Vital Statistics
William Swain Pinsent: 1843 – 1920 GRO0911 (Brewer, Newton Abbot)
Harriet Eliza Cookson: 1846 – 1892
Married: 1868: Hempsted, Gloucestershire
Children by Harriet Eliza Cookson:
Ethel Mary Pinsent: 1869 – xxxx
Kathleen Blanche Pinsent: 1871 – 1949 (Married Cedric Barkley Prall, Captain India Medical Service, 1899, Calcutta, Bengal, India)
John Douglas Pinsent: 1872 – 1936 (Bank Manager; Married Mary Elizabeth Watts, 1906, Portsmouth, Hampshire)
William Henry Pinsent: 1874 – 1949 (Brewer, lodging house keeper; Married Minnie Gertrude Pearse, 1897, Newton Abbot and Teignmouth)
Family Branch: Devonport
PinsentID: GRO0911
References
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William Swain Pinsent was the middle son of John Ball Pinsent by his wife Hannah Davie (née Swain). He was born in Newton Abbot in 1843 and lived at “Minerva House” in Newton Bushel. He grew up and received his education in Newton Abbot – presumably in expectation that he would join his father and his two surviving brothers in running the family brewery business. William Swain Pinsent and his elder brother Thomas Pinsent were either apprenticed to, or actually working as “clerks” for a “general merchant” in Birmingham when the Census was taken in 1861. They were living on Hagley Road and their mother Hannah Davie (née Swain) was there for a visit. William’s father, John Ball Pinsent was at home with his youngest son—also called John Ball Pinsent.
William married Harriet Eliza Cookson, the second daughter of a Gloucester “surgeon”, in Hempsted Parish Church in 1868. The 1871 Census shows that the couple lived in Pitchcombe, a small village southeast of Gloucester, for a few years while William worked as a “cashier” in a bank in Gloucester. Their first two daughters, Ethel Mary Pinsent and Kathleen Blanche Pinsent were born in Pitchcombe, in 1869 and 1871 respectively. William and Harriet Eliza moved down to Devon in 1872 and their sons, John Douglas Pinsent and William Henry Pinsent, were born in Newton Abbot – while William Swain, at least nominally, worked for his father at the family brewery. Ethel attended the local girls”High School for Girls” and received a prize for French in 1885 (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 19th December 1885).
White’s History, Gazetteer and Directory for Devonshire shows that Mr. and Mrs. William Swain Pinsent (of the firm of “Pinsent and Sons”) and their family lived at Pool Park, Highweek Street in Newton Abbot in 1878. They were still there in 1883 (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 19th May 1883) but they had moved to Rose Hill, in Mill Lane on the Highweek Road, by 1886 (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 23rd January 1886). William’s wife Harriet Eliza Pinsent died there, aged 46, in April 1892 (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 9th April 1892). William stayed on and was still there when his daughter Kathleen Blanche married a “Captain” in the “Indian Medical Service” in Calcutta in 1899 (Western Times: Friday 1st December 1899). William moved into his father’s old home “Minerva House”, after his death in 1901.
William’s precise role at “Pinsent and Sons” is uncertain as there seems to have been very little demarcation between his father’s and his brothers’ activities and his own. However, he and his younger brother John Ball Pinsent “junior” may have been in charge of the sale of wine and spirits through the family’s off-license outlet. In 1877, we find William Swain Pinsent was called as an expert witness in an action for breech of contract heard at “Torquay County Court”. The owners of the “Commercial Hotel” in Torquay sued Messrs. George and Charles Finch, “wine and spirit merchants” of Exeter, for breech of contract for failing to supply three hogsheads of “Hennessy’s” and two hogsheads of “Martell’s” brandy at a previously agreed price. In this context, a hogshead probably consisted of around 52 imperial gallons. The suppliers refused on the grounds that their salesman had exceeded his authority and offered the spirit at an unreasonably low rate. They thought he might have been drunk when he made up the contract. William was called on to explain the “custom of the trade”. He agreed that the prices negotiated were much lower than the going rate when the contract was signed. Nevertheless, a contract was a contract, and His Honour expected the Finch brothers to respect it (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 19th January 1877).
William does not seem to have been as committed to the brewery as his brothers—or at least not before they died in 1889 and 1890 respectively. From then on, he becomes more noticeable as he becomes more noticeable as he helps out his aging father. In 1895, we find “Messrs. W. S. Pinsent and Co., coal dealers of Newton Abbot” in front of the local Magistrates at the Petty Session charged with delivering short weight on their coal (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Wednesday 15th May 1895). Similarly, we find that it was William, not his father, who bought the “Cleave Hotel” at Lustleigh at auction for £2,060 in October 1899 (Western Times: Thursday 26th October 1899). Apparently, there had been strong competition from Exeter breweries. His father must have been horrified by the price. William Swain seems to have been ready to take over the business when his father died in 1901.
The DEVONPORT branch of the Pinsent family was still pretty close at this point. It is interesting to note that when Miss Fanny Pedley (“late of Shaldon House”, South Devon) married Mr. J. Christie of Edgbaston Birmingham in Coventry in May 1901, Mr. W. Swain Pinsent gave them a dining room clock and Mr. R. A. Pinsent presented them with a silver cigarette box. Several family members attended the wedding (Coleshill Chronicle: Saturday 4th May 1901).
Before his brothers died, William seems to have preferred to focus on community affairs and on his particular passion, breeding and exhibiting exquisite poultry. He started to do this while still living in Gloucestershire in the 1860s. In 1863 he exhibited birds at the “Bath and West of England Show” when it was held in Exeter that year (Western Times: Tuesday 9th June 1863). He tried breeding show-dogs for a while in the early 1880s, and we find that his black and tan terrier “Thistle” was highly commended at the “Devon And Cornwall Dog Show”, in Plymouth, in December 1881 (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette Daily Telegrams: Thursday 15th December 1881). However, his first real taste of success came when his nicely coloured Dorking cock and hen both placed first at the “Devon and Cornwall Poultry and Pigeon Show” later that year (Western Times: Friday 9th December 1881). A week or so later, he was awarded a three-guinea cup for winning at the “West of England Fat Stock Exhibition” at Devonport (Western Times: 14th December 1881). From then on in the 1880s, he was the man to beat in the Dorking class.
