Category: Madron & Penzance Branch

David was the youngest son of John Lanyon and he was known as Davy. That name is used in the parish records. He was born about 1586 and married Joan Shutford before 1620, there is no record of their marriage. We know Davy died in 1641 and that his son Thomas was 21 at the time of his death so Thomas must have been born about 1620. They lived at Little Bosullow, near Madron, a Lanyon property since the 13th century.

A Property lease of 1559 and 1632 gives David’s age and confirms his father and grand parents’ names.

“Tenant Walter Lanyon, mort., Elizabeth ux and John (80) filius by grant of Richard Lanyon esq and John Lanyon 11 Eliz. Previous tenant John Angove. Also a corn mill and stamps. John Lanyon gent by grant of Richard Lanyon of Nancothan esq 5 James holds Lanyon Rysech (except the mills) on lives of Francis Lanyon, 50, Alexander, 48, and David ,46. Rent £6.”

Henderson’s MSS 30534 pt 7 (transcribed in a letter from Rose Tolman to William Lamparter 6 Jun 1970).

Davy and Joan had seven children:

• Thomas 1620-1695 – Founder of the St Buryan branch of the family
• Joan 1622-aft.1656 married Richard Edwards no further trace
• Francis abt. 1623-aft.1656
• Ann 1628-1628 died in infancy
• Ann 1628-bef. 1634 (not mentioned in her grandfather’s will so presume died in infancy)
• William 1634-1708
• Barnard 1638-1714 – Founder of the St Hilary branch of the family

Francis abt. 1623 – aft. 1656

Francis was probably born abt. 1623 and died after 1655 as he is mentioned in his mother’s will. She leaves him 1/- as he was married and had evidently already received his ‘portion’.

He married Rosamon on 23 Jun 1649 at Madron. Sadly we don’t know Rosamon’s surname as it wasn’t recorded in the Madron register. (I haven’t found a baptism for anyone named Rosamon either.) Rosamon is a favoured daughter-in-law as she inherits her mother-in-law’s best coat and best waistcoat.

They had five children:

• Jonathan buried 1655 died in infancy
• Jone 1649 – aft. 1656 – no further trace however she may be the Jone Lanyon who was buried in 1660 in St Buryan
• David 1651 – 1752 (if these dates are correct that would make him over 100!) not married
• Francis abt. 1653 – 1723 – married – one child
• Joanithon abt. 1656 – 1751 – founder of the Helston branch of the family

Many of the Lanyons lived to a ripe old age and there are a number of octogenarians and nonagenarians and a couple of other centenarians so it’s not impossible that David lived to be 101.

As there were no more children it is possible that either Francis or Rosamon died but there are no burial records or wills.

Francis was a cordwainer, he was the first member of the family to become a leather worker and many of his descendants followed him into the profession. In the 21st century we tend to think of the ‘poor shoemaker’ but cordwainers were respected business men who made a very comfortable living.

In 1656 Francis was ‘paid 5/- towards the tannery, quit again to ye town.‘

Source: Penzance Mayoral Records – Guildhall

William Lanyon 1634-1708

David and Joan’s son William was baptised at Madron in 1634 and in 1665 he married Elizabeth Spreddell at Ludgvan. William was a cordwainer in Penzance.

His mother left him £12 in her 1655 will. He warrants several mentions in the Mayoral records for Penzance.

• Thos. Elliott and John Peters of this towne, curriers, have given Mr Thomas Pearce, Richard Sandray, Mr Wm Lanyon and Isaac Symons for security to discharge the towne of Penzance of any charges that shall arise by their means and to pay the sum of 30 shillings each at or before 25th day of March next and to give Ann the widdow of John Christopher, late deceased, two shillings per week for each week she is able to work, the said fines to be paid to the Mayor now being at ye aforesaid time. (1684)

• William Tonkin, Mayor (Mr John Carveth for three years had forcibly kept himself Mayor.)
• Paid Carne Pendar to serve Carveth with attachment 5/-
• Paid Mr Lanyon taking my affidavit of, with its cost in feeding Mr Carveth 1/-
• Paid Mr Lanyon for drawing an Juste Instrument and waiting on the alderman and assistants for signing ye same and to have ye town halle 13/- 6d
• Paid Mr Lanyon towards his Bill of Costs £5
• Paid for expenses when arrested by Mr Benmar and alt several times attending this matter 16/-
• Paid Mr Lanyon most for costs £4
• Paid Mr Lanyon for bailbond and filing Baile alt Mr Usticke’s and other matters he charges more in his Bill £1. 13/- 6d
• Indebted from 1696, Mr Pellowe’s Mayorality – the corpn debited for ye defence of a suite brought by Mr Benmar for a plott alt the key (quay?) as follows:- Paid Mr Paynter 10/-, paid for searching ye records above to find if any judgement entered against Benmar’s estate £34 (transcript unclear, it could be £3 or £4 or £34.) (1705)

