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Post by marychown on Aug 8, 2010 6:08:20 GMT -5
I'm wondering if anybody has any ideas on one particular long standing brick wall of mine which has been bugging me for years.
On 30 Aug 1782 Rebecca Carter from St. Michael's Mount married Philip Calf at St. Hilary by licence. Witnesses were William Ford (Rebecca's father), Elizabeth Downing and Ann Hitchens who appears to have been the wife of Malachy Hitchens the officiating vicar. Rebecca was a widow. She was baptised Rebecca Ford at St. Hilary on 25 Nov 1761, the daughter of William Ford (baptised 29 May 1731 Breage) and Arabella Mills (baptised 3 Oct 1731 Mevagissey) who had married at St. Hilary on 4 July 1756. Rebecca was a widow, having previously married Roger Carter (baptised 10 Nov 1754 Breage) at St. Hilary on 30 Jan 1779. Roger Carter was buried at Breage on 4 Oct 1780.
At their marriage Philip Calf was recorded as being a 'mariner from Fowey'. Philip Calf died and was buried at St. Michael's Mount on 16 Aug 1791. Rebecca later married John Trannack at St. Hilary on 13 May 1793. She was buried at St. Michael's Mount aged 91 on 25 Dec 1849.
My problem is with discovering the origins of Philip Calf. I can find no baptism record for him under the baptisms at Fowey or any of the surrounding parishes. There appears to have been just one family called Calf living at Fowey in the relevant period. A Jonathan Calf and Anne nee Bunt, widowed Adams, were married at Fowey on 23 Sept 1763. Phillimore's Marriages records the marriage entry 'Jonathan Calf, widower & Anne Adams, widow'. A John Calf was baptised at Fowey on 3 Feb on 23 Sep 1763 the son of William Calf and his wife Elizabeth. William and Elizabeth appear to have had three sons called John Calf baptised at Fowey as well as daughters called Elizabeth, Anna and Martha.
According to the IGI John/Jonathan Calf and his wife Anne appear to have had just two sons - both called William Calf, the first one baptised at Fowey on 4 Nov 1764 and the second one baptised at Fowey on 12 Oct 1766.
I have considered the fact that Philip Calf may have been illegitimate, but have had no luck on that score either. I have looked at baptisms in neighbouring parishes to Fowey. There are no Calfs registered on the IGI in Tywardreath or Boconnoc; St. Sampson (Golant) only has Calfs recorded to ca. 1600; no Calfs registered at Lanteglos; Calfs at St. Veep only for the period ca. 1715-1723; St. Austell no Calfs registered before 1784; just three Calfs registered at Mevagissey the earliest baptism being 1815.
Regarding Jonathan Calf of Fowey, in an on-line entry by George Pritchard called 'Cornish Smugglers, Excise/Revenue Men and Coastguards from the 17th & 18th Century' - for the port of Fowey, 5 Jan 1779, JONATHAN CALF is listed as one of four allowed boatmen. I have discovered that Philip and Rebecca Calf's son Philip Calf (baptised 3 Apr 1788 at St. Hilary) was in the British Coastguards Service (recorded under 'Known Coastguards in Cornwall'. Philip married Mary Foot at Fowey on 7 April 1812 (Phillimore's Philip Calf, Mariner & Mary Foot).
Also the grandson of Philip and Rebecca (son of their son Philip mentioned above) and also called Philip Calf who is recorded in the censuses of 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891 as having been born at Fowey in ca. 1813 (yet again no baptism record found) is recorded in 1881 as being a Coastguard Pensioner. I am sure that there must be a link between these three people called Philip Calf and Jonathan Calf of Fowey, Salt Officer, but I can't find it.