Dorkings are thought to be an Italian poultry breed that was first introduced into Britain by the Romans. They are particularly attractive birds that were originally much favoured around Dorking in Sussex, where they were primarily bred for their meat. The exhibition craze that took hold of the country in the mid to late 1800s was, as the Bristol Mercury and Daily Post (Thursday 23rd February 1882) readily admitted, strongly encouraged by the railway companies: The paper tell us “that the Great Western Railway Company ran cheap trains, and there was a considerable influx of visitors (into Taunton) from neighbouring towns.”
William Swain won £1 10s and another cup at the “Yeovil Poultry Show” in January 1882: “Dorkings, especially, were fully represented, some of the most noted local breeders as well as exhibitors from a distance, sending specimens. In the first class, there were 10 entries. The bird placed first well deserved the honour, as admitted by other exhibitors in the class. It was, to use the words of a well-known breeder of Dorkings, ‘the best bird ever seen in the West, and points beyond the other prize-takers in the same class.’ The second bird was of wonderful colour, with a good comb; it was, indeed, no other than the ‘Palace cup cockerel’, belonging Mr. J. Hebditch, jun., of Stratton, near Ilminster, and it will grow into a magnificent bird. The third bird was a very good specimen, but much older than the other two. Hens came out strongly. The prize-takers (in cock and hen categories) belonged Mr. Pinsent, of Newton Abbott, Mr. Hebditch, Messrs. Newick, of Crewkerne” (Western Gazette: Friday 27th January 1882). It is a shame that colour photography had yet to be invented—it would be nice to see the birds in question. William fought a long duel with Mr. and Mrs. Hebditch over the next few years. William’s birds won again at the Taunton and West of England Poultry Show, in February: “Mr. Pinsent of Newton Abbot had the pleasure of taking not only the two first prizes for coloured dorkings, but also a silver cup. His birds were capital specimens of their breed, and there was not a point wanting in them” (Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser: Wednesday 1st March 1882). Mr. Hebditch, again, came in second.
In May, it was the “Devon County Agricultural Show” (Western Times: Friday 19th May 1882). In June, William was awarded a Silver Cup at the “Royal Cornwall Agricultural Society” meeting for a “pen of Dorkings” (Exeter Flying Post: Wednesday 21st June 1882). When it came to the “Crewkerne and Ilminster Poultry Show” in December, he was less successful. His cock took a night off, but his hen came in second for a 10s prize. Mind you, when it came to the cocks, “the first and cup went to a massive bird of the old-fashioned stamp. It was thought by many local exhibitors that though this bird possessed some good points, its ugly head and feet would have told much against it” (Western Gazette: Friday 8th December 1882). William’s return visit to the “West of England Fat Cattle, Poultry and Dog Show “in Plymouth was once more successful. He took first and a cup for coloured Dorkings (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette; Friday 15th December 1882). Evidently William had time to pursue his hobby and his Dorkings travelled well by rail – despite the smoke and soot.
The pattern continued in 1883, although not without a few setbacks. At Yeovil, where he took second prize for one of his cocks (10s), and was highly commended for another, a “well known fancier” observed that the first had “been over-shown and is losing feathers”: most embarrassing. Mr. Hebditch came in third (Western Gazette: Friday 26th January 1883). From Yeovil it was off to Helston in Cornwall, where the town held a “Dog and Poultry Show” to coincide with its annual “Flora Day” – with its singing and dancing in the streets. He again came second for his cock and won with his hen (Cornishman: Thursday 10th May 1883). He had the best cock and hen at the “Devon County Agricultural Show” too and also at the “Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show” (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 18th May 1883 and Royal Cornwall Gazette: Friday 22nd June 1883).
The birds seem to have rested up for a few years in the mid-1880s and William wasn’t a contender again until the “Devon and Cornwall Poultry, Pigeon and Cage Bird Society Show” in November 1887. His Dorking cock came first, followed by Mrs. Hebditch, and his hen came second, again followed by Mrs. Hebditch (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Thursday 1st December 1887). His birds won at the “Torquay Poultry, Pigeon and Cage Bird Show” and he was awarded the “Spratt’s Patent Limited” silver cup for the best pen of birds in his class (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Thursday 15th December 1887). His birds took top honours again at the “Bristol and Western Counties Show” the following January (Bristol Mercury Thursday 5th January 1888). They came in first and third for “Dorking, Cock or Hen” at the “Worcester Poultry Show” later that month (Worcestershire Chronicle: Saturday 28th January 1888). William did well at Helston in May (Royal Cornwall Gazette: Thursday 10th May 1888) and his birds came first in both cock and hen categories at the “Somerset Agricultural Show” that was held at Weston-Super-Mare that year (Western Times: Wednesday 16th May 1888).
The successes continued: William’s Dorkings came first and third in the “Dorkings (coloured) cock and hen” category at the “Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show” at Newquay (Royal Cornwall Gazette; Thursday 21st June 1888). His birds showed well again at the “Devon County Agricultural Show” at Barnstaple a week later, where they came first and second in the coloured Dorking “cock and hen” category and secured a “special award” (Western Times: Thursday 28th June 1888. Similarly, they won in August at the “Cornish Dog, Poultry, Cat and Cage-Bird Show” at Penzance (Cornishman: Thursday 16th August 1888) and were unbeatable at Torquay in December (Western Times: Friday 14th December 1888). He must have had quite a breeding programme.
