Cornwall

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Mevagissey

The parish of Mevagissey, (Cornish: Lannvorek), anciently called Lamorrack or Laverack, is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Powder. Mevagissey derives its name from St Meva & St Issey. At one time the popular name for the village was 'Porthilly', which name is still in use as a part of the town. It is bounded on the north by St Austell and St Ewe, on the east by St Austell Bay, on the south by Gorran, and on the west by Gorran and St Ewe. This parish containing the ancient fishing port of Mevagissey is on the south coast of Cornwall, south-west of St Austell. The name is derived from two saints, Meva and Issey, in Cornish this would 'Meva hag Issey', hence the 'g' in the name.

A pier for the purpose of affording shelter for the fishing boats was constructed by the Trewollas family, who owned the manor of Trelevan; this was reconstructed about 1770-3 and subsequently improved again. At one time this port dealt with huge quantities of pilchards, but these unfortunately disappeared from the seas around Cornwall at the end of the 19th century. The picturesque narrow streets leading down to the harbour still retain some of the charm of an age when the horse and cart were the main method of transport, but unfortunately find it difficult to cope with modern traffic. In the 17th century smuggling and privatering were important sources of income for the people of Mevagissey.

Cemeteries

• The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line Monumental Inscriptions for the Parish Church - 813 entries.
• The Mevagissey War Memorial details are available on-line.
• Gravestone inscriptions from Mevagissey are available on-line, courtesy of the OPC.

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Census

Census information for this parish (1841 - 1901) is held in the Cornwall Record Office. The Cornwall Family History Society offers a census search service for its members. The Cornwall Family History Society have also published on-line census detail by surname on the FamilyHistoryonLine site.

Specific census information for this parish is available as follows:

• 1841. The 1841 Census of Mevagissey (HO107/145), Enumeration Districts 1 to 3, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1851.
  • The 1851 Census of Mevagissey (HO107/1908), Enumeration Districts 2a, 2b and 2c, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • The OPC has also transcribed the 1851 Census for Mevagissey which has been placed on-line.
• 1861. The 1861 Census of Mevagissey (RG9/1550), Enumeration Districts 1 to 3 [including Merchant Shipping], is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1871. The 1871 Census of Mevagissey (RG10/2268), Enumeration Districts 1 to 3, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1881. The 1881 Census of Mevagissey (RG11/2304) is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • Enumeration Districts 1 to 3.
  • Merchant Shipping.
• 1891. The 1891 Census of Mevagissey (RG12/1824), Enumeration Districts 1 to 3, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.

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Church History

• Anglican. The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SX0145; it was dedicated to St Meva & Issey (Ida), but is now dedicated to St Peter. There are traces of a cruciform Norman Church but the present church now comprises only the chancel, nave, north aisle, south transept and south porch. The arcade originally consisted of four four-centred arches, but only two with their pillars remain; they are built of Pentewan stone. This is mainly 15th century work, although the font is Norman. The Tower became ruinous during Commonwealth times and the bells were sold to a St Austell Quaker, named Grouden, to raise funds for taking the tower down. The tower then did not rise above the roof of the church, being capped at that time with a saddleback roof. The building was restored by JP St Aubyn in 1887-1888.
  Details about the plans of the modern church are available on-line.
  The parish is now part of the Team Ministry of Mevagissey and St Ewe which has an on-line website.
• Non-Conformist. There were chapels in Mevagissey for the Wesleyan Methodists and the United Methodist Free Church.