Does any member of Penwith Genealogy have access to any records for Fowey and neighbouring parishes which are perhaps more comprehensive than those of the IGI? I have tried looking on the OPC website and the Family Search Record Search without any luck also.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Mary
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Post by Cornish Terrier on Aug 11, 2010 0:43:33 GMT -5
Mary - I have looked at this problem several times since you posted it but only now have a few observations. [quoteMy problem is with discovering the origins of Philip Calf. I can find no baptism record for him under the baptisms at Fowey or any of the surrounding parishes. There appears to have been just one family called Calf living at Fowey in the relevant period. A Jonathan Calf and Anne nee Bunt, widowed Adams, were married at Fowey on 23 Sept 1763. Phillimore's Marriages records the marriage entry 'Jonathan Calf, widower & Anne Adams, widow'. A John Calf was baptised at Fowey on 3 Feb on 23 Sep 1763 the son of William Calf and his wife Elizabeth. William and Elizabeth appear to have had three sons called John Calf baptised at Fowey as well as daughters called Elizabeth, Anna and Martha. ][/quote] In fact IGI records only one baptism in all of England for the name Philip Calf. On re-reading this information again I can that it is extremely unlikely that Philip would have been a son of Jonathan Calf. Unless, of course, Jonathan had been previously married. But looking at the children of Philip and Rebecca the most significant would appear to be Elizabeth who was the first child. Certainly not an unusual name . But I think it may be significant if you look at all the children. Philip and Rebecca married 30th August 1782 22nd October 1783 Elizabeth 11th December 1785 Arabella Ford 3rd April 1788 Philip 16th August 1791 Rebecca There is a definite naming pattern here. Arabella Ford Calf is certainly named for Rebecca's mother. Philip is obviously named for his father. Rebecca is also obviously named for her mother. This suggests to me that ELIZABETH was the name of Philip Calf's MOTHER. In the OPC database there appears to be only one family where Elizabeth is the name of the mother ....... and that is the family at Fowey. (Bearing in mind that there may well be others.) If Philip were to belong to this family then it seems obvious that he was much older than Rebecca. Another interesting observation - in IGI there are a total of only 240 Baptisms for the name Calf in Cornwall. That can probably be cut by 20% allowing for the usual number of duplications and 'bogus' entries. (Perhaps that should be a greater percentage ) Looking at the period from around 1740 through about 1760 there is no family other than this one at Fowey where the name of the mother was Elizabeth! I have already just mentioned that I think the evidence points to Elizabeth being the name of Philip's mother and I think that now leaves us with only two options if we take into account the significance of Fowey. 1. Philip was a son of William and Elizabeth and therefore much older than Rebecca 2. Philip was the illegitimate son of Elizabeth daughter of the above Of course their may well turn out to be another answer but this is the only conclusion I can arrive at based on the currently available information. CT One further note:- I have just checked IGI again and apart from William and Elizabeth we have only three possible mother's for Philip (based on the scenario above). 8th November 1720 St Keyne - Elizabeth d/o John 15th November 1721 St Veep - Eliz d/o Richard and Mary 3rd February 1726 Fowey - Elizabeth d/o William and Eliz.