William’s cocks were off their game in the New Year at the “Banstaple Poultry, Pigeon and Cage Bird Show”; they only came in second and third, but the hens performed well and were ranked first and third (North Devon Journal: Thursday 10th January 1889). The cocks performed better in May, when William took first for Dorking cock, and first and second for Dorking hen at the “Somerset Agricultural Show” at Yeovil (Western Times: Friday 17th May 1889). At the “Devon County Agricultural Show”, Mrs. Josiah Hebditch finally won first prize for her coloured Dorking (cock or hen) and William was reduced to a second and third (Totnes Weekly Times: Saturday 25th May 1889). Nevertheless, he got a measure of revenge a week later: “Mr. Pinsent of Newton Abbot was first for Dorking cock and hen, while Mrs. Hebditch took second honours for Dorking cock and only h.c. (highly commended) for hen. At Totnes, Mrs. Hebditch was first and Mr. Pinsent second and third for the same birds. It should be noted the Mrs. Hebditch has taken no less than four cups in five years at the Devon County Shows, in addition to many other valuable prizes for her splendid poultry” (Western Gazette: Friday 31st May 1889). Admittedly, her trophies were not all for Dorkings, Mrs. Hebditch, and her late husband before her, had also shown turkeys, geese and other varieties of poultry and she was less committed to her Dorkings than William. Come June, William’s cock came in second but his hen took top honours at the “Bath and West of England Show” (Exeter Flying Post: Saturday 8th June 1889). It was a similar story at the “Royal Cornwall Show”, where William’s coloured cock and his hen were both first in their respective classes (Cornish Post and Mining News: Friday 21st June 1890 coloured ).
Flying high (William – not the birds), William Swain took his birds further afield. He took them to the “Crystal Palace Poultry Show” in London in November that year and showed off two of his Dorking cockerels. They were both claimed at the catalogue price of £60 (Western Times: Saturday 23rd November 1889). He went to Leicester in August 1890 and came second for his cock, his hen and pullet, and third for his cockerel (Leicester Chronicle: Saturday 2nd August 1890). A few months later he was in Birmingham for its “Poultry Show”: There, he won first prize and a cup for his dark Dorking cock, claimed second prize for his pullets, third for his hen and fourth for a cockerel. A cup-grade pullet was claimed for £25 (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 6th December 1890).
In Liverpool in January 1891, he came first for his cock but seems to have missed out on the other prizes (Liverpool Mercury: Wednesday 28th January 1891). That year, William was awarded several more awards at Bridgwater in February and took first prize for his Dorking cock and hen at the “Devon County Show” at Exmouth, in May (Totnes Weekly Times: Saturday 30th May 1891). He also did well at the “Royal Cornwall Agricultural Society” meeting and his birds showed off at the “Royal Agricultural Show” at Doncaster in June. The York Herald (Tuesday 23rd June 1891) opined: “Dorkings were a particularly strong lot. Amongst the coloured Dorking cocks a very fine bird, the property of Mr. W. S. Pinsent, Newton Abbot, South Devon, was selected as winner. We believe the same bird carried off the first at the Crystal Palace” also “There was no doubt as to the first for a hen of the same breed getting into the proper hands when it was secured by Mr. Pinsent, for his bird was a long way in advance.” His cockerel won and “Amongst the pullets the same thing occurred as in the three previous classes, so that Mr. Pincent thus carried off the four premier prizes for coloured Dorkings with the only four birds he had in the exhibition, which it must be admitted was a fairly good performance:” indeed. He did well again in Leicester, and at the “Crystal Palace”—where his cock again came first (Exeter Flying Post: Saturday 21st November 1891) – and in Birmingham a few weeks later where one of his dark Dorking pullets was claimed for thirty pounds (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 5th December 1891). There are still no photographs, but we do at least have an engraving of two of the winning birds. It is a frontispiece to a book entitled “Poultry Keeping as an Industry for Farmers and Cottagers” by Edward Brown, published by “The Fanciers’ Gazette Ltd. in 1891.” The caption reads “Dark or Coloured Dorkings Bred and the Property of Mr. W. S. Pinsent of Rose Hill, Newton Abbot, the Winner of Cups at Birmingham: 1889”.
What was the secret of his success? Writing to the author of the above on 2nd May 1891, William said: “I never feed for size, or take much trouble with them, nor do I ever feed on meal or any patent food. They get egg and breadcrumb, wheat, groats, and best rice boiled in milk, given hot, and a good grass run of three acres; plenty of clean water. This season I have out 124 chickens finishing breeding three weeks ago and do not on an average loose more than two chicks a year to sickness. I hatch under hens.”
Unfortunately, William’s circumstances changed radically with the death of his brothers Thomas Pinsent in 1889 and John Ball Pinsent in 1890. He became heir apparent to the brewery and his aging (70 year old) father’s only remaining support. William’s wife, Harriet Eliza (née Cookson) also died after a long illness in April 1892 (Western Times: Thursday 14th April 1892). This must also have been a blow.
William remained fond of the birds. He sponsored two cups (valued at three and two guineas respectively) at the “Newton (Bird) Fanciers’ Society Show” in 1893 and 1894 (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 9th September 1893); however, he did not participate in any other way. He seems to have put the birds to one side for a few years and focused on family matters. He did, however, attend the occasional show and (usually) won when he did. For instance, his Dorking coloured hen was first in class at the “Bath and West of England Society” meeting at Taunton in May 1895 (Western Times: Thursday 30th May 1895). This was despite the fact that “many of the birds showed signs of moulting and were therefore not seen to the best advantage” (Weymouth Telegram: Tuesday 4th June 1895).