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Church Records

• LDS Church Records.
  • The LDS Church batch numbers for Mevagissey are: C020632, E020631, M020631, P020631, Independent C065231. These are searchable by surname.
  • The IGI coverage for this parish is 1590 - 1876.
• The Cornwall Record Office Holdings: Baptisms: 1590 - 1961, Burials: 1598 - 1967, Marriages: 1598 - 1961, Boyd's Marriage Index 1598 - 1673, Bishop's Transcripts: 1598 - 1673, Non-Conformist records 1786 - 1837.
• The Cornwall Family History Society have published on-line transcripts of:
  • 1813-37 Marriages
  • 1813-37 Burials.
• Baptisms.
  • Mevagissey Bible Christian Chapel baptisms 1837 to 1901, and Mevagissey Wesleyan-Methodist baptisms 1838 to 1912, are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Some baptisms from several Mevagissey Chapels (including Bible Christians and Primitive Methodists) are available on-line courtesy of the OPC.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Baptisms, which is available in CD format.
  • Those relating specifically to the Mevagissey Bible Christian Circuit 1838 to 1976 are separately on-line. These records relate to several parishes close to Mevagissey including Gorran, Veryan, St Ewe, St Austell, Gerrans, St Just in Roseland, Ruan Lanihorne etc.
  • The SOCIETY of FRIENDS (Quakers) - Christenings taken from Fowey Circuit Records, is available on-line, courtesy of the St Austell OPC. These include individuals from Mevagissey.
  • Transcription of the baptisms of the Mevagissey Bible Christian Circuit 1838-1907, taken from LDS film 2276210 images 1913-2413 (courtesy of the Church of Latter Day Saints). These records relate to several parishes close to Mevagissey including Gorran, Veryan, St Ewe, St Austell, Gerrans, St Just-in-Roseland, Ruan Lanihorne etc.
  • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD, baptisms 1720 to 1840 for this parish.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published Baptisms of Mevagissey Wesleyan Methodist Circuit 1838 - 1900 on CD. The Circuit covers Mevagissey, Tregony, Cuby, Gorran, Pentewan, Grampound, St Ewe, Gorran Haven, part of St Austell and Fowey.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD baptisms (1838 to 1900) of the Mevagissey Bible Christian Circuit. The Circuit covers Mevagissey, Gorran, Veryan, Gerrans, St Ewe, St Mewan, part of St Austell and Ruan Lanihorn.
• Banns. Banns 1827 to 18952 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
• Marriages.
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1598 to 1837, which is available in Book, CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
  • Mevagissey Marriages from 1837- 1912 are available on-line.
• Burials.
  • Burials 1685 to 1773 (Bishop's transcripts) for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Burials, which is available in CD or Book format.
  • The OPC has placed on-line burials in Mevagissey, as follows:
    • Burials for Mevagissey 1685 to 1691. (These are in a number of different volumes - please note list on the webpage).
    • Burials at Mevagissey 1882 to 1905 (Books 1 to 17), which are also in a number of different volumes. These begin at: Book 1.
• Other Non-Conformist Records. OPC Coverage of Non-Conformist records of this parish is available.

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Civil Registration

The parish of Mevagissey has been in the Registration District of St Austell continuously from 1st July 1837. There were sub-districts at Fowey, Grampound, Mevagissey and St Austell, but these have now been abolished. Parishes within the district are: Creed, Fowey, Gorran, Grampound, Mevagissey, Roche, St. Austell, St. Blazey, St. Dennis, St. Ewe, St. Mewan, St. Michael Carhays, St. Sampson, St. Stephen in Brannel, Tywardreath. The Superintendant Registrar can be contacted at: 12 Carlyon Road, St Austell, PL25 4LD. Tel: 01726 68974. Fax: 01726 68974.

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Description & Travel

• ePodunk's Cornwall page - providing general, plus some historical and genealogical information, about Cornwall and its parishes, together with links (mainly relating to general sites and services, rather than ones that are specific to Cornwall or particular parishes).
• Old Photographs of Mevagissey are available on-line.
• A website for the town of Mevagissey is available.
• More photographs of Mevagissey today are also available on-line.

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Genealogy

• The On-line Parish Clerk (OPC) scheme operates a service to help family historians; the OPC page for this parish is available on-line, from where the OPC can be contacted by email.
• The OPC has also produced a Genealogical website for Mevagissey to help researchers.

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History

• The dates of events important in the history of Mevagissey are available.

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Maps

• Map of the St Austell Registration district in which the parish lies.
• An old map of the parish of Mevagissey in the 19th century is also available.

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Medical Records

In 1849, the town of Mevagissey was severly visited by cholera; this resulted in many fisherman and their families to embark in their boats and flee to neighbouring ports for refuge from the pestilence.

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Names, Personal

• Some information about the Kendall family of Mevagissey is available on-line.
• Some information about the Robins family of Mevagissey is available on-line.
• Information and records of other families from Mevagissey are also available on-line.

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Occupations

• Fishermen. Some detail relating to Fishery Report of Mevagissey in 1876 is available on-line. Deatils of some fishermen is also available.

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

Mevagissey parish was part of the St Austell Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.

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Population

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Probate

Transcription of the Last Will and Testament of some inhabitants of Mevagissy are on-line, courtesy of the OPC.

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Religion & Religious Life

• In the May of 1641 it was agreed and ordered that every Member of the House of Commons and House of Lords should make a protestation (declaration of loyalty) to the crown. The Protestation was printed and then distributed by the Members to their counties. The Protestation was to be made by everyone and the Rectors, Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, had to appear before the Justices of the Peace in their Hundred to make their protestation and, on returning to their parishes, any two of them were to witness the taking of the Protestation Oath by all males over the age of 18 years. All names were listed and anyone who refused was to be noted.
• A list of the Vicar's of Mevagissey is available on-line, courtesy of the OPC.

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Statistics

The parish occupies 1381 acres of land.

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Voting Registers

• 1851/52 Mevagissey Voters List.
• 1852/53 Mevagissey Voters List.
• 1856/57 Mevagissey Voters List.
• 1864/65 Mevagissey Voters List.

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