Trewhellas in trouble...!

[Mal]

Creator(s):
Cornwall Quarter Sessions, c 1350-1970


Quarter Sessions Order Books - ref. QS/1

FILE - Quarter Sessions Order Book - ref. QS/1/11 - date: April 1825-Jan 1831
item: Sessions held at Truro - ref. QS/1/11/1-30 - date: 12 April 1825
[from Scope and Content] Recognizance of John Williams jun. of Madron, yeo., to answer in bastardy, and Henry Trewhella, his pledge: estreated.
item: Sessions held at Lostwithiel - ref. QS/1/11/31-65 - date: 12 July 1825
[from Scope and Content] Henry Trewhella of Madron, yeoman surety of above J. W. jun: recognizance discharged.
item: Sessions held at Bodmin - ref. QS/1/11/428-466 - date: 13 January 1829
[from Scope and Content] James Honeychurch of Penzance, lab., indicted for stealing five gallons of barley in the straw, property of Matthew Trewhella. Pleaded guilty: four months' hard labour in Bodmin gaol.

FILE - Quarter Sessions Order Book - ref. QS/1/12 - date: Apr 1831-Mar 1836
item: Sessions held at Bodmin - ref. QS/1/12/1-27 - date: 15 April 1831
[from Scope and Content] James Trewhella of Madron, lab., indicted for stealing one bundle of barley straw and another bundle of straw, from Elizabeth Smith: one month's hard labour in Bodmin gaol.
item: Sessions held at Bodmin - ref. QS/1/12/411-429 - date: 1st July 1834
[from Scope and Content] John Trewhella of Redruth, lab. indicted for stealing a trowel, hammer, and pick, property of William Adams: three months' hard labour in Bodmin gaol.
item: Sessions held at Bodmin - ref. QS1/12/519-542 - date: 20th October 1835
[from Scope and Content] William Martin of Redruth, lab. indicted for stealing an umbrella property of John Trewhella: three months' hard labour in Bodmin gaol.

[Cornish Terrier]

Thankyou Malcolm - I already knew about a couple of these 'misdeeds'.

But there is one item that I was not aware of and that was the 'bastardy' order on John WILLIAMS.

Also first time I have found Henry TREWHELLA referred to as 'yeoman'.

This is the Henry for whom I can find no further information beyond his marriage.

All I know is that he was 'of St Just' when he married in 1803 and that he was born around 1780.

It was his daughter, Elizabeth, who was involved in the 'liaison' with John WILLIAMS junr.k

The child was Mary Ann Uren TREWHELLA bp. 13th February 1831 at Madron and later married to James WILLIAMS at Madron 28th November 1852.

I was always working on the name UREN as a possibility identity of the father but this document seems to prove otherwise.

Further investigation to be undertaken later.

[Cornish Terrier]

And I can add another one!

Found him in the National Archives site a couple of nights ago.

PCOM 3/32/3391 Licence number 3391: Theophilus Trewella. Convicted of Stealing gold and silver money of the value of five pounds, a silver watch and gold guard and bed quilt the prprerty of Alfred Moone at the Quarter Sessions at Falmouth, Cornwall, 08 April 1851. Then aged 24 years and by trade a Steward of a ship, drapers assistant and auctioneers clerk.

Initially I thought Theophilus was a unique name in the Trewhella families but it now appears there must have been two. The one I previously knew about was the illegitimate son of widowed Ann Trewhella from St Buryan and he came out to Australia:-

Theophilus arrived in Victoria aboard the 'Shalimar' in February 1855, apparently as a free man.

He was married in 1858 and had six children of whom five were daughters.
His son, also Theophilus, never married.

[Cornish Terrier]

I think it is well past time I updated (and corrected!) this one.

The Theophilus who was convicted of stealing 'gold and silver money' etc. was a previously unknown Theophilus Trewella.