William returned to more competitive breeding later in the decade. However, even then he seems to have restricted himself to the the local District and County shows. At Minehead in Somerset in 1897, his Docking cock only came in second, but two of his hens came first and third (West Somerset Free Press: Saturday 22nd May 1897). Similarly, along with other more local successes, he placed first and second for “Dorkings, any variety, cock or hen” at the “Devon County Show” when it was held in Newton Abbot under his own watchful eye in 1898 (Totnes Weekly Times: Saturday 21st May 1898). William was actively involved in the planning of the show that year as it was held in his home parish of Highweek. Interestingly, on this occasion he also submitted a greyhound “Rosehill Kathleen” in the “Open, dogs and bitches” category at the “Royal Devon Show” that year. It was “commended” (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Wednesday 18th May 1898). Presumably he took the same dog at Redruth a few weeks later, as one of his greyhounds came in second (The Cornish Telegraph: Thursday 4th August 1898).
In a few years time, he was to turn his attention to showing harness horses and “hackneys”. In the meantime, his cock placed first at the “Royal Cornwall Show” in Penzance in June 1898 (Cornishman: Thursday 16th June 1898) and his hen came in third. He also had one of his cocks place first and two of his hens place first and third at Yealmpton in June the following year (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 9th June 1899). William’s interest in Dorkings was far from over! Although his cock only came in third, his hens ranked first and second at the “Devon County Show” in Torquay in 1901 (Western Times: Wednesday 15th May 1901). His cock did better at Bodmin at the “Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show” a few weeks later. There, it came first and won a “special” (probably a silver cup) and his hens came in first and third (Cornish and Devon Post: Saturday 15th June 1901). However, that seems to have been the last of his major poultry trophies. Where he kept them all I have no idea. As we shall see, he was fast developing interests into other fields and by then there was always the brewery to worry about.
In fact, it is hard to see how he could have had much time for the brewery—what with his birds and a commitment to community work that started shortly after he returned to Newton Abbot in the 1870s. The town of Newton Abbot in those days consisted of two separate parishes (Wolborough and Highweek) that elected councils at annual vestry (parishioner) meetings held on “Ladyday”—near the end of March. Once elected, the parish council appointed “guardians” and “overseers” to help with parish duties. In 1877, William Swain Pinsent was appointed one of four “overseers of the poor” (Western Times: Thursday 29th March 1877). In times past, an “overseer” was responsible for ensuring vagrants met residency requirements and for distributing relief. However they had lost most of their historic duties as a result of the 1834 “Poor Law Amendment Act”. Nevertheless, some parishes retained them to collect the parish rates, which was a job that you would think few parishioners would actually lobby for. Still, it was a step towards a more powerful position on Council.
The following year, William Swain and his brother John Ball Pinsent attended the annual vestry meeting and took part in a discussion on the building of a new schoolroom. William seconded a motion to proceed and to set up a committee to solicit funds (Western Times: Thursday 28th March 1878). In 1879, William was appointed to the rural “Sanitary Authority Committee” (Western times: Friday 28th March 1879). Someone had to ensure the drains were cleared and, in truth, the brewery definitely needed clean water and good, hygienic, drainage. He was still on the committee in 1883 and he was reappointed “overseer” again in 1888 (Totnes Weekly times: Saturday 31st March 1888). By then, he was a well-established member of the civic hierarchy.
In March 1887, the “Portreeves” of Wolborough and Highweek (the men in charge of ceremonial duties) called a joint meeting to come up with a plan for festivities to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s “Golden Jubilee” later that summer. W. Pinsent was appointed to a committee to study options and their plan was duly implemented (Western Times: Friday 24th June 1887). Another sign that William had “arrived” on the civic scene, came in the form of a summons to serve on the “Grand Jury” at the “Devon Quarter Sessions” in January 1889 (Western Times: Thursday 3rd January 1889). He was called on again in 1895 (Western Times: Wednesday 16th October 1895), and also in 1904 (Western Times: Wednesday 29th June 1904). William was, at the same time, becoming more involved in local politics. In 1889, William Swain Pinsent and John Ball Pinsent (either his brother or his father), signed one of three sets of “Nomination” papers in support of Lord Clifford’s unopposed candidacy as “Member of Parliament” for the Chudleigh at the upcoming general election (Western Times: Friday 11th January 1889).
Newton Abbot (South of the River Teign) and Kingsteignton (North of the River) shared a considerable amount of inter-related infrastructure and there were efforts made, periodically, to integrate the three service providers. In October 1888, the Highweek parishioners met to appoint delegates to meet with those from the other two parishes (Wolborough and Kingsteignton) to discuss the election of a single representative for the “County Council” (Western Times: Friday 12th October 1888). In 1890, William failed in a bid to win election to the “Highweek School Board” (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 26th September 1890); however, he tried for the “Parish Council” four years later and this time he succeeded. He must have lobbied hard as he came second out of fourteen successful candidates, coming in behind Mr. John Vicary, J.P., but (doubtless smugly) ahead of the Vicar! At their first meeting, he was appointed vice-chairman (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 22nd December 1894). He later chaired the “Parish Council” through to its merger with the Wolborough “Council” in 1901.
The “Parish Council” met in the School Room at least monthly and operated through subcommittees that were responsible for monitoring charities, education, health, sewerage, highways, lighting, etc. As far as Highweek was concerned, the “Parish Council” also served as its “Local District Council”. They had slightly different duties that were dealt with separately, and meetings of one frequently evolved into meetings of the other. The “parish council” was supported by “overseers”, and assisted by technically trained “inspectors”. Mr. John Vicary, J.P., officially chaired the two committees but William frequently stood in for him.
