Cornwall

Nearby places

Falmouth Town

Falmouth (Cornish: Aberfal) was originally called Peny-cwm-cuic, which became 'Pennycomequick'. It was formed from the older parish of Budock in 1661. The borough of Falmouth is on a peninsula at the west side of the entrance to Carrick Roads, a large natural harbour on the south coast of Cornwall fed by the river Fal. It is situated in the Deanery and Hundred of Kerrier, and is bounded on the north and north-east by the harbour and which separates it from Mylor, St Just-in-Roseland and St Anthony-in-Roseland, and on the east, south and west by Budock.

Henry VIII built a fort here at Pendennis Point and another on the opposite shore at St. Mawes, both of which are still in excellent condition. Apart from a harbour at Falmouth Haven, the only other place was Arwenack Manor - the home of the Killigrew family. The main town was then at Penryn.

During the English Civil War of 1642-45, Charles I's Queen, Henrietta Maria, fled into exile via Pendennis Castle. At the end of the War, the King being a prisoner, his heir did the same, planning before he left to build a chapel for public worship... and when the war ceased, to send an able on conscientious chaplain to preach God's word therein. After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Sir Peter Killigrew had a long-standing ambition to found a town and church on Falmouth Haven (as the harbour here was then called). So he sent an emissary to the new King at his new court in London, seeking the grant of a Charter for the town. He also offered to give land for a church, parsonage and a churchyard if the King would sponsor the project. Owing partly, perhaps, to his diplomatic dedication of his new church to the King's martyred father, Sir Peter succeeded in modifying the royal vow and received much help from King Charles II and his brother, the Duke of York.

Falmouth became the largest port in Cornwall whose real prosperity began in 1688 when it became a Post Office packet station. Brigantines sailed with mail to Spain, Portugal, West Indies and North American Colonies until 1852, when mail traffic was transferred to Southampton. The port and shopping area are on the north side of the peninsula, while on the south coast are sandy beaches and hotels.

Today Falmouth is a combined holiday resort, fishing port and ship repairing centre. Ambitious plans to transform the waterfront will no doubt increase its attractions as a tourism centre in the future.

The town of Falmouth is situated on the south-westyern side of the harbour and stetches along its shore for more than a mile. The old town received a charter of incorporation from King Charles II in 1661. There appears to have been no plan on the laying out of the buildings. On the adjoining hills, with every advantage of space, air and picuresque scenery scarcely to be equalled, the town was extended into open terraces. These extentions added much respectability to the appearance of the town. The Church of King Charles the Martyr lies on the main street running through the town.

Further information on modern Falmouth is available.

Archives & Libraries

The National Maritime Museum, Cornwall
Discovery Quay
Falmouth
Cornwall
TR11 3QY

Tel.: +44(0)1326 313388; Email:enquiries@nmmc.co.uk.

The Museum contains the Bartlett Library which makes available key maritime reference books, which are necessary to trace the maritime achievements of Cornish men and women. The Library includes an extensive run of Lloyd's Registers from 1764 to 2002. Archive material includes the Falmouth Harbourmaster's Daily Records from 1880 to 1990. In addition, there are several databases, the most important of which covers all vessels built in Cornwall between 1776 and 1914. The Library also includes the Martime Censuses of Falmouth.

The Library will undertake research for enquirers, although the cost of extensive research will be charged. Entry to the Library is free and it is normally opened five days a week from Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm. The telephone number of the Library is: +44(0)1326 214579.

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Cemeteries

• The municipal cemetery at Falmouth is at Swanpool; it was consecrated on 19th May 1857. The only other cemeteries in the Falmouth area apart from Swanpool are the private Quaker burial ground and the Budock churchyard. The old Falmouth churchyard closed in the early 1850s, after which most burials took place at Swanpool which had one part for Anglican use and one part for Nonconformist use.
• UK Genogold have produced a list of some burials and graves recorded at Swanpool.

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Census

Census information for the town of Falmouth (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 borough is available as follows:

