Emma Explores…Stories, Mysteries & Fame: The Fox Family of Falmouth

Many thanks to our Live “Zoom studio” audience, Linda Teather, Ann Rockley, Rachael Cook, and LaCreshia Griffin-Pope, and to all of you reading now and exploring today’s recording. Thank you so much for joining Emma - Journeys into Genealogy and me in today’s program. The program and notes below are packed with details and research tools. Feel free to add your own comments, suggestions, and ideas.

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Of Messrs. Cox, Fox, and Badger…

Emma - Journeys into Genealogy pulled us into the full delight of her family story today with a tease about not only the Cox-Fox marriage, but also the connection to a Mr. Badger. These are fun tidbits that make exploring this period so enjoyable. Emma reminds us that we know our ancestor played a role in commerce (especially during the 19th-century golden age for newspapers). A cache of information can be gleaned from print advertising (or, should I say, “adverts”).

As shared in the preview for this program, her Cox family lineage that connects with the Fox family runs through Nathaniel Fox (1835-1910) and Elizabeth Cox (1836-1906), a daughter of James Blatch Cox and Harriet (Newberry) Cox, whose remarkable family produced 9 children and 85 grandchildren. Nathaniel and Elizabeth produced 11 children, all born in Cornwall. You might want to watch Emma’s May 2025 program about the Blatch Cox family as a complement to this one.

Today’s story leaned heavily into the Fox family ties to the Society of Friends, commonly called the Quakers. Though not closely related to George Fox (1624-1691), the founder of the Society of Friends, the family was devout and adhered to both community norms and, conveniently, Quaker recordkeeping traditions.

The Society of Friends and non-conforming religious traditions were quite successful in the Americas, so many of us in this community will have relatives with roots in English Quakerism. Emma’s generous listing of resources may help you in that effort.

Resources

As she does with each program, Emma has generously shared the slides she’d assembled for her presentation:

In the slides, you’ll see a number of references Emma shared as sources for her research, including:

Websites and Materials

* The UK Quaker Society of Friends Online Library, where records are shared as document images: Quaker.org.uk/library

* Biographical dictionary of British Quakers in commerce and

industry 1775-1920 by Milligan, Edward H., available from the Internet Archive: archive.org/details/biographicaldict0000mill

* National Archives for details on Nathaniel Fox’s role as a councilman: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16290810

* Grace’s Guide for details on ancestors involved in business references fox family members involved in shipping: Gracesguide.co.uk/Fox_Family.

* Dedicated site to the Fox family Foxlinks.com revealed details on the three young members of another branch of the Fox family that founded the first Polytechnic School in England, ThePoly.org en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytechnic_(United_Kingdom)

* Cornish gardens at Glendurgan, Trebah, Penjerrick, Fox Rosehill, and Meudon, all founded by members of the Fox family

* Penjerrickgarden.co.uk/history

* Maps.app.goo.gl/M5yYGXxeERe1jXje6

* Trebahgarden.co.uk/the-fox-family-where-it-all-began

* Trebahgarden.co.uk/heritage/charles-and-sarah-fox/

* Foxlinks.com/fox-rosehill-garden

* Meudon.co.uk/blog/tales-from-the-plant-hunters

* Nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/glendurgan-garden/history-of-glendurgan-garden

* Nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/cornwall/durgan-old-school-house

* Other resources specific to Quakers

* The National Archives (TNA) for Quaker records — Discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C13331

* Quaker Strongroom blog: quakerstrongrooms.org/?s=fox

* Emma also wanted to acknowledge the family papers and photos shared by Robin Cox (another Batch descendant).

Books:

* T. Edmund Jarvey. The Rise of the Quakers. National Council of Evangelical Free Churches, 1905 (available as reprint) or free via Internet Archive. archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.69019/2015.69019.The-Rise-Of-The-Quakers (mentions George Fox)

Courses:

* Pharos Tutors Course: Nonconformity: its records and history 1600-1950 – covers Quakers, Methodists, Baptists and other non-

conformists, pharostutors.com/nonconformity-its-records-and-history-1600-1950. Starts in Nov 2026 for 4 weeks £63 or £85 assessed.

If you enjoyed this program, please take a moment to thank Emma with a ❤️ below and subscribe to her podcast, Journeys into Genealogy. You can also explore Emma’s personal publication, My Family History, which features more stories about Emma’s family.

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