Chytodden

[sandraquick]

I grew up with the legend of a place called Chytodden. Chytodden, we learnt, was the name of the place where my great grandfather came from. When one of Dad's cousins came back from overseas in the 1980s with news of having been to this place in Cornwall called "Chytodden", we were all very interested (well I was!). Later on, many of us went to Cornwall. Myself and my two siblings, and many other cousins have been. My aunt and her two daughters even had lunch at this place due to the kind generosity of the owners when three eager descendants of the Cornish diaspora knocked on their door. When my mum compiled a beautiful family history book for her children, she included a photograph of the Chytodden 'homestead', a rather large two story stone home.

But but but. I've been on a steep and exciting learning curve this month. The John Quick who CT has written about here:http://azazella.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=quick&thread=641&page=1
is my great great grandfather:

"1. This John had five children, all sons, baptised at St Ives, Zennor and then the last three at Towednack.
His wife Mary Ann (Osborn) was buried at Towednack 28th March 1857 at the age of 42.
In 1841 John and Mary were at Treveal, Zennor, with sons John and Matthew and then in 1851 they were at Breja, Towednack, with sons Joh, Matthew and Robert.
The last two sons, Richard and Christopher Osborne Quick, were bon in 1852 and 1854 with Christopher being baptised two weeks after his mother was buried.
Christopher, by the way, moved to New Zealand where he married Emma Jane TREWHELLA who was recently widowed after having been married to Simon Thomas MITCHELL.

In the remaining Census up until his death John remained at Breja - in 1861 he had Matthew, Robert and Christopher still living with him and in 1881 son Matthew was still there. (I have not been able to locate the family in 1871.)

John was buried at Towednack 22nd May 1891 'age 86, of Chytodden'."

I'm thinking that there is not so far any concrete evidence of the substantial stone Chytodden farmhouse belonging to the John Quick family, though I see why his descendants assumed it did. On the basis of the movement described in CT's paragraph above, I'm inclined to think that they were labourers moving around for work. I'm not sure where to look next to find out some answers?

[Cornish Terrier]

In the remaining Census up until his death John remained at Breja

That statement is not quite exactly accurate. In fact up until 1881 John Quick was at Breja but by 1891 he was at Chytodden.

John Quick was a farmer and the fact he was at Breja from sometime before 1851 up until 1881 suggests that he held part of Breja by leasehold. In 1881 there were at least two other families at Breja.
In 1901 John's son Matthew was still at Chytodden and he died there in 1902.

CT

[sandraquick]

Ah. I'm understanding more now. Leasehold as per this document: west-penwith.org.uk/porthia.htm which, although from a later date, indicates the size of the various farms and also for Chytodden does accurately describe the photo of the house.

[Cornish Terrier]

That's it. You will no doubt read and learn more about leases as you venture further back into Cornwall.