People
The Barrett Family - Andrew Barrett
In The Surnames of Cornwall, Dr Bernard Deacon notes that the Barrett name was well established in southeast Cornwall by the late 1400s. His research also confirms that it was the most common surname in the 18th century across both Landulph and Botus Fleming parishes.
Stepping back further in time, I know from my own research, that the Manor of Ashton near St Dominick was once known as Ashton Barrett, named after the Barrett family who owned it, which can trace its origins back to John Barat, who was recorded as tenant in 1244.
In 1569, a John Barrett is listed in the Military Muster Roll of Botus Fleming parish, with his weapons of a bow, sheath, and arrows.
By 1670, Barretts are recorded in the Landulph parish registers. The earliest ancestor we can trace with certainty is my five-times-great-grandfather Richard Barrett, who married Rebecca Scantlebury at Landulph Church in 1748.
Richard farmed at Cargreen, holding a leasehold estate known as Truants. Records show he also paid rates on Chenoweth Farm, which remained in Barrett ownership for around 200 years. Alongside farming, family occupations included carpentry and market gardening.
Life was hard for the working classes and in the 19th and 20th Century several members of the family took the decision to emigrate, with most heading to Australia and New Zealand. We have met some of their descendants who have come back to the parish in search of their roots.
I include some family photographs and further information.
Robert and Betsy Barrett
Robert and Betsy Barrett are my great-great-grandparents. Robert was born at Wayton, Landulph in 1831 to John Wymond Barrett, a master carpenter and his wife Judith.
Robert married Betsy Evans who was born in Cargreen in 1836. They married in 1855, when Robert gave his occupation as mine labourer, and we can assume this may have been at one of the Cargreen mining ventures. Robert later became foreman at the bonemeal factory in Cargreen and, after its bankruptcy, served as parish roadman. They lived in a cottage above the Rectory Room at Cargreen where they raised thirteen children. Robert died in 1906 and Betsy in 1922.
Ann Barrett & Family
Sister-in-law of Robert and Betsy- Ann Barrett was born in Cargreen in 1829- the daughter of Pascoe Prideaux- Landlord of the Royal Oak.
She married Robert’s eldest brother Thomas Barrett, a carpenter of Cargreen, in 1851 and they raised a large family together. Their eldest son Edwin emigrated to Wanganui, New Zealand around 1875 and after being widowed, Ann and the rest of her family followed them around 1880. This photo was taken in New Zealand, shortly after migration. The family are now spread across New Zealand and Australia.
Fred Barrett
Fred Barrett my great-grandfather, born at Cargreen in 1870. He left school at the age of nine to work on local farms at Clampit and Collogett, before enlisting in the Royal Navy, where he served a total of 29 Years including WW1 service.
In 1899 Fred married Ethel Worden of Penyoke at Landulph Church. While Fred pursued his naval career, Ethel developed a market gardening business in Cargreen, and together they purchased Bounds Tenement.
Ethel Barrett and sons
My Great Grandparents Fred and Ethel raised three sons, pictured here with Ethel:
• William (Bill), born at Penyoke in 1900 (Gideon’s grandfather)
• Sydney, born at Penyoke in 1905 (Robert Franklyn’s grandfather)
• Francis (Frank), my grandfather, born at Cargreen in 1910
All three sons went into market gardening and farming. William worked at Bounds Tenement, Sydney at Ellbridge and later Trematon, and Frank at Chenoweth and the Landulph Glebe. Frank later moved with his family to Notter Farm, Saltash, when William took over Chenoweth with his sons Gerald and Louis (Gideon’s father). Gerald and his family emigrated to Australia in 1959, while Louis continued market gardening, and lived at Cargreen until his death in 2009.
Fred and John Barrett
My father John Barrett was born at Bounds Tenement, Cargreen in 1932, and is pictured here with his Grandfather Fred, outside of their home at Chenoweth around 1934. At this time Chenoweth was owned by Mary Jane Barrett, who my Grandfather Frank leased the farm from. My Father John lived in Cargreen until 1943, when his father Frank moved from Cargreen to Notter Farm. Below is a postcard view of Cargreen in the early 1900’s which shows Chenoweth, although the house looks different as the front was later rebuilt.
Cargreen from the West
The Barrett Family today and my story.
Gideon was the last Barrett to remain living in Cargreen until quite recently, when he and his wife Penny moved to St Dominick. I grew up and live in Saltash and there are several of my family still living locally across Southeast Cornwall.
From an early age, I have had a strong interest in the parish and would listen to my father’s stories of his early life in Cargreen, as well as reading about the local history of the area and Tamar Valley.
I never met my own Grandfather Frank, as he died before I was born, but would spend time with my Great Uncle Sid, who would talk to me about the family and Cargreen in the early 1900’s. I also received a lot of encouragement from my father’s cousin Louis who was a Market Gardener at Cargreen.
I would spend many hours at the church or travelling to Truro to research the parish records at the County Record Office. Louis introduced me to everyone in the parish. Family history group correspondence created contact with the descendants of family members that had emigrated in the 19th century and those from the mid twentieth century including my father’s cousin Gerald Barrett and the Luke family who we are related to and emigrated from Salters Mill.
Although I live in Saltash I became quite involved with the Landulph and Cargreen Community. I was part of the team working with the late Reg Rice on the Parish Paths’s Booklet, provided historical information for the Parish Map and wrote a book on the History of Landulph Church in 1999. Louis and I would do Landulph history talks together and he also encouraged me to get involved with Landulph Church where I continue to serve on the Parochial Church Council.
The following photo was taken outside of Chenoweth in 1996 during a small family gathering.
LR- Betty Dinnis nee’ Barrett, Gideon, Me (Andrew), John, Louis, Terry and Terry’s wife Gloria. Betty and Terry – were my father’s sister and brother, along with Francis and were all born in Chenoweth.
© Andrew Barrett, December 2025, All rights reserved
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