Discussion of the Norfolk Connection

Comments on the Norfolk Connection I

If they did come from Norfolk, history seems to provide a context in which it makes sense. This was about the time of the enclosure laws. Rural people were losing access to land that had been used by the community for centuries. This would have been keenly felt in Norfolk which was largely rural. The following excellent article by Bruce Pointon gives a picture of Norfolk at the time. (Tough Times.PDF )  Note please observe the copyright restrictions contained in the article. Also I believe England had an active assisted migration program aimed at increasing the protestant proportion of the population in Northern Ireland. (If anyone has a good reference for this, please let me know.)
All this would support a picture of James and Elizabeth and children propelled by poverty and political convenience to Ireland, but  finding life just as difficult there, and stealing for food.

Comments on the Norolk Connection II

Unfortunately, I am not sure the James and Elizabeth connection holds up
The Flegg Island site  has James and Elizabeth having children still in Norfolk, while our James and Elizabeth are having Children in Ireland (Sarah was born in 1811)

Ormesby St Margaret
                James and Elizabeth Cole marry 1807
                John Cole - baptised 1807 buried 1807
                John Cole - baptised 1808
                Mary Anne - baptised 1812 buried 1812
                James Benjamine - baptised 1813
Hemsby  :
                Mary Anne - baptised 1816
                Robert - baptised 1817
                Elizabeth - baptised 1820
                George - baptised  1823
                Elizabeth - buried  1865 aged 44 see birth above
                Elizabeth - buried  1868 aged  84, ie born about 1783
                James - buried 1859 aged  81, ie born about 1777
Ormesby St Margaret and Hemsby are a mile and a half apart in the Norfolk broards, 18 miles east of Norwich, so this looks like one family.

Search of the LDS site for 1802-12 for England and Ireland gives only one marriage (James Cubit + Elizabeth), the one above
Search of the LDS site for 1782-92 for England and Ireland gives three births for James
    1789 St George Colegate, Norwich, Norfolk (Robert Cubit and Ann Yeoman)
    1784 Burlingham Saint Peter, Norfolk (James Cubit and Elizabeth Appleton)
    1787 East Rushton, Norfolk (James Cubit and Hannah Long)
But note well the LDS records are incomplete for England, and very incomplete for Ireland

The Norfolk connection is strong, if not immediate. I did a search for English births of John Cubit late 1700s early 1800s , and  only 38 out of 204 were not in Norfolk

English 1851 Census, Parish of Hemesby, Yamouth Rd, Norfolk
                                                                                                                                  Where born
James Cubit             Head       Mar     73     Farmer 5 acres, employing one man         Sutton, Norfolk (abt 1777)
Elizabeth Cubit         Wife         Mar     66                                                                   Ormesby, Norfolk (abt 1784)
Elizabeth Cubit         Dau           U        30                                                                   Hemesby, Norfolk (abt 1820)
William Bullock        Visitor       Widower    83    Agricultural Labourer                        Plumstend(?), Norfolk
Note this James died in Hemesby in 1859, see Flegg Island notes above.

Conclusion
(1) The Elizabeth Cole connection looks to not be valid
(2) The James Cubit born to James Cubit and Hannah Long in East Rushton, Norfolk in 1787 is still possibly our James, He is the only person in English records who fits. However, there is a good case also for his birth in Ireland, with the documentation having been lost
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