There was never any mining connection that we know of in the story of Francis Ryan.
It was said among the previous generation that he came from farming stock but was not the eldest son, so had to leave. Not sure if his father, Thomas Ryan, was actually "a farmer" because somewhere along the line he has been described as a labourer, as was gt. grandfather Francis.
It is also said (1) that he sailed into Scilly on a steamer. There are also family stories that he was a boatman for a large estate, possibly near Rathcormac "where he had relatives". This is 4 miles from Fermoy, Co. Cork.
Also said (2) that he sailed in, in answer to a recuiting drive for lanourers on the islands. Either way, he "sailed in".
He was in the service of a Capt. Frank Tregarthen on the steamer The Little Western for a while (serving the Scilly Isles), so he had ship/boat experience, tying up with the river boatman story about before he left Ireland.
We don't know how he came to be in West Cornwall in the first place - it was post-famine. He married an islander (Susannah Prideaux). One of their children, Annie Jenkin Ryan, married a Thomas Hickey (from Kilberry, Athy, Co. Kildare), also settled in Penzance, West Cornwall, as an engineer in a quarry and who subsequently went to sea. His influence was such that three sons of his wife's brother, my grandfather, Patrick, incl. my father, all went to sea as careers.
We do know that he was "kicked off" the island of Tresco where he worked for the Governor for digging his own potatoes before digging the Governor's crop - memories of the famine? He had also agitated for more pay for the labourers.
Thanks for your interest.
Keith