He was the son of Henry Trewella, a Baptist Minister! who appears to have spent time in the Isles of Scilly and Tyneside, Northumberland as well as probably a number of places in between.

Henry Trewella was the son of Malachy Trewheela and Sarah (nee Oliver) who married at Madron in 1785.
Henry was baptised at Penzance 17th January 1790 and married Elizabeth Bennetts at Falmouth 6th December 1812.

There were three children to this marriage:-
1. Mary Ann born Penzance c.1815 married Julius Palmer at Falmouth in 1837
2. Henry born Isles of Scilly c.1818 married Elizabeth Carbis at Gwennap in 1857
3. Theophilus who seems to have been born around 1827 (place unknown)

In 1847 at Essex Theophilus C Trewella was convicted of 'Larceny by Servant' and sentenced to 6 months.
The 1852 offence then was at least his second time fronting the beak and he received a sentence of 'Transportation beyond the seas for 7 years'.
The Summary from the National Archives for this 1852 offence has the following appended:-

Licence granted: 25 June 1855, for early release from Portsmouth Prison

So it appears that he spent time in Portsmouth Prison awaiting transportation but in the end was released in England prior to the sentence being carried out.

The question is 'what happened to Theophilus after his release'?

The entry in the England and Wales Criminal Registers for the earlier 1847 offence has him recorded as 'Theophilus C Trewella' and underneath the 'C' is entered 'Cornelius'.

So his name apparently should be Theophilus Cornelius Trewella - and that may lead to some answers!

Part of the solution to this problem I think lies in the following:-

Truro Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Baptisms
15th December 1856 Emily Miriam the daughter of Cornelius and Catherine Trewella of Edward St Truro was born 31st July 1856 and was baptised by William D Tyack

FreeBMD Deaths - September Qtr 1860
St Austell R.D. Vol 5c Page 82
TREWALLA Emily Miriam

The next sighting of any member of this family appears to be:-

1881 Census
Goonhaveran, Perranzabuloe
Walter CHEGWIN, head, mar, 57, Innkeeper, Feock
Eliza do., wife, mar, 44, Truro
Catharine TREWELLA, sister, widow, 51, Truro

Catherine Trewella/Trewolla of the Union Workhouse age 56 buried 25th December 1887 Perranzabuloe

I have not been able to find any record of a marriage in FreeBMD or elsewhere for Theophilus C and Catherine. His father was a Baptist Minister and they did move around a lot but the marriage should have occurred in the 1850s and so be registered.
And nor can I find Theophilus/Cornelius in any record in England aside from those mentioned above and the 1841 Census when he was age 13 and living with his parents at Newcastle upon Tyne.

I suspect that this might be another case of 'the groom's done a runner'! ;D

The parents of Theophilus Cornelius Trewella were:-
Father - Henry Trewella whose mother's maiden name was Oliver
Mother - Elizabeth Bennetts

And then in South Africa we find THEOPHILUS TREWELLA BENNETTE getting married in 1865 and thereafter having children of whom three have quite interesting names:-
1. Anna Maria Elizabeth Trewella Bennette
2. Henry Oliver Trewella Bennette
3. Theophilus Cornelius Lee Trewella Bennette

Most interesting methinks!

CT

[Cornish Terrier]

There appears to be just a little more to this Bennett situation than I first envisaged! And in many ways it starts with the 1881 Census.

1881 Census
Goonhaveran, Perranzabuloe
Walter CHEGWIN, head, mar, 57, Innkeeper, Feock
Eliza do., wife, mar, 44, Truro
Catharine TREWELLA, sister, widow, 51, Truro

I spent some time on Walter Chegwin some time ago and I am reasonably confident that he was the son of John and Elizabeth CHEGWIDDEN of Feock. I agonised over the names and attacked the problem from all angles with the conclusion that Chegwidden and Chegwin in this case were the same family.

