I. Some Rain Must Fall

A Memory of Redruth.

STEPHEN BAWDEN - oldest child of Stephen and Elizabeth Jelbert (neé Gilbert) Bawden was born in Redruth, 6 April 1812 at the end of the long and troubled reign of George III and just 7 years before Queen Victoria was born.

He was trained as a blacksmith, as were his father and grandfather. He married Mary Terrill, also born in Redruth on 8 April 1817, dtr of Samuel and Mary Tremain Terrill.

The English Colonial Empire began in 1837 with the reign of Queen Victoria. Spain's interest was waining and England was eager for expansion, and cast it's eyes upon the mineral-rich island of Cuba (West Indies). Stephen was president of Sawanee Mining Company, a mining machinery business.

A year after their marriage, dtr Elizabeth was born 10 July 1838 to this couple on Green Lane (no address). She died 24 June 1840. Just before the 1841 census, Stephen and Mary sailed for Cuba in the interest of Sawanee.