DEVON, CORNWALL
& SOUTH WALES

Area Co-ordinator: Ida Birch  E-mail:  cory@one-name.org

DEVON

In 1343 John Moueron, warden of the silver mine in Cornwall & Devon was ordered to pay back wages owed to John Cory and to pay him his future wages. What became of him after that?  This tantalising record shows his existence in the county but with the lack of any other records we can only move forward to Holsworthy in 1575. We can see from the research records on the right that the Cory families were well documented in Devon in various parish records dating from as early as the 16th century.

It was in 1772, that Andrew Cory was born at Blatchborough in Bradworthy.  His family moved to Greaden Farm in the same village when he was very young. At about 10 years old he was sent to school at Hartland where he obtained what was then considered to be a good education.  When he was 22, he married Mary Tremeer. She was born at Eastcott in the parish of Moorwinstow in the eastern part of Cornwall. They went to live at Holloborough where twelve years later, in the spring of 1816, a Society of Bible Christians was formed and Andrew with his son, Andrew, became early converts.   Andrew's name appeared as a local preacher  in the Kilkhampton Circuit in 1819.  Mary and Andrew had ten children of whom eight survived childhood and the two eldest became itinerant preachers or 'ministers'.  Bible Christian worship continued with many descendants serving as local preachers, Sunday school teachers, society stewards and chapel trustees.  The Bible Christians eventually amalgamated with the United Methodist Church in 1907.

The excellent Bible Christians records of the Kilkhampton Circuit have allowed us to discover that Abel and Grace Cory had two daughters; Elizabeth and Grace and a son Samuel who left for America in 1848.   Elizabeth married John Heard at Clawton in 1806 and three of their children became pioneer farmers in Victoria, Australia.   

A more detailed article was published on the Bible Christian Connexions in Newsletter No 22. It contains material from the Bible Christian magazines which is not available in the usual genealogical sources. A copy can be obtained from Ida Birch for those who wish to read the complete article. It is worth considering that Cornwall also had its share of Bible Christian ministers too and some left from both counties to work in other counties and overseas.


Langdon Court, Wembury, Devon was built in 1577 by the Calmady family of Plymouth near the site of the Domesday Manor of "Langedone" and was the home of a Cory family for 50 years.  Richard Cory, who was a London industrialist, descended from the Stratton Corys, sold his London house and purchased the 2,000 acre (800ha,) estate in 1876.   Today the house is an hotel in beautiful surroundings.

According to the census of 1891 for Langdon Court, Richard and his wife Bessie Francis had ten domestic servants, two more in the laundry, a coachman and three grooms, a game keeper, a gardener, not to mention the tenants of three farms and a farm cottage and their respective families. It was here that Richard entertained the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Alfred) We believe the picture (above right) was taken sometime around 1891. Richard also had a town house in Plymouth, and was on friendly terms with Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria's second son, who was Commander in Chief at the naval base at Devonport. The picture taken at Langdon Court front door, was of a shooting party; Richard Cory 2nd from left; Bessie Francis Cory next to the Duke of Edinburgh; between (and behind) Bessie Cory and the Duke is Colonel Gore who married Bessie after Richard Cory's death.

The details above are based on an article in Newsletter 16 which includes the family tree of William Cory 1783-1862.  William's earlier life and that of his family in London can be found on the London and Cambridge page.

