OATES - January 2021 - Person Sheet
OATES - January 2021 - Person Sheet
NameRichard OATES , M
Birthabout 1827, Pendeen, Cornwall, England
Baptism17 April 1827, St Just In Penwith, Cornwall, England
Death29 October 1906, Woodstock-0n-London, Marong, Victoria, Australia, (13773)
BurialMarong, Victoria, Australia
FatherRichard OATES , M (~1799-~1865)
MotherElizabeth BURNETT , F (~1796-)
Spouses
Baptism21 May 1837, St Buryan, Cornwall, England
Birthabout 1837
Death25 January 1921, Woodstock-0n-London, Marong, Victoria, Australia, (2396)
FatherJames PENROSE , M (~1803-)
MotherSally BLEWETT , F (~1813-)
Marriage23 November 1870, Pendeen, Cornwall, England
ChildrenRichard , M (1874-1955)
 James Penrose , M (1879-)
 Annie Jane , F (1880-1965)
Notes for Richard OATES
23 Nov 1870 by Licence
Richard Oates 41 Independent Means of Bojewyan (Father: Richard Oates, Miner)
Jane Blewett Penrose 33 of Carlartha (Father: James Penrose, Farmer)

Richard Oates was the co-founder with John Deason of the “Welcome Stranger” gold nugget found at Moliagul, Victoria, Australia on 5th February 1869.

The following is from Greg Campbell’s tree:
H8 - Richard Oates

Richard Oates reputably came from Tresco, Scilly Isles and, according to tradition came to Australia with John Deason. However, research does not appear to confirm this. What is known is that Richard Oats (not Oates), was born about 1827 in Cornwall, probably in St Just in Penwith, where he was baptised on 17 April 1827. His parents are Richard Oats and Elizabeth Burnet: married 15 October 1825, Madron. Richard Oats (senior) was born about 1799, St Just, baptised 27 July 1799, St Just, the son of James Oats (1752-c1809) and Jane Tonkin (c1763-1851). Richard Oats (senior) died about December 1865 and was buried in the churchyard St John the Baptist, Anglican, Pendeen. Richard’s mother, Elizabeth, was born about 1796 in Gwinear, died sometime after 1871 and was buried alongside her husband at Pendeen. Their son Richard placed a fine memorial on their graves.

The 1841 census notes the family as:
Parish of St Just, village: Bojewyan
Richard Oates, aged 40 years, miner copper & tin, born Cornwall
Elizabeth Oates, aged 45 years
Richard Oates, aged 13 years.

Note: Bojewyan is situated on the main road, approximately 1 kilometre north-west of Pendeen.

The 1851 Census notes the family as:
Parish of St Just, Ecclesiastical District of Pendeen, village: Bojewyan Stennack
Richard Oats, head [of household], married, age 53 years, miner, born St Just
Elizabeth Oats, wife, married, age 55 years, born Gwinear
Richard Oats, son, unmarried, age 22 years, shoemaker, born St Just.

Note: Bojewyan Stennack is situated on the main road, approximately 0.5 kilometre north-west of Pendeen and 0.5 kilometre from Bojewyan.

Richard arrived in Melbourne on 25 July 1854 on board the ‘Norwood’. He was an unassisted migrant, aged 25 years at the time of embarkation in Liverpool, 17 April 1854, and his occupation was noted as a miner.

As to when Richard met up with John Deason is not certain, as we have no record of Richard on the Bendigo goldfields. Richard may be the Richard Oats registered on the Victorian Electoral Roll of 1856:
“Richard Oats of Forest Creek”, voting under ‘miner’s right’ in the Fryerstown division.

Note: there is also a “Richard Oates” registered in the Beechworth area. However, this is a considerable distance from Bendigo where Richard is known later on.

Richard was single, and after the discovery of the ‘Welcome Stranger’ nugget with John Deason, he returned to Cornwall to marry Jane Blewett Penrose at Pendeen in 23 November 1870.

At the time of their marriage Richard was noted as “born 1828, son of Richard Oates, miner and Elizabeth Burnett”, Richard was also noted as “of independent means of Bojewyan (co discoverer of the Welcome Stranger Nugget at Moliagul, Vic), bachelor 41 [years]”. Jane was noted as “baptised 21 May 1837, SB; daughter of James Penrose, farmer, and Sally Blewett”. Jane was also noted as a “spinster of Calartha 33 [years]”. Witnesses were James Penrose and William Williams.

Pendeen is only a short distance from Bojewyan, where Richard was living as a boy in 1841.

Jane’s parents are James Penrose and Sally (Sarah) Blewett. Jane was born about 1837, probably in St Buryan, where she was baptised 21 May 1837.

The 1871 Census notes the family as:
Parish of St Just, Ecclesiastical District of Pendeen, village: Bojewyan
Richard Oates, head [of household], married, age 41 years, miner, retired born St Just
Jane Oates, wife, married, age 32 years, born St Just
Elizabeth Oates, mother-in-law, widow, age 66 years, born St Erth

Note: the above record should have read “mother” and not “mother-in-law”.

Richard and Jane returned to Australia and had four children:
• Richard Oates, born 14 March 1874, Moliagul, died Bendigo 1955
• Sarah Elizabeth Oates, born 5 November 1875, Dunolly, married James Lanyon 1896
• James Penrose Oates, born Dunolly 9 January 1879, married Kathleen Jane Miller, 1916
• Annie Jane Oates, born 29 March 1880, Dunolly, married Donald Vic Gow, 1911, died 23 October 1965, buried Marong, one child, Lorna (note: headstone shows husband as “Donald Eric Gow”).

Richard died 29 October 1906 (and according to Max Deason’s research, at Woodstock-on-Loddon). Richard owned a farm in that area. Jane died in 1921, aged 84 years, possibly also at Woodstock-on-Loddon (death registered at Marong). Richard is buried at Marong alongside his daughter, Annie.


More information on OATE(S) can be found at:
http://www.oats.org.uk (May 2006) by Rob OATS <[email protected]>.

Given Name
Richard
Surname
Oates
Alternative Name
 
Title
 
File number
101/700
Death Date
29 Oct 1906
Death Date notes
 
Grant Date
20 Dec 1906
Grant Date notes
 
Nature of Grant
P
General Notes
 
Occupation
Farmer
Residence
Woodstock On Loddon
Country of Residence
 
State of Residence
 
Residence notes
 
To whom committed
 
Notes for Jane Blewett (Spouse 1)
Jane was of Pendeen.
Last Modified 5 June 2009Created 3 January 2021 using Reunion for Macintosh
Created on 3 January 2021.
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