• 1841 Census. The 1841 Census of Falmouth (HO107/154) is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • Enumeration Districts 1 to 4.
  • Enumeration Districts 5 to 8 [including Workhouses and Prisons].
  • Enumeration Districts 9 to 12 [including Schools and Workhouses].
• 1851 Census.
  • The 1851 Census of Falmouth (HO107/1911) is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
    • Enumeration Districts 1a and 1b [including Workhouse].
    • Enumeration Districts 1c and 1d [including Prison].
    • Enumeration Districts 1e and 1f [including Workhouse, Schools and Barracks].
    • Enumeration Districts 1g and 1h.
  • Part of the 1851 Census of Falmouth is available from the West-Penwith resources as part of the 1851 British Census 2% sample - Cornwall.
  • The New Zealand Society of Genealogists have compiled separate surname indexes of the 1851 Census for each Cornish registration district; Falmouth is listed in Volume 22. The booklets are available in Cornwall at the Cornwall Centre (formerly known as the Cornish Studies Library), and is also available in the Cornwall FHS Library.
• 1861 Census.
  • The 1861 Census of Falmouth is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
    • RG9/1565.
      • Enumeration District 1.
      • Enumeration District 2.
      • Enumeration District 3 [including Prisons].
      • Enumeration District 4.
    • RG9/1566. Enumeration District 5 [including Hospitals], 6 [including Schools], and 7.
  • In the 1861 Census, Merchant Shipping was treated peculiarly. Royal Navy and Merchant Shipping Returns for Falmouth (RG9/4495) for Falmouth have been placed on-line by the Cornwall Online Census project.
• 1871 Census. The 1871 Census of Falmouth is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • RG10/2292:
    • Enumeration District 1.
    • Enumeration Districts 2 and 3.
  • RG10/2293:
    • Enumeration Districts 4 and 5 [including Schools and Barracks].
    • Enumeration District 6 [including Schools].
  • RG10/2294: Enumeration District 7 [including Hospitals].
  • RG10/2295: Enumeration District 11 [including Workhouse and Merchant Shipping].
• 1881 Census.
  • The 1881 Census of Falmouth is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
    • RG11/2316:
      • Enumeration Districts 1 and 2.
      • Enumeration Districts 3 and 4 [including Hospital and Barracks].
      • Enumeration District 5 [including Schools].
    • RG11/2317:
      • Enumeration District 6.
      • Enumeration District 7 [including Reform School].
    • RG11/2318: HM and Merchant Shipping.
  • The 1881 Census of Falmouth Workhouse, Budock, is also available on-line.
• 1891 Census. The 1891 Census of Falmouth is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project as follows:
  • RG12/1834. Enumeration Districts 1 and 2.
  • RG12/1834. Enumeration Districts 3 and 4.
  • RG12/1834. Enumeration District 5.
  • RG12/1835. Enumeration District 6.
  • RG12/1835. Enumeration District 7.
  • RG12/1836. Merchant and HM Shipping (including HMS Ganges training establishment).

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Church History

• Anglican. Falmouth was, historically, the largest centre of population in Budock parish. Before the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 in the aftermath of the English Civil War, most events took place in Budock Church. The town of Falmouth now consists of three ecclesiastical Anglican parishes:
  • King Charles's. This is the oldest parish covering Falmouth; it lies on the main street running through the town. The parish was created from Budock parish in 1661.
  • All Saints'. This is a modern parish in Falmouth, created from King Charles parish in 1887; the church is situated within the town in Killigrew Street.
  • The parish of Penwerris was created out of the northern part of Falmouth town in 1848, although at that time it was part of Budock parish. Although this is a separate ecclesiastical parish, in civil terms it is part of Falmouth town.
• Roman Catholics. The first Catholic Church in Falmouth after the Reformation was a hut sited near the present Customs House. It was put up at the beginning of the nineteenth century by French fishermen who needed a place for private prayer when they visited the port. The hut was destroyed by fire, but nevertheless rebuilt. In 1818, a French émigré priest, Father de la Gresille, moved the Church to Well Lane, because the original ground was required by the Government. Another site was subsequently found on Greenbank. Five hundred pounds was collected and donations also came from the French Royal Family of Napoleon III. The foundation stone of the new church was dedicated to "Our Immaculate Lady". The Church, accommodating one hundred and fifty people, was solemnly opened at Stratton Terrace on 24th October, 1821.
  In due course, the congregation outgrew the little church. Negotiations began with Lord Kimberley, who agreed to sell a plot of land on the moor above the Market Place. Building work soon started on the new Church, which was designed by Joseph Hansom. The new Church of St. Mary Immaculate, which was mainly constructed of granite and Portland stone, was solemnly opened on 26th August, 1869 by Bishop Vaughan of Plymouth and Bishop Ullathorne of Birmingham. The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes was added in 1929.
  The Church narrowly escaped total destruction during an air raid in 1941, when it sustained severe damage to the roof and windows. The Church was consecrated in 1948 by Bishop Grimshaw.
• Non-Conformist. The Wesleyan Methodist Society was first established here by John Wesley himself in 1754. The old chapel, situated in Killigrew Stree, was built in 1791 and enlarged in 1814. Another chapel, built in 1829, was situated in Porham Street. Yet another chapel was built in 1867 on Pike's Hill by subscription. Other sects in Falmouth included the Bible Christians, Congregationalists, Baptists and Primitive Methodists. There was also a Unitarian chapel which was purchased in 1840.
• Quakers. The Society of Friends (Quakers) held meetings in the town in from 1670. Their chapel was built in 1803.

