Henry Quick of Zennor - poet

[Deleted]

In Henry's own poetry he states that he was the son of Henry Quick who was born in 1754 and married in 1792 to Margery George at Zennor. Henry himself, an only child, was then born on 4th December 1792 at Zennor.

There are two schools of thought as to where Henry the elder came from. Some say Little Tregenna in St Ives, while others say that both he and his wife were Madron people.

The only Henry that comes close to 1754 in the data that I have gathered was one baptised 26/3/1755 at Ludgvan - almost Madron?? This Ludgvan Henry was the son of another Henry and Elizabeth NINNES.

I would be interested to know if I am correct?

Allen

[cornishpasty]

G'day lannanta,

I don't know if this little bit of information will throw some light on your problem but thought I should let you know about it.

Henry Quick born 1792, Zennor - died 1857 was obviously a friend of my gr-gr-gr-grandfather John Uren born 1770 Ludgvan. He was also a neighbour according to a "New Copy of Verses composed on the Memory of our late deceased neighbour John Uren".

The document itself is very old and I cannot see a date anywhere. I would say that it was printed either during 1847 or after, because that is the year that John Uren died.

Whether "neighbour" is meant as residing in the same street or another village, I can't say, but they were obviously friends.

Just thought it might help.

CP

[Deleted]

Hi CP

Henry wrote a poem on the death of John UREN of Bescrowan:

Our aged brother Uren is dead
His soul has took its flight;
To dwell with Christ his living head,
We trust in realms of light.

A native he of Gulval was;
Born was on Christmas Day,
The day our blessed Saviour thus
Was born on earth they say.

In seventeen hundred seventieth year
..... and so it goes on.

The poem also says that 15 weeks after John's death his son James followed him leaving six children and a pregnant wife.

I think I have found the rightful place for Henry after reading some Cornish Terrier entries re Thomas Bohenna and I am sure that my early thoughts are correct.

If you want the rest of the poem, or it may be the one you refer to?? - just ask.

Lannanta

[cornishpasty]

Hi Lannanta,

I do have a copy of the poem thanks very much . I think it's quite beautiful. It's framed and hangs in my lounge room with much pride.

Do you know whether Henry only wrote the one book of poetry?

I was told ... "The object of the book is to republish the verse autobiography of Henry Quick of Zennor, of which only an incomplete manuscript and one printed copy are known to exist".

CP

[Deleted]

Morning CP

The editor P.A.S. Pool wrote a preface to the booklet that I have in January 1981:

"The object of this booklet, like that of its predecessor of 1963, is to make available the verse autobiography of Henry Quick of Zennor, previously a work of such rarity that only one copy each of the author's first and third editions are known to exist, and none of his second. To this I have added a brief account of the poet, other examples of his work (including some not in my earlier edition), and a bibliography of his writings which includes several items found since 1963."

Henry himself I do not believe actually wrote a book of poetry. In the introduction Pool wrote - "Fortunately his verses proved popular, and for the rest of his life he would walk from parish to parish and town to town in West Cornwall, selling both his own broadsheets and also popular journals which he procured each month from Penzance".

Henry's poetry, or versification, has never been considered to have literary merit. However, in his main poem about his own life the value lies in it recording with stark realism the plight to which poverty and infirmity reduced its author - allowing us to better imagine the plight of others who lacked even his poetic talent to keep them above starvation level.

Phew, enough from me.

Lannanta

[davidkingmartin]

See my posting relating to Henry Quick.
On a different topic: there is/was an "Arthur Berryman`s Mill". Some info. on this should anyone be interested....

[Cornish Terrier]

David - I am certainly interested in the data regarding Arthur Berryman's Mill.

Ian

[Sarch]

Can anyone find Henry Quick in the 1851 census


I can find his wife Jane Harry 1851 staying in the same place (Mill Downs) as in the 1841 Census

Piece: HO107/1917 Place: Uny Lelant -Cornwall Enumeration District: 3c
Civil Parish: Zennor Ecclesiastical Parish: -
Folio: 583 Page: 8 Schedule: 23
Address: Mill Downs

Jane Quick,Wife,M,,81,Pauper,Morvah Cornwall,,"Relationship: ""Wife of Head"""





Regards

Sarch

[marychown]

Sarch,

I too am interested in Henry Quick the Zennor poet, because he was a nephew of my 3xgreat-grandmother Jane Quick who married Hannibal Thomas of Zennor. Like yourself, I have been unable to find Henry recorded in the 1851 census.

