Notes added below, which may be expanded or revised at a later date.
A Pidwell house, built c1844, for the brother of Samuel Pidwell that owned Morrab House.
Trevear House
Built 'by' Samuel Pidwell c1844
(despite other suggestions, it is not shown on the 1842 Tithe Map)
son of Thomas Pidwell, of Penzance.
He lived at the house next door - in 1842 Jamaica Cottage/alias Trevear Cottage.
Samuel was a merchant born 1756, died 1847 at Trevear Cottage.
He retired age 69 having amassed great wealth, which he used to provide the independent chapel's galleries 1826.
He was a local preacher, he owned property in Gas Court.
He endowed the chapel with £10 per year for a thousand years (I do not think that has been continued).
Samuel's wife was Elizabeth Hewett of Truro, buried St Mary's churchyard.
Trevear House was built for his nephew Thomas Pidwell.
Nephew Thomas Pidwell was brother to Samuel Pidwell of Morrab House. [viz]
Thomas Pidwell's eldest son was also Thomas Pidwell.
Thomas Pidwell(jnr-b 1807) married Evelina Davis at St Gluvias 14th February 1838.
In 1841 they lived at Number 11, Chapel Street [viz in Chapel Street Album]
One of their daughters was Evelina, who (reportedly) became a distraction of John Blight's,
to the point of him losing heart and mind to her, but it was not to be.
Thomas Pidwell served with Edward Giddy Penzance surgeon,
and became a local surgeon himself, but died early 1851.
His wife shows in the 1851 census in Alverton Terrace as a widow (Landed Proprietor) aged 33, with seven children;
It must have been a terrible blow to her, so young, at least she had funds to be able to cope.
She later moved to Trevear Cottage, still there in the 1891 census.
Before 1881, another widow took over Trevear House ...
whilst her house at Tredarvah (Alverton) was bing built.
Julia Harvey (from Hayle, though Prussian by birth) was also 'blessed' with funds to support her.
Julia Katarine Wilhelmine Harvey died in 1902, buried St Erth 17th Feb; aged 84.
1891 sees another widow, Ellen Patience Backhouse of Grampound; her husband was a Yorkshireman died 1889.
Ellen died in 1896, having moved from the house.
In 1893, came Penzance's new Medical Officer to the Penzance Union Workhouse and Medical Officer
and Public Vaccinator to Number 1 District of The Penzance Union.
Adam William Thorburn Steer, M.R.C.S.England, M.R.C.P.London, L.S.A.
His address is given as Trevear House, Alverton. A man of distinction travelled widely.
By some quirk of fate, he died of malaria in 1901 in Jamaica, as well as his two sons, where they are buried.
Trevear has been from c1910 occupied by William Robert Miller, MD.
Trevear has been Headquarters of St.Ives Constituency Liberal Party, St.Ives Constituency National liberal (Later Conservatives) Party; then became County Court Office 1970s.
All in all, it does not appear to have been a happy place
Raymond Forward
