Remfry Emigrants
The 18th Century records in my database are primarily from Cornwall or Devon. Very few entries are from other places. The 19th Century was a time of change and greater mobility throughout Britain, and our Remfry ancestors experienced the same forces as others: a slump in the agricultural way of life, economic hardship in the distant and rural county of Cornwall, migration to cities, and emigration.
My 1851 Census records show 76 individuals with the Remfry and variants surname living in Cornwall and Devon. They were grouped in 30 households, and 13 were miners. Nearly one in two households was supported by mining.
In the 1881 Census, 325 individuals in England had the Remfry and variants surname. They were grouped in 93 households. 232 of these 325 people or 71% had been born in either Cornwall or Devon, although many now lived in other counties. Only 21 were miners.
By 1901 although the number of individuals was roughly the same, 335, the percentage born in Cornwall or Devon was down to 42%.
I have found records of Remfry emigrants in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada and India. There may be many more countries to add to this list. The greatest number of emigrants seem to have travelled to Australia. Many of the emigrants took Cornish tin mining skills to other countries to mine other metals. The copper mining area in Michigan USA was a popular destination. 29 Remfry immigrants passed through Ellis Island between 1893 and 1922, of these 10 were miners.
For information about Cornish miners in Latin America, please see the excellent website at http://www.projects.ex.ac.uk/cornishlatin/. There is mention of Samuel Remfry in Fresnillo, Mexico in 1839. The same author has found James and Josiah Remfry, managers of the San Fernando Mines in Linares Spain in 1854. In the same area, there is a Protestant burial ground with MIs for:
Charles Remfry born May 29 1837 died Sept 5 1892
Fanny Remfry wife of Charles born Mar 13 1839 died May 23 1911
James George Remfry born May 1825 died ?Jul 1866
I welcome comments on and additions to this page.
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