In fact Walter Chegwin was most helpful in this process.
His first marriage was at Kenwyn in 1847 to Susanna Nichollas Kneebone and there were a number of children who were endowed, for a change, with extremely helpful names! (Examples are Eliza Kneebone, Susanna Nicholls and Lucy Jane)

I initially found the children in the Census and what I found from there was most enlightening! Most of the children were recorded as CHEGWIDDEN when baptised but when I checked the same names in FreeBMD I found them recorded as CHEGWIN/CHEGWYN! ;D

Walter was born at Feock 26th August 1819 and baptised Truro Wesleyan Circuit 14th November 1819 son of John and Elizabeth Chegwidden.

They appear to be John Chegwyn and Elizabeth Tregaskis who married at Kea 9th November 1809 and they can be found in the 1841 and 1851 Census along with a number of children.

And here is the problem! There is no sign of a daughter named Catherine, Christian, Kitty or anything else that might be interpreted as Catherine!

There is not even a Catherine/Christian/Kitty Chegwidden/Chegwin/Chirgwin etc. in the 1841 or 1851 Census who is even a close match in age.

That can really mean but one thing - Catherine cannot be the sister of Walter Chegwin so being named as 'sister' in the 1881 Census means that she must be the sister of Eliza Chegwin, Walter's wife. So one problem leads to another ...............................

Walter Chegwin, widower, age 59, married Eliza BENNETT, spinster, age 44, daughter of Thomas Bennett, clerk 28th August 1879 at Truro St Paul.

That then indicates that the widowed Catherine Trewella of 1881 must also have been a Bennett (i.e. Walter's sister-in-law rather than sister) which would explain some anomalies I have found but still leave others.

Looking at the 1861 and 1871 Census records for the Bennett family showed up something interesting! And it is worth including 1851 for comparison:-

1851 Penryn
Thomas BENNETT, head, mar, 64, tanner, Truro
Ann do., wife, mar, 60, Penzance
Eliza do., daur, unm, 24, domestic assistant, Truro
Catherine T. do., daur, unm, 20, dressmaker, Truro
Emily S. do., daur, unm, 18, milliner, Truro

1861 Kenwyn
Ann BENNETT, head, wid., 70, Penzance
Eliza do., daur, unm, 28, milliner, Truro
Catherine TREWELLA, Mar., 27, dress maker, Truro

Note that Eliza has aged just 4 years from 1851 to 1861!!!!
Note that unmarried Catherine T Bennett from 1851 is now Catherine TREWELLA, married, in 1861!

1871 St Mary Truro
Ann BENNETT, head, wid., 79, Penzance
Catherine TREWELLA, daur, Mar, 34, dressmaker, Kenwyn

Eliza is now missing and I have not been able to find her anywhere in 1871.
Catherine is still recorded as Catherine Trewella and still recorded as being married.

In 1881 Eliza was age 44, in 1891 age 57and in 1901 age 65 so her age varied quite a bit over the years. She was actually born at Kenwyn in 1826!
But Walter Chegwin's age also varied. He was born in 1819 yet in 1881 he was age 57 and then in 1891 a spriteful 61!!
By 1911 Walter was deceased and Eliza was in the Workhouse age 77. So from 1861 onwards she was basically saying she was born around 1833 rather than 1826.

SO! - after thinking about this for several hours and while compiling these last two posts I have arrived at what appears to be an inevitable conclusion.

Theophilus Cornelius TREWELLA married his cousin Catherine Trewella BENNETT and had one shortlived child before heading off to South Africa where it would appear he found 'everything' much more to his liking.

As she married a Trewella Catherine only had to drop the Bennett from her name explaining why she appears as Catherine Trewella from 1861 onwards.

Perhaps to conceal his true identity Theophilus took the drastic step of changing his own name .............................................. to Theophilus Trewhella BENNETT!

That seems to be the only scenario that accounts for all the information I have found and, most importantly, for all those familiar names in the South African families!

Messy!

CT

[londoner]

not such a drastic name change as it was his mother's name.

