William Cock and Grace Tonkin - Who Were They?

[venelow]

Hi Cousins

The above couple were married by Banns on December 3rd 1815 at Madron. They were stated to be of the Parish and were Bachelor and Spinster. He signed his name and she made her mark according to the OPC Database.   

Five witnesses signed the Register. I exclude Tobias Read because he was a frequent signer - possibly the Parish Clerk.  The others were; William Pellew; Ann Williams; Willm: Jams (James) and Mary Leggo.

On May 29th 1817 at Madron a William and Grace Cock had a son called William baptized at Madron.
Their abode was Boskinning and William's occupation was Miner. I believe this was their first child.

After that baptism I have not found other children baptized in the Madron/ Penzance area.

A William Cock was baptized at Illogan on 16 Oct 1821. His father was William a Miner from Portreath. I have not found a burial of the first William so I am not sure this is the same family.

William and Grace seem to disappear from Madron/Penzance. Did they emigrate? 

I really want to know who Grace's parents were. A good candidate might be Grace Tonkin the daughter of Thomas who was baptized at Madron in 1799. Thomas was also a miner and based at St Just. It is unclear why his daughter was baptized at Madron but she seems a good candidate for marrying William Cock who was also a miner.

If anyone one has any information or ideas about this couple I would like to hear from them. I'm sure there must be clues in the four witnesses to the marriage. But I'm not seeing how they are connected.

Sincerely
Venelow
Canada

[trish1120]

The Grace born 1799 would be barely 15 when married.

There is a Burial of a Grace Cock 14 Jun 1842 Madron, abode Penzance.
Age 60 (1792)
(hard to track her on 1841 Census though)
+ a William Cock 28 Apr 1835 Madron, abode Penzance age 66 (1789)

A Mary COCK married William LEGGO 23 June 1814 Madron
Witnesses Daniel Cock/Catherine Nicholls
Married with consent of Parents.

All info above on FreeREG

May be worth trying to track William/Mary Leggo on Census?

Trish

[trish1120]

Can we back up a bit?

Are you descended from William Cock 1817?
Did he marry in Cornwall?
When/where/to whom?
Did he stay in Cornwall?

There is another William Cock with a Wife Grace but he was a Mason

[venelow]

Hi Trish

Thank you for responding.

I am not descended from this couple or their son William.  Although I do have Cornish ancestors, I am working on a tree that that I have no direct connection to and I am investigating this couple for purposes of elimination. As I stated, I really want to know about Grace's parentage.

I do not see marriage at aged 15 as a problem. My 4 X Great Grandmother was 15 when she married in 1802. For the time period it was not unusual. However my gen program states she would be just 16 years if she was born in late Nov to early Dec as her baptism date of Dec 9th suggests.

I was considering William to be possibly the son of Daniel born at Madron in 1789 and I note that the Leggo / Cock marriage has a witness called Daniel. However he would not be the William Cock buried in 1835 aged 66 years as that computes to a YOB of 1769 not 1789. Likewise Grace Cock buried in 1842 aged 60 was born about 1782 not 1792.

Maybe this couple are older than I supposed. That might account for the lack of children.

I thought that Mary Leggo nee Cock might be the sister of William son of Daniel. He did have a sister called Mary but she was born in 1785 and would have been well over the age of consent in 1814. Maybe the groom was under age. I'll see if I can find her in the census.

Thanks again,

Venelow
Canada

[trish1120]

Gosh Venelow my maths was out!

So I understand now why you are researching that Grace Tonkin.

Trish

[venelow]

Yes, Trish.

That Grace Tonkin may not be the person some suppose her to be. I have a theory but I need to find out who was the Grace who married William Cock.

Venelow