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Church Records

• General. Falmouth was, essentially, formed out of Budock parish, so early events are most likely to be found in Budock church registers.
• LDS Church Records.
  • The LDS Church batch numbers for Falmouth are: C052781, E001721, M001721, M052781, P001721, Independent Church C065091, Bible Christian Circuit C065111, Wesleyan Methodist C065101. These are searchable by surname.
  • The IGI coverage of Falmouth is 1663 to 1839.
• Cornwall Record Office holdings: Deposited original registers 1663 - 1900, Boyd's Marriage Index 1663 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1790 - 1812, Non-Conformist Records 1783 - 1837.
• BMD Information - General.
  • UK Genogold have produced a list of some marriages, burials and graves recorded at Falmouth.
  • Surviving church records for both All Saints and King Charles Churches are listed on their respective parish pages.
  • Baptism and marriage register transcripts of Falmouth 1597 - 1802 are available on CD from Archive CD Books.
  • S & N Genealogical Supplies have published on CD Falmouth Marriages and Baptisms 1663 to 1812, in Acrobat format.
• Baptisms.
  • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on two CDs, baptisms 1695 to 1775 and 1776 to 1837 for this parish.
  • Cornwall Legacy have published on CD, baptisms (1837 to 1862) of the Falmouth Wesleyan Circuit. These include two registers from Pikes Hill Chapel - baptisms 1871 to 1900 and 1889 to 1900, which include a few marriages. The Circuit covers Falmouth, Budock, Mylor, Stithians, Mawnan, St Gluvias, Wendron and Constantine.
  • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, baptisms (1837 to 1862) of the Falmouth Bible Christian Circuit. The area covers Falmouth, Camborne, Lanner, Penryn, Gwennap, St Agnes, and Kenwyn.
  • Cornwall Legacy have also published on CD, baptisms (1843 to 1900) of the Falmouth, Redruth & Camborne Bible Christian Circuit. The area covers Falmouth, Redruth, Camborne, Lanner, St Agnes, and Kenwyn.
• Burials.
  • S & N Genealogical Supplies have published on CD Falmouth Burial Registers 1663 to 1812.
  • Burials 1813 to 1831 for this parish are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
• Other Non-Conformist Records. OPC Coverage of Non-Conformist records of this parish is available.

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Civil Registration

The town of Falmouth is in the Falmouth Registration District and has been since 1st July 1837; there were sub-districts at Constantine, Falmouth, Mylor and Penryn. Parishes within the district are: Budock, Constantine, Falmouth, Mabe, Mawnan, Mylor, Penryn, Perranarworthal and St. Gluvias.

The Superintendant Registrar can be contacted at: Berkely House, 12-14 Berkeley Vale, Falmouth, TR11 3PH. Tel: 01326 312606.

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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).
• Photographs of Falmouth (including King Charles Church) are available on-line.

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Directories

• Lake's Post Office Directory of Falmouth & Neighbourhood 1892.
• Water's Post Office Directory of Falmouth 1895.
• Lake's Post Office Directory of Falmouth & Neighbourhood 1898.
• Lake's Post Office Directory of Falmouth & Neighbourhood 1902.
• Lake's Post Office Directory of Falmouth & Neighbourhood 1906.
• Lake's Post Office Directory of Falmouth & Neighbourhood 1909.
• Lake's Post Office Directory of Falmouth 1912.

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Genealogy

OPC Assistance. The On-line Parish Clerk (OPC) scheme operates a service to help family historians; the OPC pages for Falmouth parishes is available on-line under each of those listed under Church History, from where the OPC can be contacted by email.

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Maps

• Map of the Falmouth Registration District in which the parish lies.
• An old map of Falmouth in 1693, is available from GENMAPS.
• An old map of Falmouth and Penryn (including St Gluvias) in 1835, is available from GENMAPS.
• An old map of the town of Falmouth in the 19th century is also available.

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Merchant Marine

The Bartlett Library in the National Maritime Museum has information about the Falmouth Packet Boat Service.

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Newspapers

• The Falmouth Packet Newpaper Archives (1688-1850) are available on-line.
• Issues of the Falmouth Packet (1801-02), will be of especial interest because the newspaper is the earliest and the immediate predecessor of the Royal Cornwall Gazette and the Cornish Herald. Eighty-five issues were published between 7 Mar 1801 and 16 Oct 1802 and the only complete set is in the Courtney Library of the Royal Institution of Cornwall (RIC). The British Newspaper Library have a microfilm of these.
• The local newspaper of Falmouth today is the (resurrected) Falmouth Packet.

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• The Falmouth parishes were part of the Falmouth Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief. The Workhouse is located at Trescobeas, in the parish of Budock, 1¼ miles north east of the Town.
• The Falmouth Workhouse was a stuccoed building with stone dressings, erected in 1852 from designs by the Architect Fred William Porter, and was designed to hold 170 inmates. It later became known as Budock House and then under the National Health Service, as Budock Hospital. Relatively few records survive; holdings include Guardians' minute books (1839-1930), etc. These are located in the Cornwall Record Office.
• Overseers' Accounts (1768 to 1773. 1813 to 1815 and 1819 to 1834) and Settlement Paper for 1722, are available in the Cornwall Record Office.

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Population

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Societies

The Penryn & Falmouth Old Cornwall Society News Page is on-line.

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Statistics

The Town and civil parish of Falmouth comprises 989 acres of land.

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