Line in Record @I2794@ (RIN 285115) from GEDCOM file not recognized:
OCCU a labourer
Line in Record @I2773@ (RIN 285094) from GEDCOM file not recognized:
CAUS cardiac failure for 21 days, chronic myocardites and arteriosclerosis
Her death is registered under reference # 22118 for the District of Avoca, Victoria.
Alexander moved with his family to Redruth when he was about 10 to 14 years old. Whether he moved with his father or whether he and his sisters were taken in by their uncle Benjamin has yet to be established. It is clear though, that he developed relationships with his cousins.
During the late summer of 1714 he and his cousin Temperance found the opportunity for intimacy resulting in Temperance's pregnancy. Their daughter, Margery was born the following May but not until Alexander and Temperance had married in Redruth in the intervening February.
A burial date for Alexander has not yet been found. As Temperance remarried in 1737 and their last child was baptised in 1728, it is reasonable to assume that Alexander had died in the intervening period. Indeed, given the economic pressures on a woman to sustain her family without a husband, it is more likely that Alexander died about 1735, at which point Temperance moved with her children to Helston to be closer to her parents.
At her death Elizabeth is recorded as a pauper and, presumably, unmarried.
The IGI records her as a child death.
Clearly these two statements are in conflict and an investigation of the Redruth St Uny Burial register may provide evidence regarding the true date of death.
The argument to link Benjamin to Henry Ripper (b. 1615) is compelling because:
* Benjamin appears to name his children based upon other family members' names.
* Benjamin himself (b 1660) would have been named after his father's father.
* Benjamin's first daughter is, for example, named after Benjamin's wife, Prudence.
* His second daughter is named after Benjamin's aunt Jemima.
* His third daughter is named after Benjamin's mother, Temperance.
* His first son he names Benjamin.* His second son is named William. I am unable to explain this except that William is a widely used name stretching back into Ripper history and the King at the time of baby William's christening was William III. How strong the support and understanding of the monarchy would have been in 17th century Cornwall is questionable but King William was a protestant and had exhibited religious tolerance when allowing the Presbyterian Kirk to become the Church of Scotland, hope being seen for the Cornish Methodists. This may be too convoluted and William may simply have been named after a close friend of Benjamin.
* His third son he named Richard. I am unable to explain this choice.
* His fourth daughter he named Constance in the tradition of using Christian virtues used by the methodists and as used for his daughters Temperance & Prudence, his wife Prudence and his grandmother Temperance.
* Against this deduction is the fact that Benjamin fails to adhere to the naming patterns by not naming one of his sons Henry, i.e. not naming a son after his paternal grandfather.
* Benjamin migrates from Redruth to Helston as does his brother John.
* There are a limited number of Rippers available in Cornwall who could be the father of Benjamin (b 1660). If naming patterns were as strong as has been suggested in Cornwall then Benjamin would have named one of his sons after his grandfather, which would make the grandfather either Benjamin, William or Richard. No Benjamins, Williams or Richards exist who exhibit the strength of naming pattern described above.
THE FAMILY MOVE FROM TREW TO REDRUTH TO HELSTONBenjamin's parents lived in the area around Trew, just north of Breage. Benjamin was married in Redruth in 1686, which may have been because of an association between Prudence Thomas' family and Redruth.
At sometime they were joined in Redruth by the children of Benjamin's brother, John, and possibly by John himself.
Whilst in Redruth they had up to eight children. Of which at least four survived to adulthood. Two of the four, Temperance and Benjamin were both married in Redruth whilst their younger brother William was married in Wendron after the family had moved away from Redruth.
Benjamin and family lived in Redruth until either 1720 or 1721 or 1722 whereupon they moved to Helston.
With the party on the move were most probably William (about 23), Richard (about 20) and Constance (about 16), all unmarried. It is not likely that Jemima followed them to Helston but remained in Redruth as no evidence exists to place her in Helston at any time, if she survived to womanhood. Indeed it is most likely that the burial of a child to Benjamin in 1706 is Jemima as a child.
