The Family That William Carbis Left Behind

Article 2- Convict Ancestors & Relations

William Carbis Senior/The Older

Figure 1 Descendant Tree for William Carbis. For image credits see below

William Carbis(Senior) was the second of six children to William Carbis and Elizabeth Nechollens.[i]  When he was transported he not only left his parents and five siblings behind but also his wife and three of his four children. His son William and his son-in-law were also convicted and transported with him.[ii] 

William's Parents

William Senior's parents, William Carbis and Elizabeth Nechollens were married in Elizabeth's parish of Sennen, his father, William, travelling from the parish of Paul for the occasion.[iii]

Figure 2 Banns of Marriage between William Carbis & Elizabeth Nechollens. For image credits see below

They stayed in the area. Their first two children, Mary and William Snr., were baptised in the parish of St Buryan in 1758 and 1761 respectively. The four subsequent children were baptised in the parish of Paul and this were the family seemed to settle.

Figure 3 Parish map of the Tip of Cornwall For image credits see below

William's own family

William Carbis Snr. was living in Paul and working as a husbandman when married Ann Drew, also living in Paul in 1783.[iv]

Figure 4 Banns of Marriage between William Carbis & Anne Drew. For image credits see below

William Snr. and Anne had 5 children: Ann Drew, William (The Younger), Martha(who died before the age of one), Martha, and Richard.^[v]  In 1812 William Snr. was a seaman or perhaps he was an agricultural labourer out of work (who followed his son to sea for work) William (the younger), to sea to earn a living or avoid detection of the authorities.

When William Snr. was convicted of sheep stealing he was convicted with his son William (the younger), and his son-in-law Francis Bassett.[vi] [Read more about what happened.] There appear to have been strong links between the Carbis and Bassett families. The families seemed to have known each other very well. 

Connections between the Carbis & Bassett Families

The two families lived relatively closely together just walking distance apart according to the newspapers which helps to explain why there was also two marriages between them.  William Carbis Snr's daughter Ann Drew Carbis married Francis Bassett in 1806 and Martha Carbis married Francis' brother John Bassett in 1812.[vii]  It was at the end of 1812 that the crime was committed and the three accused absconded to sea. [viii]  But it wasn’t 1815 that they were caught, convicted and sentenced. It would have been a great drain on those remaining behind in Cornwall having lost 3 bread winners.

It is known that Martha Bassett nee Carbis migrated to Victoria, Australia in 1852 with her husband, John and their adult children.[ix] It is not known if she had any contact with her father, brother or brother-in-law. It is also thought that Richard Carbis may also have come to Australia.

Theme - Convict Ancestors & Relations - May 2017

Article 1 - The Crime, the Arrest, the Sentencing

Wiki Tree Link for William Carbis

Image Citations

Image 1 Descendant Tree for William Carbis. Private Collection of Sandra Williamson

Image 2 Banns of Marriage between William Carbis & Elizabeth Nechollens. "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Sennen Marriage banns, marriages, 1754-1812, Entry #3 for William Carbis & Eliza Nechollens, married 18th August 1755, p.1 (image 4 of 27 )

Image 3 Parish map of the Tip of Cornwall -  "Cornwall Online Parish Clerks". 2016.Cornwall-Opc.Org. Accessed June 15 2016. http://www.cornwall-opc.org/MAPS/maps.php.- Note two maps used to create new edited image (http://www.cornwall-opc.org/MAPS/parish_map.pdf & http://www.cornwall-opc.org/MAPS/great_britain.gif )

Image 4 Banns of Marriage between William Carbis & Anne Drew. "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Marriage banns, marriages, 1754-1813 p.488 Entry for William Carbice and Anna Drew married 29th September 1783 (image 65 of 143)

