PART TWENTY-ONE

The Cornwall Line – 1650 to 1840

This is the first of three sections of this family line

Updated May 2022

This was originally entitled The Cornish Rookledge Line but has now been expanded to include many more Collett families of Cornwall. The increase in the size of the file means this is the first of three sections

This was originally the family line of Gordon Rookledge Collett [1933-2012] - the line being indicated by the names in capitals, to which has been added the line of Christine St Johanser nee Collett (Ref. 21S60) of New Zealand (this being indicated by the underlined names) and the line of David Robert Parsons (see Ref. 21T32)

In addition to kindly providing the information on his family line, David has also brought to our attention an excellent website covering births, deaths and marriages which has been invaluable in updating this file www.cornwall-opc-database.org

Appendix B has been added courtesy of Keith Rookledge and this traces the Rookledge family line back from Mrs Elsie Alice Goodwin-Rookledge (Ref. 21Q2). This can be found at the end of the second section of The Cornwall Line 1840 to 2008.

It is possible, although not proved, that John and Richard Collett, who start this line, may have been the sons of Hugh Collett. If so, it is likely that they may have been born at St Erth near Hayle in Cornwall, where Hugh’s known sons Gilbert and James were baptised on 8^th January 1654 and 27^th December 1661 respectively. Gilbert appears not to have lived to see his fourteenth birthday as he was buried at St Erth on 14^th December 1667, the parish record stating he was the son of Hugh.

Hugh’s wife may have been Grace as there are two burial records for St Erth within a year of each other, they being Hugh Collett who was buried there on 5^th April 1682 followed by Grace Collett on 29^th March 1683.

The earliest record found so far has been the baptism of Emanuel Collett, the son of Anthony Collett. He was baptised at Creed on 9^th March 1611 and that was curiously followed by the marriage of Anthony Collett and Grace Boskowen on 28^th July 1611 at Creed between Grampound and Cuby-with-Tregony.

In addition to these, a series of even earlier records have come to light and they centre on the village of St Michael Penkevil and the children of Edward Collett as follows: Katherina baptised 25^th on November 1559, Katherine baptised on 25^th October 1560, and Maria and Joanna both baptised on 6^th February 1563.

A great many of the Collett family in this file had associations with the Roseland village of Philleigh, and in particular the parish church. The parish of Philleigh (or Filly as it was previously known) is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Powder. Named from Saint Filly, Philleigh is situated on the beautiful rural Roseland peninsula, which is almost an island in the south of Cornwall. Bounded by the sea on two sides, the River Fal forms the boundary on the third side. To the east it is Ruan Lanihorne and Veryan and to the south are Gerrans and St Just-in-Roseland, while villages within the parish of Philleigh include Church Town, White Lane, and Treworthal, all of which are mentioned later in this family line.

The Church of St Philleigh was dedicated to St Filius or St. Felicitas. There was a church in the village from the 13^th century, although the present building dates from the 15th century. It comprises a chancel, nave, south aisle, and a north transept, a portion of which is used as a vestry. The tower has two stages and has a single buttress at the square of the western angles. It is finished with battlements and contains three bells. The churchyard is entered by a lych gate.

Throughout this family line there are references to the epitaphs on the headstones of the graves within the churchyard of St Philleigh Church. All of this information was kindly provided by Lynne Sharp (Ref. 21S59) who spent some time there taking photographs of each headstone with a Collett connection. The information in the photographs, together with Lynn’s accompanying notes, has been invaluable in finalising some of the individual family details. (The full details can be found in Headstone Epitaphs)

21I1

Unknown COLLETT male, who may have been the older brother of Elizabeth (below) was most likely born before 1630.

21J1

JOHN COLLETT

Born circa 1650

21J2

Richard Collett

Born circa 1650

21J3

Thomas Collett

Born circa 1660

21I2

Elizabeth Collett may have been born before 1640 and may have been related to the family listed below. All that is so far known about her is that on 16^th July 1661 she married Richard Plemon at Cuby-with-Tregony.

21J1

John Collett was the brother of Richard Collett (below) and was most likely born before 1650. He may also have been the brother of Thomas Collett (below). Little more is known about John at this time and it is therefore assumed that his first-born son was also named John, since the baptism of an unnamed son for John Collett was baptised at Cuby-with-Tregony on 6^th June 1670. The following year his daughter Elizabeth was also baptised at Cuby-with-Tregony on 25^th September 1671 and again, the baptism record only included the name of the father as John Collett. However, for the baptism of John’s next three children at Cuby-with-Tregony, his wife’s name was included as (1) Grace. Another daughter Jane Collett, was born to John and Grace but the IGI entry contains no details. Furthermore, it now seems likely that John’s son baptised on 6^th June 1670 was in fact Stephen who may have taken up his father’s name as the eldest son. It is possible, but not proved, that John later married (2) Elizabeth Ball with whom he had another daughter.

21K1

John Collett? - unnamed son

Born in 1670 at Cuby-with-Tregony

21K2

Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1671 at Cuby-with-Tregony

21K3

Grace Collett

Baptised on 05.07.1674 at Cuby

21K4

William Collett

Baptised on 06.04.1677 at Cuby

21K5

Jane Collett

No date, parents Jno and Grace Collett

21K6

Frances Collett

Born in 1685 at Veryan

21J2

Richard Collett may have been born around 1650. He was a yeoman of Cuby-with-Tregony in Cornwall and on 28^th November 1673 he married Margaret at Cuby-with-Tregony. The IGI for Cornwall provides the date and place of the marriage but gives the bride’s name as Mary Yeoman. It seems very likely that Richard had a brother John Collett (see above) who was also born prior to 1650. Five of the six children credited to the couple have been identified in the 1744 Will of their son Richard Collett, the younger, who died in 1750. This omits any reference to the couple’s second child Henry, who may have died before 1744.

21K7

Thomas Collett

Born in 1674 at Cuby-with-Tregony

21K8

Henry Collett

Born in 1676 at Cuby-with-Tregony

21K9

Richard Collett

Born in 1678 at Cuby-with-Tregony

21K10

John Collett

Date of birth unknown

21K11

Anthony Collett

Date of birth unknown

21K12

Hannah Collett

Date of birth unknown

21J3

Thomas Collett may have been born around 1660 and was possibly the younger brother of John and Richard (above). He was married to Jane and they had a daughter Joan who was baptised at Veryan.

21K13

Joan Collett

Baptised on 05.10.1684 at Veryan

21K1

JOHN COLLETT may have been the unnamed son of John and Grace Collett who was baptised at Cuby-with-Tregony on 6^th June 1670, but who may have been much older judging by the age of his future wife. It therefore seems highly likely that, upon marrying Ann, the couple’s first child was born at Veryan before the family settled in Ruan Lanihorne, where their two other known sons were baptised. John Collett, who may have been born as early as 1660, is known to have married Ann (1663-1751), and it is confirmed that both of their younger sons were born at Ruan Lanihorne just a few miles to the south-west of Cuby-with-Tregony, while the baptism of their eldest known child at Veryan confirmed the parents as John and Ann Collett.

21L1

Peter Collett

Born in 1683 at Veryan

21L2

THOMAS COLLETT

Born in 1692 at Ruan Lanihorne

21L3

Richard Collett

Born in 1702 at Ruan Lanihorne

21K2

Elizabeth Collett was baptised at Cuby-with-Tregony on 25^th September 1671, the eldest daughter of John Collett. It seems likely that it was at Veryan to the north of Cuby-with-Tregony that Elizabeth Collett gave birth to a son William Collett who was baptised there on 25^th December 1704. He was the son of William Dowerack, but it has not been verified whether Elizabeth and William were ever married.

21K6

Frances Collett was baptised at Veryan on 11^th October 1685, the baptism record confirming that her father was John Collett but with no name given for the mother. An unverified entry on the website www.ancestry.com suggests that her mother was Elizabeth Ball. Her cousin Richard Collett (below) was married to Hannah Ball and it may have been through that relationship that Frances, under her married name of Frances Curgenven, was a beneficiary under the terms of the 1744 Will of Richard Collett. Also named in the same Will was Frances’ married daughter Rachel Blamey.

Frances Collett married Richard Curgenven who was born at St Michael Caerhays around 1675, the son of William Lean (Curgenven) and Rachel Richards. They were married during 1711, possibly at Veryan where their first child was born, or at St Michael Caerhays where their subsequent children were born. It was also at St Michael Caerhays that Richard Curgenven, a yeoman, died on 21^st January 1745 and where his Will was proved later that same year. His wife Frances Curgenven nee Collett died at Veryan on 3^rd March 1762.

The children of Richard Curgenven and Frances Collett were:

Peter Curgenven who was born at Veryan on 17^th June 1712. It was there also that he married Jane Langdon on 14^th July 1738, while it was at St Michael Caerhays that he died on 12^th October 1784.

Rachel Curgenven who was born at St Michael Caerhays on 26^th December 1713, where she married Benjamin Blamey on 19^th February 1736, and where she died on 16^th May 1796 when she was 84. Her husband Benjamin Blaney was born during 1706, was baptised on 18^th January 1707, and was buried on 24^th October 1790.

Anne Curgenven who was born at St Michael Caerhays around 1715. She married Zacharias Langdon during 1743 who may well have been the brother of Jane Langdon who married Anne’s eldest brother Peter.

Richard Curgenven who was born at St Michael Caerhays on 18^th October 1719. He married Hannah Ball and died at Veryan on 24^th October 1791. Curiously the IGI states that his parents were William Curgenven and Frances Collett.

John Curgenven who was born at St Michael Caerhays on 29^th May 1721. It was at Veryan that he married Elizabeth Ball on 12^th December 1747, and later Elizabeth Wakeham, before he died there on 27^th November 1794.

Hannah Curgenven who was born around 1722 or 1723, was buried on 5^th April 1799.

Sarah Curgenven who was born at St Michael Caerhays on 22^nd March 1724.

Frances Curgenven who was born at St Michael Caerhays around 1725.

21K7

Thomas Collett was born during in 1674 at Cuby-with-Tregony, the eldest child of Richard Collett and Margaret (Mary Yeoman), and was baptised there on 30^th November 1674. He later married Jane with whom he had a least two children, one of which was John Collett who was still alive in 1744. Thomas Collett died in 1730, and was referred to as the deceased brother of Richard Collett (below) in his Will of 1744, in which his widow Jane and his son John were beneficiaries.

21L4

John Collett

Baptised on 25.11.1694 at Veryan

21L5

Thomas Collett

Baptised on 08.09.1700 at Cuby

21K8

Henry Collett was born in 1676 and was baptised at Cuby-with-Tregony on 7^th December 1676. The baptism record confirmed that his parents were Richard and Margaret Collett, while neither he nor any widow or offspring were mentioned in the 1744 Will of his brother Richard (below).

21K9

Richard Collett was very likely born at Cuby-with Tregony in 1678 and on 15^th June 1698 he married Hannah Ball at Veryan. It would appear that, by the time Richard made out his Will in 1744, he and Hannah had no surviving children, if indeed there were any born to the couple. Instead, the Will of Richard Collett was made on 25^th January 1744 and named the following members of his extended family – as listed below. Richard Collett died at Veryan in May 1750 and was buried there on 31^st May 1750, after which the Will was proved on 2^nd June 1750. The beneficiaries under the terms of the Will were: his wife Hannah, Jane the wife of his deceased brother Thomas and their son John Collett of Gorran, his brother John and his two sons Peter Collett and Thomas Collett, his brother Anthony, his wife Elizabeth and their four children Anthony, Richard, Joan and Margery. Also named were Hannah Dawes wife of Charles Dawes of Gorran – possibly Richard’s sister Hannah, and Frances Curgenven the wife of Richard Curgenven (who was the daughter of John Collett and Elizabeth Ball). The latter was very likely the sister of Hannah Ball, Richard’s wife, who had married Richard’s brother John Collett. Another beneficiary named in the Will was Rachel Blamey, the wife of Benjamin Blamey of Veryan.

21K10

John Collett, whose date of birth is not known, was the brother of Richard Collett (above) as confirmed by his Will made in 1744 and proved in 1750. Although no birth or baptism records have been unearthed for any of his children, two sons Peter and Thomas are named within the 1774 Will of John’s brother Richard, and described as the sons of the deceased brother.

21L6

Peter Collett

Date of birth unknown

21L7

Thomas Collett

Date of birth unknown

21K11

Anthony Collett, whose date of birth is not known, was another brother of Richard Collett (above) as confirmed by his Will made in 1744 and proved in 1750. The same document also named his wife as Elizabeth, together with four of their children, Anthony, Richard, Joan and Margery aka Margaret. Certainly, the baptism records for the children listed below confirm the parents were Anthony and Elizabeth. The burial of Anthony Collett was recorded at Veryan on 16^th February 1716.

21L8

Elizabeth Collett

Baptised on 24.06.1694 at Veryan

21L9

Willmott Collett (female)

Baptised on 16.02.1695 at Veryan

21L10

Anthony Collett

Born in 1697 at Veryan

21L11

Joan Collett

Born in 1698 at Veryan

21L12

Margaret Collett

Baptised on 06.01.1701 at Veryan

21L13

Richard Collett

Born in 1706 at Veryan

21L14

Blanche Collett

Born in 1709 at Veryan

21K12

Hannah Collett, whose date of birth is known, was named as Hannah Dawe in the 1744 Will of her brother Richard Collett (above), as a result of her marriage to Charles Dawe at Gorran on 8^th April 1729.

21L1

Peter Collett was born and baptised at Veryan on 30^th October 1683, the son of John and Ann Collett. He later married Sybilla with whom he had at least two children at St Just-in-Roseland. The only other known fact is that the burial of Peter Collett took place on December 1757.

21M1

Peter Collett

Baptised on 14.01.1715 at St Just-in-Rose.

21M2

Hannah Collett

Baptised on 16.07.1722 at St Just-in-Rose.

21L2

THOMAS COLLETT (Chollick) may have been born at Veryan on 30^th October 1689, but was baptised at Ruan Lanihorne on 24^th April 1692, the son of John Collett. It was at nearby Philleigh that, on 28^th February 1715, Thomas Chollick of Ruan Lanihorne married (1) Susanna Sawle of Gerrans. Tragically Susanna, who was born in 1694, died in 1715 most likely during childbirth, the child also not surviving. Thomas then married (2) Susanna Furse on 14^th July 1716. Susanna was baptised at Feock on 16^th February 1695, the daughter of John and Margery Furse.

Over the following twenty-five years Susanna presented Thomas with fourteen children when they were living at Philleigh and when the youngest child was nineteen, Thomas Collett died and was buried at Philleigh on 30^th September 1760. It was just over five years after that when his widow Susanna Collett nee Furze died of apoplexy at the age of 71, following which she was also buried at Philleigh on 26^th November 1765.

The Will of Thomas Collett, yeoman of Philleigh, was made on 6^th March 1759, was proved on 28^th April 1761, and was transcribed by his fifth great grandson Don R Hender. In the addition to the Will, other notes made by Don appear to conflict with the information written here in this family line, and they are that his father was another Thomas, instead of John as herein stated, his wife’s maiden-name may have been Luke, instead of Sawle or Furse as herein stated, and that he was born around 1700 rather than in 1689. The transcript of the Will can be found in the folder Legal Documents under Will 1759 Thomas Collett which names his wife Susanna and ten of the fourteen children listed below.

21M3

Susanna Collett

Born in 1717 at Philleigh

21M4

Richard Collett

Born in 1719 at Philleigh

21M5

Ann Collett

Born in 1721 at Philleigh

21M6

Thomas Collett

Born in 1723 at Philleigh

21M7

THOMAS COLLETT

Born in 1724 at Philleigh

21M8

Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1726 at Philleigh

21M9

John Collett

Born in 1727 at Philleigh

21M10

Frances Collett

Born in 1729 at Philleigh

21M11

Zacharias Collett

Born in 1731 at Philleigh

21M12

Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1733 at Philleigh

21M13

Hugh Collett

Born in 1734 at Philleigh

21M14

Joan Collett

Born in 1737 at Philleigh

21M15

Benjamin Collett

Born in 1737 at Philleigh

21M16

Henry Collett

Born in 1741 at Philleigh

21L3

Richard Collett was baptised at Ruan Lanihorne on 11^th October 1702, the son of John Collett. He later married Anne Crawl at Ruan Lanihorne on 26^th March 1733. And it was also at Ruan Lanihorne that their daughter was baptised although no record has so far been found for their son who was living at Ruan Lanihorne twenty years later.

