Comins Family

In Memory of John Comins who died 19^th Jany 1815 aged 19 years.  Also John Comins father of the above who departed this life Sep 27^th 1842 aged 76. And Jane his wife who died July 20^th 1843 aged 81 years 

“Cholera in Goodramgate”

John Comins was born in Helmsley 1766, son of Reynold Comins.  He must have had his heart set on the city life, because by 1791 he had moved to York and married Jane Thompson at St. Maurice’s church.

Their first child, Joseph Reynold (named for his grandad), was baptised on 17 Apr 1793 at St. Maurice’s. By 1795, the couple settled in Goodramgate and Holy Trinity became their Parish Church. Their second child, John (junior), was baptised 2 June 1795 at Holy Trinity, Goodramgate. 

John (senior) was apprenticed as a whitesmith (ie: someone who works in light coloured metals) in the City. He completed his apprenticeship in 1796. His occupation is shown as a whitesmith or a blacksmith throughout his life. 

John and Jane went on to have three more children: Mary (baptised 7 May 1797), Jane (baptised 30 September 1798) and Thomas (baptised 14 June 1801). They were all baptised at Holy Trinity, Goodramgate.

Two of John’s sons followed in his footsteps and were apprenticed to him as Blacksmiths. Sadly, John (junior) passed away aged just 19 years old and is remembered here with his mother and father.

His eldest son, Joseph Reynold, also had his life cut short, but, he could not be buried at Holy Trinity as he was a victim of the 1932 cholera outbreak, which hit Goodramgate hard. The first of a spate of 155 cholera deaths in the city was on 3 June 1832. Between 25 June 1832 and 8 July 1832, just a two week period, the parish records show that 14 people died, when usually there was just a handful each month. This must have been an horrific time for the parishioners of Holy Trinity.