CORNWELL from Bottisham

[Redroger]

I have searched free BMD for Alice's death between 1895 and 1944 when she would have been 80.
Confined to London area Alice Elizabeth Hackney June 1896;Alice Stepney Dec 1919;Age 54 good fit!; Alice M Surrey NE Sept 1935 age 69. No marriage for Eli, plenty for Elizabeth  , also searched for Lily King with spouse Cornwell None; so Peter it looks as though there is a possible scandal in the family. Yet another!!

[Peter Cornwell]

Redroger,

Thanks for your comments. Scandal ? It gets better yet. Family rumour has it that Alice left Eli with the two children & ran off with another women. I have not investigated this branch of the family in any detail so am unable to confirm or otherwise but was hopeful that another CORNWELL researcher may have traced one or other of the necessary certificates. Thanks again.

[Redroger]

Further research needed I think. My own suspicion is that the Alice who died in Surrey in 1919 is his first wife; had it been the Alice who died in 1896 he would surely have married Lily, unless she was already married of course. When I next go to London I shall see what I can find out Peter.

[Redroger]

For a start, both Eli and Lily are buried in Manor Park. I wonder if it is possible to trace the grave and to see if there are any significant memorials there. Might give a clue.Lily b Leighton Buzzard 1871. There are several marriages of a Lily King in London in the 1890s any of which could be relevant. However, given her birthplace of Leighton Buzzard Beds. I wonder if the marriage of a Lily Jane King registered in Luton 4th quarter 1890 has any relevance.It is easy to put a conjecture together, i.e. Lily aged 19 marries in Luton, marriage she moves to London, meets Eli, either widowed or left alone with 2 children and moves in. Proving this is not a load of hogwash is more difficult.

[Allij]

Hello, I am new to tracing my family history.  I live in Australia and my great, great great grandfather (John Day Cornwell) is a descendant of Holmes Cornwell and Elizabeth Day.  From what I have been able to gather, my great-great-great-grandfather married Sarah West in 1811.  My great-great-grandfather, John Cornwell, was born in 1826. He married three times, Elizabeth Rolph (Rolf) in 1848 - they had three children.  Elizabeth died and he married Rebecca Benstead in 1856 before emigrating to Australia on the Washington Irving, arriving 1857.  On board, Rebecca gave birth to a son Isacc - she died either on board or shortly after arrival in Sydney.  John then married Mary Ann Slater, who was an assisted immigrant,  They had a further four children, including my great, great grandfather, Sydney Cornwell (b. 1864).

If anyone has any information on John Day Cornwell or Sarah West, including whether or not they were a poor family, how they made their living etc, that would be good.  I understand from ships records that John Cornwell (1826) was illiterate, so I gather they were labourers.  Australian records are limited so I would be grateful if anyone has any information about the Cornwells in Parramatta Sydney.  My father's family (Sydney's descendants) come from Mittagong/Bowral in NSW.

THanks
Alli

[Peter Cornwell]

Hello Alli,

Happy to help. I have sent you a personal message.

Peter Cornwell

[Redroger]

Alli, Just a brief snippet from our tangled family history. My grandfather's youngest brother James Ayres (b1888) migrated to Australia in 1903; his mother was Emily Cornwell(b1850). His sister Elizabeth (my great Aunt; known as Aunt Liz) married John Benstead. The family history of the Ayres/Benstead/ Cornwell clan is a giant pot of inter marriage which extends back at least into the 18th century. The village of Bottisham/Lode could fairly be described at that time as a village related to itself. More later over the next few weeks. There are many known errors in the earlier history of the extended family; I recognise the name of your ancestor; and would imagine that the surnames Ayres/Cornwell etc appear many times in  the tree.

[KarenRuth2]

Dear Allij,
I have been in contact with the Parramatta Sydney Cornwell family.  They are descended from the nephew of John Cornwell, born in 1826.  Samuel Cornwell went to Australia on the same ship with John Cornwell.  I would be happy to share.  Your personal message box is full.

[Allij]

Hi KarenRuth - thank you my inbox should be accessible now.  Ta Allij