I am confused as to what I have been able to find out about Henry's wife. The only relevant marriage I can find is that of Henry Quick who married Jane Rowe at Morvah on 25 October 1835. According to both the 1841 census where the couple are living at Mill Downs, Zennor and where Henry's age is given as 48 and that of his presumed wife Jennifer as 74, and the 1851 Census in which 'Jane Quick, Wife of Head, 81, Pauper, born at Morvah' is still living alone at Mill Downs - Jane must have been born in the period around 1767-1770 thus making her some 22-25 years older than Henry. However, the only IGI Morvah baptism record for a Jane Rowe I can find is for a Jane baptised on 15 December 1794 daughter of Benjamin Rowe, which does not fit in with Jane's age recorded in the 1841 census or the 1851 census. I can however find an IGI baptism record for a Jane Rowe at St. Just on 31 October 1768 and also one for a Jane Rowe at Gulval on 16 April 1769.

Perhaps I am wrong in believing that the Henry Quick who married Jane Rowe at Morvah on 25 October 1835 was Henry Quick the Rhymer. Any light that you can shed on this would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Mary

[Cornish Terrier]

Although I also cannot find Henry in 1851 (at the moment) I must say that this problem of his marriage has been discussed more than once here.

To quote from the records of the Morvah OPC:-

Henry QUICK of Zennor, bachelor & Jane ROWE of this Parish, WIDOW married by Banns 25th October 1835 (Witnesses:- George Curnow, Wm Sandry)

I believe the following is involved:-

Thomas ROWE married Jane HARRY, both of Sancreed, 23rd February 1799 at Sancreed

Jane Harry is believed to have been bp. 2nd August 1767 at Morvah d/o John and Alice Harry.

CT

[marychown]

Thanks for the information, CT. I had missed the information already discussed about Henry's marriage - couldn't find it under the thread 'Henry Quick of Zennor-poet'. Unfortunately, on the OPC site, it does not record that Jane Rowe who married Henry Quick at Morvah on 25 October 1835 was a widow. I sometimes find it difficult to find relevant information on this site because of the scattering of the threads involved!

Regards,

Mary

[Cornish Terrier]

You need to go to the OPC Home page - Parish Index and then click on Morvah which will provide a link to the website where you will find the latest transcriptions.

CT

[Sarch]

Hello Mary

I am afraid that I am inputting the information into my database for the second time having only recently found out that it was missing - I had inputted info on Henry Quick about 2 and half years ago but had an "incident" where I lost quite a lot of information. I keep getting these feelings of "deja vu" where I look for something I know should be there and it isn't.

Here is the site for information on the marriage of Henry Quick to Jane Rowe Widow in 1835 in Morvah. freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~morvah/


Baptism Morvah 1767 02 Aug Jane daughter of John Harry

I have a death date for Jane Harry of 1855 and one for Henry Quick in 1857 The death information was given to me and is from PAS Poole and I have not checked it yet.

Jane Quick who married Hannibal Thomas I have as the Aunt of Henry Quick Zennor Poet and the sister of Henry Quick father of Henry Quick Zennor Poet (couldn't anyone give an original name)

Jane Q was the daughter of Henry Quick b 1727 d 1811 m 22 Dec 1753 Towednack to Elizabeth Ninnes

Grandfather of Jane Q was Isaac Quick and Susanna Oats

The information I have on Jane Quick and Hannibal Thomas and the Thomas family is also from PAS Poole

Jane Q b 1773 Towednack d 1852 m Hannibal Thomas in 16 Jul 1796 Zennor

I only have 3 children for Jane and Hannibal there seems to be a gap of about 10 years before they had children or more probably I do not have them recorded.
Thomas Thomas b abt 1808
Catherine Thomas b abt 1812
Charity Thomas b abt 1817

Hannibal was a Farmer of Treen, Zennor
Hannibal and Jane moved to farm at St. Levan in about 1806/1807 before returning to live at Treen

1841 Census
Piece: HO107/144/17 Place: Penwith -Cornwall Enumeration District: 17
Civil Parish: Zennor Ecclesiastical Parish: -
Folio: 39 Page: 10
Address: Treen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
THOMAS Hanibal M 70 Farmer Cornwall
THOMAS Jane F 70 Cornwall
THOMAS Charity F 20 Cornwall


