To explain the origin of the following three surnames we have to negotiate various spelling changes over the centuries. In the 1500s we find no-one called Weary until Richard Weary was baptised at St Pinnock, near Liskeard, in 1598. On the other hand, there were many Werrys. As the surname Weary appeared in broadly the … Continue reading Rarer Cornish surnames continued
Rumours of plague? Mortality crises in 16th century Cornwall
In May of 1591 deaths began to spiral at Redruth. That year saw burial numbers in the parish registers hit a figure nine times higher than the usual. Yet by Christmas the crisis was over and burials had reverted to their normal level. Sudden short mortality crises like that at Redruth suggest an airborne infection, … Continue reading Rumours of plague? Mortality crises in 16th century Cornwall
The Battle of Stamford Hill: May 1643
Just over 367 years ago the second major Cornish battle of the British Wars took place. After their victory at Braddock Down in January the Royalists had unsuccessfully besieged Plymouth before being driven off, while one of their leaders – Sidney Godolphin - had in the meantime been shot dead in an ambush near Chagford … Continue reading The Battle of Stamford Hill: May 1643
Two unexpected Cornish surnames and a relic of the old language
Sometimes surnames prove to be more common in Cornwall than elsewhere, even though they look to be anything but Cornish. Waddleton is one. This was probably a local spelling for the surname Waddington, named after a number of places in northern England and in Surrey. The first Waddleton appears in 1744 in the Antony marriage … Continue reading Two unexpected Cornish surnames and a relic of the old language
Covid-19. How is Cornwall faring?
It seems a good time to present some facts on the progress of the current coronavirus pandemic in Cornwall, with numbers of new cases overall now hopefully declining. Accurate mortality figures (including deaths in the community as well as in hospitals) are produced by the Office for National Statistics after a lag of two weeks. … Continue reading Covid-19. How is Cornwall faring?
All work and no play? A Bible Christian hymn for children
Below are some verses from the Child’s Hymn Book, circulating in the early 1830s in Cornwall. It urges the reader to work and study, holding out an unattractive alternative if little noses weren’t kept close to the grindstone. The book was published at Shebbear, in north Devon. It may have originated in the Bible Christians’ … Continue reading All work and no play? A Bible Christian hymn for children
Tre- surnames: an overview
There are around 1,300 places in Cornwall whose names contain the element tre, meaning a farmstead, hamlet or more generally a settlement. It is no surprise therefore, to find many surnames derived from those placenames. In 1861 there were around 125 separate Tre- surnames, amounting to 2.9% of the Cornish population. Over the centuries no … Continue reading Tre- surnames: an overview
Helston’s Furry Day and Hal-an-Tow
Another iconic Cornish festival day. Another sad silence. Although traditional furry dances were held in several places across Cornwall within living memory – I remember participating at Liskeard – Helston is now regarded as the home of the furry. The event shares some aspects with Padstow’s ‘Obby ‘Oss - the celebration of spring, traditional songs, … Continue reading Helston’s Furry Day and Hal-an-Tow
West Wheal Seton: a working mine of the 1870s
West Wheal Seton mine in 1877 West Wheal Seton was one of a number of mines around Camborne that were struggling to survive the mining depression of the 1870s. One after another, neighbouring mines were falling victim to low metal prices and their engines ceasing to pump. As a result, West Wheal Seton had almost … Continue reading West Wheal Seton: a working mine of the 1870s
Slavery in Cornwall: the Bodmin manumissions
No-one likes to think their ancestors were slaves. These days, it’s probably much worse to imagine that our ancestors may have been slaveholders. Yet at the time of Domesday Book, in 1080, Cornwall had more than its fair share of slaves. These not only worked their lord’s land, like later serfs, but were owned outright … Continue reading Slavery in Cornwall: the Bodmin manumissions
Cornish studies resources 