---

Census Returns for 1841(4) 1851(5) 1861(6) 1871(7) 1881(8) 1891(9) at:-

Abbotsham 6, Ashwater 5, Barnstaple 5, Bideford 5, Bradstone 5, Bradworthy 5, Brampford Speke 5, Bratton Clovelly 5, Braunton 5, Bridestow 5, Buckland Brewer 4 5, Clawton 5, Clovelly 4, Dawlish 5, Dunterton 5, East Allington 5, East Budleigh 5, East Putford 5, East Stonehouse 5, Egg Buckland 5, Ermington 5,
Exeter; Bradninch 5, St David 5, St Edmund 5, St Laurence 5, St Sidwell 5, St Stephen 5, St Thomas 5,
Frithelstock 5 6, Hartland 4 5 6,  Hatherleigh 5, Heavytree 5, Highweek 5, Holsworthy 5 6, Ifracombe 5, Kentisbeare 5, Kingskerwell 5, Lew Trenchard 5, Lifton 5 6; Littleham; High Park 5, Littleham Trefusis 5, Lydford 5, Marystow 5, Milton Damerel 5 6, North Petherwin 5, North Tawton 5, Parkham 4 5, Plymouth, Charles the Martyr 5 8, Plymouth, St Andrew 5, Plymstock 5, Pyworthy 5, St Budeaux 5, St Giles in the Heath 5, Shaldon 5, Shebear 6, Sherford 5, Stoke Damerel 5, Tavistock 5, Thruselton 5, Topsham 5, Tormoham 5, Upton Pyne 5, Whitchurch 5, Woolfardisworthy 5 6, Woolsery 4.

The Society holds many records of which these are just some.   Please contact the area co-ordinator for more details.

DEVON RESEARCH

PARISH REGISTERS
Abbotsham
1897-1929 MI
Bridestow 1803-1807 bap
1754-1837 mar
1829-1850 bur
Clawton
1692-1841 bap
1687-1853 mar
1693-1865 bur
Hartland
1758-1841 bap
1833-1837 bap
1717-1836 mar
1789-1874 bur
1789-1865 d from MIs
Holsworthy
1575-1837  bap
1593-1831 mar
1627-1833 bur
Marystow
1800-1828 bap
1754-1837 mar
1855-1887 bur
1855-1887 MI
Pyworthy
1610-1977 bap
1610-1975 mar
1610-1891 bur
Stowford
1754-1837 mar
1813-1837 bur
1816-1867 MI

MARRIAGES
Parish Records, Boyds, IGI,
Devon FHS by name and place 1754-1812
Devon FHS Marriage Index
by name and place
1754-1812 and 1813-1837
Boyds Marriage Index
Devon & Cornwall 1537-1700
Devon  1701-1837
Mann / Fursdon Marriage
Licences 1523-1837
Marriage Index of Corys
1538-1753
Marriage by Licence
Devon Exeter Index
1523-1837

PEDIGREES
Holsworthy
John Cory ?-1692 Australia
15 gen MRIN 453
Edward Pearce 1687-1764
North Petherwin
Thomas Cory 1822-1906
6 gen MRIN 1638
Pyworthy
Samuel Cory mar 1711
America 10 gen MRIN 710
West Putford
Walter Cory ?-1753
Cory Brothers
15 gen MRIN 1154

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
George Arscott
Ida, Raymond and Anthony Birch
Carey Brummell
Rev J Cory
Michael R Cory
Pamela Cory
Percy T Cory
Margaret Cullingworth
Mark William Cory Hassall
Jean Hayes
Graham Seymour

Local Information Sites:

Stone And Quarry Men Of The West Country
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~stonemen/alpha.htm

Immigrant Ship Transcribers Guild
http://istg.rootsweb.com

About Devon itself
http://www.devon.gov.uk/econeuro/tourism

Devon Record Office, Castle Street, Exeter, EX4 3PU Tel 01392 384253 Fax 01392 384256

Plymouth and West Devon Record Office, Unit 3, Clare Place, Coxside, Plymouth PL4 0JW Tel 01752 305490 Fax 01752 223939 e mail pbrough@devon.cc.gov.uk

Alice Cory
of  St Helier

CORNWALL

Alice's grandmother was Jane Cory who was born in 1813 in Tresparrett.  She was the daughter of Robert Cory (husbandman and later blacksmith) and Alice French.  Her father died young in 1830 of typhus fever, leaving Alice's mother to bring up eight children. The eldest son was only 17 when he took over the family smithy at Tresparrett after his father's death.  After a few years all but one of the family moved to St Helier in Jersey, where they prospered and became pillars of the Bible Christian community.