On Tuesday 31st March 1896, the Western Times wrote: “The Parish Council completed their year of office on Thursday night, when Mr. W. S. Pinsent presided, the other members present being Messrs. C. Adams (2), J. Olver, R. Pascoe, W, L. Shilston, and T. Weatherdon. Major Kitson sent a note regretting his inability to be present. The principal business was the passing of accounts owing by the Council to Ladyday. The principal items were those connected with the lighting of the public lamps, the cost of the gas for the half-year amounting to over £ 40 exclusive of repairs and cost of lighting. The bills were passed and ordered to be paid. On the motion of Mr. Olver, seconded by Mr. Pascoe, a cordial vote of thanks was given to Mr. Pinsent (vice-chairman) for so ably presiding at their meetings during the enforced absence of the Chairman (Mr. J. Vicary) through illness. A parish meeting was subsequently held for the purpose of giving the Council authority to issue precept on the overseers to raise the sum necessary for lighting the parish until 31st March 1897, estimated at £ 150.” Mr. Vicary stepped down the following March, claiming ill health, leaving William Swain as the undisputed chair.
The committee meetings were well covered in the press. In the mid-1890s, the emphasis was, as shown above, on community lighting (Western Times: Friday 18th January 1895) drainage (Western Times: Tuesday 23rd April 1895) and the state of the roads. The parish shared common infrastructure with Wolborough, such as the bridge over the Lemon River and it took a considerable amount of technical and financial discussion before Highweek was prepared to signed off and agree to pay a third of the cost to widen it (Western Times: Wednesday 14th August 1895). The council was careful about spending money and it was reluctant to get too involved with central government— which, it thought, invariably came up with overly grandiose (and expensive) plans. In December 1895, the parishioners discussed the pros and cons of applying to become an “Urban”, rather than “Rural District Council”. Wolborough had gone that route but Highweek was a more rural parish and it held back. The idea was rejected (Western Times: December 5th 1895). However, the issue would not go away, and the following June the parish formed a sub-committee to look into the desirability of merging with the “Newton Urban District Council” (Western Times: Friday 12th June 1896).
The two parishes came together at a common meeting in February 1897 to consider how best to celebrate Queen Victoria’s “Diamond Jubilee”. Needless to say, committees were formed (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 5th February 1897). At a later meeting, it was agreed that it should be a public holiday and funds should be solicited for events in the community. At a “General (joint) Committee” meeting that William presided over in June, “it was decided to hold an open-air dance in Courtenay Park from 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m., an indoor dance at the Alexandra Hall from 10 p.m. to mid-night and that the recreation ground was to be lighted with an immense illuminated device, the gas Company providing the gas free, the Committee paying £4 for labour; that the Volunteer band be engaged at a cost of £17 10s and that a procession be held at 10. a.m., starting from Forde Park” (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 18th June 1897).
This sense of unity was reinforced in August, when the inhabitants of Newton Abbot agreed that their community should host the “Devon County Agricultural Association Meeting” in the coming year. Yet another committee was formed (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 6th August 1897). However, there were also more mundane issues to be dealt with. The Highweek “Parochial Sanitary Committee” had to deal with overflowing sewage at Mile End. William suggested that perhaps Miss Wall could be asked to allow a pipe to carry it into her meadow … (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 13th August 1897)? It did not help that six cases of typhoid fever were identified in Mill Lane in October. The necessary remedial work was done but Highweek’s neighbours on the “Newton Rural District Council” were predictably somewhat scathing about it (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Tuesday 12th October 1897). Perhaps they had their eye on the upcoming “Agricultural Association Meeting”. This sort of publicity was not good! At the same time, the “Newton Urban District Council” was trying to solicit Highweek’s support for a community bathhouse. This meant yet another set of committee meetings for William to attend … (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Tuesday 19th October 1897. It would all have to be paid for.
Lord Clifford opened the “Devon County Show” on 16th May 1898 on grounds that were in Highweek Parish and it fell to Mr. Pinsent, in his capacity as chairman of the “Highweek Parish Council” to make a welcoming address. He welcomed Lord Clifford and the Members of the Association and, after some preliminary comments, admitted that “Some difficulty arose first in finding a suitable site but owing to the kindness of Miss Wall and Mr. Vicary, it was overcome. It was true the ground was not as level as might be desired, but it was hoped that would not be found an inconvenience. They were glad to observe that the total number of entries this year was larger than last year, but this was no doubt partly due to the number and value of the prizes that were offered …” (Totnes Weekly Times: Saturday 21st May 1898). Presumable the site did not include Miss Wall’s meadow, as the sewage issue mention earlier had not yet been fully resolved!
A few weeks later, “Mr. W. Pinsent presided at the meeting of High week Parochial Sanitary Committee. It was reported that nothing had been done to remove the nuisance caused by the overflow of sewage into the road at Mile End. Mr. W. L. Shilston complained of the “fearful smells” arising from the spot. The Inspector promised to get something done during the ensuing month” (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 17th June 1898). In fact, drainage was an issue and it was clear that something had to be done about it. Four tenders for new sewer pipe were placed in May the following year (Western Times: May 10th 1899) and once they were in, the council had to encourage its parishioners to link in their drains – and accept additional cost (Western Times: 16th August 1899). Then there was the small matter of cleansing the Lemon and Little Lemon Rivers to deal with … (Western Times: Thursday 14th September 1899).
On another matter, William gave the residents of Highweek an update on the “Bath and Washhouse” issue alluded to earlier. After a false start, they finally had a plan to build one in Newton Abbot and its “Urban Council” was looking for Highweek’s approval and financial support; which was given (Western Times: Friday 16th June 1899).
After their evident success as hosts for the “Devon County Agricultural Show” in 1898, “Highweek Parish Council” and “Newton Urban District Council” had to plan for a visit from their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York, who would be passing through on their way to visit Lord Clifford at “Ugbrook House”. William was not amused to find that the Royals would not actually pass through Highweek when they came, and he asked that the route be changed. Mr. Bearne, for the “Urban District”, said it was out of his hands and that Lord Clifford had said no (Western Times: Friday 23rd June 1899). Doubtless, the Highweek parishioners felt slighted.
