Peter Lanyon (1769-1827) had three wives, eight children and twenty six grandchildren! His eldest grandson was born in 1811 and his last grandchild was born in 1843. This post is about the grandchildren who carried on the Lanyon name.

In the 1860s the price of metals fell and many mines were no longer profitable. Mines closed and miners were unemployed. Many decided to emigrate. Wherever there were mines, there were Cornishmen! Whole towns sprang up and carpenters, blacksmiths and masons were needed to build them.

Peter Lanyon & Ann Barnicoat Matthews

Francis Lanyon 1811-1888

Francis’ father was transported to Australia and he was raised by his mother Ann Barnicoat Matthews in Penzance. In 1836 he married Catherine Harris and they had seven children

• Hannah Maria 1837- Hannah is on the 1851 census, living at home and working as a household servant, no further trace
• Catherine 1839-1931 married James Olsen, a mariner, at Madron and they emigrated to Canada.

• Francis 1841-1911 – Francis was an engineer who emigrated to Pennsylvania, USA, no trace of his wife Susan Honeychurch. She appears to have been abandoned by her husband and by 1871 she was living with her parents and working as a charwoman. She had 6 children but only Theophilus and Catherine appear to have been fathered by Francis.
• William Henry 1845-1875 was a soldier, a corporal in the 65 Foot who was invalided out of the army aged 29. He was described as 6’3_^1/2” dark hair, brown eyes, sallow complexion, delicate constitution and could only do ‘light work’. He died age 31. He had served overseas.
• Charles Winks 1848-1881 emigrated to Canada
• Alfred Winks 1852-1881 emigrated to Canada, no trace of a marriage or children
• John Theophilus Winks 1856-1864 died age 7 of Scarlatinal Nephritis

Following his wife’s death Francis emigrated to Canada in 1881 and died there in 1888. Of his surviving children four of them emigrated to Canada and the USA.

John Lanyon & Rebecca Jane

William Lanyon 1826-1899

William married Caroline Jacka at Truro in 1848 and they had ten children! He was a miner at Chacewater.

• John James 1849-1936 tin miner, married Elizabeth Whitty in 1872 – 11 children
• Thomas John 1850-aft. 1871, miner, married Emily Scobie – 3 children
• Mary 1851-1858 died young
• William Henry 1853-1858 died young
• Harriet Jane 1855-56 died young
• Joseph Charles 1856-aft. 1871 – grocer, there is a Joseph Charles Lanyon working as an auctioneer and a member of the Freemasons in Burma in 1891, after that no trace.
• Richard Francis 1858-1896, tin miner, married Mary Ellen Williams 1879 – 6 children
• William Henry 1860-1908, miner, married Caroline Jeffery 1883 – 12 children
• Edwin Ernest 1862-1863 died young
• Harriet Jane 1864-1945 – spinster

James Lanyon 1828-1891

James was also a tin miner at Chacewater. He married Caroline Pearce in 1850. They had 8 children.

• Emma 1850- no trace after 1861
• John 1852-1936 emigrated to Michigan USA became a mining foreman and married Elizabeth Jane Bennetts – 3 children
• Rebecca Jane 1854- married William Matthews emigrated to Colorado USA – 2 children
• Elizabeth 1856- no trace after 1871 census may have died or emigrated
• James Henry 1856-1943, emigrated to Minnesota USA, married Agnes Jane Stewart and became a mining captain – no children traced
• Lavinia 1861- domestic servant and no trace after 1881 census
• Caroline ‘Kate’ 1864-1941 married James Pascoe in 1885 – 9 children
• Frederick 1869-1921 miner, married Susanna Tregoning – 6 children

Thomas Lanyon 1828-1891

Thomas was a tin miner, he emigrated to Victoria Australia. No trace of a wife or children.

Francis Lanyon & Catherine Rundle

Francis & Catherine married at Paul in 1822. He was a cordwainer. They had five children.

• Mary Anne 1822-1880 spinster
• Thomas 1825- no trace after 1841 census
• Catherine 1827-1891 married Henry Barnes five children
• Anne Marie 1829- married Thomas Savage, one illegitimate son, Edwin Lanyon b. 1858 died infancy
• Francis 1831-1895

Francis Lanyon 1831-1895

Francis was a cabinet maker in Penzance. In 1854 he married Mary Hannah Clyma – four children:

• Mary Thornton 1855-1856 died in infancy
• William Henry 1856- no trace after 1871 census
• Elizabeth 1860-1938 married Joseph Cox in New Zealand and lived with Robert Scott. From Robert there were seven children some known as Scott, some as Lanyon.
• Thomas J 1863-1937 emigrated to New Zealand, married Elizabeth, no trace of children

William Lanyon & Ann Wills

William James Lanyon 1830-1924

William was a shoemaker, like his father, in Penzance. In 1851 he married Mary Ann Ancell (1831-1860), they had four children. Mary died giving birth to her fourth child, Mary Ann who died a few months later.

• Louisa 1853-1857 died in infancy
• Alice 1857- no trace after 1871 census
• Ellen 1858-1937 emigrated to New Zealand and there married Henry Williamson – 11 children
• Mary Ann 1860-1860 died in infancy

In 1869 William married Caroline Uren, a boot binder. They had a further four children:

• Frederick 1870-1956, he was a newspaper compositor and married Edith Collins – 2 children
• William James 1877 age 14 he was working as an errand boy – no further trace
• Walter 1879-1880 died in infancy
• Caroline 1881-aft. 1911 no further trace after 1911 census

Frederick Lanyon 1839-1869

Frederick was born in Penzance, married Mary Jane Branch and they emigrated to Australia and had four children. Frederick was killed in 1869 by a falling gum tree.

• David 1862-1943 married Johannah Lacey Dodds Jewaskiewitz in 1888 Adelaide Australia, 4 children
• Mary 1864-1866 died in infancy
• Elizabeth Mary 1866-1929 was born in Australia, married George Baldwin and emigrated to New Zealand – 11 children
• Sarah Ann 1868- born in Australia, no further trace