Alice, the eldest of nine children, was born  in St Helier on 4th January 1865.  She went to  a private school in Jersey, and then to a boarding school in France, studying music and dancing and winning prizes for the former.  One bitter Christmas when Alice was 12, she was returning home for the holidays when she and her travelling companions missed the boat. They stayed overnight in an hotel and the next morning chartered a fishing boat with five fishermen to take them to the island.

Unfortunately the boat was caught in a fog and stranded near rocks.  The three friends, a captain's daughter aged 15, a child of 9 and Alice spent the night tied to the mast for safety.  All the coastguards were out on the search and they were finally found and rescued. After reaching Jersey the three girls were public heroines for quite a time.

The family moved to Hornsey, London for business reasons when Alice was 20. Alice married and in time had grandchildren of her own. She was obviously not harmed by her adventure- Mrs Alice Cory Lee lived to celebrate her 94th birthday!

From a Newsletter Article by Rosemary Gitsham             
Source Palmers Green & Southgate Gazette

CORNWALL RESEARCH

PARISH REGISTERS
Bridgerule 1561-1977 bap
1561-1976 mar
1561-1927 bur
Jaconstow  1724-1858
1723-1854 mar
1767-1809 bur
Launceston, St Stephens
1840-1844 bap
Padstow 1850-1866 bap
Poundstock 1751-1850 bap
1758-1872 mar
1825-1879 bur
St Gennys 1732-1808 bap
1722-1830 mar
1747-1811 bur
Stratton 1792-1856 bap
1813-1860 mar
1827-1859 bur

MARRIAGE INDEX-
Boyds Cornwall & Devon 1537-1700
Boyds Cornwall 1701-1837
Mann/ Fursdon Marriage Licences 1523-1837
Combined Marriage Index, Boyds, Phillimores, Cornwall FHS
1701-1837 by name also by place
Cornwall FHS Burial Index
1813-37 by name also by place
Cornwall Transcripts (T L Stoate) marriage Index of Corys 1538-1837

MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS
Cornwall sorted by Parish, Reference and Year.

CORNWALL
Census Returns for 1841(4) 1851(5) 1861(6) 1871(7) 1881(8) 1891(9) at:-

Altarnun 4 5, Ballhead 4, Baypark 4, Boyton 5, Calstock 4, Callington 4, Cory's Shop 4, Crackington 4, Crackington Haven 5, Davidstowe 5, Davidstow Hendra 4, Egloskerry 5 6, High Crackington 4, Kilkhampton 5, Jacobstow 4 5 6 8, Laneast Lawhitton 4, Lanteglos by Camelford 5, Lanteglos by Fowey 8, Launcells 5,
Launceston St Marys 5 6 7 8, St Stephens 5, Union House 5,
Lesnewth 5, Linkinhorne 4, Maker Vaulters House 5, Marramchurch 5, Menheniot 4, Morwenstow 4 5, North Petherwin 5, Padstow 5 6 7, Penhale 4, Poughil 4 5, Poundstock 4 5 6 8 , Roscare 4, St Anthony in T 5, St Clere 5, St Columb Minor 9, St Ive 4, St Gennys 4 5 6 7 8, St Juilot 4 5, St Stephen by Saltash 5, St Teath 5 8, Saltash 5, Southill 4, Stoke Climsland 5, Stratton 4 5 8, Tintagel 5, Treblyansgate 4, Tregoodwell 4, Tremayne 4, Treneglos 5, Tresmeer/Tremayne 4 5 8, Tresparrot 4, Trewen 5, Warbstow 5, Week St Mary 5 6, Whitstone 5

PEDIGREES
Altarnun; Nicholas Cory 1713-?
Sir George E Cory, S A
8 gen MRIN 1101
Crowan/Camborne;
Henry Curry m 1751
9 gen MRIN 320
Linkinhorne; 
Richard Cory m 1768
8 gen MRIN 1418
Poundstock; 
William Cory 1698-?
John Cory & Sons
10 gen MRIN 1257
Stratton ;
Nicholas Cory ?-1670
William Cory & Son
12 gen MRIN 558
Whalesborough: 
William Cory m -1429
6 gen MRIN 1428

Local Information Sites:

Hours of fun looking through the Immigrant Ship Transcribers Guild
http://istg.rootsweb.com

About Cornwall itself
http://www.cornwall-online.co.uk/

Places to visit and stay
http://www.devon.gov.uk/econeuro/tourism

Archives and Libraries

• Cornwall Library Service
  Cornwall has specialist centres for Cornish Studies, Maritime Studies, and a Reference and Information Library which acts as a European Information Relay site.
  