Whatever conditions prevailed to cause this family group to move to Helston from Redruth have not yet been explained, but it is most likely that they were economic migrants and that something significant had happened in the local Redruth economy. This is evidenced in the Helston Settlement Papers which required Benjamin and his son William, along with a small group of ex-Redruth residents, to appeal against their being resettled back to Redruth.
Sometime after 1728 they were joined in Helston by Temperance and her children Margery, Elizabeth and Richard. This move was probably occasioned by the death of Alexander in Redruth.
CORNWALL RECORD OFFICE: RO/4338 - SETTLEMENT APPEALS"Order to constables to warn .... William Ripper, Benjamin Ripper.... of Redruth to leave Helston or appear before the Magistrates... or give sufficient security not to be chargeable to the said Borough.... 9th February 1729/30".
CORNWALL RECORD OFFICE: RO/4338 - WARRANT, Borough of Helston
"To the Constables of the said Burrough and To each of them
"Whereas complaint hath been made unto us whose names are hereunto subscribed being the Mayor and Justice of the Said Burrough by the Churchwardens of the Said Burrough that:
"Digory Row, Wm. Rowe, John Bottrel, John Nicholls & Elizabeth his Wife, Wm. Reynolds, Richard Waterfield, Wm. Strawbridge, Abell Carbis, John Hockin, John Painter, William Ripper, Benjamin Ripper, Zathous Remfry, Jn. Remfrey, Robert Corkin, Richard Remfrey all of the Parish of Redruth;
"George Tubb of the Parish of Perranzabulo;
"Richard Minver, Henry Minver & John Roath of the Parish of Sithney;
"John Nottle of St. Agnes
"for severall months last past came from their aforesaid severall Parishes (where the said Churchwardens have been informed the above named ... William Ripper, Benjamin Ripper ... were last legally settled) to this Burrough of Helston Endeavouring to settle themselves here where neither of the above named persons doth rent Ten pounds . Annu, neither hath either of them given any Notice to the said Mayor or Churchwardens in writeing of the Houses of their Abode & the number of each of their familys or produced any Certificate or done any Act whereby to make Either of them an Inhabitant of the said Burrough contrary to an act of Parliament in that case made.
"And Whereas the above named Persons are likely to become Chargeable to the said Burrough These are therefore in his Majesties Name to comand you some or one of you to warn the said ... William Ripper, Benjamin Ripper ... forthwith to depart out of and from the said Burrough of Helston to the several places of their last Abode and settlement or otherwise to give Sufficient Security not to be Chargeable to the said Burrough
"And if Either of the said Persons shall refuse so to doe That then you apprehend the said severall Persons and bring them before us to be proceeded against according to Law Given under our hands and Seals this 9th day of February A.D. 1729.
"You are ... also required to give notice to the above named Several persons to meet the Justices at the house of Mr. Robt. ... ... In this Burrough on Monday next the 16th Instant by two in the afternoon.
"John Williams - Mayr.
"John ..."
Benjamin's son Benjamin was married to Grace Rule and went to seek his living in Illogan, where they had a son in 1723.
HELSTON
Formerly called Helleston, is a parliamentary and municipal borough, market and union town, and head of a county court district; it was formed into an ecclesiastical parish in 1845 from the parish of Wendron, in the Western division of the county, western division of the hundred of Kerrier, rural deanery of Kerrier, archdeaconry of Cornwall and diocese of Exeter; it is situate on the western side of a hill, on the high road from Falmouth to Penzance and the Land's End, and on the river Cober.
The town is remarkable for its salubrity, and is quite sheltered from the north and east winds. In the western part anciently stood a priory of the monks of St John of Jerusalem, of which a few relics exist. The town is of ancient date, and undoubtedly owed its rise and importance to the tin mines around it, which have been extremely productive. It formerly had its castle and defences.
This borough had had sixteen charters, granted to it. The earliest now extant was granted by King John in 1201, which was a confirmation of an earlier one.
