EDDY Family of Cornwall

1841 census, ref St Just in Penwith, 9-114: EDDY«tab»William«tab»30«tab»M«tab»Tin Miner«tab» EDDY«tab»Eliza«tab»30«tab»F«tab»«tab» EDDY«tab»William«tab»15«tab»M«tab»Tin Miner«tab» EDDY«tab»Margaret«tab»12«tab»F«tab»«tab» EDDY«tab»Elizabeth«tab»7«tab»F«tab»«tab» EDDY«tab»Mary«tab»4«tab»F«tab»«tab» EDDY«tab»Christina«tab»2«tab»F«tab»«tab»

In the 1851 census (transcription from Ron Rowe) at 81 Dowran, St Just in Penwith: Eddy«tab»William«tab»head«tab»m«tab»45«tab»Tin Miner«tab»St Just«tab» Eddy«tab»Eliza«tab»wife«tab»m«tab»44«tab»«tab»St Buryan«tab» Eddy«tab»William«tab»s«tab»u«tab»26«tab»«tab»St Just«tab» Eddy«tab»Margaret«tab»dau«tab»u«tab»21«tab»«tab»St Just«tab» Eddy«tab»Elizabeth«tab»dau«tab»u«tab»18«tab»«tab»Sancreed«tab» Eddy«tab»Mary Ann«tab»dau«tab»u«tab»15«tab»«tab»Sancreed«tab» Eddy«tab»Christiana«tab»dau«tab»u«tab»12«tab»«tab»St Just«tab» Eddy«tab»Eliza Jane«tab»dau«tab»u«tab»6«tab»«tab»St Just«tab» Eddy«tab»Amelia Ann«tab»dau«tab»«tab»1«tab»«tab»St Just«tab»

1861 census, ref St Just in Penwith, 12-87 (last column is where born): EDDY«tab»William«tab»«tab»Head«tab»M«tab»57«tab»St Just CON«tab» EDDY«tab»Eliza«tab»«tab»Wife«tab»M«tab»54«tab»St Buryan CON«tab» EDDY«tab»Christianna«tab»Daughter«tab»U«tab»21«tab»Sancreed CON«tab» EDDY«tab»Eliza Jane«tab»Daughter«tab»-«tab»16«tab»St Just CON«tab» EDDY«tab»Amelia Ann«tab»Daughter«tab»-«tab»12«tab»St Just CON«tab» EDDY«tab»Rosina«tab»«tab»Daughter«tab»-«tab»4«tab»St Just CON«tab»

1871 census, ref St Just in Penwith, 12-92 (all born St Just except Eliza, 66, St Buryan): EDDY«tab»William«tab»Head«tab»«tab»M«tab»69«tab»Farmer 4 acres EDDY«tab»Eliza«tab»Wife«tab»«tab»M«tab»66«tab» EDDY«tab»Emily A«tab»Daughter«tab»«tab»U«tab»21«tab»Tin Stamping Mill EDDY«tab»Rosina«tab»Granddaughter«tab»-«tab»13«tab»Scholar EDDY«tab»William«tab»Grandson«tab»-«tab»10«tab»Scholar EDDY«tab»James«tab»Grandson«tab»-«tab»8«tab»Scholar EDDY«tab»Emily J«tab»Granddaughter«tab»-«tab»6«tab»Scholar EDDY«tab»Eliza J«tab»Granddaughter«tab»-«tab»2m«tab»

1881 census, living at Dowran, St Just in Penwith, ref FHL Film 1341565 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 2350 Folio 42 Page 13: William EDDY«tab»M«tab»79 «tab»St Just«tab»«tab»Head«tab»Farmer Eliza EDDY«tab»M«tab»75 «tab»St Buryan«tab»Wife James EDDY«tab»U«tab»20 «tab»St Just«tab»«tab»G-Son«tab»Tin Miner Emily EDDY«tab»U«tab»17 «tab»St Just«tab»«tab»G-Daur«tab»Tin Dresser Eliza J. HOSKING«tab»W«tab»36 «tab»St Just«tab»«tab»Daur«tab»Char Woman John T. HOSKING«tab» «tab»15 «tab»Sancreed«tab»«tab»G-Son«tab»Tin Dresser

1891 census, ref St Just in Penwith, 12-30: EDDY«tab»William«tab»Head«tab»M«tab»88«tab»St Buryan CON«tab» EDDY«tab»Eliza«tab»Wife«tab»M«tab»85«tab»St Just CON«tab»

There is an MI (ref St Just in Penwith - Cemetery, Card 52) which must belong to this William and Eliza as no other such couple of even a comparable age existed in the 1891 census. They are buried together, William died 06 May 1895 aged 95, and Eliza died 05 Dec 1900 aged 95.

William's birth year, according to the census returns above, in order, is calculated as: 1811, 1804, 1802, 1802 and 1803; and his monumental inscription suggests 1800. Surprisingly, there is only one appropriate baptism record; on 23 May 1802, the son of James EDDY & Elizabeth in St Just in Penwith. The William EDDY baptism preceding this one is 25 Sep 1796 whose family I have researched and can eliminate, and the succeeding one is 18 Jun 1806, the son of Oliver and Mary - Oliver not being a name that is passed down, whereas James and Elizabeth are.

There are children not mentioned in the census returns which were baptised to Willam EDY/EDDY and Eliza in Sancreed and St Just. As I don't have records of marriages in St Just after 1837, I can't be sure that they belong to this couple, but it would appear so (and I have now added them to the family). The baptism records are: (a) Eliza EDDY«tab»15 Nov 1828«tab»Sancreed«tab» (b) James EDY«tab»10 Feb 1833«tab»Sancreed«tab» (c) Eliza EDDY«tab»08 Nov 1841«tab»St Just in Penwith«tab» (d) Mary Ann EDDY«tab»09 Jun 1850«tab»St Just in Penwith«tab»

These children may have died before each census which would explain their absences. A second and third Eliza would only normally occur if the previous ones had died. Also, I have found one burial record that matches James EDY, 29 Oct 1834, aged 3 born Sancreed, but haven't found the any others.

An imported file had another son to William and Eliza, Thomas H. EDDY, born in Sancreed in 1859 which would have made his mother aged 53. I haven't yet found any evidence for this child and believe it was probably a mistake. (I have now realised that their son James had a son Thomas Henry EDDY).

The 1861 census has another daughter, Rosina, aged 4, but I believe this is a mistake, and should be her granddaughter (as stated in the 1871 census). (Incidentally, Rosina EDDY is in the 1881 census at New Dairy, Marazion, working as a domestic servant to Michael ROWE, and in the 1891 ("Rosena") at Sancreed, still unmarried and working as a servant.) The 1871 census has another daughter, Emily A., which could be a mistake as her age corresponds with Mary Ann's baptism 09 Jun 1850.