21M17

John Collett

Born circa 1734 at Ruan Lanihorne

21M18

Anne Collett

Born circa 1734 at Ruan Lanihorne

21L10

Anthony Collett was third child and the eldest son of Anthony and Elizabeth Collett of Veryan where the baptism of his six siblings took place, while no such birth or baptism for Anthony has been found there. He married Jane and the date of baptism of their first child may place Anthony’s date of birth around the early 1690s. All of their seven known children were baptised at Veryan. Three Anthony Colletts were buried at Veryan; one on 9^th July 1749, the next on 2^nd January 1751 and the third on 30^th March 1759, possibly two of them being father and son.

21M19

John Collett

Born in 1718 at Veryan

21M20

Anthony Collett

Born in 1720 at Veryan

21M21

Jane Collett

Baptised on 01.07.1722; infant death

21M22

Henry Collett

Baptised on 29.04.1724 at Veryan

21M23

Jane Collett

Baptised on 05.06.1726 at Veryan

21M24

Mary Collett

Born in 1730 at Veryan

21L11

Joan Collett was baptised at Veryan on 9^th October 1698, a daughter of Anthony and Elizabeth Collett. It was also at Veryan where she later married John Mewden on 12^th August 1722.

21L13

Richard Collett was baptised at Veryan on 11^th August 1706, the youngest son of Anthony and Elizabeth Collett. It was at Veryan that he married (1) Catherine Johns on 30^th December 1738 and it was there that they lived and where their children were baptised. Catherine would appear to have died around 1750 since Richard later married (2) Hannah with whom he a further child who was also baptised at Veryan. The child’s name might indicate that his daughter Hannah from his first marriage had already died by then, although there is no evidence to support this assumption.

21M25

Hannah Collett

Baptised on 22.11.1739; infant death

21M26

Hugh Collett

Baptised on 01.11.1745 at Veryan

21M27

Anthony Collett

Baptised on 07.07.1749 at Veryan

The following is the child of Richard Collett and his second wife Hannah:

21M28

Hannah Collett

Baptised on 04.04.1754 at Veryan

21M3

Susanna Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 30^th July 1717 as Susanna Cholleck, the daughter of Thomas Cholleck. She later married Samuel Ward who was born in 1715. Susanna Ward died when she was 40 and was buried at Philleigh on 20^th December 1758, just under two years before the death of her father. Her husband survived for over forty more years, when he died in 1799.

21M4

Richard Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 26^th April 1719, although his name was written as Chollick. The IGI for Cornwall also recorded the fact that his parents were Thomas and Susanna Chollick. And it was at Philleigh as Richard Collett that he married Bridget Jennings by banns on 26^th September 1747, and it was also while the couple were living at Philleigh that all of their children were born and baptised. Eight years after their wedding day, Richard’s younger brother Hugh (below) married Bridget’s sister Hannah Jennings. Richard was still alive in 1760 when he was a beneficiary under the terms of his father’s Will.

It was twenty-five years later that Richard Collett died of the fever at Philleigh, where he was buried on 24^th September 1785 aged 67. Richard’s wife Bridget had died nearly four years earlier and was buried at Philleigh on 26^th December 1781 aged 66. The burial record confirmed that she was the wife of Richard Collett. The Will of Richard Collett of Philleigh was made on 13^th September 1785 and proved on 11^th November 1785, and read as follows:

“This is the Last Will and Testament of Richard Collett of the Parish of Philleigh in the County of Cornwall Yeoman In the name of God Amen. Principally and first of all I give and bequeath my immortal soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it; hoping through the meritorious death and sufferings of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to obtain forgiveness of all my sins and everlasting life after death; and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and christian-like manner at the discretion and expense of my Executor hereinafter named and unto the worldly goods and effects with which it has pleased God to bless me in this Life, I give and dispose of them in the manner following

That is to say, I give and bequeath to my son John Collett Forty Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid him by my Executor at the end of twelve months after my decease. Also, I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann, the wife of Thomas Dowrick Forty Pounds to be paid her at the end of twelve months as before mentioned. Also, I give and bequeath to Bridget Jennings Thirty Pounds to be paid at the time aforesaid. Also, I give and bequeath to my granddaughters Bridget Dowrick and Sarah Dowrick Ten Pounds each to be paid them as soon as they shall attain the age of Twenty-One years: until which time my Executor shall pay to each of them Ten Shillings yearly to help them to provide clothes.

All the rest residue and remainder of my goods and chattels rights and credits, bonds, notes, bills and accompts for any sum or sums of money to me due and owing, And all other my effects of what name, kind or quality soever and wheresoever the same may be at the time of my decease after payment of my just debts and several charges I give devise and bequeath (without any limitation reservation or exception whatsoever) to my son Thomas Collett, whom I do also constitute nominate and appoint whole and sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I do hereunto put my Hand and Seal and do publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, the Thirteenth Day of September in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Five”

21N1

Ann Collett

Born in 1748 at Philleigh

21N2

John Collett

Born in 1750 at Philleigh

21N3

Bridget Collett

Born in 1753 at Philleigh

21N4

Thomas Collett

Born in 1755 at Philleigh

21N5

Amos Collett

Born in 1760 at Philleigh

21M5

Ann Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 5^th February 1721 although her name was written as Cholick. The IGI for Cornwall also record the fact that her parents were Thomas Collick or Collett and Susanna Sawle. It was as Ann Collett that she was married by banns to Cornelius James of Key at Philleigh on 14^th June 1747, and twelve years later she was simply referred to as Anne by her father in his Will of 1759.

21M6

Thomas Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 2^nd February 1723 as Thomas Chollick, the son of Thomas Chollick. It is very likely that he did not survive for long, since the next son born to Thomas Collett was also given the name Thomas.

21M7

THOMAS COLLETT was the son of Thomas Collett and was baptised on 3^rd November 1724 at Philleigh where he later married Mary. And it was also at Philleigh that the couple lived and where all of their children were born and baptised. He was also a beneficiary under the terms of his father’s Will made in 1859. Thomas Collett died of ‘old age’ at Philleigh when he was 73, and was buried there on 29^th April 1796. Mary also died there, but seven years later, and was buried on 20^th March 1803 aged 82.

21N6

Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1746 at Philleigh

21N7

Susanna Collett

Born in 1748 at Philleigh

21N8

Richard Collett

Baptised on 30.09.1750 at Philleigh

21N9

Mary Collett

Born in 1752 at Philleigh

21N10

John Collett

Baptised on 25.12.1755 at Philleigh

21N11

Thomas Collett

Born in 1758 at Philleigh

21N12

Susanna Collett

Born in 1760 at Philleigh

21N13

Jenny Collett

Born in 1762 at Philleigh

21N14

John Collett

Born in 1763 at Philleigh

21M8

Elizabeth Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 15^th February 1726, the daughter of Thomas Collett. Tragically she was only four years old when she died at Philleigh, where she was buried on 16^th October 1730, when she was described as the daughter of Thomas Collett and Susanna Sawle.

21M9

John Collett was the son of Thomas Collett and was baptised on 22^nd August 1727 at Philleigh where he later married Susanna Langdon on 21^st June 1752. Their marriage was just one of many ties between the Collett family and the Langdon family. Susanna was also born in 1727 and her sister Mary Langdon was married to John’s brother Benjamin Collett (below) at Philleigh in 1760. It was also at Philleigh that the couple’s five sons were born and where John died of an ulcerous sore throat and putrid fever in 1766. He was aged 39 and was buried at Philleigh on 28^th July 1766. Seven years earlier John had been named in his father’s Will of 1759.

Almost nine years after his death, John’s widow Susanna was remarried to John Oates at Philleigh on 28^th February 1775. Two years later Susanna gave birth to a daughter Susanna Oates in January 1777 who sadly died when she was just thirty months old and was buried at Philleigh on 16^th June 1779. Susanna herself survived until just after the turn of the century when she also died at Philleigh and was buried there on 20^th March 1800. At the end of that decade, and following the death of John’s son Henry, a bequeath of Five Pounds was made out in the name of his stepfather John Oates. Susanna Oates was 73 when she died of consumption.

21N15

Peter Collett

Born circa 1753 at Philleigh

21N16

Henry Collett

Born circa 1755 at Philleigh

21N17

Roger Collett

Born circa 1758 at Philleigh

21N18

John Collett

Born circa 1761 at Philleigh

21N19

BENJAMIN COLLETT

Born circa 1763 at Philleigh

21M10

Frances Collett was the daughter of Thomas Collett and she was baptised on 3^rd November 1729 at Philleigh where she later married Isaac Bohenna on 11^th June 1752. It was simply as Frances, the daughter of Thomas Collett that she was named as a beneficiary in his Will of 1759.

21M11

Zacharias Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 17^th August 1731, the parish register confirming his parents as Thomas and Susanna Collett who, it is believed, was Thomas Chollick and his second wife Susanna Furse. It was at Philleigh on 19^th April 1756 that he was married by banns to Mary Bartley from Veryan. Mary Collett nee Bartley was born at Gorran on 12^th February 1734 and died of a disorder of the liver while still a resident of Philleigh and was buried there on 29^th October 1797. Her husband survived her by eighteen years and was also buried at Philleigh on 18^th March 1815 aged 84. Zacharias was one of the ten children of Thomas Collett named in his Will of 1759.

21N20

Grace Bartley Collett

Baptised on 27.12.1756 at Philleigh

21N21

Mary Collett

Baptised on 25.12.1758 at Philleigh

21N22

Zacharias Collett

Born in 1761 at Philleigh

21N23

Elizabeth Collett

Baptised on 25.04.1761 at Philleigh

21N24

Frances Collett

Born in 1769 at Philleigh

21N25

Hannibal Collett

Born in 1772 at Philleigh

21N26

William Collett

Born in 1774 at Philleigh

21M12

Elizabeth Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 10^th February 1733, the daughter of Thomas and Susanna Collett. It was previously written here that she later married Thomas Williams and that she died prior to the death of her father in 1760, since she was one of four children not named in his Will of 1759. However, another record at Philleigh states that Elizabeth Collett was buried on 4^th March 1733, which raises the question, who was the Elizabeth Collett who married Thomas Williams.

21M13

Hugh Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 21^st April 1734, the son of Thomas and Susanna Collett. On 30^th June 1755 he married Hannah Jennings who was the sister of Bridget Jennings who eight years earlier had married Hugh’s older brother Richard Collett (above). All four of their daughters were born and baptised at Philleigh. Hugh was also named in his father’s Will made in 1759.

21N27

Hannah Collett

Baptised on 11.04.1757 at Philleigh

21N28

Susanna Collett

Baptised on 15.04.1759 at Philleigh

21N29

Bridget Collett

Baptised on 01.01.1761 at Philleigh

21N30

Jennifer Collett

Born in 1764 at Philleigh

21M14

Joan Collett was baptised on 25^th June 1737 at Philleigh in a joint ceremony with her brother Benjamin (below), who may have been her twin. Five months before her twenty-first birthday she married Thomas Ward. The wedding took place at Philleigh on 30^th January 1759 where the couple appear to have lived all the rest of their lives together and where all of their children were born. Two months after she was married Joan’s father made his Will in which she was named as one of his three surviving daughters. Both Joan and Thomas were noted as being of the parish of Philleigh at the time of their wedding. Joan Ward nee Collett died of dropsy at the age of 69 while living at Philleigh, where she was buried on 20^th June 1807.

Only one of the couple’s ten children are listed below, while the other nine were all baptised at Philleigh as follows: Samuel Ward (09.09.1759); Elizabeth Ward (15.02.1761); Susanna Ward (04.07.1762); Thomas Ward (25.12.1763); John Ward (01.09.1765); Jenny Ward (01.11.1768); Rebecca Ward (10.01.1773, died in 1851); Anne Ward (09.10.1775); and Mary Ward (01.03.1778).

21N31

James Ward

Born in 1771 at Philleigh

21M15

Benjamin Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 25^th June 1737 in a joint ceremony with his sister Joan (above), their parents being confirmed simply as Thomas and Susanna Collett. It was two days after his father had died that Benjamin married Mary Langdon at Philleigh on 2^nd November 1760 at a time when she was already with child. Benjamin was therefore one of the seven sons named by his father in his Will of 1759. Eight years earlier Benjamin’s brother John (above) had married Mary’s sister Susanna Langdon. All of their children were born and baptised at Philleigh, and it was also there that Benjamin died and was buried on 3^rd October 1800. The cause of death was stated as ‘water in the chest’. His wife Mary, being 5 years old than Benjamin, had died nine years earlier and was buried at Philleigh on 23^rd March 1791 aged 59. The cause of death was given as putrid fever.

The Will of Benjamin Collett, made on 2^nd July 1796, was proved on 30^th January 1801, and reads as follows: “In the name of God Amen. I Benjamin Collett of the parish of Filley otherwise Philleigh in the County of Cornwall considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and memory blessed by Almighty God for the same do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in the manner following (that is to say) First I recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God hoping remission and forgiveness of all my sins through the Merits of my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ. As to such world means as I may die possessed of I dispose of the same as under I give and bequeath unto my grandson Benjamin Landon and to his sister Mary Collett Landon One Guinea each

I give and bequeath unto my other grandson Benjamin Barnacoat and to Mary his sister the like sum of One Pound and One Shilling each to be paid them respectively within one year after my decease by my Executors hereinafter mentioned I give and bequeath unto my daughter Lucretia Landon Thirty Pounds to be paid her by equal payments at the rate of Two Pounds and Ten Shillings per year by even quarter payments the first whereof to begin and be made at the end of the first three months after my decease and in case she shall die before the said full sum of Thirty Pounds shall be paid up the residue shall in like manner be paid to and for the use of her children and in case of their death then to her husband John Landon I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ann Barnacoat the like sum of Thirty Pounds to be paid in a like manner as my bequest is to my said daughter Lucretia

I give and bequeath unto my son Theodosious Collett Fifty pounds to take the same out of my effects three months after my decease together also with my clock. All the rest and residue and remainder of my personal estate goods and chattels of what nature or kind so ever and wheresoever situate I give and bequeath the same unto my two sons the said Theodosious and Michael equally between them share and share alike hereby appointing them Executors of this my Last Will and Testament as tenants in common and not as joint tenants they paying equally out of the residue of my estate the above pecuniary legacies to my grandchildren and my said two daughters hereby revoking all former Wills by me made. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this second day of July in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-Six”

21N32

Theodosious Collett

Born in 1761 at Philleigh

21N33

Lucretia Collett

Born in 1763 at Philleigh

21N34

James Collett

Born in 1765 at Philleigh

21N35

Michael Collett

Born in 1768 at Philleigh

21N36

Anne Collett

Born in 1770 at Philleigh

21N37

Rosamund Collett

Born in 1774 at Philleigh

21N38

Rosemunda Collett

Born in 1781 at Philleigh

21M16

Henry Collett was baptised on 19^th September 1741 at Philleigh, the last child of Thomas Collett and Susanna Furse. The next record in the life of Henry Collett was as a beneficiary under the terms of his father’s Will of 1759. It was in Philleigh seven years later that Henry was married by banns to Susanna Bohenna on 27^th November 1766. Susanna was born on 1^st November 1747 at Philleigh and was the daughter of Joshua Bohenna and Lucretia Langdon. It would appear the couple lived all their lives together at Philleigh, since it was there that all of their children were born and baptised, and it was there where Henry was buried on 30^th May 1824 aged 83. Five years later Susanna Collett nee Bohenna died at Philleigh, where she was buried with her husband on 11^th February 1829.

21N39

William Collett

Born in 1767 at Philleigh

21N40

William Collett

Born in 1769 at Philleigh

21N41

James Collett

Born in 1771 at Philleigh

21N42

Hugh Collett

Born in 1773 at Philleigh

21N43

John Bohenna Collett

Born in 1775 at Philleigh

21N44

Peter Collett

Born in 1777 at Philleigh

21M17

John Collett was most likely born at Ruan Lanihorne around the end of 1733 or the beginning of 1734, following the marriage of his parents Richard Collett and Anne Crawl in the March of 1733. This is based on the fact that his younger sister Anne Collett (below) was baptised at Ruan Lanihorne at the start of 1735. It was around 1755 that he married (1) Susanna with their son was born towards the end of that year at Ruan Lanihorne, where he was baptised. Many years later, and following the death of his wife Susanna, John married (2) Mary who was twenty-seven years younger that John.