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Post by Cornish Terrier on Aug 11, 2010 1:12:21 GMT -5
Well Mary - I think I may well have found the SOLUTION! What I have done is to do a couple of simple OPC searches on Fowey. I started looking at Calf burials to ensure Elizabeth was still a viable option. Next - check for baptisms for everyone named Philip to see if there might be a possible candidate. Finally - a check of marriages for the couple of possibilities I wanted to look at. BINGO! I found two possible baptisms that would fit into a reasonable time-frame. Philip JONES baptised in 1749 had at least five or six siblings so he immediately became unlikely. But the second is most definitely right in the hunt and I believe is your man. 29th April 1749 Fowey - by Banns Philip HALLS married ELIZABETH CALFPhilippa d/o Philip and Elizabeth HALLS bp. 9th June 1751 Fowey George s/o Philip and Elizabeth HALS bp. 2nd November 1753 Fowey PHILIP s/o Philip (mariner) and Elizabeth HALLSE bp. 27th July 1755 Fowey I can find no further identifiable record for any of this family. Worth a lot more investigation but I believe this is the solution to your problem. ;D CT
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Post by marychown on Aug 11, 2010 3:00:55 GMT -5
Hello CT
Thank you so much for your help in this matter. To be honest, because Philip Calf and Rebecca had named their first daughter Elizabeth, I too felt sure that Philip's mother was probably called Elizabeth, because it was not a name used on Rebecca's side of the family which is where their children's names Rebecca and Arabella came from. I did think that an Elizabeth Calf may have given birth to Philip outside marriage and that his natural father might have been called Philip. I had earmarked Elizabeth Calf (daughter of William Calf and his wife Elizabeth at Fowey) who was a sister of John/Jonathan Calf as a likely candidate. I had also considered the possibility that Philip may have been the son of John/Jonathan Calf from a previous marriage. Jonathan Calf is recorded in Phillimore's as having married Anne Adams at Fowey on 25 September 1763 'Jonathan Calf, Widower, and Anne Adams, Widow'. However, I have been unable to find an earlier marriage for Jonathan.
Since putting my message on-line a couple of days ago, I had also found the marriage of Elizabeth Calf to Philip Halls/Halse, son of George Halls/Halse from St. Austell and found their three children Philippa (1751), George (1753) and Philip baptised 27 July 1755. But this then ruled out my theory that Elizabeth Calf had had a son called Philip out of wedlock, because Elizabeth and her husband Philip Halls would surely not have called a second son Philip if the first Philip from before their marriage were still alive.
Like yourself, I am sure that this must be the family. Yet it begs the question why did Philip Halls (1755) change his name to his mother's maiden name of Calf? The name Philip Calf features in several family branches of the following generations for a hundred years or so. My great-grandfather Benjamin Nicholls's brother (born Penzance 1851) was called Philip Calf Nicholls.
I am sure there are many reasons why somebody would want to change their surname. I don't know if it is true or not, but some time ago I was told that deserters from the navy would do this so as not to be found. Have you heard of that theory?
By the way, regarding Elizabeth Calf's parents William Calf and Elizabeth, I have so far been unable to find a marriage record for them.
Very many thanks for your assistance,
Mary
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Post by marychown on Aug 11, 2010 3:41:25 GMT -5
Hello again CT,
Further to my post earlier this morning, I think that I may have finally found the marriage of William Calf and his wife Elizabeth.
On OPC there is a record of a marriage by banns at Lanteglos-by-Fowey on 12 January 1722 between WILLIAM CACTE, otp, and Elizabeth Marks of Fowey.
I think most probably that CACTE is a mistranscription of CALFE. The time of the marriage would fit and it is in the right place. a son called John Calf was baptised to William Calf and Elizabeth at Fowey on 30 April 1723. Using the OPC People Search, there is no other record for anybody else called CACTE.
Regards,
Mary
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Post by Cornish Terrier on Aug 11, 2010 7:48:48 GMT -5
[quoteOn OPC there is a record of a marriage by banns at Lanteglos-by-Fowey on 12 January 1722 between WILLIAM CACTE, otp, and Elizabeth Marks of Fowey. ][/quote] This makes perfect sense and I agree that the name will be Calfe. The transcriber has undoubtedly transcribed what he/she saw however I suggest you locate that OPC record again and submit an Error Report suggesting the possible correction. Bill (probably) or Myra will take a look at the original record and send you a response quite promptly. If they agree that the name may have been misinterpreted then a change will be made to the database and it will appear in future as Calfe. As for Philip Hallse/Calf - I am not sure. The first thing I did once I found this was to see if I could locate later records for any other family members. I was looking in particular for an early demise for the father but was unable to find any record for him and nor for his other children or wife. I even tried a search for George Calf in case he too had changed his name. As Philip Hallse was a mariner it is very possible that he was lost at sea in which case there would be no record. (Remember that mariner may simply mean 'fisherman' rather than anything more exotic.) But that would not explain the disappearence of his other children or wife.
