Hoskins Letter
'To America & Back with James Hosking 1811' by James Martin Hosking.
James HOSKING of Tressowe Manor was an extraordinary man,
in a day when
travel was both arduous & dangerous Mr. HOSKIN(G) traveled far & wide,
not
because of necessity, but because of his inquisitive nature, he traveled to
America not to seek a fortune, but to learn what it was like. His original
book is titled 'Narrative of a Voyage from England to the United States of
North America with Travels through part of eight of the States and Remarks on
the soil, produce, prices & agriculture in general' by James Hoskin, farmer.
I shall not dwell on his original book, except to say he was deeply hurt by
the American's treatment of negroes, and as one old man had been beaten
nearly to death by a ruthless ship's captain, James Hoskin, offered to do the
work of the dying man & cradled him in his arms as he lay dying, the man
died
and Mr. Hoskin was very upset. Something that he never forgot.
James HOSKING was christened at Ludgvan parish church on 8 MAR 1760 to James
HOSKING, the Rector was the famous Dr. William Borlase, the archaeologist,
who excavated many ancient burial sites in West Penwith, he was the Rector
for 52 years.
James HOSKING married 3 JUN 1788 to Elizabeth VINICOMBE, (cousin to Juliana,
Lady St. Aubyn), who bore him nine children. At least four of the children
died young.
In early 1803 there seemed to have been a dispute with Rev. J. Stephens,
Rector of Ludgvan and some of the flock over the matter of tithes. Legend
also has it that James HOSKING was caught kissing the Rector's wife! Mr.
Stephens said, "If I live long enough to bury you, I'll bury you in the
most
obscure corner of the graveyard, on the north side of the church." (This
part
was used for the toilet)
Hosking was so insulted he made sure the threat wouldn't be carried out. He
acquired a plot of land on Castle-an-Dinas, and in this
unconsecrated
walled garden, he, and two of his children were eventually buried.
From this lofty point 765 feet above sea level it is said that 24 church
towers can be seen.
Mr. Hosking's house which he rented, Treassowe Manor belonged to the ROGERS
family, it is still in existence. The ROGERS took over the Penrose Estate
near Helston. Hosking rented quite a few properties, in 1793 his rents were
£12.17.0 but by 1819 he was paying £67.10.0.
Some of the properties have wonderful West Penwith names, Treassow, Leary
Botts, Bokillick, Park an Grouse, Park Trycommon, Castle an Dennis Downs.
James HOSKING died 28 FEB 1823.
There was considerable interest taken in the buryin', more than usual, for
the West Cornish dearly love a good buryin', as they say if I don't go to his
funeral, he won't come to mine. Between 5,000 & 6,000 persons were present
at
the ceremony, the Rev. G. C. Smith (known as "Bos'on Smith") presided.
He was
only the second Baptist minister stationed in Penzance. He was brought before
the bench for ill-treating orphan boys, he stated that the letters B. B.
U.
after his name meant Burning Bush Unconsumed.
The year after his trip to America two of his children were buried there,
there his wife was supposed to be buried, but she is not.
Inscription on grave.
West end, "Custom is the idol of fools"
East End, "Virtue only consecrates the ground"
4 apparent tombstones East to West, (1) I.H. Aged 20, 1812 "Be ye also
ready"
(2) Blank, (perhaps for his wife) (3) I.H. Aged 63, 1823 (4) E.S. Aged 22
E.S. Aged 1, 1812.
The book states that by 1910 all of James Hosking's HOSKING clan had left
Ludgvan. In late January 1964 with snow on the ground, 141 years after his
burial, James Hosking left Ludgvan as well. The quarry was rapidly expanding
at Castle-an-Dinas, (my Uncle Harold Martin worked there). The remains of
James Hosking, his eldest son & daughter were removed by Mr. Palk the
undertaker. James Hosking's great, great grandson Mr. John Treffry Hosking
(at Penlee Quarry's expense, and with special permission from the Home
Office) had the remains & the tombstones taken to his home at Shillingham
Manor, Saltash. There they were reinterred just outside the walls of the
ruins of the old manor chapel.
Of how James Hosking lived & died,
The story has been told,
On Castle Downs they buried him
A spot he loved of old.
A hundred years & more he lay
In unconsecrated ground;
When quarrying disturbed his rest,
Another spot was found.
And so he travelled on again,
Most eighty miles conveyed;
In consecrated ground this time!
At Shillingham he's laid--
Who sailed up foreign rivers,
Who sailed on stormy seas;
Where quiet flows the Lynher,
Now may he rest in peace!
Listowner: Jim Thompson
Cornish-family@egroups.com