In the reign of Edward Ist it was created a coinage town, and was privileged to send two members to Parliament but since the passing of the reform bill it only returns one. The parliamentary borough comprises within its limits the parish of Sithney and part of the parish of Wendron.
The principal streets form a cross, and in the centre stands the town hall, a fine building of granite. Over the main doorway is a clock, supported, by the town arms, a figure of St. Michael destroying the dragon, carved in stone. The upper portion of this building is used for holding the various courts and magistrates meetings, and the lower or ground floor forms the corn market. The meat market is in Church Street, nearly adjoining, and is a spacious building.
Coinage Hall from which the principal street takes its name, has now been converted into
a private residence. Immediately at the bottom of this street is a handsome monument, erected by subscription, to the memory of the late Humphrey Millett Grylls, esq., and a public bowling-green adjoins. The streets have a constant flow of water through them, which arises from a well north-east of the town.The river Cober is stopped in its course to the sea by a bank of sand, which the sea constantly washes up at the mouth, about 3 miles from Helston, which causes the river to expand into a fine sheet of water, called Loe Pool At certain seasons this pool becomes overfilled, and it is found requisite to make a channel through the bank, that the superabundant water may escape. The meeting of the two waters is described as a wonderful sight, and the noise is peculiar. The fishermen of the Scilly Isles are soon aware when this water has been emptied into the sea, for the current sets out in that direction, and materially affects their fisheries.
The church of St. Michael is a large building, erected in 1763, by Francis Earl of Godolphin. It has a lofty tower containing 6 bells, and consists of chancel, nave, with north south and west galleries, and contains many handsome mural monuments. The east window is of stained glass, representing "The Transfiguration". The register dates from the year 1598. The living is a vicarage yearly value £440, in the gift of Queens College, Oxford and held by the Rev. Joseph Sidney Tyacke, M.A. of Exeter College, Oxford.
The National school in church street, accommodates about 300 scholars. This school and buildings were built and endowed by Miss E Trevenen of Cross Street. The Grammar School in Wendron is endowed from the town revenues, and has an exhibition of £20 per annum, tenable for 3 years, under the will of the late Miss Trevenen. The Wesleyans have a day school of about 80 boys and girls, situate in Wendron Street.
A curious custom prevails here on the 8th of May in every year. Parties are formed which, headed by bands of music, dance through the principal streets, which are decorated with branches of trees and flowers; the dance is called the "Furry" or "Floral" Dance. The origin is unknown.
The Baptists have a spacious chapel in Wendron Street. It is in the quasi-Norman style, and has a handsome elevation. The Wesleyan Association Chapel, in Church Street, is also a handsome building and the Wesleyans have a chapel in Coinage-hall Street. The Union Workhouse, in Meneage street, is a large building, and stands on an eminence. It is capable of holding 250 Persons.
There are 18 parishes included in the union, with a population in 1871 of 28,429. The following is the list: St. Anthony-In-Meneage, Breage, Crowan, Cury, Germoe, Grade, Gunwalloe, Helston, St Keverne, Landewednack, Manaccan, St Martin, St Mawgan-in-Meneage, Mullion, Ruan Major, Ruan Minor, Sithney and Wendron.
The Guardians meet every alternate Saturday. The county court is held bi-monthly in the Town Hall; the district comprises the following places, viz:- Breage, Helston, Ruan Minor, Crowan, Landewednack, St Anthony-In-Meneage, Cury, Manaccan, St Keverne, Germoe, St
Mawgan-in-Meneage, St Martin, Grade, Mullion, Sithney, Gunwalloe, Ruan Major and Wendron.There is a branch of the Cornwall and Devon Miners Association. The Dispensary, in Church street, was established in 1809, and is well supported.
The poor have £18 yearly from Penberthy's charity.
The principal support of Helston arises from the numerous mines on the northern and western side, where many hands are employed. On the Southern side there are 12 parishes,
to which Helston is the nearest Market Town.The Miners are paid every four weeks. Markets are held on Wednesday and Saturday, but the latter is the principal market, and seldom commences before two in the afternoon. Fairs are held on Whitsun Monday, 20th July, 9th September, 28th October, and 13th and 20th of December.
