Family Branch: Bovey Tracey

The DEVONPORT, HENNOCK and (possibly also) TIVERTON branches of the family come from Hennock parish. However, the family was equally well established in the neighbouring parish of Bovey Tracey in Mediaeval times and some of the present family lines can probably be traced back to there. Unfortunately, there are gaps in the Bovey Tracey parish record and the family linkages break down in the 1700s. There are countless Pinsents who were born and/or married and buried in Bovey Tracey who are still waiting to be assigned to a tree. 

The Thomas Pinsent who founded the BOVEY TRACEY branch comes from a broken stem. I do not know his parentage but he married Jane Glanvill in 1772 and died in Bovey Tracey at the age of 80 years in 1818. He had three sons, however one died young and another seems to have died while serving in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars. He was washed overboard when his ship’s foretopmast broke off while “in chase”. The fate of the remaining brother is unknown. 

Thomas and Jane also had a daughter Jane Pinsent, who—just to complicate matters—had an illegitimate son, Thomas Pinsent, in 1806. He married Mary Mugford in 1830 and they had several sons who would have had a markedly different YDNA profile to the rest of us. Thomas died in 1839, and his widow then complicated matters still further by having an illegitimate son of her own in 1844! 

Thomas and Mary’s productive sons, John and Samuel Pinsent, left the parish and moved to Plymouth where John—undeterred by his ancestor’s fate—joined the “Senior Service” as a “stoker” on one of its newfangled steam-driven warships.  His brother, meanwhile, became an “upholsterer.” Both had sons who joined the Royal Navy and the family made a significant contribution during the two world wars. The BOVEY TRACEY line can be traced for at least seven generations. It still continues. 

More Information

For a brief look at the Bovey Tracey tree check out the Branch Summary. For the closer look at how they lived, “notable members” (marked with a ““) include full biographies. Family members marked with “” are discussed in their fathers’ biographies.

Notable Members of the Branch

Charles Hubert Pinsent, solicitor, London, 1909 – 2009.
Frederick Christopher Pinsent, able seaman, 1867 – 1890
George Pinsent, pottery painter, 1844 – 1937.
John Pinsent, stoker, Plymouth, 1831 – 1908.
John Samuel Pinsent, seaman, 1861 – 1931.
Richard Hugh Pinsent, dental surgeon, Ludlow, 1943 – 2003.
Samuel Pinsent, upholsterer, Plymouth, 1839 – 1912.
Samuel George Caleb Pinsent, mariner and shoemaker, Plymouth, 1875 – 1951.
Thomas Pinsent, agricultural labourer, Bovey Tracey, 1806 – 1839.
Thomas Pinsent, agricultural labourer, Bovey Tracey, 1738 – 1818.
Thomas Pinsent, seaman, 1835 – 1884.
Victor William Pinsent, shoemaker, Plymouth, 1909 – 1983.
William Pinsent, seaman, 1837 – xxxx.
William Abraham West Pinsent, Chief Petty Officer of the Royal Navy, Brighton, 1872 – 1958.
William Oliver Bristow Pinsent, Corporal of the Royal Air Force and mechanical “fitter,” Havant, 1900 – 1951.
William Thomas Pinsent, mason, 1865 – 1941.

All Members of the Branch