CORNISH-L Archives

From: "Joan In Colorado" <>
Subject: Cornish Strays in Plymouth Dockyard
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2006 10:27:14 -0600

A very good site for finding Cornish strays in Devon is Plymouth Artificers,
1779 which is a list of approx. 3,000 workers in Plymouth Dockyard with
occupations ranging from labourers, carpenters, shipwrights, masons, smiths,
and many others. Some entries were added later in 1782, such as details of
discharge and the reason. I enquired about the ages given and was told that
they are as of 1779 unless the person was taken on after 1779, when use that
date. Here are a few examples from the 'T' surname index.

TREGEAR, John, age 26, from St.Just-Con; a Smith who began his service with
Plymouth Dockyard on March 24, 1777; married with three children; served his
apprenticeship in St.Just; was a good workman; described as 5'6" tall with a
fair complexion and that he "wears his hair".

I have seen the comment that he "wears his hair" a number of times and I
suppose that this was the age when wigs were worn and that he did not wear
one?

TRESEDER, James, age 24, from St.Mawes-Con; a Shipwright who began his
employment with the Yard on July 2, 1781; married, served his apprenticeship
in St.Mawes; was a "middling" workman and a sober man; was 6'0" tall with a
brown complexion. Discharged October 26, 1782 for being absent without
leave.

TRELEAVEN, John, age 24; from Lanlivery; a Smith who began employment with
Plymouth Dockyard on August 29, 1777; served his apprenticeship in
Lanlivery; was a good workman; 5’6½” tall with a pale complexion and had a
cut on little finger of his left hand.

The url is long and you may have to type it in:

http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Plymouth/PlymouthArtificers/index.html


Best wishes, Joan

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• Cornish Strays in Plymouth Dockyard by "Joan In Colorado" <>