The area is 292, acres, gross estimated rental, £9,283; rateable value, £7919 and the population in 1871 was 3,797 in the municipal borough, and 8,761 in the parliamentary borough.
This could be one of the other children in this family
John's baptismal record shows only the mother and records him as a bastard. There is no entry in the surviving Bastardy Bonds for Helston relating to this.
At his burial he is recorded as the bastard son of Margery Repper.
Line in Record @I492@ (RIN 282813) from GEDCOM file not recognized:
OCCU a peruke maker
The banns for the marriage of Benjamin to Ann Bryant (both of this parish) were read at Helston on 7th, 14th and 21st September 1755. The marriage was witnessed by William Repper, Benjamin's brother.Benjamin witnessed the marriage of John Winon to Ann Harvey, Helston 24 May 1762.
Life was not always easy for Benjamin and his family, as can be seen by these extracts from the settlement papers held at Cornwall Record Office (ref. RO/4389-95)
"Papers in the case of settlement of Ben Repper, 45 years, peruke maker, wife Ann, sons Roger 10 years, Thom. 8 years, John 2 years and daughter Ruth 6 years.
"Helston and Falmouth - Midsummer 1775"
Benjamin's last place of settlement was said to be Falmouth, and as it is likely he was to become chargeable to the Borough of Helston, they wished him to be removed to Falmouth.
"19th June 1775"
On examination Benjamin said he had been born in Helston and when he was about 12 his father bound him as apprentice to Richard Lambrick, peruke maker, for 7 years. His master died about 2 years later so his Indenture was delivered up, and he then went to live at Falmouth with Mathias Williams for 5 years. For the first 3 or 4 years he received no wages and had only meat, drink and lodging; after that he had wages weekly. He did not know whether his father actually signed an Indenture, nobody could find one.
Other facts mentioned in the papers:
* Benjamin was remarkably small for his age when 14
* He was a pauper
* Benjamin and his friend Thomas Hocking returned to Helston and set up as peruke makers whereupon the established peruke makers complained to the Mayor.The baptism of his daughter Margaret occured after his death, the child recorded as the child of Anne Reper, widow. The question of when he died and if Benjamin was the father of Anne is not yet resolved.
An entry in the Helston Overseers Accounts reads:
"1748 paid Ann Ripper for lodging Henry Roach, deceased 8s 6d". There was no Ann Ripper in Helston in 1748 and this is likely to be a transcription error and the date is 1784.
At the birth of her final child, Margaret, Ann was recorded in the parish register as a widow.
Mary was not mentioned as part of the family when the removal papers were drawn up in 1775. Other siblings older and younger than her are mentioned and she is less than 10 years old at this time. It is likely she had died before this event.
Line in Record @I592@ (RIN 282913) from GEDCOM file not recognized:
OCCU a glazier
Although William's trade was a glazier there were times when he clearly could not make ends meet. The first the three entries recorded below clearly indicate his dire need until he had become established.Cornwall Record Office, RO/4338 Settlement Appeals, etc.
"Order to constables to warn .... William Ripper, Benjamin Ripper.... of Redruth to leave Helston or appear before the Magistrates... or give sufficient security not to be chargeable to the said Borough.... 9th February 1729/30" [I have a full transcription of this document - Liz Phillips]. Clearly if they did leave Helston, they were soon back, although there is no record of the outcome of the warning or the potential appearance before the magistrates. The Benjamin mentioned here is William's father.In the same collection, RO/4360
"Ye account of all ye inmates now in ye Borough (of Helston) -
Meneage Street: William Ripper, glazier with wife and children. 28th Jan. 1741".Helston Overseers Accounts - 1764
"Paid William Ripper's bill about the church windows £3 5s 6d. Paid William Ripper's bill 13s 2d.
Ruth was buried as a pauper aged 95.
At Roger's burial his father is shown as William Ripper of Redruth.