Cornwall: Emanuel BLIGHT, born c1845

[BAC3]

Hello June, Osprey and Dazey,

I am going to let you into a little secret.......Emanuel BLIGHT is one of the 4,000 juvenile offenders who entered Parkhurst Prison over the period 1838-1864.   I am a retired Postgraduate researching for a PhD on that subject and how successful the prison was in reforming these offenders.

2,000 or so of them were transported and so in my search for Emanuel BLIGHT I trailed through the transportation records with no luck and as transportation ended in 1868 anyway and Mr. BLIGHT had not re-offended, I did not think (THINK!!!) to research one of the best resources, namely TROVE, as there was no connection.    Oh dear, I now feel rather foolish.    But........how did he get there?   Some effort is now required researching whatever passenger lists I can find that directly relate to Cornish emigrants and, of course, Plymouth was a very popular spot for sailing to down under.

He was referred to as "incorrigible" in that newspaper report and if indeed he is the one in TROVE he seems to have carried on the trait!!

For now,

Tony

[Pennines]

hi Tony,

Good luck with your studies! I sincerely hope you succeed. You will have to let us know!

Regards June

[BAC3]

Hello everyone who has helped,

Progress Report:      It appears 43 year old Emanuel BLIGHT, father William, married Elizabeth BROFEY in South Australia in 1886.   Strangely, he died the same year!!     This information, courtesy of a message I put on RootsChat Australia, certainly looks extremely hopeful matching up the age and father.

Now the only brick remaining in the wall to knock down is to find out if, between 1864 and 1867 (at the latest), an Emanuel BLIGHT migrated to Australia from, say, Plymouth the most likely port.   Sadly, finding this information is difficult and just as much so apparently in South Australia for immigrant listings.   Incidentally, Emanuel BLIGHT, if it is the same one, carried on his incorrigible ways because he spent at least 13 years in prison down under!!!

Will keep you posted.

For now,

Tony

[Pennines]

Hi Tony,

Excellent!

 See 'Dazey's previous message though -- it looks as though she found an article in the Trove newspaper saying that Elizabeth also died that same year as Emanuel --- whilst cleaning out his hospital room. 'Dazey' also mentions that Elizabeth is buried in an adjacent grave.

makes a really interesting story.

I couldn't immediately find an immigration into Australia either -- maybe the Australian Roots Chatters can help with that.

Regards June

[BAC3]

Hello June,

There are now some doubts in my mind.................!!!

In 1882 The South Australian Advertiser reported on a case that involved "Elizabeth BLIGHT", four years before the marriage in 1886.
Was Elizabeth BROFEY calling herself by that name?   Curiouser and Curiouser.

Another interesting fact is that Emanuel and Elizabeth both died in Burra, a famous mining centre about 160 miles from Adelaide, which employed a very large number of miners from Cornwall in the mid-19th century.   Something to ponder on I suppose.

Take care,

Tony

[deeiluka]

Tony, just to make things even more confusing, there's another Elizabeth Blight, wife of William Blight, who died in Brompton Park (suburban Adelaide) in 1900 aged 70.

Here's the link to Tony's thread on the Australian board.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,607593.0.html


Dee   

[deeiluka]

Sister Elizabeth Jane married in 1872 & the cert is on the opc site, so you could try contacting the person researching the family

http://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/search-database/more-info/?t=marriage_certificate&id=603

Can't find her after her marriage either. It's possible that the siblings emigrated. The tin industry was declining at that time and many Cornish miners left for mining districts around the world. Australia would be quite a likely destination.

 

This could well be her death in South Australia.....

Eliza Jane KNEEBONE aged 41 and married of Wallaroo Mines died on 3rd May 1894 at Wallaroo Mines.
Husband  =  Thomas KNEEBONE
Ref = Dal  219/50


Wallaroo Mines is another Cornish mining place and not all that far from Burra.


Sorry.....wrong Thomas Kneebone and Eliza(beth) Jane Blight!   


Dee    

[BAC3]

Good Morning Everyone,

Does the name CAMMER TACKNOTT mean anything geographically to Cornwall?

I have tried googling, and searching my atlas, but nothing.

Apparently Emanuel BLIGHT was a native of the place and if we can answer the question "YES" then almost certainly he migrated to Australia.   How?   As a fare-paying passenger that we have been unable to establish or he worked his passage!!

In anticipation,

Tony

[Pennines]

Tony -- now we know his tendencies -- he may have stowed away!!

June