Information on the Thomas Family

Matthew Thomas b 1713 d 1796 Zennor m in 1740 to
Ann Roberts

one son to Matthew and Ann
John Thomas m in 1762 to Mary

2 sons tp John & Mary
Hannibal Thomas b 1771 Zennor d 1853 Zennor
William Thomas b 1776 d 1852 Zennor

Hannibal m Jane Quick
William m twice first wife Christina Eddy m 3 Nov 1800
I have one son William Thomas b 1801 d 1822 son of William and Christina

Second wife of William Thomas is Christina Eddy they married 22 Nov 1817


Regards
Sarch

[HeatherC]

Just something to add to Henry Quick Poet of Zennor (apologies if this has already been posted elsewhere)

From 101 Cornish Lives

"Henry (often known as Henny) Quick was born in Zennor to a miner, also named Henry Quick and his wife Margery George on 4 December 1792..........."

"Quick was a good Zennor name, but they seem not to have been related to Sir John Quick, though they did have one remarkably famous relative.A cousin of young Henry's, on his father's side, was the actor Sir Henry Irving."

It then goes onto to say that Henry's father died when Henry was 12 and his mother could not cope, was unable to work the farm and sold up. The money ran out after five years and his mother unsuccessfully applied for poor relief, unable to get it both she and Henry were reduced to begging from town to town. Gradually they pulled themselves back up from destitution and from the age of 30 Henry hawked his poems around the streets for pennies and featured in a series of prints called Penzance Public Characters

It then goes onto to say......

"When he was 41 his mother died, and he had new troubles to face. Because he was a public character the word got round that his mattress must be stuffed with money, and therefore he must be a good catch. One 'faithless she' as he called her, allowed the banns to be read in church for the third time before she realised that the lovely money was fairy gold, and called off the wedding. But when he was 43 a widow called Jane Rowe - 67 at the time - swept him up, and they were married at Morvah church and did not live happily ever after, she too imagining he had something tucked away. In his autobiographical poem he said:

'Eight years of tedious grief and strife,
I've suffered with a jealous wife,
Her discontent torments me sore,
Suspicious I have a paltry store.'

She died two years before him, in 1855, at 87."

Best regards
HeatherC
Online Parish Clerk for Morvah and Padstow Cornwall

[marychown]

Heather and Sarch,

Many thanks to you both for all the additional information for which I am most grateful and which I shall add to my family history records. Over the years I have acquired quite a lot of information on the Quick and Thomas families, but of course, there are always things to expand on. I did not have very much information on Henry Quick the Poet at all. Several years ago I did have a copy of the book on him by Peter Pool, but unfortunately I have mislaid it. I have heard about a connection to Sir Henry Irving on his father's side, but do not know any details about that connection.

In the main, my records of the Thomas family tally with yours. Sarch. In my records I have 10 children recorded for Hannibal Thomas and Jane Quick.:

Jane Thomas (bapt. Zennor 20 Nov 1796;
Elizabeth Thomas (bapt. Zennor 6 Dec 1801, married Henry Harvey at St. Levan 17 Dec 1826);
Mary Thomas (born Zennor 1802/1803, married Nicholas White at St. Levan 11 Feb 1823);
Hannibal Thomas (bapt. Zennor 29 Oct 1804, married Nancy Williams at St. Levan 13 July 1825;
John Thomas (bapt. Zennor 27 Sep 1805; married Elizabeth Prowse at St. Levan 22 June 1834;
Thomas Thomas (bapt. 31 July 1808 St. Levan, married Ann(Nancy) Tremewen Barnicoat at St. Buryan 9 Jan 1833;
Ann (Nancy) Thomas (bapt. St. Levan 28 Oct 1810; married William Rowe at Sancreed 3 Nov 1838;
Catherine Thomas (bapt. St. Levan 18 Oct 1812; married William Nicholls of Kerrow, Zennor at St. Levan 6 Feb 1836 - my great-great-grandparents. Catherine was buried at Madron on 21 March 1894;
Charity Thomas bapt. St. Levan 20 Oct 1816;
Hannah Thomas (bapt. St. Levan 17 Oct 1819, married John Nicholls of Kerrow Zennor (brother of William above) at Zennor 26 Sep 1840. Hannah died in 1900.

