Written from the perspective of Jessie Gregor.
My great-great-grandmother, Johanna Brenton, was born in Tredinnick, a hamlet in St Issey, Cornwall on the 30th January 1831. She was baptised on the 27th March 1831 at St Issey Parish Church when her residence was confirmed as Tredinnick and her parents as Francis (an agricultural labourer) and Betsy Brenton.[1] She was the second child of ten children born to that couple! Fortunately, the names and birth dates of these ten children are confirmed in a family bible owned by my 4th cousin, Kevin Brenton. He has kindly passed on a photo of this wonderful resource (see image attached).
In her first census in 1841, she is still living at Tredinnick along with her parents and four younger siblings: Henry (8), Elizabeth (6), Mary (3) and Jane (1). She was recorded as 'Joanna Brinton', aged ten, so she probably spent a lot of her time looking after her younger sisters.[2]
Ten years later, in the 1851 Census, 'Johanna Brenten' was 20 years old and had moved out to work as a house servant for the Williams farming family at Higher Blable, St Issey.[3]
Four years later, on the 6th September 1855 at Padstow Parish Church, Johanna married Henry Pope, a local lad from Padstow.[4][5] According to their marriage certificate, Henry was aged 28, a bachelor and shoemaker whose father was Thomas Pope, labourer. Joanna was aged 25, a spinster and domestic servant whose father was Francis Brenton, labourer. Their three children soon followed with Anna (Annie) born in 1855, William in 1859, and my great-grandmother, Mary, in 1861, all born in Trevone.
In the 1861 Census,[6] Henry (a cordwinder, aged 33), and Joanna were living at the Trevone Farm Labour House in Trevone, along with their two youngest children, William and baby Mary. (Their oldest daughter, Annie, was staying with her grandmother next door.)
In the 1871 Census, Henry and 'Hannah' are living at Trevone Cottage, Trevone, with their three children, Annie, William and Mary.[7]
They are still living in that cottage in the 1881 Census.[8] Henry's occupation is now listed as a boot and shoemaker, and his youngest daughter Mary is a laundress. As with every census, a birth year of 1830 and a birthplace of St Issey is consistently confirmed with Joanna, now aged 50. Their oldest child is now recorded as Anna Bate, a sailor's wife. (Their son, William, was working as an under-butler in Westminster, London.)
In the 1891 Census,[9] all the children have left home but Henry is still working as a shoemaker, and Joanna is working as a laundress. (This census was difficult to find because they were recorded as Pape not Pope!) In their last census in 1901, the couple are still living at Trevone Cottage but Henry is the only one working 'at home' on his 'own account'.[10] The attached photo shows the cottage in which Henry and Johanna spent their married life in the beautiful village of Trevone on the North Cornish coast.
Henry passed away (at the age of 79) on the 29th June 1907 in Trevone.[11] He was registered as a master cordwainer by his son, William, who was present at the death. Johanna herself passed away just six months later at Trevone on the 23rd December 1907.[12] According to her death certificate (with the original spelling of Johanna), she was 77 and the certified cause of death was Morbus Cordis Syncope. The death was registered by her daughter, Mary, who was present at the death, just two days before Christmas.
I believe that Henry and Johanna both had a blessed life in a home that they loved. Hopefully, their gravestone photo is to follow ...
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Johanna is 22 degrees from Herbert Adair, 20 degrees from Richard Adams, 25 degrees from Mel Blanc, 26 degrees from Dick Bruna, 27 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 27 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 27 degrees from Sam Edwards, 25 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 27 degrees from Marty Krofft, 22 degrees from Junius Matthews, 19 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 25 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.