John Collett died on 9^th July 1810 at the age of 77 and was buried with his wife Mary in the churchyard of St Philleigh Church in the village of Philleigh. The headstone also included the details of the passing of Mary Collett which took place on 28^th January 1802 when she was 41 years of age. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

21N45

Henry Collett

Baptised on 26.12.1755 at Ruan Lanihorne

21M18

Anne Collett was most very born at Ruan Lanihorne, where she was baptised on 18^th January 1735, the daughter of Richard and Anne Collett. Anne was twenty-six years of age when she married Richard Staple at Mylor on 11^th June 1761. Once they were married the couple settled in Mylor, where all of their children were born and baptised. The children for whom a baptism record has been found were Rebecca Staples who was baptised on 25^th July 1762 who married James Williams at Mylor on 13^th December 1788, Philippa Staple baptised on 16^th September 1764 who died on 7^th February 1765, Eleanor Staple baptised on 24^th November 1765, Philippa Staple baptised on 3^rd August 1767, Ann Staple baptised on 9^th September 1768 who died on 16^th August 1769, Richard Staple baptised 23^rd October 1769, and John Staple who was baptised on 10^th October 1773 who died at Mylor on 30^th April 1777.

21M19

John Collett was baptised at Veryan on 24^th August 1718, the eldest child of Anthony and Jane Collett. He later married (1) Mary with whom he had a daughter of the same name but baptised with the Collitt spelling of the surname. It would appear that no long after the birth, Mary may have died giving birth to a subsequent child. Some years later John Collett married (2) Honour Johns at Veryan on 8^th July 1750, by which time Honour had already given birth to the couple’s first of ten children, all of them baptised at Veryan.

21N46

Mary Collett

Baptised on 16.04.1738 at Veryan

The following are the children of John and Honour Collett:

21N47

Susan Collett

Baptised on 23.01.1750 at Veryan

21N48

John Collett

Baptised on 25.09.1752 at Veryan

21N49

Jane Collett

Baptised on 24.05.1755 at Veryan

21N50

Mary Collett

Baptised on 12.04.1757 at Veryan

21N51

Anthony Collett

Baptised on 02.02.1759 at Veryan

21N52

Honour Collett

Born in 1761 at Veryan

21N53

Rachel Collett

Baptised on 23.10.1763; infant death

21N54

Ann Collett

Baptised on 14.09.1766 at Veryan

21N55

Henry Collett

Baptised on 25.12.1768 at Veryan

21N56

Rachel Collett

Born in 1770 at Veryan

21M20

Anthony Collett was baptised at Veryan on 8^th May 1720 and he later married Joan Thomas at Veryan where two dates are recorded for their wedding day. The first of them was 13^th July 1760, the second being 9^th September 1760. Further records at Veryan indicate that their marriage produced two daughters who were also baptised there and that it was there also that Anthony Collett was buried on 5^th March 1777. Another record confirms that an alternative Anthony Collett was buried at Veryan on 21^st September 1811, but he is more like to be his nephew Anthony Collett who was born in 1759 and the son of Anthony’s brother John Collett (above).

21N57

Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1761 at Veryan

21N58

Catherine Collett

Born in 1766 at Veryan

21M24

Mary Collett was the youngest child of Anthony and Jane Collett who was baptised on 9^th August 1730 at Veryan, where she later married John Profit on 19^th July 1753.

21N1

Ann Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 2^nd October 1748, the eldest child of Richard Collett and Bridget Jennings. It was there also that she married Thomas Dowrick on 12^th February 1771. Following their wedding, the couple left Philleigh and settled in Veryan, where their two known daughters were born. Upon the proving of the Will of Ann’s father Richard in 1785, daughter Ann Dowrick was beathed Forty Pounds, and was described as the wife of Thomas Dowrick. In addition, the couple’s two daughters Bridget Dowrick and Sarah Dowrick were each bequeathed Ten Pounds on reaching full age. Until, they were to receive Ten Shillings each year to cover the cost of clothes.

21N2

John Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 15^th April 1750, the son of Richard and Bridget Collett. It has not yet been proved, but it seems very likely that he married Rachel Plummer at Ruan Lanihorne, just a short distance from Philleigh, on 25^th November 1779. John’s father died on 24^th September 1785, after which John received a bequeath of Forty Pounds, while it was his younger brother Thomas (below) who was the sole executor of the Will. It would appear from burial records at Ruan Lanihorne, where he was buried on 24^th September 1823, that he was aged 71 and was living at Cornelly at the time of his death. Just over three years later, his son John junior died at Cornelly and was buried at Ruan Lanihorne on 14^th November 1826 aged 36. John’s wife Rachel also died at Cornelly at the age of 84 and was buried at Ruan Lanihorne on 3^rd January 1830, nearly seven years after her husband had passed away.

21O1

John Collett

Born in 1790 at Ruan Lanihorne

21N3

Bridget Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 30^th December 1753 and sadly only survived for a few months and was buried at Philleigh on 17^th April 1754. The burial record confirmed her parents as Richard and Bridget Collett.

21N4

Thomas Collett was baptised on 2^nd November 1755 at Philleigh and, despite what was previously written here, he appears not to have married Elizabeth Bray at Egloshayle near Wadebridge on 26^th June 1774. That particular Thomas Collett was a resident of St Breock near Wadebridge on the north Cornish coast, whose identity has not yet been confirmed. What is now known though, thanks to Mick Underhill, is that Thomas Collett from Philleigh was a bachelor when he was married by banns to Elizabeth Tonkin at Feock on 15^th December 1785. Elizabeth was a spinster from Feock, while the witnesses were John Withiell and Andrew Shepherd. The marriage produced at least the six children named below, who were all baptised at Veryan, the first son named after Thomas’ father. Thomas’ father died on 24^th September 1785 and, upon the proving of his Will on 11^th November 1785, it was Thomas who was named as the sole executor of his estate. Thomas was also bequeathed the residual of his father’s estate after settlement of all the other bequeaths named within the Will.

21O2

Richard Collett

Baptised on 12.03.1788 at Veryan

21O3

Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1790 at Veryan

21O4

Thomas Collett

Baptised on 14.06.1791 at Veryan

21O5

Joseph Collett

Baptised on 01.10.1794 at Veryan

21O6

Mary Collett

Baptised on 14.06.1796 at Veryan

21O7

Martha Collett

Baptised on 26.12.1798 at Veryan

21N5

Amos Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 2^nd November 1760, the fifth and last child of Richard Collett and Bridget Jennings. He was married by banns to Elizabeth Oates (1763-1831) at Gerrans on 22^nd April 1783. The witnesses at the ceremony were Thomas Collett, Amos’ older brother, and Richard Sillwood. Elizabeth Oates was very likely the niece of John Oates who married the widow Susanna Collett, nee Langdon, in 1775 (Ref. 21M7). It would appear that Amos and Elizabeth lived the majority of the life at Gerrans, where all but two of their children were born and baptised. Only his son Amos and daughter Mary were baptised at Philleigh. Amos was a witness at the wedding of his daughter Catherine Collett on 4^th January 1810, when she marriage her cousin ‘one-step removed’ Roger Collett the son of the late Peter Collett (below). Amos was 81, when he died in 1842, and curiously he was not referred to in his father’s Will of 1785.

21O8

Bridget Collett

Born in 1784 at Gerrans

21O9

Catherine Collett

Born in 1786 at Gerrans

21O10

Betsy Collett

Born in 1786 at Gerrans

21O11

Amos Collett

Born in 1789 at Philleigh

21O12

Asenath Oates Collett

Baptised on 26.04.1791 at Gerrans

21O13

Nancy Collett

Born in 1793 at Gerrans

21O14

Margery Collett

Baptised on 28.12.1795 at Gerrans

21O15

Philip Collett

Born in 1797 at Gerrans

21O16

Mary Collett

Born in 1799 at Philleigh

21O17

Susanna Collett

Baptised on 16.08.1801 at Gerrans

21O18

Philippa Collett

Born in 1804 at Gerrans

21O19

William Oates Collett

Born in 1807 at Gerrans

21N6

Elizabeth Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 19^th October 1746 where she married by banns Thomas Williams of Truro on 1^st January 1769.

21N7

Susanna Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 12^th June 1748 but she only survived for just over six years and was buried at Philleigh on 23^rd November 1754.

21N9

Mary Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 31^st October 1752 where she also died and was buried on 28^th May 1769 aged 17. The burial record confirmed that she was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Collett. The cause of death was given as ‘fever of worms’ from which other children also died around that same time.

21N11

Thomas Collett may have been born at Philleigh in 1756 but was not baptised there until 19^th March 1758, the son of Thomas and Mary Collett. It is possible, although not proved, that Thomas Collett born around 1754 later married Ann. Their son Thomas was born around 1790 and he later married Susanna Carpenter at St Gerrans in 1822.

21O20

Thomas Collett

Born circa 1790 at St Gerrans

21N12

Susanna Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 30^th March 1760 and it was there on 23^rd December 1783 that she married labourer John Parkin of Ruan Lanihorne.

21N13

Jenny Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 14^th March 1762 and died within a few months and was buried at Philleigh on 6^th July 1762. The burial record confirmed her parents as Thomas and Mary Collett.

21N14

John Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 22^nd September 1763 and was the son of Thomas and Mary. It was at Philleigh that he married the widow Mary Bohenna on 25^th April 1796. The parish record at the time of his marriage gave John’s occupation as being that of a farmer. Mary was formerly Mary Ward and it was on 8^th October 1791 at Philleigh that she had married Thomas Bohenna who was a weaver. Three years later Thomas Bohenna died of consumption on 12^th October 1794 aged 26. Thomas who was born in 1768 was very likely a nephew of Susanna Bohenna who had married Henry Collett (Ref. 21M14) in 1766. It seems also seems likely that John and Mary only had the one child that was born at Philleigh, before Mary died there and was buried there on 10^th January 1802. The cause of death was consumption.

21O21

Mary Collett

Baptised on 25.06.1797 at Philleigh

21N15

Peter Collett was born around 1751 and was the eldest child of John Collett and Susanna Langdon of Philleigh. At round 30 years of age, he married Asenath Bohenna on 6^th February 1781 at Philleigh. At the time of their wedding Peter’s occupation was recorded as being that of a labourer. That was the third link between the Collett family and the Bohenna family. Peter and Asenath’s two known sons were baptised at Philleigh. Asenath was born around 1753 and outlived her husband by over fifty years.

Peter Collett served as a parish clerk at Philleigh during the three years prior to his early death in December 1785. And it was there that he was buried on 12^th December 1785 aged 35. The cause of death was given on the burial record as rheumatism. Like his brother John (below) the only other reference so far found relating to Peter is through the Will of his brother Henry Collett (below). By the time of the death of Henry in 1809, Peter had already passed away, since the Will referred to nephews Roger and James as ‘the sons of my late brother Peter Collett deceased’.

A lease document dated 8^th April 1844 for a property at Polglaze (see Peter’s brother Henry below) referred to previous occupiers as the late Peter Collett, then Asenath Collett his widow. The property, together with a tenement at Church Town, within the parish of Philleigh, was occupied by Peter’s son James Bohenna Collett up until his death and by his widow thereafter until her death. James’ mother died at Church Town during the month of May in 1840, following which Asenath Collett was buried at Philleigh on 24^th May 1840, at the great age of 87.

21O22

Roger Collett

Born in 1782 at Philleigh

21O23

James Bohenna Collett

Born in 1784 at Philleigh

21N16

Henry Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 26^th December 1755, the son of John Collett and Susanna Langdon. New information recently discovered may provide a clue to the fact that Henry could have married Elizabeth Withiell at Philleigh on 16^th August 1792. The only additional detail in the parish register stated that Henry was a farmer and that would correspond to Henry being “a yeoman of Philleigh”. Henry would have been thirty-seven at the time of the marriage and, if Elizabeth was a similar age, that may then account for why the marriage appears not to have provided the couple with any children. This assumption has been deduced from Henry’s Will, as no children are mentioned therein. Seventeen years after he was married Henry died from consumption and was buried at Philleigh on 8^th December 1809.

His Will, reproduced below, has been very helpful in providing a better picture of parts of his extended family. Firstly, it refers to his wife, and makes reference to just one of his two surviving brothers, plus two sons of his deceased brother. There was also a mention of Henry’s mother Susanna and his stepfather John Oates, to whom she was married in February 1775 after Henry’s father died in 1766. It was Henry’s younger brother Roger (below) who had already died by the time Henry made his Will on 5^th August 1809. However, the absence of any reference to his youngest brother Benjamin (below), who passed away over thirty years later, is slightly curious and perhaps indicates a rift between the two brothers. Furthermore, the lack of any mention of direct heirs in the Will, may indicate that Henry and his wife had no children or that they had died young. The witnesses to the signing of the Will were, in addition to Thomas Francis Bedford the Rector of Philleigh, Hannibal Collett and William Collett who were Henry’s cousins (Ref. 21N25 & 21N26).

he Will of Henry Collett was proved at Philleigh on 20^th May 1810, but includes a statement that raises an important question. The deceased was referred to as Henry Collett junior, which may be interpreted as indicating there was a Henry senior who had already passed. “In the name of God Amen. I Henry Collett junior of the Parish of Philleigh in the County of Cornwall do make and declare this to be my Last Will in manner following that is to say I give and devise unto my dear wife Elizabeth all my property whatsoever during her natural life, and after her decease I give and devise all my money put out to interest to my dear brother John Collett and to my two nephews Roger Collett and James Collett (sons of my late brother Peter Collett deceased) to be equally divided between each of them

Also, I give Five Pounds to John Oates (husband to my late mother Susanna Collett) after my wife’s decease to be taken out of the aforesaid money at Interest. Also, I give to my brother John my house clock after my wife’s decease and also the large boiler during his life and then to my two nephews Roger and James Collett. Also, I give to my two nephews Roger and James Collett my three dwelling houses at White-Lane (after my wife’s decease) namely the one I now inhabit and the two now rented by James Barnicoat and Richard Richards and all my household furniture. Also, I appoint my brother John Collett trustee for the execution of this my Last Will and in case the income arising from my money at interest and the rents of my houses is not sufficient for my wife’s support and maintenance then my Will and meaning is that my brother should supply her with such other money from the principal as he may judge necessary. And I do declare this only to be my Last Will. In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this Fifth Day of August One Thousand Eight Hundred and Nine”

From this we know that Henry and Elizabeth were living at the property on White Lane in Polglaze, within the parish of Philleigh, while the other two dwellings were rented to James Barnicoat and Richard Richards, James Barnicoat being the husband of Henry’s cousin Anne Collett (Ref. 21N36). At an earlier time in his life, Henry Collett a yeoman of Philleigh, entered into a lease agreement with Peter Calmel of Park Place, St James in Westminster, on 2^nd February 1789. That was for the dwelling house with stable and hog-sty at White Lane in Polglaze, which was formerly occupied by the late John Langdon, the father-in-law of Lucretia Collett (Ref. 21N33), the wife of John Langdon, the son. A later lease agreement, dated 11^th July 1793, made reference to the newly built houses and fields of Henry Collett within the Barton of Trelonk, near Philleigh, in addition to listing other property at Polglaze and a Church Town tenement, both within the parish of Philleigh.

21N17

Roger Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 26^th December 1758. At the age of twenty-two Roger was taken ill with consumption from which he died and was buried at Philleigh on 23^rd September 1780.

21N18

John Collett was born around 1761 and was the son of John and Susanna Collett of Philleigh. His existence within the family has initially been confirmed by reference to him in the Will of his older brother Henry (above) who died in 1809, for which he was also the sole executor. In the Will, and upon the death of his wife, he was bequeathed an equal share of Henry’s estate with Henry’s two nephews, the sons of another brother Peter Collett (below). At the start of the following year on 4^th January 1810, John was one of the witnesses at the Gerrans wedding of his brother Peter’s son Roger Collett to Catherine Collett, the daughter of Amos Collett and Elizabeth Oates. No further information on John has so far been found.

21N19

BENJAMIN COLLETT was born at Philleigh in 1763. He married Thomasina Hill on 19^th February 1792 at St Winnow in Cornwall. For some unknown reason, Benjamin Collett the youngest child of John Susanna Langdon, was not names in the 1809 Will of his older brother Henry Collett (above) when his brother John (above) and his two nephews Roger and James Bohenna Collett, the sons of his later brother Peter (above) received equal shares of his considerable estate. It may have been around that time, that Benjamin and his family moved from St Winnow to Lostwithiel, where Thomasina died and was buried on 27^th May 1825, aged 66. Benjamin lived the next sixteen years as a widower before he also died at Lostwithiel, where he was buried on 16^th April 1841 aged 77.