• 6th Jun 1706: to 12 stamps and paid Mr Lanyon for administering oaths £1 4/- and 6d
• Paid Mr Pearce for swearing Mr Lanyon and to ye post for staying for ye dispatch of ye affidavits and horses hire for myself and Mr Lanyon to Penryn and ye expenses there £1 8/- 6d
• For two stampe papers to draw affidavits that Mr Carveth and Mr Gorse could not be found 4/- 1d
• 21st Nov 1706 Paid Mr Lanyon going to Bodmeyn later and expenses £1. 10/-
• 5th Dec 1706 to a guinea of gold given Mr Pearce £1. 1/- 6d
• John Pellow’s money laid out on town’s liberties. To half ye cost and charges at ye assizes 1709. In prosecuting ye pretended constables (of Mr Groose.)
• Mr Sam P Williams. Money laid out by him for charges for putting ye pretended constables to Bodmeyn.

(Jane Veale Mitchell – researcher – noted “William Lanyon, younger brother of Francis Lanyon (Lanion) cordwainer, Penzance died about July 1708/9. Wonder where this lawsuit is? I gather that Messrs Carveth and Grosse – during the formers forced mayorality – made the town constables (elected early) without usual formalities and William Lanyon was amongst these two or three men and the town had to see him through trial.”)

William and Elizabeth had three children:

• Constance 1666-1714 she married Humphrey Pascoe at Wendron in 1702. She died at Gwinear in 1714 – no children traced
• Elizabeth bef. 1669-1675 died young
• William bef. 1669-1708

Elizabeth Spreddell died in 1669 at the age of 32. William died in 1708/9.

The will of William Lanyon the elder, cordwainer:

• Two bedd in the chamber over the kitchen, verry old val’d at £2.0.0
• One bedd in chamber over the hall verry old £1. 10/-
• 3 old boards and cupboard 10/-
• Six old chiney 9/-
• 2 brass skellits and an old brass crock and an yron crock 9/-
• 3 old pewter plating and 6 plates 5/-
• Total £5. 10/-
• Jane Lanyon and Francis Lanyon Cordwynor, Penzance guardians of Elizabeth Lanyon and Constance Lanyon granddaughters of William Lanyon late of Penzance deceased.

William Lanyon bef. 1669-1708

William’s son was also called William, he too was a cordwainer. We don’t know when he was born but his mother died in 1669 so it was either before that date or perhaps she died delivering him. He married Jane in 1695 at Buryan (his name spelt Lenyon in the register).

They had two daughters confusingly called the same names as his sisters: Elizabeth and Constance and it is these two girls who are mentioned in grandfather’s will. Jane, presumably their mother) and Francis their uncle are to act as guardians.

William junior died at Lanteglos by Camelford in 1708. There are too many Jane Lanyons in the records to trace what happened to William’s wife. There is no further trace of Elizabeth but Constance married Charles Gwavas at Madron in 1726 – five children.

This is the end of William senior’s (and junior’s) line. Fortunately his brothers were able to continue the family line. (See post The Penzance Cordwainers and St Buryan, Helston and St Hilary branches.)

John Lanyon was the son of Walter Lanyon and Elizabeth Nanspyan.

John’s wife was probably Margaret the daughter of Sampson John Richard, they married at Madron on 24 Nov 1578. Jane Veale Mitchell notes that this John lived at Penolva near Paul but I don’t know the source of this fact.

They may have had a daughter Margareta who married Rev John Tremearne, the vicar of Paul in 1598. Margareta had two sons: Henry and Richard. Margareta died at Paul in 1603. John may have had a son called Samspon. There is no birth record but a Samspon Lanyon married a Johane Noy in 1602 at Sancreed. He could have been named after his grandfather Samspon John Richard.

John Lanyon moved to the Barton of Lanyon following the death of his father Walter in 1605.

Ann Lanyon abt. 1585 – 1662

John’s daughter Ann married Sampson Noye on 24 January 1602 at Madron. Sampson was the widower of Jane Trewren the great niece of Ann’s great aunt Isabel Lanyon (William Laniene Esq’s sister) who married Thomas Trewren. (See post ‘Lanyons, Trewrens and Noys’). Sampspon married Jane Trewren in 1587 and they had several children.

• Amy 1589-bef. 1680
• Elizabeth 1593-1609
• Robert 1594-1642
• Richard 1597-1598
• Thomas 1597-1642 married Elizabeth – five children
• Jane 1599-1601
• Chesten 1600-1655 married Maddern Champion – son Noye Champion

He went on to have several more children with his second wife, Ann Lanyon.

• Sampson 1602-1654
• George 1602-1653
• Richard 1606-1683
• Elizabeth 1609-
• Sarah 1610-1640
• William 1611-1673
• Thomas 1612-1652
• Margaret 1614-1629
• John 1615-1629
• Walter 1616-1694

Ann was buried on 25 Dec 1662 at Madron some twenty two years after her husband.