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Post by marychown on Aug 11, 2010 11:30:05 GMT -5
I am extremely grateful to you for your help, CT.
I am not sure whether Philip Halls who married Elizabeth Calf was a mariner. I don't think the marriage entry recorded his occupation.
I have sent a message to OPC pointing out that I feel sure that it was William Calfe who married Elizabeth Marks at Lanteglos-by-Fowey on 12 Jan 1722.
I will keep on trying to unravel this tangle!
BTW I've sent you a pm.
Regards,
Mary
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Post by Cornish Terrier on Aug 11, 2010 13:22:03 GMT -5
Philip Halls was recorded as a 'mariner' in the baptism record of one of his children.
CT
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Post by marychown on Aug 13, 2010 2:33:33 GMT -5
On OPC there is a record of a marriage by banns at Lanteglos-by-Fowey on 12 January 1722 between WILLIAM CACTE, otp, and Elizabeth Marks of Fowey. ][/quote] This makes perfect sense and I agree that the name will be Calfe. The transcriber has undoubtedly transcribed what he/she saw however I suggest you locate that OPC record again and submit an Error Report suggesting the possible correction. Bill (probably) or Myra will take a look at the original record and send you a response quite promptly. If they agree that the name may have been misinterpreted then a change will be made to the database and it will appear in future as Calfe. As for Philip Hallse/Calf - I am not sure. The first thing I did once I found this was to see if I could locate later records for any other family members. I was looking in particular for an early demise for the father but was unable to find any record for him and nor for his other children or wife. I even tried a search for George Calf in case he too had changed his name. As Philip Hallse was a mariner it is very possible that he was lost at sea in which case there would be no record. (Remember that mariner may simply mean 'fisherman' rather than anything more exotic.) But that would not explain the disappearence of his other children or wife. [/i][/color] Hello CT Regarding your above message and further to the PHILIP CALF enigma. I have still not been able to find out what happened to any of the children of Philip Halls and Elizabeth nee Calf: Philippa Halls (bpt. Fowey 09/06/1751): George Hals (bpt. Fowey 02/11/1753); or Philip Halls (bpt. Fowey 27/07/1775). However, on OPC there are burials recorded at St. Austell for Philip Halls on 12 /03/1761 and for Elizabeth Halls on 19/12/1767 and 07/11/1779. With St. Austell and Fowey being so near to each other and with Philip Halls's father George Halls apparently having come from St. Austell where Philip was baptised, I suppose that Philip and Elizabeth Halls could have been buried in St. Austell. George Halls was apparently buried at Fowey - OPC burial record: Fowey 14/01/1764 - George Halls, workhouse. BTW the OPC marriage entry on 12/01/1721 at Lanteglos-by-Fowey has now been changed to William CALFE & Elizabeth Marks. Regards, Mary
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Post by Cornish Terrier on Aug 13, 2010 2:51:23 GMT -5
That may well be them but to be sure I would be looking to see if there are any others of those names who might have been involved.
But if these are the burials you need then it still does not fully explain why Philip would change his name to Calf.
The one thing that might lead to an answer is that Philip senior was buried six years prior to his wife. (Again dependent on these records being the right ones.)
Philip would only have been six when his father died and twelve when his mother died so it may also be that he was partially brought up by Calf relatives.
CT
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Post by marychown on Oct 18, 2010 10:43:20 GMT -5
At long last I think that I have found a baptism record for PHILIP CALF, Mariner of Fowey, who married Rebecca Carter nee Ford at St. Hilary on 30 August 1782.
