The
“Stephen Branch” is the families descending from Thomas Colenso of Penzance, the brother of Stephen Calense
of Stepney. Thomas’s wife
was Phillippa Lewarne.
The eldest
son John was a sailor who married Joan Corin in 1757
in Gulval. She was the daughter of Radolphus Corin and Jennifer Tresize. Their early children were christened in Gulval and the later in
Stephen, christened in Gulval,
Phillippa, christened in Gulval,
Johanna, christened in Gulval,
Jennifer,
christened in Gulval,
Mary,
christened in Gulval,18th September 1768.
Stephen,
christened in
John, christened in
Ralph
Corin,
christened in
Stephen, christened in Penzance1st January
1780.
There may
be two other sons of John and Joan – William (1776-1858) and Robert (abt 1780-1833).
There is
also a William Colensoe born to Jane Lorey in 1798. This may be the William who married Jane Trudgen Nicholas in 1820. Ralph Corin
Colenso was a witness at this wedding, and may have been William’s father or
uncle.
Stephen,
the second son of Thomas and Phillippa Lewarne appears to have settled in Maker, on the Cornish side
of the Tamar near
John, christened Maker
Stephen,
christened Maker
Martha,
christened Maker
George,
born Millbrook about 1778, married Elizabeth Chaff in 1802, died 1852 in
Francis,
christened Maker
John,
christened Maker
Thomas,
third son of Thomas and Phillippa Lewarne,
is named as the father of an illegitimate son born to Coelia
Corin (nee Thomas) in 1760. She had been deserted by
her husband William Corin (brother of Joan Corin), when he went off to sea. Thomas then marries Anne
Note, of St Ives, in 1761, where he is described as a militia man. Anne was the
widow of William Note and the daughter of John Rose. They settled in Madron/Penzance and had the
following children.
Stephen,
christened Madron 25th April 1762, married
Jennifer Ann Hugo in 1780 in Probus.
Mary,
christened
Anne,
christened
William,
christened
Francis, christened
Jane,
christened
Robert,
born around 1778, married Elizabeth Johns Hoskin
(1802) and Jane Edwards (1836)
John,
christened
All of
these children, except for Francis, are mentioned in their father’s will
written in 1801. Thomas died in 1806. At this stage Thomas’s occupation is a cordwainer (fancy shoemaker).
Robert, the
second youngest son of Thomas and Phillippa Lewarne married Elizabeth Williams in Madron
in 1771. He was the innkeeper of the Queen’s Head in Marazion
and then the King’s Head in Penzance from 1778 to
1808. Elizabeth was the daughter of John Williams and Joanna May. They had the
following children.
Robert,
christened Penzance 18th December 1772, he
married Elizabeth Paynter in 1796, was a saddler and
died 1806.
John
Williams, christened Penzance 10th October
1779, named for his maternal grandfather, married Mary Ann Blackmore, died in
1860. Was father of the Bishop of Natal, a merchant and bankrupt mine owner,
agent for the Duchy of Cornwall and amateur geologist. His first wife had been
Mary Ann Flamank (who died in 1808), sister of his
brother’s wife.
William,
christened
Samuel
May, christened Penzance 31st May 1786,
named for a maternal great grandfather, married Mary Veale Thomas, died 1866.
He was a saddler in Penzance and a town councilor.
Father of William Colenso of New Zealand.
Two of the
four daughters of Thomas and Phillippa Lewarne married and had children – Sarah and Jonathan Kestell (1762), Anne and John Thomas (1762).
The eldest
sons of John Williams Colenso
and Samuel May Colenso are the two
cousins described in A.L.Rowse’s book “Controversial Colensos”. In my presentation to the William Colenso (1811-1899)
200th Birthday Conference in Napier 2011 I have tried to describe
his early influences in Penzance before he left for
New Zealand in 1834.