Cornwell John - Heathfield c1830-1902

[YJC]

Son of Hannah Watts (c1786-1858) but who was his Father ??
His Mum was married to Robert Cornwell who was in the army 1819-1835 & away from home a great deal. It is thought Robert was away from home when John & his brother James (born c1826) were both conceived. Robert & Hannah separated & when he left the army he went to live with another woman in Ireland ! On John's marriage cert to Mary Weeks, 29/6/1851 @ Wadhurst he names his Father as John Cornwell - was this a real person or a made up name, perhaps simply his first name & his Mum's married name ?? I am unable to trace an exact date of birth for John.
It is known that Robert & Hannah had 2 daughters = Harriett born c1815 & Eliza born c1817. There may also have been a 3rd daughter , Hannah c1822-1838 but not 100% sure about her.
Hope this all makes sense ! I'm very confussed    over John's parentage - can anyone help please ??

[madri]

I had a look on IGI, but only 1 Baptism is showing:

Eliza Cornwell / April 20, 1817 / Heathfield, Sussex
Father: Robert Cornwell / Mother: Hannah

Looks Like Robert is in Liverpool on 1851 Census.

HO107 / 2176 / 13 / 18
8 Beau Street, Liverpool

Robert Cornwell / head / 57 / Hospital Servant / b. Sussex
Ann / wife / 66 / Hospital Servant / b. Ireland
plus 2 other staff and Patients - looks like some sort of Military Hospital

I had a look on FindMyPast at the Military section to see if I could find anything on Robert - nothing showing.

I don't know who John's father is.  It might be worth trying to find the Baptism Records and see if there is anything for him and the other Cornwell Children.


Robert & Ann back in Sussex 1861 Census

RG09 / 2757 v/ 27 / 16
Moss End Cottage, Park Hill Road, Aughton

Robert Cornwell/ head / 67 / Pensioner / b. Warbleton
Ann / wife / 75 / b. Ireland
+ Ann's daughter & granddaughter
Looks like he is living with his daughter Harriet Russell  in 1871.  So it is possible that John may have had some contact with Robert - whether he was his father or not I don't know.

Madri

[janinez]

This could well be Harriet with her hubby and kids. Robert is here with them too. Did she die?? He states here he is a Widower in this census

Living in Lower Burwick?

George Russell head 50 Ag lab b. Berwick
Harriett do wife  b Heathfield
robert Cornwell Fathr in law 81 Widower , Persnioner of Greenwich b. Warbleton
Abraham Geale stepson 18 ag labourer b. Ripe
Charles do stepson 14 Ag Lab b. Ripe

Will see what else I can find

In the 1841 Census it is just Hannah, James and John in the household

[madri]

Robert's 2nd wife Ann, died.  Here is probable death

Ann Cornwall / Ticehurst
June 1863
Vol No: 2b / Page No: 50

Madri

[janinez]

Woo Hoo  found John in the 1851 and surprisingly enough Mary Weeks is a servant there too !
living in 53 Halbowen? Wood - funny that he is living with the Tompsett's but the wife is Philidelphia, I did see another census that had a Philidelphia Cornwell on - any connection? Thought it might be a realtion of John's................


1851
Census
James Tompsett 76 Farmer b. Ticehurst
Philidelphia do 75 b.Cranbrook, Kent
Samuel do son 40 Farmers son b. Ticehurst, Sussex
Martha do dau 35 farmers dau b. do
Mary Weeks 21 House servant b. Wadhurst, Sussex
John Cornwell 21 farm lab b. Heathfield
Alfred Chapman 16 Farm lab. b. Hawkhurst, Kent
Ann Attwood 50 Washer woman b. Mayfield, Sussex


HO107 / 1639 / 137 / 16

No luck with bapt. sorry yet..............

Living in Wadhurst in 1861 with mary and 5 children, can post details if you don't have them already

Still in Wadhurst in 1871 with Mary and nine children

In Ticehurst in 1881 with Mary and 6 children

The only John Cornwell b. heathfield (I can see) in 1891 is living with a Caroline Tester and her son Tommy Will see if I can find mary and the kids............

[janinez]

Hi there

I put in John's details omitting father but put in Hannah as mother on the pilot family search site and this is all it bought up - don't think it is him but it is all I have found for a John born in Heathfield so far

http://pilot.familysearch.org

There is a John Cornwell b.2 June 1830 and christened 29 June 1830 BUT the parents are noted as Ann and James 

[janinez]

Found Harriett on the pilot site - still no John or James

harriett

born 29 October 1815, Parish Church of Benenden, Kent

Parents: Robert and Hannah cornwell

Just a thought, wonder if he was born in Heathfield but christened/bapt. somewhere else as they appear to have moved around a bit???

[YJC]

Sorry - I should have made it clear from the start, I have details of John's marriage, death, all the census between 1841-1881 (not 1891 or 1901 yet) + his descendants up to modern day. His Mum was defo Hannah.
The son of James & Ann is not 'my' John.
Yes the family seemed to flit between Sussex & Kent quite a lot, I wonder why / dare I even ask ?
As far as I can tell the only missing piece of the jigsaw is the true ID of John's Father - I've travelled down so many avenues looking for this but so far they all seem to have brick walls, nearly the size of the one in China, at the end !!!!!! 

Thanks for all your help & please don't give up on me !
Bye Yvonne
 

[janinez]

1891 Census - sorry no bapt. as yet 
Living 37 Wood Knowle, Burwash, Ticehurst

John Cornwell 59 Widw, Farm Labourer Agr, b. Heathfield
Caroline Tester 38 Servt, Housekeeper, b. Wadhurst
Tommy Tester 13 son, Houseboy, b. Wadhurst


1901 - 85 Valuicessa? , Burwash

John Cornwell 68, Farm Lab b. Heathfield
Caroline Fester (spelt with F not T here) 47 Housekeeper b. Wadhurst

RG 13 / 892 / 119 / 14