However, they retained their patriotic fervour and soon joined with their Wolborough friends in forming a committee to plan the celebrations to mark the end of the “Second Boer War”. This war had received considerable exposure through the press during the “Siege of Mafeking“, which had only been relieved a few weeks earlier: “A number of suggestions were mooted as to the best means of celebrating the event, but the consideration of them was left to the Committee. Mr. Pinsent proposed that Mr. C. Pope and W. H. Jarvis be the hon. secretaries. These gentlemen performed the duty at the Jubilee celebrations and did remarkably well” (Western Times: Monday 11th June 1900). In fact, it was too soon to celebrate as the war dragged on for another two years. William was Chairman of the “Peace Committee” and he was faced with a dilemma – what to do with any extra money raised? In June 1902, he recommended that the residue be transferred to the then current “Coronation Committee” (Edward VII) on condition that the second day of its celebrations include recognition of the recent cessation of the hostilities (Western Times: Saturday 7th June 1902). There were plans to build a “Free Library and Technical College” and the festivities were to include the formal laying of its foundation stone, on 26th June 1902 (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 21st June 1902). Needless to say, the police requested that the road be blocked off.
The Urban District Council knew that Highweek Street needed to be widened and that it would mean the expropriation of a small amount of land from a few property owners, including William Swain, who owned Nos. 1, 3 and 5 Highweek Street (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 15th November 1902). He had no problem selling them the land; however, Mrs. Cox, the tenant of one of the lots, who’s family ran a basket weaving operation out of shed on it objected. Presumably the matter was resolved as William later asked for any land excess to need to be sold back to him (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 20th June 1903).
Highweek Council was largely focused on local issues in 1900. There was garbage to be collected and sewage pipes (and the Lemon River) to be cleaned. And, there seemed to be a mountain of potable water and sewerage pipe to lay. The parish still relied on gas lighting and among other items we find that it paid the “Newton Gas and Coke Company” £45 14s 6d for maintaining the mantles and supplying gas for three months (Western Times: 11th July 1900). One reason the lighting cost was high was that the lights were frequently vandalized. The parish offered a reward for the unmasking of offenders (Weekly Times: Friday 17th August 1900); however, there was no immediate response. That year, the parish council was progressive enough to experiment with incandescent (electric) streetlights (Western Times: Friday 16th February 1900)—admittedly almost a century after Edison came up with the idea.
A long-standing issue that came to the fore in 1900 was the question of how and when to incorporate “Highweek Parish Council” into “Newton Abbot Urban District Council”, which covered the parish of Wolborough and most of the town of Newton Abbot. The Council spent a considerable part of the year finalizing plans for the amalgamation, which came about at “Ladyday” the following year (1901). William was finally able to retire from his civic duties and pay more attention to his business and his other passions, which now included horses. It must have been strange being on the outside: in June 1903, he wrote to the “Newton Council” through his lawyers asking if they would be willing to sell him a piece of land (Western Times: Tuesday 16th June 1903). I do not know if they did or not.
Mr. John Ball Pinsent, the senior partner in the firm of “Messrs. Pinsent and Son, brewers of Newton Abbot”, died in January 1901 at the age of 81 years. Queen Victoria died a few days later; both had had a long run. John Ball had been in failing health for some time (Western Times: Friday 18th January 1901) and the brewery, and all that went with, it now passed to William as his only surviving son. He had a lot to deal with in the early 1900s as regulatory costs were increasing and the brewery was finding it hard to compete with larger entities, and with product shipped in from other parts of the country.
William’s poultry breeding days were over but he still found time to breed animals and show them off. However, he switched to a different, more upmarket hobby, breeding trotting horses. He competed in County and district events for about seven years. In 1903, the poorly named “Newton Abbot Dog Show” hosted competitions for horses and their riders, and for trap-drivers, and that was the niche he went for. His first outing was in Newton Abbot (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 3rd July 1903) but his first taste of success came at the “Paignton and District Agricultural Show” in July the following year. His “harness horse, gelding or mare, over 14.3 hands, to be driven in a single harness” came in second and won when the category was limited to farmers and tradesmen living within ten miles of the show ground (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Thursday 21st July 1904). The horse was called “Minerva”, after the Pinsent family home. Presumably it was the same horse, driven by a Mr. Sellwood, who won “easily” at the “South Brent and District Dartmoor Pony Society Show” in August (Western Times: Thursday 4th August 1904). “Minerva” also won as best harness horse again at the “Paignton Regatta Show” later in the month (Western Times: Wednesday 17th August 1904), as it did at the “Kingsbridge Agricultural Show” in September (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Saturday 17th September 1904).
It was the same story the following year. He either won or placed in driving competitions at the “Paignton and Newton Abbot Agricultural Shows”, and “Minerva” won again at South Brent (Western Times: Thursday 10th August 1905). However, he dropped to second place at the “Paignton Regatta” that year. “Minerva” lost out to Miss Burston’s horse, “Camelion” (Totnes Weekly Times: Saturday 25th August 1905). William came back with “Royal Cadet” the following year and placed third at the same competition at the “Devon County Show” at Tavistock (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Wednesday 23rd May 1906). He moved up to second place at the “Launceston Agricultural Society” event in July, again just behind Miss Burston, and the following week he moved up to first, ahead of her at the “Paignton Agricultural Show” (Western Times: Thursday 26th July 1906).
A few days later, William took a new horse, “Lady Olivette” to the “Devon and Exeter Horse Show” and it won in Class 25; the “mare or gelding, exceeding 14.2 hands, which on being driven and tested on the show yard shall be adjudged to be the cleverest single harness horse (local)” category. However, it failed to place when entered in the open category (Western Times: Tuesday 31st July 1906).