As for the rest - once you get the bone between those terrier jaws we know you wont give up while there is a scrap left!

[Cornish Terrier]

Ah! so you spotted that little bit of tongue in cheek! ;D I would have thought that if he really wanted to hide that Bennett would not have been the name he would have chosen.

But do the conclusions make sense or is there perhaps something I might have missed or overlooked.

From family trees on Ancestry and Rootsweb it seems that no-one has got any further that a birth of 'about 1840' in Cornwall or a couple showing 2nd April 1720 in Cornwall.
The 1841 Census has him at age 13 so born about 1827/8 and the Criminal Registers for 1847 (age 18) is similar. But then that is assuming that Theophilus Cornelius Trewella and Theophilus Trewella Bennette are one and the same person.

It would certainly be helpful to find a record of the marriage but as it does not appear to have taken place in England I am not quite sure where to look except, perhaps, for South Africa.

More cogitating to be done!

CT

[londoner]

Theophilus is a pretty unusual name and to find it combined with other names that are part of the family, and the sequence of events you have found, make your logic seem pretty sound.

Ancestry24.com - the South African site, has a death of a Theophilus Bennett in 1928 in Cape Town - unlikely to be the same chap but possibly a descendant - I dont have a sub so cant get any more detail.

[Cornish Terrier]

Yes, the name Theophilus Trewella Bennette continued on in South Africa for at least a couple of generations and there are some family group records to be found via Rootsweb.

As I previously mentioned there seems to be no-one with any substantiated birth information for the first Theophilus with one saying 2nd April 1820 and others saying 'c.1840'.

There also seems to be nothing on his death except that he died in South Africa so the 1820 information would have to be extremely suspect. In fact I think that information might be included in the 1820 Settlers site and so suspect a possible 'guess' that Theophilus might have been involved given no other information could be found.

But to be born in England around 1820 would potentially have him as a son of Thomas and Ann (nee Trewhella) Bennett as there is a gap from 1817-1824 in their children.
However I have again checked all available records and can find no evidence of any children to that couple during that period.

The information from the National Archives and the Criminal Registers offers enough to suggest that Theophilus Trewella was the son of Henry and Elizabeth (nee Bennetts) Trewella and this information also includes the second given name of Cornelius.
And Henry Trewella's mother was Sarah Oliver so when you take a look through the known family in South Africa and find the names Theophilus, Trewella, Cornelius, Henry, Bennette and Oliver all together it seems a logical conclusion that Theophilus Cornelius Trewella simply became Theophilus Trewella Bennette in South Africa.

CT

[emz]

Hi There
Im from South Africa and recently discovered that a Theophilus Trewella Bennette is my 3rd great-grandfather.
Here is his death record - www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-95X9-9Z87?i=761&cc=1779109&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQPHP-9Z9V
Here is the marriage record - www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKD-WNCX?cc=2821281&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3ADM7Y-FGMM
In family search trees he is listed as the son of Henry & Elizabeth
According to all info I have found Henry & Elizabeth only had 3 Children therefore the assumption is drawn that Theophilus Trewella Bennette & Theophilus Cornelius Trewella is the same person - Both born on the same date only the year is different.

I have not researched his very deeply but thought I would add the above for you

[Cornish Terrier]

Hi emz and Welcome to the site.

From my own research I have concluded that Henry and Elizabeth actually had five children .... or at least five that survived at least long enough to appear in records.

