James Lanyon was arrested for stealing a horse rug on 11 May 1873 and stealing a horse (presumably to go with the rug!) on 26 May 1873. The horse belonged to William Uren of the Devon and Cornwall Artillery Militia. James appeared at the midsummer assizes at Bodmin and was tried by Sir Charles Brune Graves Sawle.
James appears to have been caught ‘red handed’ as he plead guilty and was sentenced to six months hard labour at the house of correction at Bodmin. That meant the dreaded treadmill.
I found a second conviction for James in 1873. he was found guilty of stealing Fras. Osborne’s trousers at Camborne. He was described as crippled in his right hand and having an ‘enlargement in right breast’. Again he was sentenced to the treadmill.
In 1874 he was convicted of trespassing on the land of Gustavus Lambart Basset esq, in Illogan, in search of game. His description is as follows: Roman nose, eyes rather small, right forefinger small and useless. Again he was sentenced to the treadmill.
James Lanyon was aged just 19 at his conviction in 1873 (born in 1854) and a labourer. James is quite a common name in the Lanyon family but it didn’t take long to find him on the tree.
James was the son of William Lanyon and Mary Maddern.
James’ grandfather, William Lanyon 1767-1836, was transported to Australia!
James’ parents married in 1841 at St Buryan and by 1861 they were living in Lelant. By 1871 James was no longer living at home but I can’t find him on the census. He may have been avoiding the authorities!
After jail we lose track of James but he may be the James Lanyon aged 21 who sailed to Australia in 1875 and was described as a copper miner. He may have died, prison wasn’t conducive to good health and a long life.
The Lanyons 