21O24

Mary Hill Collett

Born in 1792 at St Winnow

21O25

Eliza Collett

Born in 1794 at St Winnow

21O26

THOMAS COLLETT

Born in 1797 at St Winnow

21O27

Susanna Collett

Born in 1799 at St Winnow

21N22

Zacharias Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 25^th April 1761. Very little is known about him except that in his old age he was living at Tresillian and that he was buried at Merther on 4^th April 1837 aged 77. However, it seems very likely that he may have been married twice in his life, the first marriage producing a son John when Zacharias was thirty years of age. A new record recently discovered states that Zacharias Collett married (2) Mary Jenkins on 24^th April 1808. Mary would appear to have been many years younger than her husband since their two known children were born when Zacharias was around 55 and 59 respectively. At the time of the birth of those two children Zacharias and Mary were living at Tresillian Bridge in Merther. Mary Collett nee Jenkins died at the age of 75 and was buried at Merther on 30^th October 1850, ten years after her daughter Mary Ann was buried there.

21O28

John Collett

Born in 1792 at Merther

The following are the two children of Zacharias Collett and Mary Jenkins:

21O29

John Collett

Born in 1816 at Merther

21O30

Mary Ann Collett

Born in 1820 at Merther

21N24

Frances Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 30^th November 1769. Frances was nearly thirty-three years old and living in Truro, when she was married by banns to labourer James Lye at Philleigh on 31^st July 1802. One of the witnesses was William Collett, Frances’ younger brother (below). It is unclear what happened after 1802, with the elderly couple living at the White Lane, Philleigh home of their nephew William Collett and his wife Asenath Dowrick. while James Lye was still living in Philleigh at White Lane in 1851, by which time he was 81 and a widower, a pauper, and an agricultural labourer. On that day James was staying at the home of his nephew William Collett from Philleigh, aged 34 and another agricultural labourer, and his wife the former Asenath Dowrick, who was also 34 but from Veryan. William was the youngest son of Frances’ brother William Collett (below).

21N25

Hannibal Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 13^th March 1772, a son of Zacharias Collett and Mary Bartley. Hannibal was a shoemaker and he married Ann Harris on 25^th March 1799 at Philleigh, where all their children were later baptised. Ten years later, Hannibal Collett and his brother William (below) were the witnesses at the signing of the Will of Henry Collett (Ref. 21N16), their cousin. The later death of Hannibal Collett was recorded at Truro (Ref. 5c 126) during the first quarter of 1853. More recently discovery was an old headstone in the churchyard of St Philleigh Church that confirmed Hannibal and his wife Ann were buried there, albeit nearly thirteen years apart. The inscription on the single headstone of the joint grave reads as follows: “In memory of Hannibal Collett who died 20^th February 1853 aged 81. Also Ann wife of the above died 5^th May 1866 aged 93”. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

21O31

Mary Collett

Born in 1800 at Philleigh

21O32

Betsy Collett

Born in 1801 at Philleigh

21O33

Nancy Collett

Born in 1803 at Philleigh

21O34

Joanna Collett

Born in 1805 at Philleigh

21O35

Alexander Harris Collett

Born in 1806 at Philleigh

21O36

Hannibal Collett

Born in 1808 at Philleigh

21O37

Alexander Collett

Born in 1809 at Philleigh

21O38

Joanna Collett

Born in 1812 at Philleigh

21O39

William Collett

Born in 1815 at Philleigh

21N26

William Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 30^th October 1774, another son of Zacharias Collett and Mary Bartley. William was a shoemaker, like his brother Hannibal (above), and on 11^th February 1804 he married the much younger Ann Davey at Philleigh, who had been born there around 1785. Just over five years after their wedding day, William and Hannibal were the witnesses and the signing of the Will of their cousin Henry Collett (Ref. 21N16). The first child of William and Ann was baptised at Philleigh in a joint ceremony with Joanna Collett, the daughter of William’s brother Hannibal (above). All of Williams and Ann’s other children were also baptised at Philleigh.

Ann Collett nee Davey may have died during the birth of a sixth child for the couple, since she died at Philleigh on 3^rd April 1818. So, William was a widower with five young children when he was forty-four years old. By the time of the census in 1851 William Collett of Philleigh was still residing there at the age of 76, when he was recorded as a master shoemaker and journeyman. Also still living there with him was his married son John Collett aged 41, with his family. William Collett was still living at Philleigh when he died three and a half years later on 19^th December 1854.

The Will of William Collett, master shoemaker of Philleigh, referred to just four of his five children, the missing child being his first offspring, his daughter Mary, who may have suffered a premature death. The Will was made on 21^st April 1854, when one of the witnesses was Amos Escott, the husband of Philippa Collett, and was proved at Philleigh on 14^th June 1855, when his personal effects were valued at under One Hundred Pounds. The Will is reproduced below.

“The Last Will and Testament of William Collett of Treworthal in the parish of Philleigh in the County of Cornwall cordwainer made this Twenty First Day April in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty-Four. I bequeath to my son William Collett the sum of Five Pounds if my executors shall ever be paid the sum of Twenty Pounds from a club that I am a member of called the Truro Benevolent Society. I bequeath also to my daughter Fanny Chipman the sum of Five Pounds if my executors shall ever be paid the sum of Twenty Pounds from the before-mentioned club. I give to my son Robert Collett the bed whence I lie with the bedding and bedclothes thereunto belonging. I give to my son John Collett all the furniture and everything in the kitchen and dairy. All the rest and residue of my effects whatsoever I give and bequeath equally to my two sons the beforementioned and Robert Collett and John Collett and make them the said Robert Collett and John Collett my sole executors and residuary legatees”

21O40

Mary Collett

Born in 1805 at Philleigh

21O41

Robert Davey Collett

Born in 1807 at Philleigh

21O42

John Collett

Born in 1809 at Philleigh

21O43

Fanny Collett

Born in 1812 at Philleigh

21O44

William Collett

Born in 1816 at Philleigh

21N30

Jennifer Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 12^th February 1764. It seems very likely that she may have married late in her life, as a Jennifer Collett married Robert Ward at St Just in Roseland on 9^th November 1800. Jennifer’s aunt Joan Collett (Ref. 21M12) had married a Thomas Ward in 1759.

21N31

James Ward was baptised at Philleigh on 8^th April 1771 and it was there that he married Elizabeth Johns on 28^th October 1802. It was also at Philleigh that all of their children were born. That was the first time the surname Johns appears in this family line, but it may be of interest that many more followed and were linked with the Collett family on numerous occasions, both as a forename and a surname. All three of their children were baptised at Philleigh, Edward John Ward on 25.09.1803, James Ward on 10.03.1805, and Elizabeth Ward who was baptised on 23^rd November 1806, who later married her second cousin Hugh Collett (below) who was born at Philleigh on 8^th December 1805. Hugh was the grandson of Henry Collett, whose sister Joan Collett was Elizabeth’s grandmother. Go to Ref. 21O49 for the continuation of this family line.

21N32

Theodosious Collett was born at Philleigh in 1761, the first-born child of Benjamin Collett and Mary Langdon. It was also at Philleigh that he was baptised on 11^th May 1761. With the infant death of his brother James (below), it was just Theodosious and his younger brother Michael (below) who were the only sons mentioned in their father’s Will proved in 1801. Under the terms of the Will, Theodosious was bequeathed Fifty Pounds, plus his father’s clock, and then a half share with brother Michael of the residual of the estate after settlement of all the other bequeaths. The two brothers were also named as the joint executors of the Will.

21N33

Lucretia Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 5^th June 1763 where, on 26^th April 1789, she married John Langdon of St Michael Penkevil. It is very likely that John Langdon was the son of the late John Langdon who was referred to as such in the lease agreement dated 2^nd February 1789 relating to property at White Lane in Polglaze, in the parish of Philleigh, occupied by Henry Collett (Ref. 21N16) who was Lucretia’s cousin once removed. For other links between the Collett and Langdon families go to Ref. 21M7 & 21M13.

21N34

James Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 8^th April 1765. Just before his fourth birthday he was taken ill and died and was buried at Philleigh on 23^rd March 1769. The burial record confirmed his parents were Benjamin and Mary Collett and that he died of fever of the worms.

21N35

Michael Collett was born at Philleigh, the younger of the two surviving sons of Benjamin Collett and Mary Langdon, who was baptised at Philleigh on 24^th April 1768. When his father died in 1800, his Will made in 1796 and proved in 1801, did not include a bequeath to son Michael, but named his as joint executor with old brother Theodosious (above), with whom he would also receive a half-share of the residual estate. Michael was still residing in Philleigh when he died, after which he was buried there on 8^th May 1827, at the age of 59. No record has been found to suggest that he may have been married during his life.

21N36

Anne Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 30^th September 1770 and it was there that she married carpenter James Barnicoat of Cuby-with-Tregony on 28^th May 1791. In 1809 at the time of the death of Henry Collett (Ref. 21N16), James and Anne were living in a dwelling in White Lane in the parish of Philleigh. That property was part of the estate of Henry Collett in whose Will, James Barnicoat was named as a tenanted, and was inherited by Henry’s two nephews Roger and James Bohenna Collett.

21N37

Rosamund Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 4^th February 1774. She survived for less than three months and was buried at Philleigh on 24^th April 1774. The burial record listed her as Rosamonda Collett the daughter of Benjamin and Mary Collett.

21N38

Rosemunda Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 6^th May 1781. At the age of five years, she died and was buried at Philleigh on 17^th October 1781. The burial record confirmed her parents Benjamin and Mary Collett.

21N39

William Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 5^th July 1767, the eldest child of Henry Collett and Susanna Bohenna. Sadly, he only survived for a few days, since he was buried at Philleigh on 10^th July 1767.

21N40

William Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 15^th May 1769, and was the second child of Henry Collett and Susanna Bohenna. It was also at Philleigh that William later married Susanna Yelland on 9^th July 1796. At the time of his wedding, he was working as a labourer.

21N41

James Collett was baptised on 8^th March 1771 at Philleigh where he was buried on 15^th August 1788 at the age of 17. The burial record confirmed he was the son of Henry and Susanna Collett and that he died from consumption.

21N42

Hugh Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 23^rd May 1773. Towards the end of 1796 Hugh had a premarital relationship with Rebecca Mills who ended up being with child. As a result, Hugh and Rebecca were married on 2^nd January 1797 at Gorran near Mevagissey. Rebecca was the daughter of Roberts Mills and Elizabeth Cock and was born at St Ewe where she was baptised on 21^st February 1775. After just over four months into their married life together Rebecca presented her husband with a son who was baptised at Philleigh, as were all of their subsequent children. Hugh’s occupation was that of a blacksmith, a trade that was handed down through many generations of the family.

Sometime during 1808 and 1809 Hugh and Rebecca and their family moved from Philleigh and returned to the village where they were married. And it was at Gorran where their last two children were born, even though they were still baptised at Philleigh. It seems likely that the family was affected by an illness in 1837, and as a result Hugh and Rebecca’s two youngest children died. First Grace died on 5^th May and was followed by Joshua on 17^th June. Both were buried in the same grave at St Philleigh Church where a single headstone marks the grave. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

By the time of the first national census on 6^th June 1841, Hugh Collett was recorded as a blacksmith of 67 in the village of St Michael Penkevil, just across the water from Philleigh where his wife Rebecca was still living with a rounded aged of 65. Rebecca Collett died at Philleigh during May 1845 and was buried there on 19^th May 1845 at the age of 72, and was followed by her husband who died at Treworthal on 9^th June 1845. Two days later on 11^th June 1845 Hugh Collett was buried at Philleigh with his wife. The fact that Hugh Collett of Philleigh was in St Michael Penkevil in 1841 and Treworthal in 1845, probably indicates that it was his occupation as a blacksmith that required him to travel around that part of Cornwall to obtain work.

21O45

Peter Collett

Born in 1797 at Philleigh

21O46

James Collett

Born in 1798 at Philleigh

21O47

Rebecca Collett

Born in 1800 at Philleigh

21O48

Francis Cock Collett

Born in 1803 at Philleigh

21O49

Hugh Collett

Born in 1805 at Philleigh

21O50

Susanna Collett

Born in 1807 at Philleigh

21O51

Grace Collett

Born in 1810 at Philleigh

21O52

Grace Collett

Born in 1812 at Gorran

21O53

Joshua Collett

Born in 1817 at Gorran

21N43

John Bohenna Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 30^th January 1775. He married Mary Odgers who was born at Gerrans in 1770. Their wedding took place at Gorran on 3^rd March 1807, and it was at Gorran that they settled and where their children were born. Mary was actually the widow of Jacob Whetter whom she had married in 1796 at Gerrans. Jacob was born at Gorran on 28^th September 1771 but died there in October 1805. There were two witnesses at the marriage of John and Mary in 1807, one being his younger brother Peter Collett (below). The other witness and named first in the register may have been attached to the church but it was John Oates, the second husband of Susanna Collett and therefore the brother-in-law of John Bohenna Collett’s own father Henry who was still alive at that time. John Bohenna Collett died during 1846.

21O54

William Odgers Collett

Born in 1810 at Gorran

21O55

Mary Odgers Collett

Born in 1812 at Gorran

21O56

Margery Odgers Collett

Born in 1815 at Gorran

21N44

Peter Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 31^st March 1777. The only later reference that has so far been found for Peter is that he was very likely the Peter Collett who was one of the witnesses at the 1807 wedding of his older brother John Bohenna Collett (above).

21N52

Honour Collett was baptised at Veryan on 2^nd March 1761 where she later married John Banfield Harris on 6^th November 1791. She was one of the children of John Collett and Honour Johns.

21N56

Rachel Collett was baptised at Veryan on 4^th February 1771, the youngest child of John and Honour Collett. It was also at Veryan where she married James Merrifield on 17^th December 1796.

21N57

Elizabeth Collett was baptised at Veryan on 13^th October 1761, the elder of the two known daughter of Anthony and Joan Collett. She later married John Nott at Veryan on 28^th March 1796.

21N58

Catherine Collett was baptised at Veryan on 16^th February 1766 and was the youngest known child of Anthony and Joan Collett, who married Thomas Ball at Veryan on 21^st June 1801.

21O1

John Collett was born around 1790 and that event may have taken place at Ruan Lanihorne or Cornelly where he later lived with his parents John and Rachel Collett. All three of them died while living at Cornelly and all three were buried at Ruan Lanihorne. John junior was buried on 14^th November 1826 aged 36, following his father who was buried in 1823 but before his mother, who died just over three years after.

21O3

Elizabeth Collett was baptised at Veryan on 12^th March 1790. She was the daughter of Thomas Collett and Elizabeth Tonkin, but tragically she died just a month later and was buried at Thomas’ home village of Philleigh on 21^st April 1790.

21O8

Bridget Collett was born at Gerrans around 1790 where she was married by banns to William Dingle of Philleigh on 11^th April 1809. The witnesses at the ceremony were her father Amos Collett and her sister Betsey James nee Collett (above).

21O9

Catherine Collett was baptised at Gerrans on 11^th March 1786 where, on 4^th January 1810, she married her cousin Roger Collett of Philleigh (below).

21O10

Betsy Collett was born at Gerrans in 1786 and was baptised there on 28^th December 1876. And it was at Gerrans that Betsy married Henry John James of Philleigh by banns on 11^th July 1808. The witnesses at the ceremony were Betsey’s father Amos Collett and Richard Sillwood who must have been a lifelong friend of Amos Collett since he was also the witness at his own wedding.

21O11

Amos Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 29^th June 1789 and was the oldest son of Amos and Elizabeth Collett of Gerrans and was one of only two of their twelve children baptised at Philleigh. It would appear that it was late in his life that he became a married man. Bachelor Amos Collett would have been around forty-four when he married the widow Elizabeth Lamerton at Philleigh on 24^th February 1834. Elizabeth had been born Elizabeth Dash, the daughter of Joseph Dash and Catherine Huddy, and was baptised at St Just-in-Roseland on 7^th April 1805. Previously she had been married to William Lamberton who was born in 1786, that marriage taking place at St Clement on 11^th April 1829. However, William Lamberton died at St Clement just over a year later on 22^nd June 1830.

The baptism records at Philleigh confirmed that all of the children of Amos and Elizabeth Collett were born at Treworthal within the parish of Philleigh, where Amos worked as a boatman. The first census in 1841 listed the family living at Treworthal as Amos Collett aged 50, and Elizabeth Collett who was 35, together with their daughters Elizabeth and Catherine who were seven and under one year old, while their surviving son Charles was three. Missing from the family was the couple’s eldest son who had sadly died when he was only five months old.

In addition to suffering the death of their first son in 1837, Amos and Elizabeth lost the remainder of their children during the 1840s, the first three as a result of an outbreak of typhus fever in the summer of 1842. The couple’s last child was born in 1843 but died in early 1847. So, by the time of the next census in 1851 it was just Amos and Elizabeth who were recorded as still living in Treworthal, but having lost all five of their children. The Treworthal census in 1851 listed Amos as being aged 62 and of Gerrans who was working as a farmer and a boatman, while his wife Elizabeth was 46, had been born at St Just and was recorded as being a shopkeeper.