Francis Lanyon 1582 – 1661

Francis Lanyon was the eldest son. He was a successful Penzance merchant who married Elizabeth on the 19 Jun 1607 at Madron. Sadly the maiden names of women are rarely mentioned in the Madron register.

I found three children:

• Bennett 1615-1661
• Sampson 1616-
• Susanna 1619-

Francis is listed as taking the oath on the 1641 Madron Protestation Return. The Protestation Returns of 1641–1642 are lists of English males over the age of 18 who took, or did not take, an oath of allegiance “to live and die for the true Protestant religion, the liberties and rights of subjects and the privilege of Parliaments.”

Francis is mentioned in Penzance Mayoral records:

• Guildhall Penzance Mayor grants to Francis Lanion the profits of key (quay?) and pier for one year for £25
• Paid Mr Lanion 12/- on report of Dunkirk landed at Mousehole
• To Francis Lanion for repaying the quay’s man Suarez 12d (mansards?)
• To Thomas Jenkin and Francis Lanyon for repaying the quay’s mansards. 12d

Francis was buried 22 May 1661 at Madron.

Alexander Lanyon 1584 – 1671

Alexander Lanyon was the second son (he may have been named after Alexander Nanspyan, his grandmother’s uncle who was named on the Sithney Muster Roll of 1535), he married Philippa on 23 Feb 1614 at Madron and they had at least nine children. Some are mentioned in their grand father’s 1634 will which helps determine when they may have been born or died.

• Alexander aft. 1616-1624
• Anne 1616-aft. 1634
• Maud 1617-aft. 1634
• Peter 1622-bef. 1634
• Joane 1628-bef. 1634
• Walter bef. 1634-1715
• John bef. 1634-1673
• Alexander aft. 1634-1660
• William – 1624

Alexander leased the Barton of Lanyon from his cousin Jonathan Rashleigh and his descendants lived there until the late 18th century. Alexander was buried 24 Oct 1671.

David Lanyon 1586 – 1641

David (Davy) Lanyon was the youngest surviving son. His father’s will and the Madron parish registers refer to him as Davy. He married Joan Shutford, we don’t know the date of the marriage but Davy was buried 22 Jan 1641, and his will states that his son Thomas is 21, so he must have been born in 1620. His other children are all younger so estimated date of marriage is 1619 or earlier.

The transcript of Davy’s will:

“I doe give and bequeathe all my goods and chattels unto Joan Lanion my wife whom I doe make and ordaine to be my full and whole executrix and she to educate and maintain my children according to their degrees and calling till they or either or any of them accomplish the yeares of twenty one and then to give them portions according to her discretion and according to her ability.

• Item: My will is that after the decease of my wife my sonne Thomas shall have and enjoy all my terme and tyme in part of the tenement in Bussalloe that I hold by the devise of Sir Francis Langdon, Br, and Zenobia Prideaux, widdowe, deceased. (Zenobia Prideaux was the daughter of James Nanspyan, Elizabeth Nanspyan’s brother and a cousin of David’s father John.)

• Item: I doe give and bequeathe unto the said Thomas my sonne, ye land belonging to Lanion Mill after the decease of my wife during the terme and tyme I have therein.”

Signed Francis Lanion snr in the presence of Richard Carthew and Will Noye.

Davy and Joan lived at Little Bosullow which had been held by the Lanyons since the 13th century.

Davy and Joan’s children were:

• Thomas 1620-1695
• Joan 1622-1660
• Francis abt. 1623 – aft. 1655
• Ann 1628 – bef. 1634
• William 1634-1708
• Barnard 1638-1714

Francis and William were cordwainers (shoemakers and leather workers).

Joan Lanyon née Shutford was buried on 18 Jan 1655 at St Buryan. She left a will full of detail about her clothes. It gives us a rare glimpse into their lives.

The transcript of Joan’s will:

• To church, a ewe lambe.
• Poor of the parish 2/-
• Son Francis 1/-.
• David Lanyon son of Francis, 1 heifer, also his sons Francis and Jonathan each an ewe lambe.
• To Joane Lanyon, daughter, one sute of Lynnon and 12d.
• To son William £12
• Also son Barnard one brasse pan conteyning by 7 or 8 galls and 1 heifer, one year old, to be kept by his brother Thomas till she come to bee a cow.
• To Rose my daughter-in-law, my best coate, my best waistcoat and such of my lynnon as my son Thomas shall think fitt.
• To my sister Elizabeth Shutford one rideing coate, one yellow coate and two red coates.
• My kinswoman Alice Shutford one blew coate and one sute of lynnen cloth and a neck cloth with black spots.
• To my son Thomas all the rest and executor of my goods and chattels.”

Daughter in law Rose was the wife of Joan’s son Francis Lanyon.