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• St. Ives

  • Sacred Heart & St. Ia Roman Catholic Church

    Not listed in the 1851 census of places of worship

    Baptisms

    • [Wilcox 1999] says that Registers 1818–37, 1841–1908 are in the CRO but the staff there think that this is an error as they have no trace of them.

  • St. Ives Zion Chapel (Lady Huntingdon’s Connexion, Fore Street).

    Founded in 1800, independent until 1823 then sold to Lady Huntingdon’s denomination. The chapel had seats for 500 and in 1851 Richard Plugue was the manager.

    Baptisms

    • Registers 1800–37 [inc. births] [RG4/206] PRO. About 240 entries. The catalogue only says until 1822 but there are some at the end which are out of order.
    • Copy (LDS) 1800–37 [0590674/7].
    • Copy 1800–22 (microfilm) WSL.
    • Transcript 1800–22 [inc. births] SoG.
    • Transcript (S. Townsend 2001) 1800–22 [inc. births] (book and CDROM).
    • Index (Edwards 1976) 1800–37 [inc. births].
    • Index (CFHS database) 1799–1837, reputed to contain 176 baptisms sourced mainly from the IGI.
    • IGI 1800–37 [C065411].

  • Hellesveor (or Hellesvere) Chapel (Lady Huntingdon’s Connexion)

    This was founded in 1824 and had seats for 100. In 1851 Richard Pluge completed the return.

  • St. Leonards Seamen’s Chapel

    This was still in use in 1868 as a fishermen’s shelter.

• Paul

  • Newlyn Independent Chapel

    This was founded in 1811 and had seats for 120. In 1851 Wm. Thomas completed the return.

• Penzance

  • Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

    The 1851 return shows a St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Rosevean Road, founded in 1843 and with seats for 320. Edward Bradshaw was the pastor.

    The registers are all held in the church, none are at the CRO.

    Baptisms

    • Registers 1852— (earlier registers lost).
    • Registers Confirmations 1863–1935 Plymouth Diocesan Archives.

    Marriages

    • Registers 1854— (earlier registers lost).

    Deaths

    • Registers 1856— (earlier registers lost).

  • Market Jew Street Chapel (Lower Meeting Presbyterian/Congregationalist)

    Meetings of Congregationalists are known to have taken place in Penzance since the 1660s. This chapel was first built in 1707 and rebuilt (set back from the original) in 1807. This was during the ministry of Rev. John Foxell who served 1804–52 (see below). He was also the Penzance librarian. [Pool 1974].

    Enlarged 1870 [Saundry 1931] with schoolroom adjoining. .

    Baptisms

    • Registers 1898–1967 [X 682/58] CRO.

    See also Octagon Chapel below

    Marriages

    • Registers 1898–1967 [X 682/58] CRO.

    Burials

    • Registers 1806–37 [RG4-3119] PRO.
    • Registers 1897–1964 [X 682/58] CRO.
    • Copy 1806–37 (microfilm) WSL.
    • Transcript 1806–37 SoG.
    • Transcript (S. Townsend 2001) 1806–37 (book and CDROM).
    • Index (Edwards 1976) 1806–37.
    • Index (OPC Database) 1806–37 (131 entries).

  • Alverton (Presbyterian/Congregationalist)

    Baptisms

    • Registers 1957–1966 [X 682/59] CRO.

  • Penzance Independent Circuit (East Street, Jordan Chapel or Octagon Tabernacle Presbyterian/Independent/Baptist)

    In 1799, part of the Congregationalist membership (Market Jew Street above) had seceded and built a new chapel, known from its shape as the Octagon [Note, John Foxell’s record in the register puts this as 1789]. This congregation continued until 1802, when a further split took place and some of the members returned to the Market Jew Street chapel. The Octagon then passed into the hands of the Baptists, and renamed the Jordan Chapel. In 1834 the majority of the Baptist memebers left, and in 1836 opened a new chapel in Clarence Street. The Jordan Chapel continued in use until c. 1875 when it was sold for conversion to a public hall. The site was later occupied by the Regal Cinema and then the Penlowarth building. The Rev. George Charles Smith (known as Bosun Smith) was minister from 1803–25 and 1848–63 [Pool 1974].

    From page 3 of the first register RG4-3119 (pages 1 and 2 are missing)

    Explanatory Notice

    The Independents at Penzance had two places of Public Worship. The Octagon Tabernacle, Mentioned on the first page of this Book, where this Register of Baptisms was Commenced in 1791. When they sold this chapel to the Baptist Connexion, they returned to the Lower Meeting [Market Jew Street] Where they Continued this Register of Baptisms to the present time. At the Lower Meeting there is a Small Burying Ground; and in this Book, beyond the Baptisms and Births, is the Register of all the Burials which have taken place since 1806. There were Burials and Baptisms at this Lower Meeting many years before 1806, or 1791; but there is no Register to be found but this, which is sent to the General Registration Office.

