Monumental Inscription Problem - Shugg

[rowena]

Dear Folks,

I’m having some trouble with Shugg monumental inscriptions from the Lelant - Longstones Cemetery, Carbis Bay. From the West Penwith site:
west-penwith.org.uk/longmi1.htm

The preceding note on the website said:
This is an index done by one person and will, inevitably contain errors, particularly as, in this case, the transcript was done with a voice recording and spelling errors will have ocurred.

Shugg - Elizabeth Jane Thomas 18/3/1983 aged 85; Grace Thomas, her sister, 23/10/1986 aged 84; her sister, Matilda Shugg 5/2/1996 aged 96

I don’t believe these dates can be correct below. I wondered if there is a way to check these inscriptions? The name are too close a match to the family below to be a coincidence. They appear to have mixed up the surname's Shugg and Thomas as well.

These women were the daughters of the couple below:
Elizabeth Jane Shugg born 4 May 1851 St Ives.
Married Francis Thomas, mariner, Born c. 1850, Cornwall. They married Jul - Sept 1871, Penzance Reg Dist.

Children of Elizabeth Jane Shugg and Francis Thomas:
1. Francis Thomas Shugg, born 29 Jan 1870, bapt. 3 Nov 1875, St Ives (born before his parents married and registered under mother's maiden name)
2. Elizabeth Jane Thomas born 16 May 1873, bapt. 3 Nov 1875, St Ives.
3. Grace Shugg Thomas born 22 Nov 1878, bapt. 1 Jan 1879, St Ives
4. Matilda Shugg Thomas born 2 Mar 1882, and bapt. 10 May 1882, St Ives. In 1907 she married Humphrey Green (b. 1877, St Ives) in St Ives, and they emigrated abt 1911 to Michigan, USA.
5. Hannibal Thomas born Apr-Jun 1885, St Ives, Cornwall
6. Margaret Thomas born Oct-Dec 1890, St Ives, Cornwall

But, you can see from the birth dates of the girls above that the ages and dates of the monumental inscriptions don’t match up. I've not been able to find

Is it possible for anyone living nearby to confirm the monumental inscription dates?

Kind regards, Rowena

[chrisu]

Hi Rowena
I think I answered this query via the Cornish List?
Cheers
Chris

[chrisu]

And, for the benefit of everyone else the answer was:

The England & Wales Death Index 1916-2005 shows:

Matilda Shugg THOMAS, died Feb 1996, Penzance District, age 96 Elizabeth Jane THOMAS, born 21 April 1897, died 1983, Penzance District

I wasn't able to locate an entry for Grace.

It's worthwhile remembering that the transcriptions are from gravestones and not burial records so they are open to interpretation. Grace might have died elsewhere, for example, but have either been buried with her sisters or commemorated on their gravestone.

Looks like these are not the same girls as those you mention.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Chris

[rowena]

Dear Chris

Apologies I didn't reply sooner. Your response was much appreciated, and certainly helped clarify. From there I think I've found this family and can identify them.

Francis Shugg Thomas, son of Francis Thomas and Ellizabeth Jane Shugg was born 29 Jan 1870, bapt 3 Nov 1875 St Ives, before his parents wed, and was registered under the surname of Shugg, but later used Thomas as his surname.

He married Adelaide Heddon June Qtr 1894, Penzance RD. Adelaide is recorded as Ida in Census records and baptisms for her children. In 1901 census for 81 Gabriel Street St Ives we find:
Francis Thomas aged 49 wall mason; Elizabeth Thomas aged 49 (grandparents); Hannibal Thomas aged 16 (b. 1885); Grace Thomas aged 22 (b. 1878); and Matilda S Thomas aged 19 (b. 1882. Next door at 80 Gabriel St, we find: Francis Thomas born 1870 wall mason;
Ida Thomas born 1871 (parents); and Ada Thomas born 1896.
Matilda S Thomas born 1897, was baptised 1899 as Matilda Shugg Thomas. Lizzie Thomas born 1900 was baptised as Elizabeth James Thomas. Matilda Shugg Thomas married Hunphrey Green in June Qtr 1907, and they emigrated to Iron Mountain, Michigan c.1907.

Cheers, Rowena