[i] "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro,  St Buryan Baptisms, marriages, burials, 1718-1812, Entry for Mary Carbence, baptised 7^th January 1758, p.32, (image 20 of 88 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11839-55390-56?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro,  St Buryan Baptisms, marriages, burials, 1718-1812, Entry for William Carbence, baptised 23^rd March 1761 p.34, (image 21 of 88 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11839-63031-81?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro,  St Paul Baptisms, marriages, burials, 1694-1775, Entry for John Carbis, baptised 4^th December 1763 p.78 (image 50 of 101 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11597-141997-38?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro,  St Paul Baptisms, marriages, burials, 1694-1775, Entry for Martha Carbis, baptised 17^th October 1765 p.81 (image 52 of 101 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11597-139946-34?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro,  St Paul Baptisms, marriages, burials, 1694-1775, Entry for John Collins Carbis, baptised 16^th August 1770 p.89 (image 57 of 101 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11597-146252-28?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro,  St Paul Baptisms, marriages, burials, 1694-1775, Entry for Richard Carbis, baptised 8^th March 1775 p.97 (Image 60 of 101 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11597-141189-30?cc=1769414)

[ii] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: New South Wales Government. Musters and other papers relating to convict ships. Series CGS 1155, Reels 2417-2428. State Records Authority of New South Wales.  Entries for Wm Carbis Senr, Wm Carbis Junr & Francis Bassett (Image 1 & 2 of 8)

[iii] "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Sennen Marriage banns, marriages, 1754-1812, Entry #3 for William Carbis & Eliza Nechollens, married 18^th August 1755, p.1 (image 4 of 27 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12434-39920-25?cc=1769414)
[iv] "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Marriage banns, marriages, 1754-1813 p.488 Entry for William Carbice and Anna Drew married 29^th September 1783 (image 65 of 143 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11130-158740-54?cc=1769414)

[v] "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Baptisms, burials, 1776-1812, Entry for Anne Drew Carbis baptised 14^th November 1784 p.17 (image 13 of 82 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11597-137203-30?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Baptisms, burials, 1776-1812, Entry for William Carbice baptised 10^th May 1789 p.25 (image 18 of 82 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11597-140471-83?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Baptisms, burials, 1776-1812, Entry for Martha Carbice baptised 7^th October 1792 p.31 (image 21 of 82 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11597-146403-25?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Baptisms, burials, 1776-1812, Entry for Martha Carbis buried 13^th September 1793 p.111 (image 21 of 82 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11597-146403-25?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Baptisms, burials, 1776-1812, Entry for Martha Carbis baptised 5 October 1794 p.36 ( image 26 of 82 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11597-144620-24?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Baptisms, burials, 1776-1812, Entry for Richard Carbis baptised 17^th August 1797 p.44 (image 30 of 82 at https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DTJ7-DXZ?i=29&wc=3CBW-PYM%3A138123201%2C140206301%2C1582895306%3Fcc%3D1769414&cc=1769414)

[vi] West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser 7th April 1815 Pg. 4; Royal Cornwall Gazette 22^nd April 1815

[vii] "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Marriage banns, marriages, 1754-1813 p.245 Entry for Francis Bassett and Ann Carbis married 7^th November 1806 (image 127 of 143 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11130-159132-4?cc=1769414); "England, Cornwall and Devon Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016), Cornwall Records Office, Truro, Paul Marriage banns, marriages, 1754-1813 p.273 Entry for John Basset and Martha Carbis married 15^th March 1812 (image 141 of 143 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11130-159580-8?cc=1769414)

[viii] West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser 7th April 1815 Pg. 4; Royal Cornwall Gazette 22^nd April 1815

[ix] Unassisted Immigration to Victoria - Inward Passenger Lists for British, Foreign and New Zealand Ports 1852-1923 (PROV Series VPRS 7666, 7667 and 7786), Fiche Page B197 009 - DEC 1861, GREAT BRITAIN.

x 2016. Cornwall-Opc.Org. CORNWALL ONLINE PARISH CLERKS website Accessed June 15 2016. http://www.cornwall-opc.org/MAPS/parish_map.pdf