By the time of the census in 1861 Amos was 71 and Elizabeth was 56, when the couple was living at Philleigh-in-Roseland where Amos Collett was the inn keeper, most likely at the Roseland Inn (on the right) which is still there to this day. However, it was just over two years later that Amos Collett died on 25^th December 1863 at the age of 74, following which he was buried in the churchyard of St Philleigh Church. According to the census in 1871 Elizabeth Collett, a widow of 66, had taken over the role of the inn keeper at the Roseland Inn and had staying there with her, her distant cousin William Dash, the great great grandfather of Clive Dash who in 2014 provided the new information for the update of the family.

Elizabeth Collett, formerly Lamberton nee Dash, was a widow for just less than eight years when she passed away on 18^th May 1871 at the age of 66 and was buried with her husband at St Philleigh. A single headstone in churchyard carries the names of both Amos and Elizabeth, and in addition to which there is a reference to their five children who died in their infancy, although not by name. (see Headstone Epitaphs). It is interesting to note that at the time of the census in 1861, Robert Davey Collett (Ref. 21P55) aged 17 and the second son of William Collett and Asenath Downick, was employed by Joseph Dash, a farmer of 50 acres employing one boy, as a carter at Treleggan Farm in Gerrans. That Joseph Dash was the brother of Elizabeth Collett Dash, who had married Grace Ward at Gerrans on 2^nd June 1827.

21P1

Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1834 at Treworthal

21P2

Charles Collett

Born in 1836 at Treworthal

21P3

Charles Collett

Born in 1838 at Treworthal

21P4

Catherine Collett

Born in 1840 at Treworthal

21P5

Elizabeth Ann Collett

Born in 1843 at Treworthal

21O12

Asenath Oates Collett was born at Gerrans and was baptised there on 26^th April 1791, another child of Amos Collett and Elizabeth Oates. It would appear that, like her brother William (below), she was never married and was 48 years old when she died and was buried at Philleigh on 5^th March 1839. That happened least than three months after her brother William was also buried there, except that Asenath was recorded as living in Truro.

21O13

Nancy Collett was baptised at Gerrans on 22^nd April 1793. She married very late in her life when she wed widower Thomas Ball at Gerrans on 19^th December 1840. Thomas of Trewithian was the son of George Ball and both father and son were employed as carpenters. Nancy was recorded as being of Treleggan and her father was confirmed as the farmer Amos Collett and his wife Elizabeth. It would appear that Nancy and Thomas were only together for less than ten years, since on 4^th December 1851 widower Thomas Ball was married for a third time to Ann Billing Collett (Ref. 21P64). The wedding took place at Philleigh and Ann was Nancy’s niece two-times removed.

21O15

Philip Collett was born in 1797 at Gerrans. By the time of the 1841 census his rounded age was stated as being 45, although in reality it would have been 43. At that time Philip was living in the Bodmin, St Austell & Truro registration district.

21O16

Mary Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 12^th August 1799 and it was there that she married Samuel Thomas of Treworlas on 5^th August 1824. The parish register stated that her place of residence was Treworthal in the parish of Philleigh, which was where it is known that her brother Amos Collett also lived.

21O18

Philippa Collett was baptised at Gerrans on 11^th October 1804. She later married Amos Escott at Philleigh on 22^nd October 1832, with whom she had at least five of children. Amos Escott was a shoemaker who was born at Philleigh around 1808. In the census of 1841, he was 30 years old, while his wife Philippa was 35 (both rounded ages). Living with the couple at Philleigh were their first five children, they being William Escott who was eight, Amos Escott who was seven, James Escott who was five, Elizabeth Escott who was three, and Asenath Escott who was one year old.

Further children may have been added to the family after June 1841, but what happened exactly is not known. It may even have been that Philippa died giving birth to the couple’s next child. However, by 1851, Amos Escott aged 42, was living in Treworthal with his second wife Johanna Escott who was 39 from Gorran. With them that day were the children Phyllis Escott who was eleven (who may have been Asenath), and John Escott who was eight, both children born at Philleigh.

One of Philippa’s sons, James Escott was 15 years old in 1851 and was living in the Redruth & Illogan area of Cornwall, with what looks like his younger sister Elizabeth who was listed as Biddy Escott. What is known for sure is that James eventually emigrated to New Zealand, but finally settled in Australia. Today this line extends to Ros Escott of Australia who is the great granddaughter of James Escott. Ros is also connected to the Collett family via Ann Collett who was her 4x great grandmother who married Thomas Dowrick at Philleigh in 1771, whose descendants also married into the Escott family.

Three years after the census in 1851, Amos Escott, the husband of Philippa Collett, was one of the witnesses at the signing of the Will of shoemaker William Collett (Ref. 21N26) who died on 19^th December 1854.

21O19

William Oates Collett was born at Gerrans where she was baptised on 18^th October 1807, the last child born to Amos Collett and Elizabeth Oates. Very little is known about him except that he was only thirty-one when he died and was buried at Philleigh on 18^th December 1838, the parish record stating he was from Treluggan.

21O20

Thomas Collett was born at St Gerrans around 1790, the grandson of Thomas and Mary Collett of Philleigh, and through their son Thomas Collett whose wife was believed to be Ann. Thomas Collett, junior, of Gerrans, married Susanna Carpenter perhaps in his later twenties or early thirties, with the birth of their only known child, another Thomas Collett, recorded at Liskeard in Cornwall on 8^th September 1824. He was under two weeks old when baby Thomas was baptised at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Liskeard on 20^th September 1824, when his parents were confirmed as Thomas Collett and Susanna Carpenter.

Thomas and Susanna subsequently moved to the America during the 1830s and ultimately settled at Waynesville in Warren County, Ohio, where they raised a large family. However, there are apparently no living male descendants of Thomas and Susanna who bear the Collett name today. That is according to Brad Feldmaier in America, the 3x grandson of Thomas and Susanna Collett, who provided these brief details in 2014. Another option for Thomas, born circa 1790, is Thomas Collett (Ref. 21O4) who was baptised at St Veryans in 1791, but he was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Collett, not Thomas and Ann Collett as recorded by Brad’s ancestor in the family history drawn up in 1946. So, there are still some unanswered questions regarding the Ohio branch of this family.

21P6

Thomas Collett

Born in 1824 at Liskeard

21O22

Roger Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 17^th March 1782 and before he reached his fourth birthday his father Peter Collett had died. Roger married his cousin Catherine Collett (above) at Gerrans on 4^th January 1810 by banns. Roger was described as being a bachelor of Philleigh, while Catherine was recorded as being of the parish of Gerrans. It was at Gerrans that Catherine was baptised on 11^th March 1786. She was the daughter of Amos Collett and Elizabeth Oates and her father was one of the witnesses at her wedding, together with his Roger’s uncle John Collett who was very likely representing his late father, Peter Collett. During the year prior to their wedding Roger had been a beneficiary under the terms of the 1810 Will of another of his father’s brothers, Henry Collett who had no children of his own. Together with his brother James (below), they inherited three properties at White Lane in Polglaze within the parish of Philleigh. Henry had lived in one of the dwellings, while the occupants of the other two were James Barnicoat (husband of Ann Collett) and Richard Richards. It is very interesting that the marriage of a Richard Richards and a Grace Collett was conducted by licence at Philleigh on 18^th August 1803. Unfortunately, so far in the research, no positive identity for Grace has been found, although she could have been Roger’s sister.

At the time of the first national census for Philleigh, Roger’s rounded age was given as 55, as was that of his wife Catherine. Ten years later the census of 1851 gave a more accurate record of Roger’s age, that being 69, while Catherine was 66. In 1851 the couple were living at White Lane in the parish of Philleigh where Roger was a shopkeeper selling tea, tobacco, and fruit. His place of birth was given as Philleigh, while Catherine’s was Gerrans. Catherine must have died during the 1850s as she was not listed in the census of 1861 with Roger who was 78. It has not been determined whether or not they had any children and it would appear that Roger died before 1871 as he was not listed in that year’s census record.

21O23

James Bohenna Collett was born at Philleigh where he was baptised on 2^nd February 1784, his parents confirmed as Peter and Asenath Collett. His second name came from his mother’s maiden-name and the strong links between the two families. Just as his brother Roger (above) had, James also benefited from the Will of his uncle Henry Collett who died in 1809 with no direct heirs, when the two brothers inherited three properties at White Lane in Polglaze. Prior to his death, Henry had lived in one of them, the other two had tenants, James Barnicoat and Richard Richards. He married Elizabeth Olivey at Gerrans on 4^th January 1821, when the witnesses at the ceremony in the parish church were William and Richard Olivey, and when groom James was confirmed as a bachelor of Philleigh. Once married, James and Elizabeth moved in with James’ widowed mother a leasee of land at Church Town in the parish of Philleigh, where the family was still living in 1841, one year after James’ mother had passed away in old age, following which, in accordance with the lease requirements, James continued to occupy the property. A new lease, dated 8^th April 1844, applied to property at Polglaze, with a tenement at Church Town, which referred to previous occupiers the late Peter Collett and his widow Asenath Collett.

At the time of the birth of James’ first child at Philleigh he was recorded as being a farmer, as he was again four years after his death on the occasion of the marriage of his daughter Susanna in 1848. And it was also at Philleigh that all of the couple’s children were baptised. In the Church Town (Philleigh) census of 1841 the couple’s rounded ages were given as 55 for James and 50 for Elizabeth. On that day their children were recorded as Catherine, Susanna and Grace, which may indicate that their son Peter had not survived. Ten months later James Bohenna Collett died at Philleigh during the first half of April in 1842, where he was buried on 14^th April that year.

Following the death of her husband, Elizabeth Collett of Philleigh, a widow, took out a fourteen-year lease on a tenement property in Church Town (in the parish of Philleigh) for a rent of £96, the lease being signed on 8^th April 1844. The property was leased from Sir Charles Lemon of Carclew, having previously been leased to her husband prior to his death. By 1851 widow Elizabeth was 61 and was living at Veryan in the St Just & Truro registration area at the home of her daughter Susanna Rundle nee Collett. And it was same situation ten years later in 1861 when she was 71 years old. However, she too must have passed away shortly after that time.

Although not proved, during further research in 2022, the death of two-year-old Lucretia Bohenna Collett was discovered at Philleigh, where she was buried on 7^th May 1860. All other possibilities for her parents appear to have been discounted, leaving the one possibility that she was the granddaughter of James Bohenna Collett through one of his three daughters. His only son Peter Collett died within days of being born, and his eldest sister also suffered a premature death eighteen years before her namesake was born.

21P7

Lucretia Bohenna Collett

Born in 1821 at Philleigh

21P8

Catherine Collett

Born in 1823 at Philleigh

21P9

Susanna Collett

Born in 1824 at Philleigh

21P10

Grace Olivey Collett

Born in 1827 at Philleigh

21P11

Peter Collett

Born in 1831 at Philleigh

21O24

Mary Hill Collett was born at St Winnow in the latter part of 1792 or very early in the following year, since she was baptised at St Winnow on 27^th January 1793.

21O25

Eliza Collett was born at St Winnow in late 1794 or early 1795 where she was baptised as Eliza Collett on 8^th March 1795. It would appear that she never married and at the age of 44 she died and was buried with her mother at Lostwithiel on 3^rd April 1839. The burial record registered her name as Eliza Collett.

21O26

THOMAS COLLETT was born in 1797 at St Winnow and was baptised there on 2^nd April 1797. He became the Reverend Thomas Collett and in 1825 he married Frances Knighton at Dawlish in Devon where all three of their children were born. The only baptism record found for a Frances Knighton in Devon was in 1792 under the name of Cecilia Frances Knighton although curiously no parents’ names were entered. The later census records confirm that she was born at Dawlish in 1792. According to the census in 1841 the family was complete and was still residing at Dawlish within the Newton Abbot & Teignmouth registration district of Devon.

Thomas Collett was 40, as was his wife Frances, while their three children were named as Mallison Collett, who was 14, Charles Collett, who was 12, and Emily Collett who was nine years old. Ten year later the couple’s second son Charles was missing from the Dawlish when the census in 1851 listed the family as Thomas, who was 54, Frances, who was 58, Mollisson H Collett who was 24, and Emily Collett who was 19. Charles Collett, aged 23 and from Dawlish, was living and working in the Windsor area of Berkshire on that occasion.

By 1861 all of the couple’s children had left the family home in Dawlish, leaving just Thomas, aged 64, and Frances who was 69 and born at Dawlish. And it was at Dawlish seven years later that Thomas Collett died in 1868, followed the year after by his widow Frances Collett nee Knighton.

21P12

Mollison Henry Collett

Born in 1827 at Dawlish

21P13

CHARLES BENJAMIN COLLETT

Born in 1829 at Dawlish

21P14

Emily Ellen Collett

Born in 1831 at Dawlish

21O27

Susanna Collett was born at St Winnow in 1799 and it was there that she was baptised on 26^th August 1799. A little while after she was born her family to Lostwithiel. It was while at Lostwithiel that she gave birth to a base-born son William Collett Furze. The child was baptised at Lostwithiel on 6^th July 1824 and on the following day Susannah married the boy’s father William Furze.

21O28

John Collett was possibly born in 1792 and the event may have taken place at Merther, although no records have so far been found to confirm this. What is known is that at the marriage of John Collett junior and Catherine Hoskin at St Allen in 1849, the groom’s father was recorded as labourer John Collett. It is therefore possibly that John initially married (1) Sally Hoskin, the wedding taking place at Falmouth on 17^th July 1811. No children have been found from the marriage and so there is a chance that Sally died soon after they were married.

John Collett later married (2) Jennifer Thomas at Ruan Lanihorne on 2^nd March 1820 with whom he had at least five children. The baptisms of their children were conducted at the church in Merther, although the last three children were born while the family was living at St Erme and Tresillian. On the occasion of the baptism of two of his children John was listed as a labourer, whilst for the third he was described as a husbandman. In census in June 1841 John had a rounded age of 50, while Jennifer was 45, and listed with them was their daughter Betsy aged 15 (rather than 17), and sons John 15, James who was five, and Charles who was three years old.

John’s estimate date of birth has been calculated from the fact that he died in 1864 and was buried in the churchyard at Merther on 28^th August 1864 aged 73. His burial record suggested that he was living at St Erme at the time of his death. John’s wife Jennifer died at Tresillian fourteen years later at the age of 87 and, like many other members of the family, she was also buried at the Church of St Coan at Merther on 7^th June 1878. All that remains of the church today is a derelict ruin covered by ivy and other vegetation.

21P15

Peter Thomas Collett

Born in 1821 at Merther

21P16

Betsy Collett

Baptised on 16.01.1823 at Merther

21P17

John Collett

Born in 1825 at Merther

21P18

James Collett

Born in 1833 at Merther

21P19

Charles Collett

Born in 1837 at Tresillian

21O29

John Collett was born at Merther in 1816 but was baptised at Probus on 23^rd June 1816, the son of labourer Zacharias Collett and Mary Jenkins. He later married Mary who was born at Helston in 1825 and, judging by the age of their first child, their wedding took place around 1849. So, by the end of March 1851 John and Mary Ann were living within the Truro & Probus area with their son Charles was under one year old. During the next two decades the couple added a further five children to the family which by 1871 according to the Truro, St Clement census comprised John aged 53, Mary aged 45, Charles 21, Mary 19, Clara 18, John 16, Harriet 13, and Henry who was eight years old.

Ten years later in 1881 John Collett was 64 and his wife was 55, when they were living at Tresillian Road in St Erme where John was a cordwainer (a shoemaker). Also living with them were their four adult children. It is possible that there were other children born to John and Mary who are not listed below, but on that occasion, they were Clara who was 28, John who was 26, Harriet who was 23 an infant’s schoolmistress, and Henry who was 17 and a carpenter. All of them had been born at Tresillian, where their father also said he had been born.

According to the Truro, St Clement census of 1891 John was 74 years old, his wife Mary Ann was 64, and the only one of their children still living with them at that time was their bachelor son John who was 36 who was married four years later. In the census of 1901 John Collett of Merther was 84 and he was described as being a grocer and shopkeeper at St Erme, just north of Merther. His wife Mary was 74 and her place of birth was confirmed as Helston. Living with them on that occasion was Sarah G Collett, the wife of their son John who must have been away on business, who had with her, her two young daughters.

