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The Truro cordwainers' play: a "new" eighteenth-century Christmas play - Research article: focus on traditional drama

Folklore, April, 2003 by Peter Millington

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Henry Crossman was baptised on 5 April 1772 in Truro, and died in Truro on 14 May 1849. He was one of the witnesses to the marriage of Pentecost and Jane Langdon in 1791, and he was entered in the Constable's List of 1803 as an unmarried cordwainer. There is nothing in the parish records for Truro and Kenwyn to indicate that he ever married or had children.

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William Solomon was born on 22 November 1769 in Truro, and was christened on Christmas Eve. His parents were James and Mary (nee Crossman). He married Mary Sara on the 5 April 1795 in Truro, which is where all his children and some of his grandchildren were born. He died on 24 December 1839 in Truro, leaving a will, in favour of his wife (Cornwall Record Office, 1839). It is likely that this William Solomon is the lame cordwainer listed in the Constable's List for Truro. One of the witnesses to William's will was Richard Solomon, and the Constable's List also gives a cordwainer with this name. Another witness was Mark Rowe, who may have been the "taylor" in the List. On the other hand, the will gives William's trade as "painter," but he may have changed profession in old age. Incidentally, the style of William Solomon's signature bears no resemblance to the handwriting of the play manuscript.

With William Williams, the situation is less clear, because three William Williams were born in the town in the period 1769-72, with a fourth born in 1776, all to different parents. I have been unable to identify any further biographical information for the two baptised in 1772--one each in Kenwyn and Truro. It is possible that they died in infancy, which might explain why there are only two William Williams in the Truro Constable's List.

The William Willams who is most likely to have been the actor in the play, because of the similarity of his age with the other actors, was baptised on 12 February 1769 in Kenwyn. His father was Francis Williams. William married Mary Merrifield in Truro on 28 March 1790, and he was buried in Truro on 12 August 1827. His age makes it likely that he was the cordwainer in the Constable's List.

Also because of his age, the other William Williams in the Constable's List--the unmarried servant--was probably the son of William and Jane, baptised on 17 March 1776 in Truro. It is possible that his father was the William Willams born about 1746 and buried in Kenwyn on 5 July 1833 at the ripe old age of 87. William senior would not have appeared in the Constable's List because at 57 he was too old to qualify.

John Rowe is the actor's name for which the least satisfactory biographical information is available. The closest match, in terms of date, is the John Rowe baptised in Kenwyn on 5 October 1772, and who married Sarah Williams on 18 July 1793 in Camborne. His age and marital status are consistent with him being the cordwainer in the Truro Constable's List. However, there is an older John Rowe, married on 8 April 1770 in Truro, who just possibly could also be the cordwainer. Then again, if he was over 22 years old when he married, he would have been too old to qualify for the list. This is cutting it fine. I have not been able to find records for the second John Rowe in the List of unstated trade, unless it is the one baptised in distant Lanivet (SX0364) on 9 October 1774 and who married Jane Pascoe in Truro on 3 September 1797. However, his age and marital status do not seem to tally with the "Second Class" status of this person in the List. On balance, the John Rowe born in 1772 is most probably the play actor, because of his similar age, his marriage to a member of the Williams family, and his likely cordwaining occupation.

The Truro cordwainers' play: a "new" eighteenth-century Christmas play - Research article: focus on traditional drama

Folklore, April, 2003 by Peter Millington

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