• Cornwall Record Office
  County Hall, Truro TR1 3AY
  Tel 01872 323127 - Overseas +44 1872 323127
  Fax 01872 270340 - Overseas +44 1872 270340
  Opening Hours - See WWW site above
  e-mail cro@ceo.Cornwall.gov.uk
  
• Cornish Studies Library
  2-4 Clinton Road, Redruth TR15 2QE
  Tel 01209 216760 - Overseas +44 1209 216760
  Fax 01209 210283 - Overseas + 441209 210283
  Videophone 01209 210510 - Overseas + 441209 210510
  Opening Hours Mon-Fri 1000-1800, Sat 1000-1600
  e-mail cornishstudies.library@cornwall.gov.uk
• 
  County Record Office, Truro Tel. 01872 273698 or 323127 Fax 01872 270340
  Royal Instituttion of Cornwall's Courtney Library Tel. 01872 272205
  Cornish Studies Library at Redruth 01209 216760

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ida Birch
Carey Bromell
Christine Butler
Loveday Coombes
John A Cory
M R Cory
Raymond Cory
Vernon Cory
Margaret Cullingworth
Mark Hassall
Jean Hayes
C P Lewis
M C Nyblod
Peter Ockleford
Joan Teetan
H Toms

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

You will see from the right hand column that the first entry of the Cory name in Bristol in the Cathedral Index 1169-1837. However, it is John Cory (?-1621), Rhode Island, who can be traced down through 15 generations (MRIN 763).   There is an interesting website link to John on the American and Canada page.

The list in the right hand column shows 15 separate churches where Corys have been recorded between 1169 and 1837.  By the 1881 census, only William Cory born in 1829 at Great Yarmouth and his wife Elizabeth (born in Ansley, Hereford) remain. The only other Cory names mentioned in the 1881 census connected to Gloucester are Fanny, 31 and Edward, 28 who were living with Frances Cory in Thorpe in Norwich, Norfolk.

Cardiff in South Wales became the home to two Cory families from the West Country.  The companies they formed had great influence in the area.

Richard Cory (1799-1882) arrived from Devon about 1840, his two eldest sons John and Richard later and establishing the company Cory Brothers at Cory Buildings.   John Cory built the house at Dyffryn, St. Nicholas about 4 miles from Cardiff - and his philanthropy was recognised in his lifetime with the erection of a statue in Cathays Park.  John had four children and Llantarnam Abbey was the home of one of his sons, Sir Clifford Cory Bt. from 1895 until he died in 1941.  Clifford modified the building to look like a castle with battlements and turrets.  It was requisitioned during World War II, but became the property of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy in 1946.  Clifford married Jane Anne Gordon Lethbridge in 1893. 

John Cory (1822-1891) who came from Cornwall in 1872 and established John Cory & Sons (shipowners) at Mount Stuart House.

However if you see a Cory tug boat at Cardiff Docks, this is connected to yet another line with west country roots.  Try some of the sites below for more information on the Cory ship owners.

Dyffryn House
North view

The southerly aspect of Dyffryn House Photograph by Marilyn Cory

An excellent site at angelfire.com with a wealth of information on the area's shipbuilders and ships. You'll enjoy yourself for far too long on this!

A Cardiff & Vale Of Glamorgan Chronology
http://www.angelfire.com/ga/BobSanders/CDFF3.html

Ship Name Tons(G) Built Owned by Corys
http://www.angelfire.com/sys/popup_source.shtml?Category=

1881 Census of Mariners at various ports around Great Britain
http://www.angelfire.com/sys/popup_source.shtml?Category=

Glamorgan Record Office,
The Glarmorgan Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cathays park, Cardiff CF1 3NE
Tel 01222 780282   Fax 01222 780284