From records held at CRO dated 1822 it appears Hannibal Thomas (1771-1853) was a Parish Overseer at St. Levan. Having returned to live at Treen, Zennor, where he and Jane as well as daughter Charity are recorded in the 1841 census and the 1851 census, Hannibal was buried at Zennor on 19 March 1853 (Hannibal Thomas of Madron) so it seems he was living at Madron when he died. Jane Thomas nee Quick had died at Treen and was buried at Zennor on 12 Dec 1852.

Regarding Hannibal's parents Matthew Thomas (1713-1796) and his wife Ann Roberts (bapt. 28 April 1719 at Towednack) - I too believed for a long time that it was their son John Thomas who married Mary Thomas at Zennor on 8 June 1762. until I read John Thomas's will dated 4 July 1794. In it is written:

'ALSO I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Thomas nine pounds a year to pay the rent for the estate we now live on during her father MATTHEW THOMAS and her mother's lives time and after their decease there to be paid three pounds a year by my Executrix after my decease'.

(The full text of John Thomas's will can be found on My Genealogy Web Pages - there is a link that can be found in My Profile on this site).

What was written above caused me to believe that it was John's wife Mary Thomas who was the daughter of Matthew Thomas and Ann. I then wondered if John Thomas was the son of Hannibal Thomas and Charity Stephens who were married at Zennor on 18 Feb 1734.

Children that I have recorded for Matthew Thomas and Ann Roberts are:

Mary Thomas bapt. Zennor 25 Aug 1741;
Elizabeth Thomas bapt. Zennor 23 May 1749;
Charity Thomas born Zennor 1749 (not sure about this one);
Matthew Thomas bapt. Zennor 3 Dec 1752;
Joanna Thomas bapt. Zennor 27 Mar 1758.

Children that I have recorded for John and Mary Thomas are:

Mary Thomas (bapt. Zennor 3 Oct 1762);
Charity Thomas (bapt. Zennor 2 Oct 1763);
Matthew Thomas (bapt. Zennor 5 Oct 1766, married Charity Christopher at Zennor 8 June 1793), died 16 Aug 1809 in mining accident at Wheal Chance in Trewey Downs - Zennor Church Inscription;
John Thomas (born 1767 Zennor, married Catherine Christopher at Zennor 15 Feb 1812, buried Zennor 6 July 1854);
Elizabeth Thomas (bapt. Zennor 3 June 1769;
Hannibal Thomas (bapt. Zennor 29 Sep 1771, married Jane Quick at Zennor 16 July 1796), buried Zennor 19 Mar 1853);
Ann Thomas (bapt. Zennor 25 Feb 1774);
William Thomas (bapt. Zennor 4 Aug 1776; married Christiana Eddy at Zennor 3 Nov 1800, married Christiana Michell at Zennor 22 Nov 1817, buried Zennor 5 Oct 1852);
Elizabeth Thomas (bapt. Zennor 1 Jan 1780);
Thomas Thomas (bapt. Zennor 12 May 1782, died Zennor 8 Mar 1809) - Zennor Church inscription "In Memory of Thomas Thomas, son of John and Mary Thomas of this parish and brother of Matthew, he departed this life on 8 March 1809 aged 26 years".

I have William Thomas married to Christiana Eddy at Zennor on 3 Nov 1800 and have a 2nd marriage for him on 22 Nov 1817 to Christiana Michell. From his 1st marriage I have:

William Thomas (born Zennor 1801);
John Thomas (bapt. Zennor 2 Jan 1803);
Catherine Thomas (born Zennor 1804);
Elizabeth Thomas (bapt. Zennor 31 Mar 1805);
Thomas Thomas (bapt. Zennor 15 Mar 1807, married Mary Berryman at Zennor 23 June 1827);
Matthew Thomas (bapt. Zennor 12 May 1811);
Christiana Thomas (bapt. Zennor 31 Jan 1813; buried Zennor 14 Feb 1838);
Hannibal Thomas (buried Zennor 18 Oct 1815 aged 3 months).

From his 2nd marriage I have recorded:

Jane Thomas (bapt. Zennor 11 Mar 1821);
Ann Thomas (bapt. Zennor 16 July 1826);
Hannah Thomas (bapt. Zennor 17 Aug 1828, married Henry Bone at Zennor 1 Sep 1849);
Ruth Thomas (bapt. Zennor 15 Aug 1830, married William Shadford at Gulval 31 May 1852).

Hope the above has been of some use.

Kind regards,

Mary