Nankervis for Fifi

[Zenobia]

fifi123 said:

I am hopeing that somebody might be able to help me as I have been pulling my hair out for months. My father was cornish and I am trying to trace his ancestors. I have only been doing this for about 2 years so I am really still a rookie, but thought I was doing quite well until my great grandfather decided to disappear on me. Now down to nitty gritty - the surname is Nankervis great grandfather Charles born 1867, married Jane Gribble 1885 had 3 kids, James H, Charles and Annie. All ok until 1901 when he is nowhere to be seen. Census shows Jane still married and I cannot find any death info on him, now I am stuck and don't know where to go. All the family lived and are still living in St Just and Pendeen. I would be gratefull if you would be able to put me on the right track, I do have a lot of info on the Nankervis clan, mind you I think there was a lot of inter breeding going on.

If anyone can help, I'm sure she will appreciate it...

[Cornish Terrier]

Hi FiFi - I sent you a 'welcome note' I think yesterday?
Have found Charles in the 1891 Census wife wife Jane and son James H who was then aged 1 month.
Can't find the marriage at St Just or Pendeen so would appreciate some further information here.
I do note that Charles, Jane and their son were all born at St Just but I do not have birth records for that Parish at the moment.

Will have a quick scan of 1901 to see what I can come up with that might give some further clues.

As for the mention of 'inter-breeding' - it was fairly common in Cornwall, particularly down West and particularly in earlier days.

In fact, when I was in Cornwall back in the mid-1990's St Just was referred to as 'Indian Country'.

Will look a bit further now and post another note if I find anything useful - otherwise it will have to wait until I have a little more time.

Ian

[Cornish Terrier]

We have a bit of a quandary here and I am going to need all the available information you can send me to try and sort this out for you.

I presume that, in your initial note, you listed the children of Charles and Jane in birth order.

They were James H, Charles and Annie.

My previous note shows that I found 'a' Charles Nankervis (26) with wife Jane (22) at St Just with a 1 month old son named James H Nankervis.
Annie was obviously born later so would not appear in that Census.

Now, although ages in Census records often vary, Charles would have been born about 1864/5 and Jane about 1877/8 with young James obviously born in the Census year of 1891.

You also state that the wife of Charles was Jane GRIBBLE and, as in my previous posting, I have not found a marriage for Charles Nankervis to Jane Gribble at St Just or Pendeen.

I checked the 1901 Census and found the following:-

At Carnyorth, St Just, (Part of Pendeen)

Jane Nankervis, married, age 32, caretaker public board school, bn. St Just
Charles Nankervis, son, age 12, bn. St Just
James Nankervis, son, age 10, bn. St Just
Annie Nankervis, daur, age 8, bn. St Just

These seem to fit your description from your initial note so I decided to have another look at the 1891 Census.

You see, your initial information indicates that James was the eldest of the three children yet you mentioned (what seems to be the above) in a different order.

What I wanted to find from 1891 was the location of son Charles and I found something that might throw a spanner in the works.

The only Charles Nankervis I could find of the right age was enumerated at Trewellard Cliff, St Just as the GRANDSON of James and Honour NEWTON.

It is possible that Jane was married twice and widowed at an extremely young age but ...

Please supply all the relevant information you can so I can work on this further for you.
What I have found so far will just keep me chasing my tail so I will await more.

Ian

[fifi123]

I will hike out all info I have and hopefully where I got it from, but roughly my Jane Gribble was born in 1869 in I think Bristol and was in an orphange, but will clarify later. James H was the eldest, then Charles then Annie.

[Cornish Terrier]

Would really appreciate that info as soon as you are able to get it to me.
But it does look, from what I found last night, that there is a very good chance we are looking at two separate families given that the family I found shows clearly that Charles was the eldest and was found in 1891 with his Newton grandparents.

Most interesting - but I am sure we can sort it out.

[fifi123]

1000 apologies, Charles was the eldest, the reason I put James H first was because he was my g.grandfather. Charles (b) 1867 Penzance ref 5c 343, Married 1888 Oct-Dec Trewellard ref 5c 486 to Jane Gribble (b) 1869, I also have Jane at Merchants Seaman Orphan Asylum on 1881 census. Charles father James mother Catherine Rowe and before that James father William mother Jane Lanyon. 1901 census Jane on her own with Charles,JamesH and Annie and working in Private school but no sign of hubby Charles even though it says she's married. I did think I had found him on SS Avondale Castle in 1901 going to S.Africa but not sure. Hope this bit of info helps a bit, will send more as and when I finish rummaging through papers. Thanks Annie

[Cornish Terrier]

Thankyou Annie - will work on things from here over the next couple of days and see what I can come up with.

Ian

[fifi123]

I'm so sorry I haven't been here for a while but I've had the most awful 3 months going, but now hopefully things are getting back to normal and was wondering if you were able to come up with anything ref James Nankervis.

[Cornish Terrier]

Nice to have you back with us.

Nothing more as yet and, I must admit, have not had a chance to look more into it.

I am moving house soon so will be a little busy but will do my best to keep up with things.

Please keep posting and remind us all of your query.

I will do my best to keep up with things until I am 'settled' again but would also hope that some of our other friends might be able to offer some help.

Keep in touch and you will get the help.