge, Kent with sisters Kate, Elizabeth & Lucretia, also one closed file and another couple. It confirmed her exact date of birth and the fact that she had no occupation other than domestic. She died there 4 years later.

James Knight 1 - nothing new (red herring provided by evidence of a James & Emmeline living in New York in 1865, James with the same year of birth, but on closer examination they were both native New Yorkers & had a daughter called Hannah)
James Knight 2 - further investigations into his 2nd wife just confused matters. Suffice to say, they were married for only 4 years when she died, then 6 months later James followed - see 30th Jan 2015 for the story.
James Knight 3 - nothing new
James Knight 4 - son of 3 also nothing new
James Knight 5 & 6 - nothing new
James Knight 7 - son of 6. He was the one who married Philippa Hooper in 1788 and on 7 Jan 1812 they took on local girl Mary Common, aged 8, as apprentice, in order to teach her "housewifery". She was the illegitimate daughter of Henry Woon & Mary Common, but I certainly hope she wasn't the Mary Common who died in Roche a mere few weeks later, and was buried there.
James Knight 8 - trying to find the earlier record for their marriage (to see if banns were read), I noticed that Parish Records are missing for that period, so this doesn't help. The marriage in 1831 was witnessed by Thomas & Jane Knight and William Sowden.
James Knight 9 & 10 - nothing new
James Knight 11 - burial record confirms he was a Clay Labourer living in High Street, died 10 Mar 1892, buried 12 Mar 1892 in plot C94 in the Churchtown Cemetery, pictured at the top of every page here.

James Helman Knight - I think I have tracked him down in 1891 census, working in Holborn, London as a warehouseman. In Oct 1898, though, he was back in the West Country, marrying Mary Minear (a surname which appears in many forms, meaning she may have been distantly related to Richard Manhire, the link relative in this tree, Jessie's grandfather, who married Tahpenes Knight in 1877). In 1901 census they can be seen at Trevissey (possibly Tregonissey - it is virtually illegible), St Austell, living with Mary's father John, retired farmer. James is described as "House Carpenter, employer". By 1911 John Minear had died and they had moved to Bay View, Carclaze, part of St Austell, with niece Marion Richards, who was at school. James was still Carpenter, employer. In 1939 Register they can be seen at 20 Alexander Road, St Austell with an Emily Warne, widowed UDD. James died in 1953 aged 90 and Mary either 1943 aged 77 or 1962 aged 96 (two records, could be either)

Saturday 7th January 2017

Grace Knight was born Jun 1707 in Roche to William & Katherine née Jenking and christened there on 26 Jul 1707. There are two marriages in the area, in 1732 in St Stephen-in-Brannel and 1736 in Lanivet, but neither has father's name to confirm. This is not surprising, as her father died when she was 3 years old and I cannot see that her mother remarried. There are also no deaths in Roche under her maiden-name, so I am none the wiser.

Grace Mary Knight was born in approx. 1757 in St Dennis to William & Sarah née Treverton and christened there, along with her sister Elizabeth, on 13 Mar 1758. I have on my tree a marriage to Henry Goodge but I cannot today find the record. There is a burial at St Dennis under the name Mary Goudge in 1801. Unfortunately it always does get very patchy prior to registration, introduced in 1837.

Hannah Knight - christened Ozmasinda Hannah but always known as Hannah - nothing new

Harriet Knight - emigrated to Ohio & married Thomas Bullock. I am struggling with Ohio records, but am happy that events unfolded as I said in 2015

Harriet Ann Knight - confirmed details, including Australian burial records. It is always nice to have a picture of a gravestone, especially from the other side of the world, but this one informed me that she died aged only 50 and it was erected by her children, who said "we saw her fading day by day", which is sad, and also her husband James was there, having gone before her in 1875, but his age was 29 years older than hers, so when she was not quite 16 at marriage, he was 45! Maybe we shouldn't feel shocked at this, as life was very different then... It seems there was also another child I didn't know about, as it states "mother of seven" and I only knew of 6 daughters. It seems that there was a boy James between the first two girls, and he died quite young too.

