Demographic

Lundy has little in the line of records of births, marriages or deaths. Its population has always been small and sporadic. Although there was a least one, and possibly two, chapels or churches on Lundy, prior to the erection of the Victorian Church of St Helena, none of their registers has survived.

The Devon and Cornwall Record Society published a Guide to the Parish and Non-Parochial Registers of Devon and Cornwall 1538 -1837. This notes that

• a Lundy born child was baptised at Barnstaple in 1594.
• marriages were performed up to around 1700
• services were performed in the ruined chapel up to 1747.

The baptism referred to occurs twice

• Rycharde, base son of Jerymie Paymente 16 Aug 1594 Borne uppone island of Loundye, being age 1 1/4 years when baptized
• Rycharde, base son of Jerymie Paymente, borne upone the Ilande of Loundye, being 1 1/4 yr old as the mother did reporte 16 Aug 1604

Census

There is no census in existence for 1841 as the island was reputed to have no population at that time. Although, the Heaven family had completed the building of their home The Villa (now Millcombe House) by 1836 and the Old Light completed in 1820 had its keeper.

The earliest census in 1851 gives details of the population of 34 people living at the Villa, the farm, the lighthouse and the castle. HO 107/1895 f64 (on three pages)

The 1861 census is notorious for the lack of surviving returns. Lundy is no exception. The Public Record Office confirms that RG 9/1505, in which Lundy was enumerated, has not survived.

In 1871, there was a larger population of 65 people, but many vacant properties due to the Lundy Quarries having closed. RG 10/1505 f59 (5 pages)

1881 RG 11/2262 f116 (in three pages) details 61 people with strangely, the Trinity House light-keepers being very coy and refusing to give their wives first names.

The final census so far released is that for 1991 (RG12/1789 f98 - in two pages) listing the main population of 35 and (RG12/1789 f102 and f103) listing the 18 men and families working at the two lighthouses and the fog station.

Births

A unique register of 11 births registered by Frederick Wilkins between 18th February 1870 and 31st December 1870 has recently been found. The births, covering the period between 20th January 1865 and 18th November 1869, were children of the Cowler, Lee, Blackmore, Chavener, Cruickshank and Goodfellow families.

Monumental Inscriptions

Apart from the 4 Dark Age stones, there are 20 gravestones surviving on the island ranging from 1861 to 1978. Recorded in LFS Annual Report and Lundy Genealogical Sources.

Parish Registers

Baptisms - Five pages have so far been used containing 39 entries from 1901 to 1994
Marriages - This book is almost full with 14 marriages between 1916 and 1996
Burials - Two pages contain 9 entries between 1905 and 1978
The original Registers remain on the island and are recorded in Lundy Genealogical Sources

References

Barnstaple Parish Register of Baptisms
Lundy Register of Births Public Records Office Kew ref RG.33/36
Lundy Field Society 39th Annual Report
Lundy Genealogical Sources Privately published by Alan Rowland 1987

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Copyright © 1997, Alan Rowland, Last Updated - 14/03/98 16:45:36