1. Elizabeth born about 1814 died at Falmouth 18th January 1840 of typhus fever
2. Mary Ann born about 1816 at Penzance - married Julius Palmer at Falmouth 14th November 1837
3. Henry born about 1818 St Mary's, Isles of Scilly - married Elizabeth Carbis at Gwennap, Cornwall 10th April 1857 and died at Falmouth in 1883
4. Isaiah born about 1822 and was buried at South Leigh, Midlothian, Scotland 19th March 1840 age 17. (In the records as 'Isaiah son of Henry Oliver Trewella)
5. Theophilus born about 1827/8 at Lymm in Cheshire

Theophilus, then age 13, can be found with Henry and Elizabeth Trewella at Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1841 Census

From the 'England & Wales Criminal Registers, 1791-1892'
Essex Assizes 5th January 1847
Theophilus C (Cornelius) Trewella age 18 convicted of 'larceny by servant' and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment

From the Falmouth Assizes
8th April 1852
Theophilus Trewella
Felony - Stealing from his Master certain gold and silver money value 5 pounds also a silver Watch and Gold Guard - Transported beyond the seas for 7 years.

I don't know whether Theophilus actually got transported in the end or if he got early release or pardon but even if he did leave England there is evidence to suggest he was back within a few years.

Over the years I found a number of records that I could never quite understand or link to any other parts of the family. But eventually I found other odds and ends that helped piece together a picture that became my conclusion on the identity of Theophilus. His name popped up in various forms over a period - Theophilus, Theophilus C (with 'Cornelius' inserted in the record) and then, in South Africa, Theophilus Cornelious Trewella Bennette!!). All of these eventually pointed to the one person.


In the 1861 Census for Kenwyn in Cornwall we have the following household:-
Fairmantle Street
Ann BENNETT Head widow age 70 born Penzance
Eliza BENNETT daughter unmarried age 28 born Truro
Catherine TREWOLLA daughter married age 27 born Truro

I believe this to be Nancy Trewella who married Thomas Bennett at St Gluvias in 1814. Nancy was a sister to Henry Trewella and, therefore, aunt to Theophilus.
Eliza was the sixth child of Thomas and Nancy Bennett and she married Walter CHEGWIN at Truro in 1879. (This name comes up a little further in this post)
CATHERINE TREWOLLA - despite the spelling of the name this is the eighth child of Thomas and Nancy Bennett - Catherine Trewella Bennett who was born at Kenwyn 6th April 1830 and baptised there 14th August 1830.

From the Truro Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Registers:-
15th December 1856 Emily Miriam the daughter of CORNELIUS and Catherine Trewella of Edward St Truro baptised (born 31st July 1856 at Bethnal Green in London)

From the Mevagissey (Cornwall) Parish Register
13th September 1860 Emily Miriam Trewalla of Fore Street Mevagissey was buried age 3
(There is little doubt Emily must have been the daughter of Catherine 'Trewolla' from the 1861 Census above)

1871 Census for St Mary's Truro
Pydar Street
Ann Bennett Head widow age 79 born Penzance
CATHERINE TREWELLA daughter age 34 dressmaker born Kenwyn

1881 Census for Perranzabuloe
Goonhavern
Walter CHEGWIN Head married age 57 Innkeeper born Feock
Eliza Chegwin wife married age 44 born Truro
CATHERINE TREWELLA sister married age 51 born Truro

Eliza would actually have been 54 but again there is no doubt she is the Eliza daughter of Ann Bennett from the 1861 Census above along with her sister Catherine. As per one of my entries above Eliza Bennett married Walter Chegwin at Truro in 1879.

Finally

Catherine Trewolla (sic) of the Union Workhouse age 56 was buried at Perranzabuloe 23rd December 1887.

Conclusions:-

Although I have not been able to find a marriage record the combination of the above items suggested very strongly that Theophilus Trewella had 'married' his cousin Catherine Trewella Bennett.

There are also records that indicate Theophilus was for a time known as 'Thomas Trewella'.

United Kingdom, Merchant Navy Seamen Records, 1835-1941
A 'Thomas Trewella' with Ticket Number 470,548 served between the years 1845-1854. The Ticket was issued 20th October 1849 and gives the following:-

Name - Thomas Trewella
Birth - Lymm, Norfolk 2nd April 1828
Height - 5ft 7-1/4in

He is certainly recorded as 'Theophilus' in at least one of these records.

