James Good Tunny

James Good Tunny

The Tunny Family

Thank you to Julian Bukits, who has been researching the life and work of James good Tunny for providing the following information:

Julian wrote:

Parents

James Good Tunny was born in Edinburgh on April 8, 1820.

He was the son of:

- Neil Tunny, an Irish immigrant who became a hand-loom weaver, and

- Catherine Tunny (nee Good)

Shoemaker

At the time of the 1841 census, James Good Tunny, then aged 21, was described as a shoemaker.

He was still described as a shoemaker, them employing one man, in the 1851 census.

He was then about to embark on his photographic business which would bring him wealth.

Family

There were many early deaths in the Tunny family.

He survived all 3 of his wives, and at least 5 of his first 6 children.

He had 11 children. See the table at the foot of this page for further details.

His strong liberal views influenced the naming of his earlier children: Elihu, Mazzini and Syme.

J G Tunny died in Edinburgh, aged 67, on 24 September 1887.

Julian Bukits, Southside, Edinburgh: February, 2007

Message from a Relative of James Good Tunny

Bruce Ralston

New Zealand

Thank you to Bruce Ralston, New Zealand, for providing a little more information on J G Tunny's family, and for supplying one of the three dates of death that were missing from the table below.

Bruce wrote:

Emigration to New Zealand

"I was very interested to come across your pages about James Good Tunny while doing a bit of family research.

I am not a descendant, but his son James Mazzini Tunny migrated to New Zealand in the early 1870s. He married my great grandmother Phoebe Dennett (she was previously married and divorced) on 12 June 1875 in Auckland.

He practiced as an analytical chemist and established a sulphur works. They had two children, including a son named after his grandfather, who also died young (aged 20) in 1896. The other child, a daughter Phoebe Margaret, married William Bruce and had 6 children.

James M Tunny died on 24 September 1882 in Auckland, five years to the day before his father. So all six of his eldest children predeceased him. The widow of James Mazzini Tunny married another Scotsman, my ancestor."

Bruce Ralston, New Zealand: October 31, 2006

Message from a Relative of James Good Tunny

Sheldon Cunningham

Plano, Texas, USA

Thank you to Sheldon Cunningham, USA, for providing a little more information on J G Tunny's family, and for supplying one of the three dates of death that were missing from the table below.

Bruce wrote:

Emigration to New Zealand

"This weekend, I Googled "J. G. Tunny Photographic Edinburgh" because the name was on the back of a family photo (subject unknown), and I also knew that Neil Tunny was my relative. I found your site and am very pleased to find the information that you have published on my second great granduncle, James Good Tunny.

James's sister, Elizabeth, married Colin Cameron in St. Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh and later emigrated to America in 1849. Her sister Catherine and husband Robert Pennycook also came to the US. Elizabeth's grandson, Arthur Cunningham of Detroit, Michigan, is my grandfather.

As you might guess, I am very interested in gathering any additional information, sources, etc. that you might have or know about regarding the Tunny family. Also, do you have or know of any pictures of the Tunny family that might be copied?

Sheldon Cunningham, Plano, Texas, USA: February 14, 2007

If you can help Bruce by providing any further information or photos, please e-mail me and I'll pass on your message to him.

- Peter Stubbs: February 14, 2007

James Good Tunny & Family Births, Deaths, Marriages
Who?		Birth	Death
James Good Tunny	Photographer	8 Apr 1820	24 Sep 1887 Age 67
Margaret Smith	Wife 1 Married 17 Dec 1847	c.1821	12 Aug 1857 Age 35
Cornelius Elihu Brown Tunny	Child 1	29 Oct 1848	31 Dec 1862 Age 14
Amelia Marion Tunny	Child 2	Jul 1850	25 May 1851 Age 10m
James Mazzini Tunny	Child 3	10 Jul 1852	24 Sep 1882 Age 30
Thomas Brown Syme Tunny	Child 4	23 Jan 1855	10 Sep 1872 Age 17
Elizabeth (Leeba) Hancock)	Wife 2 Married 29 Dec 1858	c.1835	15 Sep 1861 Age 25
Leonard William Hancock Tunny	Child 5	5 Dec 1859	18 Jul 1881 Age 21
Leeba Emma Amelia Tunny	Child 6	11 Jan 1861	10 Nov 1881 Age 21
Margaret Wilson	Wife 3 Married 23 Nov 1866	c.1841	25 Jun 1877 Age 35
Norah Annie Wilson Tunny	Child 7	20 Apr 1867	27 Mar 1923 Age 55
Florence Nightingale Tunny	Child 8	25 Apr 1869	16 Jan 1937 Age 68
Margaret Wilson Tunny	Child 9	1 Jan 1871	28 Sep 1890 Age 19
Mary Ellen Tunny	Child 10	25 Dec 1873	?
Kathleen Good Tunny	Child 11	2 Mar 1874	?
The table above is based on information provided by Julian Bukits