Friday 6th January 2017

What happened on this day:
5th Jan:
William Stephen Knight was born in 1855
John Knight was christened in 1766 and
Dorothy Knight in 1780
Lucy Roffey née Chilton was buried in 1925

Gerald Hocken Knight was more interesting than I could possibly imagine. As I said, he was born 27 Jul 1908 at Glencoe, Par Station, Cornwall to Alwyne & Edith née Harvey [directly opposite the station]. He can be seen there in 1911 census with parents & Adelina Hick "assistant" - I don't know if this lady was assisting in the home or Alwyne's Office. Gerald's mother died when he was 11, so maybe she was always frail and needed help. It certainly was unusual to only have 2 children. He went to school in Truro, and he was Assistant Organist at Truro Cathedral from 1922-26 in his teens. Truro Cathedral has 3 organs nowadays, but in his day the main one (the Willis) was very famous, recognised as one of the very best. He left in 1926 to go to University, was admitted to Peterhouse, Cambridge, in 1927 won the John Stewart of Rannoch Scholarship in Sacred Music and attained his BA in 1928. He was a student of St Nicholas College School of English Church Music (SECM) in Chislehurst 1930-32, then tutored there, granted a Bachelor of Music degree in 1932 and MA in 1933. From 1931-1936 he was organist at St Augustine of Canterbury, Queens Gate, London and in 1937 was appointed as the Organist and Master of Choristers at Canterbury Cathedral. He was awarded Associateship of the Royal College of Organists in 1929, then Fellowship in 1935. The Kelly's Directory of 1938 shows him as "Gerald Hocken Knight Mus Bac ACDCM (Organist of the Cathedral) at 12 The Precincts, Canterbury". Newspapers were impressed with him, especially the local ones in Kent.
Dover Express 13 Nov 1936  In the 1939 Register he can be seen living at 16a Burgate, Canterbury, described as "Cathedral Organist, Assistant Master of Canterbury Cathedral and Scoutmaster". He had with him a live-in Cook-housekeeper Elizabeth Beechener aged 58. [Looking on Google Streetview I can see the gates leading to 16a beside the shop which was at the time - 2014 - a Bang & Olufsen music shop - appropriately.] In 1942 his father died and left £17488 to his step-mother Ada & Gerald, describing him as "County Musician FRCO" and when Ada died 12 years later, she left £2631 of her share to Gerald "Director of Church Music"(*) and his brother-in-law Rupert "Bank Official". In 1945 by command of King George VI the SECM became Royal School of Church Music (RSCM)at Canterbury Cathedral, and the College opened there the following year. From (*)1954-73 Gerald was Director of the Royal School of Church Music, working out of his alma mater St Nicholas, now at Addington Palace, near Croydon - the former "country residence" of the Archbishops of Canterbury [it was used to house hundreds of choirboys from all over the country to sing at The Queen's coronation in 1953, then the college was here until 1996, when it was sold as a wedding venue and still functions in this way]. He travelled to foreign lands, it seems, in the course of his career, as I have seen his name on passenger lists e.g. Durban, South Africa to Southampton in May 1958 and he travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1959, when he needed this immigration card. In 1964 Gerald was awarded a Fellowship of the RSCM, when he was 56. He died 16 Sep 1979 aged 71 at 18 Warrington Crescent, Maida Vale, London where he had presumably retired. He left effects worth £12340 but the record is too recent to state to whom.
He left an impressive legacy in the form of 8 publications:
Treasury of English Church Music Vol 1 1965
Accompaniments for unison Hymn-singing 1971
Christ whose glory fills the skies - Anthem with words by Charles Wesley
The Coventry Mass - accompaniment 1966
Incidental Vocal Music to 2 plays by Dorothy L Sayers 1938
20 Questions on Church Music No 3 1950
RSCM The first 40 years 1968
and 7 songs, including
Give me Joy in My Heart (Sing Hosanna)

http://bbc.in/16FpV1g (I hope this link works, I was hoping to embed it, but it won't work as such. It is of course most appropriate that it is sung by Truro School)

This last item I am absolutely thrilled about, as it was my very favourite when I was growing up, as a Christian child in Kent. My life has moved on now, but I am so proud that I married a relative of the composer of this song.

Tuesday 3rd January 2017

Frederick Robert Knight - see 29th Jan 2015 (sorry I got his middle name wrong) - main new record is marriage record. Thus Mildred's hitherto unknown maiden name can be seen to be Dunkel, and she was a school teacher.

