In 1496 mention is made of tin and stone being quarried in Restowrack Manor. It would appear that the china clay was not mined until 1798 and one of the companies still holds the title of “Goonvean and Rostowrack”, taking its name from the area. The farm passed out of the family on the marriage of Margaret, daughter and heiress of Ralph Restorake, to John Petit of Ardevora in the early 15th century. It is interesting that Ardevora forms a triangle with Philleagh and Ruan Lanihorne, and that Petit’s granddaughter married Thomas Trevanion of Carhays, the latter three places all being where our surname is found in the 16th and 17th centuries. (See John Norden’s 1610 map of POWDER HUNDRED.)

Coming from such a small location as a farm, the surname has always been rare. All those with the surname Restorick, Restarick (and Restrick where it was originally Restarick) living in the UK as of 2018 are descended from either Joseph, John or William, the three sons of John Restarick, yeoman, of Axmouth, Devon, who died in 1644  during the English Civil War so his will has survived and is in the Public Records Office. It mentions all his children and grandchildren in turn showing that Joseph Restorick of Colyton was his eldest son. John’s two younger sons stayed in Axmouth.

John and Josias Restorick of Colyton took part in the unsuccessful Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 when James, Duke of Monmouth, an illegitimate son of the late King Charles II, tried to take the throne from Catholic King James II. They were tried at Dorcester where Josias was sentenced to be executed and John was ordered to be transported to the West Indies as a Slave on the sugar plantations and his land was confiscated.

John and Thomas Restarick and James Restorick served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

William Restarrick, born in Cornwall, enlisted in the 43rd Regiment in 1816 as a Quebec Recruit and served in France and Canada.
Samuel Restorick enlisted in the Royal Marines and went to South Australia in 1836 with the first Governor.
William and Francis Pring Restorick of Colyton settled in Ontario whilst Frederick Wm settled in Chicago.
Samuel Restorick, born 1815 in Devon, settled in Indiana.

Richard, Thomas and Walter Restarrick, brothers born in Cornwall, settled in Boston and fought in the American Civil War.
John Restorick of Colyton joined the London Metropolitan Police in 1844 and served 15 years.
James Restorick of Colyton settled in Jersey – his descendants settled in Scotland and Ontario, some becoming Restricks

Henry Bond Restarick, born 1854, emigrated to Canada as a teenager then to the US and ultimately became the first American Bishop of Honolulu when control of Hawaii passed to the US from Great Britain. His brother Arthur Edwin became a Methodist missionary in Ceylon.

For general enquiries please email us at:  j.restorick@ntlworld.com