With this horse, William had a winner—both as a stand-alone mare and also as a trotting horse. He took her to Bath where we find “Feniehurst Lady Olivette” (as she was formally known) placed first, after being adjudged the best hackney in the competition. She also received the “Hackney Society’s” silver medal “for the best hackney or pony, mare or filly or foal that is registered or eligible for registration in the Hackney Stud Book” (Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Friday 7th September 1906). It was a similar story at the “Devon County Show” at Bideford the following May. However, this year he entered horses in both the “over 15 hands” and the “under 15 hands” categories. They came in second and third respectively. Miss Burston won in the first event and her father (or brother?) won in the second (Western Times: Thursday 23rd May 1907). At Bideford, William may have been trying out a new horse in the first category as, a month later at Yealmpton, his entry in the single harness horse, “15 hands and over” category “that had never won a prize in a harness class exceeding £1 in value” category won (Totnes Weekly Times: Saturday 8th June 1907).
The same horse seems to have won again at the “Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association” meeting later in June (West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser: Monday 17th June 1907). His horses won in the “over” and “under” categories at Redruth and he was presented with a silver cup valued at £5 5s by Lieut. Col. Viscount Valletort and the Officers of 3rd Batt Devon and Cornwall Light Infantry for the best harness horse in the show (Western Times: Tuesday 9th July 1907). “Lady Olivette” was back in harness and won at the “Devon and Exeter Show” later the same month (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 19th July 1907); and his horses competed with the Burstons and others and placed in both the larger and the smaller categories at Paignton and Tiverton. He did not always win, but he had a pretty good record that year. “Mr. Pinsent’s “Royal Cadet” stood out conspicuously as the best of an excellent lot …” at the South Brent—albeit a relatively minor show (Totnes Weekly Times: Saturday 10th August 1907). It was the turn of “Feniehurst Lady Olivette” to receive the honours (and a medal for the best Hackney or pony mare, filly, or filly-foal) at the slightly more prestigious “Bath Horse Show” in September (Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Thursday 12th September 1907).
At the “Devon Agricultural Show” the following year, William lost out the Burstons in both categories but “Feniehurst Lady Olivette” was, once again, awarded the silver medal offered by the “Hackney Horse Society” for the best hackney or pony mare, filly or filly foal that was registered or eligible for registration in the “Hackney Stud Book” (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 22nd May 1908). Presumably the Burstons’ entries did not qualify. The natural order of things was, as far as William was concerned, reasserted at the “Cornwall Agricultural” show at Helston, and later at Redruth (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 12th June 1908). Perhaps William had been showing off his horses with a view to their ultimate sale. He let one of them go at a major sale of quality horses, brood mares, and young stock held after the “Exeter Horse Show” (Western Times: Tuesday 21st July 1908). However, he kept “Feniehurst Lady Olivette” and she came second in her class at Bath in September that year (Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Thursday 10th September 1908).
William won again at Helston with “his fine chestnut Minerva” (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 15th May 1909) and “Feniehurst Lady Olivette” was, once again, adjudged the best Hackney mare; however, she lost out to Miss Burston’s “Heathfield Squire” at the “Bath and West Society Show” in the driving competition (Western Daily Press: Friday 28th May 1909). Over the summer, William competed at Redruth, at Paignton and at Launceston and did well, winning most of his events. He also won in one category at Honiton (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 27th August 1909). At Exeter, his horse came in second (Western Times: Wednesday 8th September 1909).
William was in his mid-60s by now and coming to the end of his career breeding and showing quality livestock. It was time to give something back and, as a wealthy brewer, he was in a position to do so. He donated silver cups in support of the various events he had partaken in over the years. In 1908, Mr. Hosken, the president of the “Hayle Horse Show” committee, remarked to applause that of the three silver cups donated that year one was from “a very good sportsman, Mr. Pinsent” (West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser: Thursday 30th July 1908). It was for a “Mare or gelding, any age or height, bred in Cornwall to be tested in single harness”. It was offered again the following year.
A few years later, William wrote to the “Devon County Agricultural Society” offering to sponsor two silver cups for winners in harness-class events at the upcoming show in Newton Abbot. The organizers thanked him but perhaps surprisingly declined his offer, saying that there were no events in that category worthy of such a generous offer. It is true that the number of people who actually competing in these events seems to have been quite limited. Otherwise, it is doubtful that William and the Burstons would have had the consistent successes they did. The Organizers wrote back asking if, perhaps, the cups could be offered for some other competition … (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Saturday 11th February 1911)? At a more local level, he gave prizes for the winner of the open horse jumping competition at the show sponsored by the “Kingskerswell Unionist Association” in 1913, and again in 1914 (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 26th June 1914).
Although he no longer competed, William retained his interest in birds and he was elected president of the “Newton and District Fanciers’ Society”. He donated two cups in 1893 (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 9th September 1893) and other prizes in other years – including two while still its president in 1911. Tastes were changing and that year he also donated a silver cup for the “best canary shown by a member of the club” (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 13th January 1911). William also gave cups to be awarded at the “Exeter and District Cage Society Show” in 1913. They were for “best Pigeon” and “best pen of poultry” (Western Times: Monday 17th November 1913). On a completely different tack; on another occasion he donated a “special” prize (probably a cup) for the best “collection of vegetables” at the “Lustleigh Horticultural Society’s Exhibition” in August 1912 and 1913 (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 8th August 1913). His garden at “Minerva house” (which was right behind the brewery) was—as we saw in the discussion of his father, John Ball Pinsent—supposed to be excellent.
