George Croker Fox m. Mary Were (1728-1796)
Lloyd H Fox was the half 3rd great grand nephew of George Fox and also the 3rd great grand nephew of Mary Were
8 Arwenack St.
Pair of town houses, now an office. c1770s, built for George Croker Fox
source: Grace’s Guide
G. C. Fox (Shipping Brokers) was a major shipping agency and broker in the growing freight port of Falmouth. G. C. Fox and Sons, shipbrokers, of Falmouth
1762 The company was established (presumably) by George Croker Fox
1783. Listed as ‘Fox, George C. and Sons, Merchants at Falmouth’ and also listed as ‘Fox, George C., Blake and Co. Manufacturers of cordage, twine, canvas, netting etc. of Falmouth’ [1]
1780 Robert Were Fox (1754–1818), second son of George Croker Fox, was a principal partner in the family firm, G. C. Fox & Sons, from 1780 until 1810, and during this period consolidated the company’s position in the rich Gwennap copper mines, notably as adventurers inPoldice and Wheal Unity. In partnership with John Williams of Scorrier, another local mining magnate, he also purchased the mineral rights of the duchy of Cornwall for a period of thirty-one years, operating as Fox, Williams and Co.
2003 passed out of family control on September 30. It remains the oldest ship agency company in Falmouth.
source: angelfire.com
The Fox’s of Falmouth were a wealthy Quaker family who had settled in Cornwall having come from Wiltshire in the seventeenth century to settle initially at St Germans. From St Germans in the eighteenth century George Croker Fox had established himself as a shipping agent and merchant in Fowey. Fox came to Falmouth in 1759 and in 1762 G. C. Fox & Co were founded. Although many members were Quakers they were not related to one of the founders of the Quaker movement, George Fox (1624-1691). The firm became ship brokers, a major shipping agency in the development of the growing freight port of Falmouth in Cornwall.
The family had interests in the pilchard fishery and their export to Catholic Mediterranean countries, as well as in two iron foundries. They were also suppliers and “adventurers” (put the money up) in Cornish metal mining, partners in Welsh coal mining, timber merchants and for many years US consuls in the busy international port of Falmouth. I’m unsure if the FOX full name perfin was used by any of these other companies or whether these companies shared the Falmouth office. The timber operation was taken over in 1957 by Harveys of Hayle, another perfin user (H4465.01m) but now defunct.
Fox’s of Falmouth still exist as ship brokers but the connection with Fox family ceased in 2003. Fox’s extended the electric telegraph to a signal station they built at Lizard Point in 1872, eventually this was to reduce the number of ships calling at Falmouth “for orders”, instead
they could wait off The Lizard for their orders, where to go for a cargo, or the best port to sell it.
Fox’s were active in the Society of Friends and like other successful Quaker businesses operated on Quaker principles. They were also active in the scientific community and founded the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society. Family members were also doctors and surgeons and politicians.
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2 responses
Mary Were was born in 1728.
Is there any connection with the Fal / Penryn oyster industry/Hole & Dodd?