Gerald Hocken Knight was born 27 Jul 1908 in Tywardreath to Alwyne & Edith née Harvey. I have just discovered he was quite famous, so need to do much more work on him. He was Oliver's 3rd cousin - they were both great great grandsons of Robert Knight b1776 - and I will get back to you later in the week on this... (it is now 5pm and not a time to start something like this)

Monday 2nd January 2017

Emily Knight was born late 1854 at Polpinka, sister of Ellen yesterday, to Simon & Grace née Bennett. She can be seen on census records of 1861 & 1871 at Polpinka with family, in the latter with 2 sisters, working as a dressmaker. In about 1880 she married William McCloskey, bricklayer's labourer from Ireland, although I cannot locate the marriage record. They can be seen in 1881 census, living in Bury, Lancashire with his nephews & niece, then emigrating to Queensland, Australia. Emily travelled out from Plymouth on SS Alomora arriving in Cooktown, Qld on 15 Mar 1882. I can see records stating that William worked on the railways in Western Australia as a labourer 1893-6, then transferred to the East, but never worked for them there. If he dropped the "Mc" in his name, there is a William J Closkey registered as a storeman in Brandon, Qld 1902-12, where a Pat Closkey was store- & postmaster, but I cannot be sure. Emily died in Queensland in 1923 (surname McCloskey, father stated as Simon Knight, so I'm pretty sure it is her)

Emily Knight2 was born Nov 1862 in Roche to Christopher & Jane née Roberts and christened there on Christmas Day 1862. She can be seen in census of 1871 & 1881 at Criggan Downs, Roche with parents & sibs, in the latter aged 18, working as a Domestic Servant. I cannot locate a marriage etc but she may be the nurse who emigrated to New York on the SS Etruria with Henry Wilcocks, family & staff in 1891.

Emily Elizabeth Stick Knight - see 23rd Jan 2015 - nothing new

Ernest Alfred Knight - 1939 Register confirms Gertrude at Meadowbank (and sorts out her date of birth, previously a bone of contention) widow aged 74, domestic occupation, where she died 10 years later.

Ernest Alfred Knight junior - his son - see 24th Jan 2015 - 1939 Register shows him at Higher Rosewarrick, farmer with Amy UDD & son William aged 9 at school.

Ethel Mary Knight - 1939 Register shows her at 1 Dry Hill Road, Tonbridge, Kent with daughter Eugenie O'Donovan & her husband. There are 2 closed files, which may be their children, and also a 19-year-old servant

Fanny Knight b1847 - nothing new
Fanny Knight b1852 - 1939 Register shows her at Menua (now St Dennis), St Austell, alone UDD. She died there 3 years later just at her 90th birthday.
Frances Fanny Knight b1824 - died aged 21, nothing new
Frances Fanny Knight b1853 - see 26th Jan 2015 and other places. Nothing new except 1901 census, at the County Lunatic Asylum as expected, shows her as widow.

Sunday 1st January 2017
Happy New Year to you all

Continuing to review the Knights (at present) and update where appropriate with new records

Ellen Knight b1851 - see 23rd Jan 2015, new record is 1939 Register, taken a month before her death. She can be seen at 5 Spring Hill, Tavistock (where she had been in 1911), with a housekeeper.


Ellen Knight b1853 - I found her christening record in 2015 27 Mar 1853 at Menheniot to Simon & Grace née Bennett, and census records of 1861 when she was aged 8 with parents & sibs at Polpinka
In 1871 she can be seen at Heskyn, St Germans, working as one of 5 servants (including governess) on a farm. At the next census, I suspect she is the inmate of Paddington Workhouse, who was born in Cornwall and had a child Nellie in Mar 1881, although unmarried. She was described as General Domestic Servant. This doesn't really help though, as I can't take it any further with any confidence. There is a marriage to a William Brewer, but father's name is given as James, although a Simon & Fanny sign as witnesses, so this could be an error (unlikely).

Ellen Jane Knight was born Apr 1857 in Roche to Christopher & Jane née Roberts and christened there on 19 May 1857. She can be seen in 1861 census at Criggan Downs, Roche with parents & sister Hannah, then the same in 1871 also with several siblings. On Christmas Day 1875 she married Samuel Hore, engine driver but then peters out until her death in Plymouth aged 84 in 1941. If this was her, she can be seen in 1939 Register in Richmond Street, Plymouth, widowed UDD with a possible son Preston Hore, vegetable cook in a Hotel.