The Trewartha surname began in Cornwall, the most south-western county of England, at a time when mining, specifically tin mining, dominated that area’s economy. Here are the distributions of the name in the UK according to the electoral registers of 1881 and 1998 (click for larger images)

(’Trewartha’ clearly is not unique in spreading like this — it is a common feature of the 20th century that names and genes have spread far and wide as we as a species roam more widely, more quickly than ever before, for obvious technological reasons.)

So specifically it started around the (now) city of Truro, where Tin was being produced as early as the 1200s. The city’s Coinage Hall was originally built in the 1300s, and then rebuilt in the 1800s. It now houses a tea room and pizza restaurant. The Hall was where tin was stamped and sold around the world.

If you travel around these places you’ll find plenty of places, and even some people still, called Trevarth, Trevarthen, Trethowan, and of course Trewartha. Going back 4 generations takes my family to Chapel Porth (public photos on flickr.com of Chapel Porth) — 2 miles from St Agnes. Here’s a
long article on the history of mining around St Agnes.

Including this information on migration:

The Coinage Laws were finally abolished in 1838, resulting in considerable effects on the Smelters who sought to maintain their control by any means against depression in the Cornish mining industry, plus increasing competition from abroad. The late 1830s into the 1840s was the key period of migration of Cornish mining families, not just to other mining centres in the UK but to Cuba, Australia and Tasmania. Advertisements were everywhere in Cornish newspapers by 1839 advertising mining positions in the New World. Emigrant ships rapidly started to sail from Cornish ports such as Penzance, St Ives, Hayle, Padstow and Fowey, many of which were head to Quebec and New York in North America

Shorter BBC article about the history of tin mining.

Harry Trewartha was born in Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea hospital on Saturday, 21st July 2007 around 3 p.m. and weighing 5.6lbs.

Mother, Emma, had a short wait with Harry arriving rather earlier than expected. Mother and child are doing well and she is expected home on Sunday, 22nd July.

Further pictures will appear here

Alan Trewartha and Emma Hamilton get married in Richmond Park in September 2006.

Des Clark, Robin Trewartha’s late stepfather, much missed by my mother, Mary Clark.

Jane Trewartha, daughter of Robin Trewartha, in contemplative mood at a family ‘do’

My Mum, Mary Clark, formerly Trewartha and nee Colman,
with Des Clark, my late step-father, and my son, Alan Trewartha, designer of this web site.

In September 2003, John Smith found my link to his Aussie Web Site and he tells me that he is more than happy to field any questions as to the Trewartha family history and the ancestry of those with a Trewartha in it. John tells me his wife, also an Australian, is the one with a TREWARTHA in her ancestry. He says this goes back to a Philip and John Trewartha in the late 1500s and early 1600s, but no location identified.

In March 2003, Jim and Karen Trewartha made contact. This line live in Columbus Ohio, USA and Jim told me his father, Dan Trewartha, is from Madison Wisconsin, USA, but now lives in Sacramento, California, with his second wife, Nancy. Jim’s grandfather was the well-known Geography professor, Glenn Trewartha who worked at the University of Wisconsin in Madison..

Dan Trewartha has 2 sisters and a brother, as well as four children. Jim tells me he has a cousin named Robin who lives in the Chicago area. Jim and Karen Trewartha can be contacted at Bigtre6@compuserve.com

In September 2002, I had a quick word from Nigel Trewartha, living in Rietberg, Germany. I trust Nigel’s freelance initiative went well.

Earlier this year I had an invaluable letter from a Trewartha connection in South Africa. As it refers directly to my own paternal grandmother, I am including the letter in the next post…

Robin Trewartha with partner, Christina, and step-daughter, Jo McCash (née Mason)

Jo and Derek McCash are a soppy pair, as you can see

Grandpa Ted (Edward Williams Snr), see edwardjwilliams.com, with his granddaughter, Jo, and great grandson, Daniel.

Daniel McCash, four on 29th July 2004

Great Great Grandfather Mark Lawrence: Carpenter and Builder. Whom he married I do not know but he had three sons:

Mark Lawrence — remained with father in business.

Edwin Lawrence — learnt the business and went to London in the building trade. Became knighted as Sir Edwin Lawrence and became M.P. for Truro, Cornwall. He hought the old site at St. Agnes where he built a house for his family. He endowed Fifty Pounds per year to house to help keep a district nurse for St. Agnes.

John Lawrence — married Joan Thomas. And had four children John, Ann, Mark, William, Jane. John and Joan were my great-grandparents and they lived at Goonvrea in a farm called Bolster Farm.

The son John, my grandfather’s brother, went to London and was Chief Engineer to the Peak Frean Biscuit manufacturers, where Arthur Gilbert [my father] worked as a clerk when he left home first.

Ann Lawrence married James Nettle, who was a farmer in a small way. She had 8 children. She kept a shop in Goonvrea after being widowed relatively young.

Mark James Lawrence married Susan Roberts were my grandparents, producing three children, William Mark and Annie. There were four other children who died as babies.

William Lawrence went to Canada and had 3 children. One girl married a doctor.

Jane Lawrence married Joseph Estlick who was a mine manager and lived with her family in Brazil for 25 years. They had 7 children; some went to America and others are scattered.

My grandmother, Susan Roberts, was one of a family of 14 with twelve growing to adulthood and getting married. They nearly all went to America, one boy married and went to New Zealand. My Great Grandfather on the Roberts’ side was an Assayer in the Tin Mines.

Webmaster, Robin, with niece Frances, brother Mark Trewartha, and nephew Russell. Val Trewartha is the one holding the glass on high!

My sister, Angela Lavers, née Trewartha, and Martin Lavers, from Norfolk

Claire Lavers and Peter Lavers, Alan Trewartha and Jane Trewartha, and me (Robin Trewartha). Alan and Jane are my children, Pete and Claire are my cousins (my sister Angela’s children). This picture taken in the late 1980s.

Val, John, Pat and Elizabeth at Des’s 90th bash in May 2002

Mary Trewartha-Clark’s brother, Peter, and cousin Elizabeth; both members of the Order of Norkin

My Mum, Mary Clark, formerly Trewartha and nee Colman, with Des Clark, my late step-father, and my son, Alan Trewartha

Alan’s first public engagement at Bolton Recreation Centre, 1970

With his mother, Annie Trewartha, née Lawrence, and sister, Mildred