Page 18 - William Thomas Maddren in Cornwall

William Thomas Maddren was married 3 times, he sadly lost two wives and one child before he emigrated to New Zealand. His first marriage was to Jane Deason (born 23rd Sept 1844), they were married at St Marys on the Scilly Isles on the 21st June 1864, their first child Elizabeth Jane was christened on the 6th November and their first child sadly died 7 days later, on the 13th November. Their second child also called Elizabeth Jane (Ginny) was born 5 years later on the 29th June 1870 in the Isles of Scilly, Ginny survived to adulthood and emigrated to New Zealand with William.

Sadly Williams first wife Jane died of Consumption (tuberculosis) on the 26th July 1871 and she was buried at Madron in Cornwall. That left William with a 1 year old child to look after. William then married Elizabeth Jane Jenkins (born in 1851 in Madron) on the 4th May 1872, they were married in Madron however she sadly died a few months later on the 11th August 1872 of smallpox. William again had a young child without a mother.

William then remarried for a third time, he married Agnes Steer Snell (born 18th Feb 1854 at nearby Paul, New Lynn , Cornwall) on the 23rd August 1874, they were married at Madron in Cornwall. William, Agnes and Ginny then emigrated to New Zealand about 1 week later. Agnes was then shortly after followed to New Zealand by her father and most of her family, most settled in Canterbury, this family later were parents to Peter Snell the famous Olympic runner.

I have death certificates for his wives, I will also travel to the Scilly Isles in Sept 2021 and hope to find out more about William and his connections to St Mary's. Madron is adjacent to Penzance and Penzance is still where the ferries depart from, to go the 4 hours trip to St Mary's, there are still many connections between the two places.