EDDY Family of Cornwall

1841 census, Sancreed ref 11-55 (Boslow): EDDY«tab»Richard«tab»50«tab»M«tab»Tin Miner«tab» EDDY«tab»Elizabeth«tab»45«tab»F«tab»«tab» EDDY«tab»Richard«tab»15«tab»M«tab»«tab» EDDY«tab»Mary«tab»15«tab»F«tab»«tab» EDDY«tab»John«tab»14«tab»M«tab»«tab» EDDY«tab»James«tab»12«tab»M«tab»«tab» EDDY«tab»Ann«tab»10«tab»F«tab»«tab»

In the 1851 census at St Just in Penwith, ref 1919 f 203 51 (Tregeseal): EDDY Richard HD M 61 St Just«tab» EDDY Elizabeth WI M 59 St Just EDDY John SO U 24 St Just EDDY James SO U 21 St Just EDDY Ann DA U 19 St Just

It appears that Richard died shortly after the 1851 census. Cornwall OPC has a burial record for Richard EDDY, 61 of Tregeseal, buried St Just in Penwith 31 May 1851.

In the 1861 census at St Just in Penwith ref 10-54 (Tregeseal): EDDY Elizabeth Head W 67 St Just CON EDDY John Son U 33 St Just CON

Assuming Elizabeth was at least 16 when married, and using her birth year calculated from the 1851 census (about 1792), Richard and Elizabeth would have been married after 1808. There are the following possible marriages, Richard EDDY and: (A) Elizabeth SEMMENS, 08 Dec 1813, Zennor (B) Elizabeth THOMAS, 18 Nov 1814, Zennor (C) Elizabeth THOMAS, 23 Dec 1817, St Just in Penwith

There were many children baptised in Zennor to a Richard and Elizabeth, I suspect that at least (A) or (B) or both (although I can't be sure), stayed in Zennor and that (C) married this Richard EDDY.

Using Richard's birth year calculated from the 1851 census (about 1790), possible baptisms are Richard, son of: (1) John EDDY & Mary -, 25 Jun 1789, St Just in Penwith (2) Matthew EDDY & Elizabeth -, 23 May 1790, St Buryan (3) John EDDY & Jane -, 17 Jul 1791, Sancreed (4) Jacob EDDY & Elizabeth -, 31 Oct 1791, St Just in Penwith

Of these, Matthew and Jacob are not names passed down to Richard's children, so this casts doubt over (2) and (4). Furthermore, John is Richard and Elizabeth's second son's name, and a John signed as a witness at their wedding. This leaves (1) and (3), and EITHER COULD BE CORRECT - needs investigating. I had previously assumed (3) as Sancreed is where Richard and Elizabeth were living in the 1841 census, and I will leave as such for now.

Although there isn't a daughter Elizabeth living with Richard and Elizabeth in the 1841 census, it was normal for the first daughter (or at least one daughter) of a couple to be named after the mother. If Richard and Elizabeth were married on 23 Dec 1817, St Just in Penwith, there would be just over 4 years before their son Richard was baptised (10 Mar 1822) in which other children could have been born. Therefore, I believe Elizabeth baptised 09 Apr 1820 did belong to this family.

There are 4 other children, baptised as children of Richard and Elizabeth: (a) Richard, 04 Apr 1819, Morvah (b) Elizabeth, 25 Dec 1820, Morvah (c) William, 27 Jul 1823, Morvah (d) Jane, 13 Jul 1834, Penzance - Wesleyan

Although (a), (b) and (c) probably belonged to another family (based on being baptised in Morvah), Jane was baptised in the Penzance Wesleyan Chapel, just like her 3 older siblings. Jane probably is another child of this family, but possibly died before the 1841 census.

Residence recorded as Bosavern 9 Apr 1820 when daughter Elizabeth was baptised (father Richard a miner). Residence recorded as Bostraze 10 Mar 1822, 9 May 1824 and 13 Jun 1829 when children Richard, Mary and James were baptised (father Richard a miner), and Lower Bostraze 21 Jan 1832 when daughter Ann baptised.