John Collett died in the December of the following year, at which time he was still recorded as running a grocer’s shop in St Erme. However, his body was taken back to Merther where he was buried on 18^th December 1902. It must have been during the following eight years that John’s widow Mary died, since there was no record of her in the census of 1911.

21P20

Charles Collett

Born in 1850 at Probus

21P21

Mary A Collett

Born in 1851 at Probus

21P22

Clara Collett

Born in 1852 at Tresillian

21P23

John Collett

Born in 1854 at Tresillian

21P24

Harriet Collett

Born in 1857 at Tresillian

21P25

Henry Collett

Born in 1863 at Tresillian

21O30

Mary Ann Collett was born in 1820 and was baptised at Merther on 13^th February 1820, the daughter of labourer Zacharias Collett and Mary Jenkins. She was living at Probus at the age of 20 when she died and was buried at Merther on 23^rd July 1840, where her mother was buried ten years later.

21O32

Betsy Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 1^st November 1801. She was still a spinster at the age of 39 when she was living with her sister Nancy (below) in the St Austell & Truro registration district. Fifty-nine-year-old Betsy Collett died at Treworthal and was buried at Philleigh on 18^th October 1860.

21O33

Nancy Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 26^th June 1803 and was still a spinster at the age of 37 and was living with her sister Betsy (above) in 1841.

21O34

Joanna Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 14^th April 1805 but only lived for a further thirteen months after that date and was buried at Philleigh on 13^th May 1806.

21O35

Alexander Harris Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 27^th July 1806, the son of Hannibal Collett and Ann Harris. He survived for less than two years and was buried at Philleigh on 5^th March 1808.

21O36

Hannibal Collett was born at Philleigh in 1806, where he was later baptised on 11^th May 1808, another son of shoemaker Hannibal Collett and Ann Harris. Hannibal Collett (junior) married Philippa Williams at Philleigh on 13^th November 1833. Philippa was the daughter of Martin Williams and his wife Grace, and was baptised at Philleigh on 13^th January 1812. Around the time they were married, and also at the time of the baptism of their first child at Philleigh a year later, Hannibal was employed as a publican at an inn in Philleigh. Just over five years after their wedding day, Hannibal Collett (junior) was involved in a case of theft that was heard at the Cornwall Quarter Session on 12^th July 1839. The charge related to potatoes being stolen from the yard of Hannibal’s father Hannibal Collett (senior).

The report on the case read as follows: ‘Wednesday July 3 1839 - Richard Buddle, 14 years, was charged with having stolen a quantity of potatoes, the property of Hannibal Collett, jun. of Philleigh. The prosecutor (Hannibal Collett) kept potatoes in his father’s yard, some of which the prisoner took and was seen by the prosecutor’s cousin, John Collett (Ref. 21O42), carrying them into his house in a bag. When asked by the prosecutor why he took them, he replied “because he was starving”. The prosecutor said that the boy’s family was very poor. Guilty. One month’s hard labour.’

Although baptised at Philleigh, the first two children of Hannibal and Philippa were born at Camborne (where Hannibal’s younger brother Alexander was a farmer), as confirmed in the later census records. In the first of them it was just the couple’s eldest child who was living with them at Fore Street in Camborne, where Hannibal was 30, Philippa was 25 (both rounded ages), and son Martin Collett who was six years old in June 1841. Two other young people were with the family that day, and they were Hannah Goodman and John White, both 15 years of age. Ten years later, it was still only the couple’s first-born child who was again living with them. However, nine years prior to that, Philippa gave birth to another son, the birth of Alexander Collett was registered at Redruth (Ref. ix 245) during the second quarter of 1842, but tragically his death was recorded there (Ref. ix 159) during the third quarter of the same year. In between those two events, Alexander Collett the son of Hannibal and Philippa Collett was baptised at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in St Mawes on 14^th July 1842. According to the census in 1851, Hannibal Collett was 42 and a farmer of 20 acres, his wife Philippa Collett was 39, and their son Martin Williams Collett was 16 and a farmer’s son, when they were recorded at St Just-in-Roseland within the Truro registration district. All three members of the household were described as born at Filley.

On the day of the next census in 1861, the couple was residing at Trethewell-in-St Just, when Hannibal from Philleigh was 52 and a farmer of 20 acres employing one boy, that boy being 15-year-old Charles J Andrew from Philleigh, whose was described as a carter (on a farm) and a servant. On that day Philippa Collett from Philleigh was 49 and a farmer's wife, while visiting the couple was six-year-old Hannibal Collett, who was a son of Hannibal’s brother Alexander Collett (below). Not long after that the couple left Philleigh and in 1871 they were recorded at Grampound, midway between Truro and St Austell, where Hannibal Collett was 62, and Philippa Collett was 59.

However, another move took place during the next decade since, by the time of the census in 1881, they were residing within the St Stephen-in-Brannel area of Cornwall to the west of St Austell. Hannibal was a farm labourer aged 74 living with his wife Philippa who was 69 and also born at Philleigh, although her age was recorded in error as 75. Towards the end of the following year Philippa Collett died, when her death was recorded at St Austell register office (Ref. 5c 88) at the age of 71. After a further ten years, Hannibal was 82 and still living in St Stephen-in-Brannel on his own means, but as a boarder with the Truscott family. Just over twelve months later, the death of Hannibal Collett, aged 84, was recorded at St Austell register office (Ref. 5c 86) during the second quarter of 1892.

21P26

Martin Williams Collett

Born in 1834 at Philleigh

21P27

John Collett

Born at Camborne, date unknown

21P28

Alexander Collett

Born in 1842; died 1842 at Camborne

21O37

Alexander Collett was born at Philleigh and was baptised there on 10^th December 1809, the son of Hannibal Collett and Ann Harris. In 1841 he was 30 years of age and a farmer living at Polmana Farm in Philleigh with his elderly parents and two older unmarried sisters Betsy and Nancy (above), and two younger siblings Joanna and William (below). Shortly thereafter, he married (1) Susan Harris as confirmed in the Philleigh parish records, where their second child was baptised. It seems highly likely that Susan was a niece of Alexander’s mother Ann Harris, which may have made them cousins. While the Harris name had previously been given as a forename to Alexander’s late brother and namesake, the name Harris was again used as a forename for Alexander’s eldest son and one of his daughters. Over the following years there were many other marriages between the Collett and Harris families.

By the end of 1847 the family was living at Polmenna Farm in Philleigh but from 1850, for the next couple of years, they were living at White Lane in the parish of Philleigh where Alexander was working as a labourer at the age of 41. The full census return in 1851 listed the family as Alexander from Philleigh, his wife Susan aged 35 of Woolwich in Kent, and their five children. They were Joseph, who was seven, William, who was six, Mary Ann, who was three, Thomas, who was one year old, and Amelia who was two months old. The first three children were confirmed as having been born at Camborne, while the two later arrivals were born after the family moved to Philleigh. Also living with the family was Susan’s widowed father Joseph Harris aged 71 who was described as a Chelsea Pensioner, a labourer and a miner from Probus. According to the census return Alexander and his family were living in the house immediately next door to his cousin William Collett (below).

Sometime during 1853 the family moved again, that time just around two miles west of Philleigh to Feock. Feock may have been a hamlet with no church as all of Alexander’s and Susan’s children continued to be baptised at nearby Philleigh. During the latter years of the decade the family moved again, that time to the village of Kea to the south of Truro, where their last child was born. And it was at Cometsgood in Kea, that the family was living on the day of the census of 1861, when Alexander Collett from Philleigh was 51 and an agricultural labourer, and his wife Susan Collett from Woolwich was 45.

By that time a further five children had been added to the family, so the children then living with their parents were Joseph Collett from Camborne who was 17 and an assistant stone keeper, John S Collett also from Camborne who was 16 and a blacksmith, Mary Ann Collett from Camborne who was 13 and at school, Thomas Collett who was 11 and from Philleigh, Amelia Collett who was 10 and from Philleigh, Nancy Collett from Philleigh who was nine, Susan H Collett from Feock who was seven, as was Elizabeth Collett who was four and Catherine Collett who was two, with Emily Collett born at Kea, who was under one year old. Still living with the family was Joseph Harris, father-in-law of Alexander Collett, who was 81, a widower and a Chelsea Pensioner who had been born at Probus.

It would appear that Susan died during the next decade, since Alexander Collett, aged 60, was a widower still living at Kea in 1871, but with just his five youngest children for company. They were Susan Harris Collett aged 17, Hannibal aged 16, Elizabeth aged 14, Catherine aged 12, and Emily who was 10. Not long after that Alexander married (2) Catherine, and that may have coincided with his move from Kea, the ten miles north to Penhale. It was while living at Penhale that Catherine died aged 63 and was buried at nearby St Enoder on 13^th March 1878.

In the St Enoder area census three years after her death in 1881, widower Alexander was aged 71 and was living at Higher Penhale where his occupation was that of a plantation keeper and woodman. His place of birth was confirmed as having been Philleigh. Living at the same address were his three unmarried daughters Nancy, Susan and Emily, all three listed simply as plantation keeper’s daughter. Alexander survived his second wife by ten years and was buried with her at St Enoder on 29^th July 1888 aged 80, his death recorded at St Columb (Ref. 5c 59) during the third quarter of 1888.

21P29

Joseph Harris Collett

Born in 1843 at Camborne

21P30

William John Langdon Collett

Born in 1844 at Camborne

21P31

Mary Ann Collett

Born in 1847 at Camborne

21P32

Thomas Collett

Born in 1849 at Philleigh

21P33

Amelia Collett

Born in 1850 at Philleigh

21P34

Nancy Collett

Born in 1851 at Philleigh

21P35

Susan Harris Collett

Born in 1853 at Philleigh

21P36

Hannibal Collett

Born in 1854 at Feock

21P37

Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1856 at Feock

21P38

Catherine Collett

Born in 1858 at Feock

21P39

Emily Collett

Born in 1861 at Philleigh

21O38

Joanna Collett was born at Philleigh, where she was baptised on 1^st November 1812, the youngest daughter of Hannibal Collett and Ann Harris. and her rounded age in June 1841 was 25 when she was still living at Philleigh in the St Austell & Truro registration district. Four months later at Philleigh on 14^th October 1841, Joanna Collett, daughter of Hannibal Collett, married Nicholas Langdon, son of Nicholas Langdon. Over the next decade Joanna give birth to five children, all of them born at Merther, two miles east of Truro, on the east bank of the Tresillian River. It was also at Merther that the family was living in 1851, when Nicholas Langdon of Merther was 37, Joanna from Philleigh was 36, William J Langdon was eight, Eliza A Langdon was seven, Clarenda Langdon was five, Emma Langdon was four, and Charles Langdon who was under one year old. Although head of the household Nicholas was not credited with an occupation, he was still able to employ two domestic servants; unmarried Robert Huddy who was 36, and married Mary A Sye who was 31. After a further thirty years, Joanna (as Johanna) Langdon, nee Collett died and was buried at Merther on 26^th June 1881, when she had been living at Tresillian.

21O39

William Collett was born in 1815 at Philleigh where he was baptised on 17^th September 1815, the youngest son of Hannibal Collett and Ann Harris. In the census of 1851 William Collett from Philleigh was still a bachelor living in Philleigh at the age of 35. It was during the next decade that William married Catherine Gillman who was born at Gorran, the daughter of James Gillman from Woolwich in Kent. Both William and his wife were over forty when they married so it seems highly likely that that the daughter living with the couple in 1861 was their only child. Once they were married the couple initially settled in Gerrans, just over two miles south of Philleigh.

The census in 1861 placed the three of them living on Treleggan Farm, Tregear, Gerrans. William was 46 from Philleigh, a farmer of 80 acres employing one man, his wife Catherine from Gorran was also 46, and their daughter was one year old Mary A Collett who was born at Gerrans. Living with the family on that occasion was Catherine’s widowed father James Gillman, who was described as being 85, blind, a Greenwich pensioner from Woolwich. The family was supported by domestic servant Jane Rawling who was 28 and from Creed.

Also living at the adjacent property belonging to Joseph Dash, a farmer of 50 acres employing one boy, was Robert Davey Collett (Ref. 21P55) who was 17 and from Philleigh. He was a carter at Treleggan Farm, and very likely the one boy employed by Joseph Dash. Robert Davey Collett was the second son of Asenath Downick and William Collett, and in turn William was the cousin of William Collett and his wife Catherine, thus making Robert the nephew one-step-removed of William.

Ten years later in 1871, a William and Catherine Collett were both 55 when they were living within the St Columb area of Cornwall, near Newquay, although their daughter Mary was not with them at that time. During the next few years Catherine died, and a few years after that her daughter Mary Ann was married. By the time of the census in 1881, widower William Collett was 65 and a retired farmer living with his married daughter Mary Ann Gill and her husband John Tearle Gill, a farmer at Trethurffe Farm in Ladock. He was still living with his daughter at Trethurffe Farm ten years later when he was 76, and it was there during 1893 at the age of 77, that William Collett died. He was buried at St Enoder on 28^th June 1893, where his brother Alexander (above) had been buried during 1888.

21P40

Mary Ann Collett

Born in 1859 at Gerrans

21O40

Mary Collett was born at Philleigh, where she was baptised on 14^th April 1805, the eldest child of William Collett, shoemaker of Philleigh, and his wife Ann Davey. Although it is known that her mother died in 1818, it is also assumed that Mary had passed away at some time between 1805 and the death of her father in 1854, since she was the only child of William Collett, a shoemaker, not to be included in his Will proved in 1855. That assumption has now been confirmed with the recent discovery of the death of 35-year-old spinster Mary Collett of Treworthal, who was buried at Philleigh on 31^st May 1840.

21O41

Robert Davey Collett was born at Philleigh and was baptised there on 29^th March 1807, his second name coming from his mother’s maiden-name. He married Grace Dingle on 1^st June 1833 at Philleigh where all of their children were all born and baptised and where Robert was employed as a shoemaker. The baptism records for their children in 1837 and 1844 indicated that the family was living in the village of Treworthal in the parish of Philleigh, where Robert was continuing his work as a shoemaker. That was confirmed in the 1841 Census in which Robert and Grace had rounded ages of 30, while their children were Thomas, who was seven, Robert, who was five, William, who was four, and Anne who was one year old. During the following year Robert’s and Grace’s son Robert Davey Collett died at the age of seven and was buried in the churchyard of St Philleigh Church in Philleigh. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

According to the census of 1851 the family were living at Treworthal. Head of the household Robert was aged 44 and his place of birth was confirmed as having been Philleigh. At that time his occupation was listed as being a shoemaker and a farmer. His wife Grace was 41 and also born at Philleigh, and their children on that occasion were William aged 13, Ann aged 11, James who was eight, Francis who was six, and Richard who was four years old, all of them confirmed as having been born at Philleigh. It must be assumed that their daughter Frances had already suffered an infant death by that time. Three years after that census day, Robert’s father died towards the end of 1854, and when his Will was proved in June the following year, Robert and his brother John (below) were named as the joint executors of his estate, and had an equal share of the residue of the estate after bequeaths to the brothers’ two youngest siblings Fanny and William (below). Robert also inherited his father bed, bedding, and bedclothes.

Ten years later and three of the couple’s older children had left the family home, but they had been replaced by four new children who were all born at Treworthal and baptised at the parish church of St Philleigh in Philleigh. The family in early April 1861 comprised Robert 54 and Grace 51, and their children Anne aged 21, James aged 18, Francis aged 16, Richard aged 14, and Eliza who was nine. Tragedy once again struck the family a few years after the census day, when Richard’s and Grace’s daughter Elizabeth Grace Collett died in 1864 at the age of twelve years. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

According to the next census in 1871 the only children still living with Robert and Grace were Ann, James and Francis. The census that year placed the family of five residing at Philley in the Truro sub-district of St Just, where head of the household R D Collett was 64 and working as a cobbler, his wife Grace Collett was 61, daughter Ann Collett was 31, and the two sons James Collett and Francis Collett were 28 and 25 respectively.

By 1881 Robert and Grace were still living at Treworthal with their unmarried daughter Anne. At the age of 74 Robert was continuing his occupation as a boot and shoemaker and working with him was his 40 years old daughter Anne who was a boot binder. His wife Grace was aged 72. Just two months after the census day Robert’s and Graces’ son William died and was buried at St Philleigh Church. A headstone marks the grave, which also includes the details of the deaths of both his parents who were buried with him just a few years after. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

It was just three years later that Robert Davey Collett died on 10^th March 1884 at the age of 77. He was buried in the churchyard of St Philleigh Church and the gravestone that marks the grave also includes the passing of his wife Grace who died on 1^st February 1888, aged 78. The effect of the death of both of her parents in such a short time may well have adversely affected their daughter Anne who had given her life to care for them in their old age, since she too died eight months after losing her mother. This situation was confirmed at Bodmin during the probate process for Robert Davey Collett, a shoemaker, which stated that Anne Collett, a spinster, was named as the sole executor of his personal effects valued at £129 1 Shilling 5 Pence.