The only other close match to this description is a Thomas Trewolla who was baptised at Kenwyn in Cornwall 20th January 1828. His occupation was recorded as 'painter' and he married Mary Crewes at Kenwyn in 1853 and died in 1863.

The 'Thomas' born at Norfolk is obviously a different person and again all the details about him match very closely with other information found about Theophilus. That leads me to the conclusion once again that Thomas and Theophilus were one and the same person.

So - aside from the abundance of information now available about the family in South Africa you now have a Cornish family to add. Whether there was a marriage or not it does seem that Theophilus and his cousin Catherine were 'involved' for a period of time resulting in the birth of daughter Emily Miriam. The Census records indicate that Catherine believed she was still married as late as 1881 and probably up to the time she died. I am still hoping that evidence of a marriage will surface eventually.

CT

[Cornish Terrier]

I have just found another record for Theophilus which indicates that he was never actually transported.

UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 (FamilySearch)
From the Portsmouth Prison Register of Prisoners

This record mentions the 8th April 1852 Falmouth Assizes conviction for Larceny at which time the record stated the sentence to be 'Transported beyond the seas for 7 years'. There is no mention in this new record about the transportation but it does say that Theophilus was 'Discharged with Licence 1st July 1855'.

The link to view this record:-

www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/61810/images/61810_pcom2_106-00016?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=lSC41452&_phstart=successSource&pId=272815

It is also to note the information in the second column of the second page - "No former Conviction, has been in Custody for drunkenness &c. He appears to be well behaved when free from the effects of intoxicating drink"

Other information of interest is that Theophilus could read and write and was 'well intelligent' - this fits with at least one record that showed him as a 'schoolmaster'.
Trade or Occupation column reads - Formerly a Steward of a Ship, has been employed as a Draper (Julius Palmer the husband of Theophilus' aunt Mary Ann Trewella was a draper at Falmouth), latterly auctioneer's clerk.

CT

[zibetha]

Hi, CT, emz and interested followers-- I have Julius Palmer as Theophilus' brother-in-law rather than uncle?

Julius Palmer and his second wife's father Henry Oliver Trewella both died in 1843. Henry's widow, Elizabeth returned to Falmouth and resided thereafter with daughter Mary Ann.

Theophilus and Mary Ann's brother, Henry Jr, was also a draper. I find Henry in Midddlesex in 1851. Henry returned to Falmouth and applied to marry his sister Mary Ann's step-daughter Candia Palmer (living in Devon) in 1853, but the marriage does not seem to have taken place. My thought is that when Theophilus was employed as a draper that it was with/by his brother rather than his brother in-law.

If Theophilus was at sea, perhaps why I have not sighted him on a Census in 1851?

Henry T in 1851
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGFT-B6Y

License app Henry T to Candia Palmer
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9HM-NDF5?cc=1833719&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQGY9-Z5MT

Enough for now-- Happy New Year!

Zib

[Cornish Terrier]

Theophilus was with his parents in Newcastle in 1841 and at the same time brother Henry was in Bristol, Gloucestershire with or next to a draper named Richard Taylor. It is possible that Theophilus spent time with his brother or with Julius Palmer in 1842 or 1843 before his father and Julius died but you may well be correct that his dalliance with drapery was with his brother a little later.

As for the 1851 Census - I have never been able to find Theophilus in that year so it is certainly fair to surmise that he was at sea at the time.

BTW - I did not know about the Licence to marry Candia Palmer but Henry did marry Elizabeth Carbis at Gwennap in 1857.

Another BTW - I just found that Candia Palmer died in 1861 and was buried in Holy Trinity Churchyard at Barnstaple.

CT

[Cornish Terrier]

An addition/correction to my last - Julius Palmer was a 'hatter and hosier' at the time of his marriage to Mary Ann Trewella in 1837 so Theophilus' drapery dalliance is probably more likely to have been with or via his brother Henry.

Although Julius was recorded as a draper when he died!

CT