    Penzance; August 1837 John Foxell, Minister.

    The Independents errected the Old Lower Meeting in 1707; the present Meeting house, close to the site of the old one, was built in 1807. The Octagon Chapel was built in 1788 or 1789 and it was used by the Independents before it was sold to the Baptists about ten or twelve years [later]—So that the heading on the first following page of this Register relates only to the Baptisms which extend to about 1798 or 1799 as after that the Register was brought to the Old or Lower Meeting where nearly [inserted] all the Subsequent Baptisms and all the Burials occurred. This is added to facilitate future reference and enquiry should any such be made.

    John Foxell

    The 1851 return shows East Street Independent with seats for 500, Francis Allen, minister and also Jordan Chapel Baptist & Temperance with 125 seats, G. C. Smith, minister. These may well have been held in the same building.

    Baptisms

    • Registers 1791–1837 [inc. births] [RG4-3119] PRO.
    • Copy 1791–1837 (microfilm) WSL.
    • Copy (LDS) 1791–1837 [0590673].
    • Transcript (inc births) 1791–1837 SoG.
    • Transcript (S. Townsend 2001) 1791–1837 [inc. births] (book and CDROM).
    • Index (Edwards 1976) 1791–1837 [inc. births].
    • Index (CFHS database) 1791–1837, reputed to contain 159 baptisms sourced mainly from the IGI.
    • Index (OPC Database) 1791–1837 (176 entries).
    • IGI 1791–1837 [C065281].

  • Clarence Street Baptist

    This was founded in 1836 and had seats for 630. In 1851 Charles New was minister.

  • Clarence Street Unitarian

    This was founded in 1832 and had seats for 100. In 1851 James Eathorne complete the return.

  • Society of Friends Meeting

    The meeting house on North Street, Penzance was founded in 1845 and had seats for 280. In 1851 Charles Cornish was the recorder. [Pool 1974] thinks that there was a meeting here from 1803 in the building later called St. George’s Hall.

    • Transcript ( S. Townsend 2001) for all Quaker records of Cornwall 1609–1837 (CDROM).

    Births

    • Registers Cornwall Quarterly Meeting Register 1735–81 [RG6/1578] PRO.
    • Registers West Division Register 1775–82 [RG6/951] PRO.
    • Transcript (1838) Monthly Meeting Registers 1674–1782 CRO.
    • Index of another transcript (OPC Database) described as "Western Division" 1783–1792 (12 entries).

    Marriages

    • Registers Cornwall Quarterly Meeting Register 1733–77 [RG6/1578] PRO.
    • Registers West Division Register 1839–94 CRO.
    • Transcript (1838) Monthly Meeting Registers 1694, 1706 CRO.
    • Index (CFHS 1992) for all Quaker marriages in Cornwall 1813–37.

    Burials

    • Registers Cornwall Quarterly Meeting Register 1765–75 [RG6/1578] PRO.
    • Transcript (1838) Monthly Meeting Registers 1688–98 CRO.
    • Index (CFHS 1998) for all Quaker Burials in Cornwall 1813–37.
    • Index of another transcript (OPC Database) described as "Western Division" 1783–1828 (43 entries).

    See also Quaker Records on this site.

  • Bethel Seamen’s Mission

    This was founded in 1840 and in 1851 James Rosewall was the trustee.

  • Jewish Synagogue

    This was founded in 1838 and had seats for 36 but another building had been in use since 1768, rebuilt in 1806–7. In 1851 Barnett A. Simmons was minister. The synagogue closed in 1906.

    Marriages

    • Copy 1838–92 [FS 3/1412] (photocopy) CRO.

  • Penzance Cemetery (Non denominational)

    This was a Private Cemetery next to Wesley Rock Chapel at Heamoor. It opened in 1845 and closed in 1906 though the last burial was in 1945.

    Burials

    • Proprietor’s Registry Book (original) CRO. Includes Certificates for Allotments of Ground as well as actual burials. The list of proprietors and the plan are missing.
    • Transcript of Proprietor’s Register (Peter F. Doe 2005) 1845–1906 (1945) at the CRO on CDROM. Available from Cornwall Ancestors at The Parish Chest The list of proprietors and the plan have been recreated by Peter Doe)

    Monumental Inscriptions

    are available.

• Sennen

  • Sennen Baptist

    This was founded in 1800. In 1851 James Wallis was minister and it had seats for 150 but in 1838, at the time of the Tithe Roll, it was very small.

  • Society of Friends Meeting

    Burials

    • Transcript (1828) Quarterly Meeting Registers 1659–1782 CRO. The burial ground was closed in 1789.

    Monumental Inscriptions

    are available.

    See also Penzance above and Quaker Records on this site.