21P41

Thomas Collett

Born in 1833 at Treworthal

21P42

Robert Davey Collett

Born in 1835 at Treworthal

21P43

William Henry Collett

Born in 1837 at Treworthal

21P44

Anne Collett

Born in 1840 at Treworthal

21P45

James Collett

Born in 1842 at Treworthal

21P46

Francis Collett

Born in 1844 at Treworthal

21P47

Frances Collett

Born in 1845/6 at Treworthal

21P48

Richard Davey Collett

Born in 1847 at Treworthal

21P49

Elizabeth Grace Collett

Born in 1851 at Treworthal

21O42

John Collett was born at Philleigh where he was baptised on 21^st May 1809. At the age of 30 John Collett witnessed the theft of potatoes from his cousin of Hannibal Collett (above), the publican of an inn at Philleigh. That resulted in a hearing at the Cornwall Quarter Sessions on 12^th July 1839, at which John Collett was confirmed as the witness to the crime. John Collett was a shoemaker and one year later on 11^th August 1840 he married servant girl Eliza Willis of Trewithian, the daughter of farmer Robert Willis. The ceremony took place at Gerrans and the witnesses were John Johns and William Collett who may have been John’s father or his brother (below). In the first national census John and Eliza were recorded living with their first-born child. His and his wife’s rounded ages were 30 and 35 respectively and their daughter Grace was not yet one year old.

John’s mother died sometime before 1851 and the census that year confirmed that John and Eliza and their two children were living with John’s widowed father William Collett at Philleigh. John Collett of Philleigh aged 41, was working as a shoemaker journeyman like his father. His wife Eliza from Lugan in Cornwall was 46 and their two children were Grace who was nine and John who was seven. Almost ten years later John suffered the loss of his wife Eliza and the mother of his two children. In 1854, John’s father passed away in December 1854, when John and his brother Robert (above) were the joint executors of his estate valued at under One Hundred Pounds. Apart from inheriting all his father’s furniture and everything in the kitchen and the dairy, John and Robert had an equal share of the residue of the estate after settlement of bequeaths to his two youngest siblings Fanny and William (below).

It was just six weeks before the day of the census in early April 1861 that Eliza Collett of the parish of Philleigh died on 22^nd February 1861 at the age of 75, following which she was buried in the churchyard of St Philleigh Church. So, by the time of the census John Collett was a widower aged 51. (see Headstone Epitaphs). Living with him in the St Just, Truro registration district which included Philleigh in April 1861 was John’s daughter Grace who was 19, and his son John who was 17, both of them confirmed as having been born at Philleigh. Thirteen years after that census day, John Collett of Philleigh passed away at the age of 64, following which he was buried with his late wife in the churchyard at Philleigh on 25^th June 1873.

21P50

Grace Collett

Born in 1841 at Philleigh

21P51

John James Collett

Born in 1843 at Philleigh

21O43

Fanny Collett was born at Philleigh where she was baptised on 1^st March 1812. Twenty-seven years later she was still living at Philleigh when she married William Chipman on 1^st June 1839. Fifteen months later, Fanny Chipman presented her husband with a daughter Mary Chipman. When Mary was fourteen years old her grandfather William Collett died at the end of 1854 and, when his Will was proved at Philleigh in June 1855, it was her mother Fanny Chipman who was bequeathed Five Pounds, the same as her younger brother William Collett (below). However, at a later time in the child’s life it would appear that she altered her name.

21P52

Mary Chipman Collett

Born in 1840 at St Just

21O44

William Collett was born in 1815 at Philleigh, where he was baptised on 24^th November 1816. He was the youngest child of William Collett and Ann Davey who died before William reached his third birthday, most likely during the birth to a further, who also did not survive. Just over two months before the census in 1841 William married Asenath Dowrick at Philleigh on 27^th March 1841. By the time of the census William and Asenath were both 25 and, unbeknown to them at that time Asenath would give birth to the couple’s first child towards the end of that year. Living with the couple at White Lane in Philleigh was James Lye and his wife Frances, nee Collett, the older sister of William’s father, both of them having had a rounded age of 70.

During the following nine years a further four children were added to the family while they were living at White Lane in Philleigh. So, by 1851 the family living at White Lane was made up of William aged 34, who was an agricultural labourer, his wife Asenath who was 34 and a shopkeeper from Veryan, Mary Ann Collett who was nine, John Collett who was eight, Robert Collett who was seven, and James Collett who was five. Also living with the family was uncle and widower James Lye, aged 81 and from Philleigh, who was an agricultural labourer and a pauper. He was the husband of the late Frances Collett, who had been living with the family ten years earlier. Where their six-year-old daughter Sarah J Collett was at that time remains a mystery, while living in the property immediately next door to William and his family in 1851, was his cousin Alexander Collett (above) with his family. Following the death of William’s father in 1854, his Will was proved on 14^th June 1855 in which his son William Collett was bequeath Five Pounds.

Ten years later in 1861, the family comprised William and Asenath who were both 44, and their children who were Mary aged 19, John aged 18, James aged 15, and Sarah who was 13. However, by 1871 when William and Asenath were both 54, they were still living at White Lane in Philleigh, where William was a farm labourer. The only child still living with them was their youngest daughter S J Collett, age 16. The age of their daughter, Sarah J Collett, is a cause for concern. In 1851, when she would have been three, she was missing from the family. In 1861 she was listed with them at the age of 13, but by 1871 she 16, rather than 23.

Also, at that time in 1871, living next door to William and Asenath, was Asenath’s younger brother William Dowrick who was 49 and also a farm labourer like his brother-in-law. He was married to Elizabeth, and living with the couple was their six children ranging in age from 6 to 21. And just three premises away from William and Asenath was travelling draper James Collett (Ref. 21P69) who was 34 and from Gorran, and with him his second wife Cecilia and the two children from his first marriage. James’ father, James Collett, was the cousin one-step-removed of William Collett.

Near the end of the following year, Asenath Collett died at White Lane in Philleigh, where she was buried on 20^th December 1872, aged 56, with her death recorded at Truro (Ref. 5c 100). after which William would appear to have followed his brother Robert Davey Collett (above) who left Philleigh when he moved to the nearby village of Treworthal, although still within the parish of Philleigh. In 1881 widower William Collett at the age of 64 was still working as an agricultural labourer, and the only person living at Treworthal with him was his housekeeper, 35 years old spinster Ann Greet of Philleigh. Just less than three years after that census day, the marriage by banns took place at the Parish Church of Philleigh on 12^th January 1884 of widower William Collett, the son of William Collett a labourer, and Ann Greet the daughter of labourer Joshua Greet. While Ann signed the wedding register in her own hand, her much older husband made the mark of a cross.

21P53

Mary Ann Collett

Born in 1841 at Philleigh

21P54

John Kitto Collett

Born in 1842 at Philleigh

21P55

Robert Davey Collett

Born in 1843 at Philleigh

21P56

James Henry Collett

Born in 1845 at Philleigh

21P57

Sarah J Collett

Born in 1847 at Philleigh

21O45

Peter Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 21^st May 1797 and was conceived out of wedlock when he was born just over four months after his parents had married. Peter was a blacksmith and he married Margery Broad at Ruan Lanihorne on 26^th August 1820. Margery was born at Charlestown, overlooking St Austell Bay, and was baptised there at Holy Trinity Church on 16^th March 1794, the daughter of John and Catherine Broad. Once married Peter and Margery settled in Philleigh, where all of their children were born. And it was at Philleigh where the family was still living in June 1841. Blacksmith Peter’s rounded age was 40, whereas his wife, who was 45, was referred to as Margaret. With the couple were their daughters Susanna, Jane and Catherine, and their son Peter. The absence of their first son Samuel and daughter Catherine in 1841 and all of the following census records would seem to indicate they were both subject to infant death.

By 1851 the family was living at Church Town in the Philleigh and comprised Peter aged 54 who was then a master blacksmith from Philleigh, his wife Margery, aged 57 and from St Austell, their married daughter Jane Ward, who was 25, and their son Peter who was 15. Also living with the family at that time was the couple’s nephew Francis Collett aged 17. He was an apprentice blacksmith from Gorran and was presumably being trained by his uncle Peter. Francis eventually married Peter’s youngest daughter Catherine, even though they were cousins.

The 1861 Census confirmed that Peter Collett was 64 and that he and his wife Margery, aged 67, were residing in Philleigh. Living with them was their married daughter Catherine who had married her cousin Francis Collett, who had been working as an apprentice blacksmith with her father ten years earlier. However, by that time Peter Collett was no longer a blacksmith, but was a farmer of six acres. Just over four months later Margery Collett died on 20^th August 1861 at the age of 67, and was buried on 23^rd August 1861. Four years later her husband Peter Collett died at Philleigh on 3^rd July 1865 aged 68. He was buried on 6^th July 1865 alongside his wife in the same grave in the churchyard of St Philleigh Church, where a single headstone marks the spot. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

The Will of Peter Collett, made on 24^th June 1865, was proved at Bodmin on 21^st July 1865 by the oath of Peter Collett, the son, and is reproduced here. “I Peter Collett of the parish of Philleigh in the County of Cornwall Farmer do make this last will and Testament as follows after paying all my just debts I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Jane Ward that part of my leasehold property situated in Philleigh Church Town consisting of a dwelling house and garden and now occupied by John Williams I do give and bequeath unto my grandson Samuel Ferrell the Sum of Five Pounds of lawful money and I do also give and bequeath unto my granddaughter Mary Ferrell the Sum of Five Pounds of lawful money and I do will that my executors shall deposit in the Savings Bank the Five Pounds I have given to each of my grandchildren until my grandchildren attain twenty-one years of age and then my executors shall hand over the Five Pounds with the interest unto each of my grandchildren All the rest and remainder of my property or household property or Farm Stock and all the property that I may die possessed of I do give devise and bequeath unto my son Peter Collett and my daughter Catherine Collett equally divided between them the shall share and share alike and I do also nominate and appoint my son Peter Collett and my son-in-law Francis Collett to be my executors of this my Last Will and Testament witness my hand thereunto this twenty fourth day of June One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty Five”

Peter Collett of Phillack was his only surviving son, while his daughter Jane Ward was the former Jane Broad Collett. The two grandchildren Samuel and Mary Ferrell were the children of Peter’s eldest daughter Susanna. The witnesses to the signing of the Will were Ann Billing Ball, nee Collett, Peter’s niece, and William Olivey who was probably a relative of Elizabeth Olivey who married James Bohenna Collett (above). In 1851, bachelor William Olivey of Gerrans was 25 and a farmer of 90 acres employing two labourers, when he was living in the Church Town area of Philleigh.

21P58

Susanna Collett

Born in 1821 at Philleigh

21P59

Samuel Collett

Born in 1823 at Philleigh

21P60

Jane Broad Collett

Born in 1825 at Philleigh

21P61

Catherine Collett

Born in 1827 at Philleigh

21P62

Catherine Collett

Born in 1830 at Philleigh

21P63

Peter Collett

Born in 1836 at Philleigh

21O46

James Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 6^th November 1798, the son of Hugh Collett and Rebecca Mills. It was also at Philleigh on 4^th January 1821 that James Collett married Philippa Whetter who was the daughter of the late Jacob Whetter and his wife Mary Odger, who had been born around 1801. Upon the death of Jacob Whetter, his widow Mary had married John Bohenna Collett, the brother of Hugh Collett who was James’ father. James Collett was a blacksmith and he died at Philleigh during the first week of April in 1838 and was buried there on 7^th April 1838. Following his death his widow left Philleigh and moved to the village of Gorran, where she was recorded in the first national census conduct in June 1841. Philippa Collett had a rounded age of 40, while listed living with her were just three of her children, they being Mary who was ten, Francis who was seven, and Joseph who was two years old. Sadly, because of her situation, Philippa Collett was described as a pauper. Philippa and all three of her children were confirmed as having been born at Gorran near Mevagissey. It was just five years later that Philippa passed away during 1846.

21P64

Ann Billing Collett

Born in 1825 at St Gorran

21P65

Susanna Collett

Born in 1827 at St Gorran

21P66

Susan Collett

Born in 1829 at St Gorran

21P67

Mary Collett

Born in 1831 at St Gorran

21P68

Francis Collett

Born in 1833 at St Gorran

21P69

James Collett

Born in 1836 at St Gorran

21P70

Joseph Collett

Born in 1841 at St Gorran

21O47

Rebecca Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 2^nd November 1800 where she married yeoman Richard Chenoweth of St Just in Roseland on 22^nd July 1820. It seems very likely that Rebecca was with child at the time of their wedding and that once married the couple returned to Philleigh where their first child was born four months after the day of their marriage. Over the next five years the family appear to have left Philleigh and moved the three miles south to St Just-in-Roseland where their second child was born before moving back to Philleigh where their third and fourth children were born. However, sometime during 1826 and 1827 the family made a permanent move to St Just-in-Roseland where the couple’s remaining children were born and where Richard died on 15^th April 1878. Richard had been born at Cubert just south-west of Newquay in Cornwall on 24^th July 1788.

21P71

Betsy Chenoweth

Born in 11.1820 at Philleigh

21P72

Josepha Chenoweth

Born in 1822 at St Just-in-Roseland

21P73

Ann Chenoweth

Born on 31.10.1824 at Philleigh

21P74

John Chenoweth

Born on 25.12.1825 at Philleigh

21P75

Thomas Chenoweth

Born in 1828 at St Just-in-Roseland

21P76

Richard Philips Chenoweth

Born in 1830 at St Just-in-Roseland

21P77

Francis Collett Chenoweth

Born in 1832 at St Just-in-Roseland

21P78

Peter Collett Chenoweth

Born on 10.08.1834 at St Just-in-Rose.

21P79

Simon Chenoweth

Born in 1836 at St Just-in-Roseland

21O48

Francis Cock Collett was born at Philleigh and was baptised there on 29^th May 1803. His second name came from his maternal grandmother’s maiden-name. He married Sarah Johns in 1832 at Leinster in Ireland. Sarah was born at Polperro in 1812 and may well have been the niece of Elizabeth Johns who married James Ward in 1802 (21N31). After about three or four years together Sarah presented Francis with their first child who was born while the couple was living at Wexford in Ireland, and not long after that, the young family made their way to Kent and settled in the Seasalter area of Whitstable, where the couple’s next four children were born. Curiously no record of the family has been found with the Whitstable census of 1841.

Around the middle of the next decade the family left Kent when Francis was offered the job of coast guard on the Scilly Isles, and it was at Tresco that their last four children were born, although not all of them survived beyond childhood. It was also at Tresco where the family was living when the next census was conducted in 1851. Francis C Collett from Philleigh was 48 and a Commissioned Boatman and a Revenue Coast Guard. On that occasion his wife was described as Sally Collett who was 38 and from Talland in Cornwall, possibly a reference to Talland Hill in Polperro. Listed with the couple were six of their children, daughter Mary having died by then. The six surviving children were Sarah Johns Collett who was 14 and from Wexford in Ireland who had no occupation, Grace Collett from Seasalter in Kent who was 12 and still attending school, as was Rebecca who was 10, Susannah who was eight and William Francis Collett who was six, while Joseph Mills Collett aged two years had been born after the family had set up home in Tresco.

However, by the time of the census in 1861 only two members of the family were still living in the Scilly Isles, while the remainder of the family had moved to Falmouth, minus daughter Rebecca who was married by then. It was the two oldest daughters Sarah and Grace, then in their early twenties who had stayed on in Scilly, when Francis aged 59 and Sarah aged 49 were living in Falmouth with their daughter Susan and their sons William, Joseph and Richard. The couple’s two missing children had been subject to infant deaths prior to that time.

Sometime during the 1860s Francis and Sarah made their final return to the Scilly Isles where there were recorded as living in 1871 aged 68 and 59 respectively. The only children living with them on that occasion were their unmarried daughter Grace and their youngest son Richard. Just eighteen months after the census day Francis Cock Collett died at St Mary’s in the Scilly Isles where he was buried on 14^th October 1872 aged 70. At the time of the marriages of four of Francis’ children his occupation was noted in the St Mary’s parish records on each occasion as being a lifeguard.