New records have very recently appeared on the Family Search Beta site as well as on Ancestry.co.uk. There is a baptism record for PHILIP HALL CALF on 23 April 1759 at Gillingham, Kent s/o Jonathan Calf & Mary and also a baptism record for PHILIP CALF on 6 May 1759 at Chatham, Kent s/o Jonathan Calf & Mary. These baptism records are obviously for the same child as there is only few days difference, the parents are the same and Gillingham and Chatham are very close together. I have also found on the same sites a marriage record for Jonathan Calf and Mary Alexander on 8 Nov 1747 at Gillingham. There are also double baptism records for several other children at Gillingham and Chatham: Mary Calf bpt. 9 May 1756 to Jonathan Calf and Mary, date of death 9 March 1757 Gillingham; Jonathan Calf bpt. 25 September 1757Gillingham (Jonathan Calf bpt. 16 October 1757) each time to Jonathan Calf and Mary; Elizabeth Calf bpt 17 Feb 1761 Gillingham (bpt 22 Feb 1761 Chatham) each time to Jonathan Calf and Mary; William Calf bpt. 29 December 1762 Gillingham to Jonathan Calf and Mary; date of death 1 January 1763 Gillingham.
All the children's names tally with Calf family names in subsequent generations.
I suppose that Jonathan Calf from Fowey was a sailor in the Royal Navy (the Royal Naval dockyards being located at Chatham). There are no further baptisms to be found for Jonathan and Mary after William's at the end of 1762. Although no burial record can yet be found for Mary, she presumably died at the end of 1762 or in early 1763. According to Phillimore's marriages, on 23 September 1763 at Fowey Jonathan Calf (widower) married Anne Adams (widow). They had two sons called William - William no. 1 baptised at Fowey 4 November 1764 must have died in infancy, because William no. 2 was baptised there on 12 October 1766. In the latter 1766 baptism the OPC record gives Jonathan's occupation as roper. Later he became a Salt Officer at Fowey. The 1812 will of Jonathan Calf, Salt Officer of Fowey, only names one beneficiary - Jonathan Calf - presumably his son. Probably all other issue had died by then. Philip Calf died and was buried on St. Michael's Mount on 16 August 1791.
Now for the hard work of trying to identify Mary Alexander! She could, of course, be from the Chatham/Gillingham area or further afield or there may be a clue in the Philip HALL Calf. Perhaps it is pure coincidence, but Elizabeth Calf, sister of Jonathan Calf, married a Philip Halls (Halse) at Fowey on 29 April 1749 and they also had a son called Philip, who I previously thought may have later changed his name to Philip Calf. No luck in finding any link yet, though.
Mary
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Post by londoner on Oct 18, 2010 10:53:05 GMT -5
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Post by marychown on Oct 18, 2010 11:03:50 GMT -5
Many thanks for that, Londoner. I've just looked at the image of the marriage entry.
Regards,
Mary
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Post by Cornish Terrier on Oct 18, 2010 11:11:25 GMT -5
Mary - I suspect there may be birth and baptism dates involved here although I cannot be sure yet. What I can give you is the exact wording of the Chatham Baptism of Philip. The following can be found at this link:- cityark.medway.gov.uk/query/results/?Mode=Search&PathList=/Z4a_Medway_Ancestors/%0A&SearchWords=&DateList=Just scroll down the page to find the list of records held. P085_CHATHAM_ST_MARY_1568_1974/P085_01_005 Image 10571 Baptized May 1759 Calf, Philip, Son of Jonathan & Mary, the 6th____ born at Gillingham Well - I am wrong and this is very odd! The Gillingham register shows the details as follows:- 1759 Baptisms April 23rd baptised Philip Hall Calf the son of Jonathan and Mary Calf Most unusual to have dual baptisms like this for multiple children! Anyway - have a look around the Medway site and you can at least get original records. CT
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Post by marychown on Oct 18, 2010 11:52:19 GMT -5
Many thanks for the links to the baptism records, CT. I have never come across multiple baptism records for several children in a family like this before. The two children who died in infancy - Mary and William - did not have two baptism dates entered - just one baptism date at Gillingham and no entries at Chatham.
Regards,
Mary
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