Following the death of her husband his widow Sarah went to live with her daughter Susan at her home on The Parade in St Mary’s where she was living in 1881. The census return confirmed that she was 68 years of age and had been born at Polperro. Her daughter, the widow Susan Rogers, was 38 and had five children under the age of fifteen. As head of the house, she was the landlady running a lodging house at St Mary’s where her mother Sarah Collett was listed as assistant housekeeper. There was no census record for Sarah in 1891 so it must be assumed that she had died sometime during the 1880s.

21P80

Sarah Johns Collett

Born in 1836 at Wexford, Ireland

21P81

Grace Collett

Born in 1838 at Seasalter, Whitstable

21P82

Rebecca Collett

Born in 1840 at Seasalter, Whitstable

21P83

Susannah Collett

Born in 1842 at Seasalter, Whitstable

21P84

William Francis Collett

Born in 1844 at Seasalter, Whitstable

21P85

Mary Johns Collett

Born in 1846 at Tresco, Scilly Isles

21P86

Joseph Mills Collett

Born in 1848 at Tresco, Scilly Isles

21P87

Richard James Collett

Born in 1852 at Tresco, Scilly Isles

21P88

Frances Collett

Born in 1857 at Tresco, Scilly Isles

21O49

Hugh Collett was born in 1805 at Philleigh where he baptised on 8^th December 1805. He was a blacksmith and on 12^th December 1837 at Philleigh he married his second cousin Elizabeth Ward who was baptised at Philleigh on 23^rd November 1806. She was the daughter of James Ward and Elizabeth Johns (Ref. 21N31). All of their children were born and baptised at St Michael Penkevil just two miles south-east of Truro, which is where the family was living in June 1841, when Hugh Collett was a blacksmith aged 36.

In the census of 1861, the family comprised Hugh 55 and Elizabeth 54, and their children Joshua 23, Ellen 20, James 18, and Hugh who was 14. Over the next ten years more members of the family left home leaving just Hugh aged 66, his wife aged 65, and son Hugh 24, together in 1871, when both family father and son were working together in the family business as blacksmiths. And it was at St Michael Penkevil that Hugh Collett died at the age of 74, his death being recorded on 15^th February 1879. Just over five years later his wife Elizabeth also died there aged 77 and her death was recorded on 10^th May 1884. Rather strangely, there was no apparent record of her in the 1881 Census.

21P89

Joshua Collett

Born in 1837 at St Michael Penkevil

21P90

Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1839 at St Michael Penkevil

21P91

Ellen Collett

Born in 1840 at St Michael Penkevil

21P92

James Collett

Born in 1842 at St Michael Penkevil

21P93

Hugh Collett

Born in 1846 at St Michael Penkevil

21P94

Henry Collett

Born in 1848 at St Michael Penkevil

21P95

Emma Collett

Born in 1849 at St Michael Penkevil

21O50

Susanna Collett was baptised at Philleigh on 1^st November 1807. Tragically she died when she was only nine years old and was buried at Philleigh on 18^th January 1816.

21O51

Grace Collett was born at Philleigh around 1810, but sadly died a few months after and was buried at Philleigh on 21^st May 1811.

21O52

Grace Collett was born at Gorran in 1812 and was baptised in Philleigh at St Philleigh Church on 10^th January 1813 and was named in the memory of her older sister who had been buried there just one year earlier. It would appear that, when she was in her mid-twenties, Grace was still living in the family home, where she contracted the same illness as her younger brother Joshua (above), since both of them died in 1837. Grace Collett, daughter of Hugh and Rebecca Collett died on 5^th May 1837 aged 24. She was buried with her brother Joshua in a joint grave in the churchyard of St Philleigh Church where a single headstone marked the plot. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

21O53

Joshua Collett was born at Gorran and like his sister Grace (above) was baptised at St Philleigh Church on 29^th March 1818. He was still apparently living at the family home when he was in his late teenage years, and it was there that he contracted the same illness as his sister Grace (above), since both of them died in 1837. Joshua was nineteen when he died on 17^th June 1837, just over a month after his sister, and was buried with her at Philleigh. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

A joint headstone marks the siblings’ grave in the churchyard of St Philleigh Church in the village there. The inscription reads “Here lie the mortal remains of Grace, daughter of Hugh and Rebecca Collett who died May 5^th 1837 aged 25 years. Also of Joshua her brother who died June 17^th 1837 aged 19 years”.

21O54

William Odgers Collett was born at Gorran near Mevagissey on 6^th July 1810 where he was baptised on 5^th August 1810. William married (1) Catherine Vivian at Camborne on 14^th September 1833 with whom he had two sons, John and Henry who were both born at Camborne. Tragically, just shortly after the birth of their second child Catherine died. According to the census in June 1841 William was a widower and was living and working in the St Austell & Truro registration district, while his two young sons John aged seven, and Henry aged five, were being cared for at Camborne by the Vivian family, William’s mother and father-in-law. The surname of the two boys was incorrectly recorded as Collet.

On 9^th November 1841 William married (2) Jane Miners in Truro. Judging by the various ages stated for her in subsequent census records Jane was just under ten years younger than her husband and had been born around 1820. Sometime around 1848 the family took up occupancy of Treluckey Mill near Cuby-with-Tregony (see picture below) where six of their children were born, although it is now known that three earlier children were born at St Michael Caerhayes prior to that. By 2015, some of the outbuildings at Treluckey Mill have been converted into holiday cottages.

Once he had remarried, William’s two eldest sons from his first marriage John and Henry returned to live with their father and his new wife. The 1851 Census for the Truro & Probus registration district recorded the two boys as living with William aged 40, and Jane who was 33, at Treluckey Mill, midway between Cuby-with-Tregony and St Michael Caerhays. And again, just like in 1841, the family surname was also incorrectly written but, on that occasion, it was written as Collick, when William’s sons were recorded as John Collick, who was 17, and Henry Collick who was 15.

The other children listed with William and Jane at Treluckey Mill in 1851 were Mary Collick who was seven, William Collick who was six, George Collick who was four and James Collick who was one year old.

By the time of the next census in 1861 the family residing at Treluckey Mill was almost complete. William Collett was 50 and a miller who gave his place of birth as St Ewe, his wife Jane was 41 and from Tregony, while the children then living with them were named as Mary J Collett who was 17 from St Michael Caerhays, George who was 13 and also born at St Michael Caerhays, James who was 12 and still at school, Joshua who was nine and also a scholar, Elizabeth A Collett who was seven, Susan E Collett who was six, Eden who was four and Fanny who was two years old. All of the younger children were confirmed as having been born at Cuby, a reference to Treluckey Mill. Missing from the family on the day of the census were William’s three oldest sons who had already left home to make their own way in world by then.

During the next ten years some of the older children left the family home and that may have been the reason why they left Treluckey Mill, because it was at 3 Stanbury Row in Cuby-with-Tregony that the reduced family was recorded on the day of the next census in 1871. By then the family comprised William Collett from Gorran who was 60 and an aged labourer from Gorran, Jane who was 51 and from Tregony, plus their three daughters, Mary who was 27 and working on a farm, as was Eden who was 13, and Fanny who was 12 and still at school. Completing the family was their newest son Edwin Collett who was six years old.

By 1881 William and Jane were 70 and 59 respectively when they were living at 29 Flore Street in Tregony St James with just the couple’s youngest son Edwin who had been born at Cuby-with-Tregony. Both father and son were employed as agricultural labourers. At the time of his death in 1895 William Odgers Collett was living at George Street in Kenwyn, on the outskirts of Truro, where he was buried on 6^th July 1895 aged 85. Following the death of her husband Jane moved from George Street to 1 Andrew Place in Truro. She survived for another five years before she died there and was buried with William at Kenwyn on 14^th January 1900 aged 79.

21P96

John Vivian Collett

Born in 1833 at Camborne

21P97

Henry Collett

Born in 1835 at Camborne

21P98

George Collett

Born in 1842 at Cuby-with-Tregony

21P99

Mary J Collett

Born in 1843 at St Michael Caerhays

21P100

William Collett

Born in 1845 at St Michael Caerhays

21P101

George Collett

Born in 1847 at St Michael Caerhays

21P102

James Collett

Born in 1849 at Treluckey Mill, Cuby

21P103

Joshua Collett

Born in 1851 at Treluckey Mill, Cuby

21P104

Elizabeth A Collett

Born in 1853 at Treluckey Mill, Cuby

21P105

Susan E Collett

Born in 1854 at Treluckey Mill, Cuby

21P106

Eden Collett

Born in 1856 at Treluckey Mill, Cuby

21P107

Fanny Collett

Born in 1858 at Treluckey Mill, Cuby

21P108

Edwin Collett

Born in 1864 at Cuby-with-Tregony

21O55

Mary Odgers Collett was born at Gorran in 1812 and on 20^th December 1832 she married inn keeper Richard Remfrey Harris who was born at Philleigh in 1806.

21O56

Margery Odgers Collett was born at Gorran in 1815 and she later married Thomas Hugh during the December quarter of 1851 within the St Austell registration district.

21P1

Elizabeth Collett was born at Treworthal but was baptised at Philleigh 15^th May 1834. She was seven years old in the 1841 Census and was living with her family at Treworthal in the parish of Philleigh, where her brother Charles (below) had died less than four years earlier. It was during the following year that there was an outbreak of typhus fever at Treworthal and within the space of eleven days Elizabeth and two of her younger siblings died. Elizabeth Collett was buried at Philleigh churchyard with her brother on 15^th July 1842. Two days later her second brother was buried there, followed nine days after that by her sister and the last of the them current batch of children of Amos Collett and Elizabeth Dash. Just over one year later Amos and Elizabeth were blessed with the birth of their final child, who tragically passed away before reaching four years of age.

21P2

Charles Collett was born at Treworthal and was baptised at the parish church in Philleigh on 3^rd September 1836. He was just five months old when he died and was buried at Philleigh church on 5^th February 1837.

21P3

Charles Collett was born at Treworthal and was baptised at Philleigh on 3^rd June 1838. He was named in memory of his older sibling and namesake who had died during the year before he was born. Charles was three years old in the Treworthal census of 1841, but it was the typhus fever in 1842 which wiped out Charles and his sibling, following which he was buried at Philleigh on 17^th July 1842.

21P4

Catherine Collett was born at Treworthal during the summer of 1840 and was baptised at Philleigh on 3^rd January 1841. At the time of the Treworthal census in June 1841 Catherine was recorded as being one year old. Sadly, just thirteen months later, when she was two years of age, Catherine Collett was yet another victim of typhus fever and was buried at Philleigh church with her siblings on 26^th July 1842.

21P5

Elizabeth Ann Collett was born at Treworthal and like all of her siblings she was baptised at Philleigh in a christening ceremony held on 13^th August 1843. By that time in her young life her parents had already suffered the great loss of all of their four earlier children; while further tragedy struck the family before Elizabeth reached four years of age when she died and was buried at Philleigh on 24^th March 1847. The deaths of all five siblings were confirmed by the headstone at the grave of their mother Elizabeth Collett nee Dash and their father Amos Collett, which included the line “Also in remembrance of 5 children of the above who died in their infancy”. (see Headstone Epitaphs)

21P7

Lucretia Bohenna Collett was born at Philleigh in 1821, and was baptised there on 4^th November 1821, the first-born child of James Bohenna Collett and Elizabeth Olivey. Tragically, she was only eighteen years of age when she died at Philleigh, her death recorded at Truro (Ref. ix 188) during the second quarter of 1840. Unlike the record of her death, which included her full name, when she was buried at Philleigh parish church on 5^th June 1840, she was simply described as Lucretia Collett of Church Town, Philleigh. Almost exactly twenty years after her passing, her namesake Lucretia Bohenna Collett aged just two years also died and was buried at Philleigh on 7^th May 1860. Whose child she was is still a mystery.

21P8

Catherine Collett was born at Philleigh in 1822 and it was there that she was baptised a few months later on 6^th March 1823. According to the census for White Lane in Philleigh in 1851, Catherine was aged twenty-eight and was a spinster and a school mistress. Living with her at that time was 14-year-old lodger Grace Jell of Philleigh who was the daughter of an agricultural labourer.

21P9

Susanna Collett was born at Philleigh and was baptised there on 5^th September 1824, another daughter of James Bohenna Collett and Elizabeth Olivey. Just prior to her twenty-fourth birthday she gave birth to a base-born child whose birth was recorded at Truro (Ref. ix 318) during the second quarter of 1848. From the name given to the child, the father was most likely a member of the Rundle family, while the child’s first forename was very likely a tribute to Susanna oldest sister who may suffered a premature death, although no record of such a death has been found. The baptism entry for the child recorded that ‘the mother was Susanna Collett, a farmer’s daughter living at Church Town, Philleigh’ and that the said child was ‘privately received into the parish church on 27^th August 1848’. Privately received into the church usually means that the child was baptised at its home address, as opposed to at the church itself. It is of special interest that Susanna’s sister Grace Olivey Collett (below) married Samuel Rundle in 1850, the brother of James Rundle.

Shortly after the birth of her base-born daughter, Susanna Collett married James Rundle of Veryan, the son of William and Hannah Rundle, who may have been the child’s father, with whom she had two more children before the census in 1851 was conducted. The census return that year recorded the family of five residing within the parish of Veryan, when James Rundle was 28, his wife Susanna Rundle from Philleigh was 27, and their three children were Lucretia Rundle who was three, James Collett Rundle who was one year old and William H Rundle who was only five months old. Living with the family was Susanna’s widowed mother Elizabeth Collett who was 61.

Two further children were added to their family before 1854 and either during the birth or shortly after the second of them Susanna Rundle nee Collett died, her death recorded at Truro (Ref. 5c 94) during the third quarter of 1854. Her husband, then with five young children, married the widow Mary Davies who was nine years his senior. Once married Mary’s son John Webb Davies also came to live with the family which in 1861 was recorded at Veryan and comprised John who was 39, Mary who was 47, William H Rundle who was 10, Susan Rundle who was nine, Alfred Rundle who was seven and John Webb Davies who was 17. By that time Lucretia, the base-born daughter of Susanna Collett, was 13 years of age and had already entered into domestic service, as had James Collett Rundle at the age of 11, both of them employed in Veryan.

James Rundle senior and his family were once again recorded at Veryan in the census of 1871 and, although daughter Lucretia was still absent, James Rundle junior had returned to the family home by then. James was 48, his second wife Mary was 57, and his three sons were James Collett Rundle who was 21, William Harry Rundle who was 20 and Alfred Peter Rundle who was 17. All three sons had been born at Veryan. Still living with the family was Mary’s son John Webb Davies who was 27. The death of James Rundle on 24^th February 1889 revealed that he and his son William Henry Rundle were carpenters by trade, with probate granted to son William Henry at Bodmin on 28^th March 1889.

21Q1

Lucretia Rundle Collett

Born before July 1848 at Philleigh

21P10

Grace Olivey Collett was born at Philleigh where she was baptised on 28^th January 1827. Her second name came from her mother’s maiden-name. She later married Samuel Rundle at Philleigh on 30^th April 1850, the son of William and Hannah Rundle and the brother of James Rundle who married Grace’s sister Susanna (above). According to the subsequent census returns, Grace and Samuel lived at Church Town in Veryan, but never had any children. Samuel’s occupation was that of a boot and shoe maker up until the late 1870s when, in 1881 he was described as a grocer. They were still together and residing in Church Town in 1891 when Samuel was 66 and Grace was 65. Grace Olivey, the beloved wife of Samuel Rundle, died on 7^th May 1894 at the age of 67 and was buried in the churchyard at Veryan on 10^th May 1894. Widower Samuel Rundle was 76 and a farm merchant by the time of the census in 1901, when he was living alone in Church Town. Although no record of him has been located in 1911, it was on 27^th August 1913 that Samuel Rundle died at the age of 89, as confirmed by the joint headstone with his wife and the record of his death at Truro register office (Ref. 5c 137) during the third quarter of 1913.

21P11

Peter Collett was born at Philleigh and was baptised there on 28^th January 1831, but did not survive, and was buried at Philleigh two days later on 30^th January 1831, the youngest child of James Bohenna Collett and Elizabeth Olivey.

21P12

Mollison Henry Collett was born at Dawlish in Devon during the first three months of 1827. It was there also at the Independent Church that he was baptised as Mollison Collett on 28^th March 1827, the eldest child of Thomas Collett and Frances Knighton. He was still living at Dawlish with his family in 1841, when the census that year listed him as Mallison Collett aged 14, and again in 1851 when he was recorded as Mollisson H Collett who was 24. During the 1850s he left the family home in Dawlish and travelled to London where in 1861 Henry Collett from Dawlish aged 33 was lodging in the St George Bloomsbury district of the city. Only one other Collett was recorded in that same registration area, and that was Julia Collett who was 19.