Back to business: William had taken over the running of the brewery several years before his father died and he had all the day-to-day issues to deal with. Sadly for him, him he took over the business just as it was starting to decline. This was partly because of the rising influence of “Temperance Societies” and partly because of increased government regulation – much of which had been foreshadowed in “Majority” and “Minority” reports prepared by a “Royal Commission on the Liquor Licensing Laws (1896 – 1899)”. One of its recommendations was a for a “Licensing Compensation Act” to give Government the right to close (what it deemed to be superfluous) pubs by cancelling licenses—albeit after paying compensation. The idea was to reduce the number of poorly designed and operated establishments and improve the overall quality of those that remained. Small country breweries were particularly hard hit as many of their outlets were in small, poorly accessible communities where the profit margins were low. Although doubtless irrelevant, it must have been worrying that one of the firm’s accountants committed suicide (for reasons unknown) in December 1903. William could find nothing wrong with his book keeping (Western Times: 1st December 1903)!
William Swain attended the local “Petty Sessions” to negotiate the temporary transfer of the liquor license for the “Union Inn,” in Hennock, back into his own hands (Western Times: Thursday 4th April 1901) and he may have also have attended the “Newton Abbot Brewster Sessions” in 1903 at which Mr. Windeatt argued against licensing. He exaggerated the availability of alcohol. It was left to the press to show the true state of affairs. “There are 23 fully licensed houses at Newton Abbot, as well as six beer houses and one house kept open for the retail of cider. The estimated population served by the 30 houses where people can drink indoors is 12,518, a proportion of one licensed house at which drink can be obtained indoors to every 417 of the population.” In addition, the railway station and a few shops and restaurants had licenses, as had Messrs. Pinsent’s brewery: “At Messrs. Pinsent’s, customers can be served just they are at the ordinary public houses or hotels, but we believe half a pint of spirits is the smallest quantity retailed.” Mr. Windeatt seemed to have included seven chemists in his list … (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 7th February 1903). William was still acquiring properties. He bought the “Two Mile Oak Inn” on the Totnes Road for £750 in August 1903 (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 22nd August 1903) and applied for an extension to the “Fox Inn” in April the following year (East and South Devon Advertiser: Saturday 23rd April 1904).
In 1908, one of William’s employees was fortunate in that he only suffered cuts and bruises when he fell off a roof in Shaldon. Accidents will happen but what he was doing there is anyone’s guess (Western Times: Friday 16th September 1908)! Throughout it all, William strove to up-grade and acquire, higher-quality outlets. He got into a bidding war with “Messrs. Starkey, Knight and Ford” for the “Dartmouth Inn” in Newton Abbot and, between them, they pushed the price to £1,750; however, that was still below the reserve price and the auctioneer held it back for a private sale (Western Times: Saturday 23rd March 1907). Who got it in the end I do not know! William managed to purchase the “Prince of Wales Inn” in Newton Abbot in December that year for £1,400 (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Saturday 22nd December 1906).
One early example of the Government’s buy-back scheme occurred when it turned its attention to the “Ship Inn” near Exeter in 1907-8. William acknowledged that there were other pubs nearby, but he argued that drovers and other agriculturalists stayed there and they used the yard attached to the Inn for their cattle. He submitted a memorial signed by 363 persons in favour of the renewal the pub’s licence (Exeter Flying Post: 23rd March 1907).
Documents in the Devon Records Office show that William transferred the license of the “Ship Inn” in Alphington from Messrs. H. L. and G. D. Woolcombe to Mr. H. P. Channing in the spring of 1908 (D7/875/27,38&42). However, he was eventually forced to accepted a compensation package for the establishment. The resident landlord, a Mr. Parkhouse, disputed his share of the buyout and was questioned by the magistrates at a meeting of the “Compensation Authority” held in Exeter in March (Western Times: Friday 6th March 1908).
The firm’s license for the “Punch Bowl Inn” in Moretonhampstead came up for discussion at a meeting of its licensing authority at much the same time. Mr. Yolland, the landlord, gave evidence in support of the business (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 13th March 1908); however, his pleas fell on deaf ears and William surrendered the license a couple of months later (Western Times: Tuesday 19th May 1908). He then had to negotiate a compensation package. William valued the outlet at £1,033 12s but was offered £550! He agreed to arbitration through the “Inland Revenue Commissioners” (Totnes Weekly Times: Saturday 25th July 1908) and they decided on £756, of which 5 percent should go to the landlord (Western Times: Friday 16th April 1909). The property had been in the family off-and-on since the 1850s and was bought by William’s father in 1880.
The tide had definitely turned against the brewery. The “Carpenter’s Arms” at Ilsington burnt down in September 1908, despite the strenuous efforts of the villagers and the Bovey Tracey Fire Brigade. Fortunately William had it insured but the landlord lost personal belongings and furniture (Western Times: Monday 7th September 1908).
The Magistrates were now looking for a better class of landlord and William may have found it difficult to attract suitable, sober, landlords. When he tried to transfer the license to the “Kings Arms Inn”, in Chagford from a Mr. Maddicks to a Mr. Jenner, the police objected on the grounds that Mr. Jenner had once been summoned for drunkenness, albeit he had been discharged with a caution. The Magistrates also complained that William had allowed Mr. Jenner to take up the position before he formally got his license—and they asked him about it. William admitted that it was “irregular” but claimed that it was not through him or his agents, and the appointment was done “between Exeter and Plymouth”— whatever that meant (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 30th April 1909)! The police were still unhappy and they lobbied for the license to be refused when it next came up for renewal, in 1913. This time, they claimed that Chagford had too many licenses already and they showed that the licensee did not even live on the premises. He only visited on weekends! William claimed that the average sales through the outlet for the past three years had been 99 barrels of beer and 57 gallons of spirit, plus 426 dozen half-pint bottles (Western Times: Wednesday 27th August 1913). However, by then, William seems to have accepted the inevitable and agreed to give up the leasehold (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 14th March 1913 and Western Times: Friday 6th June 1913). It was another casualty.
William’s wife, Harriet Eliza (née Cookson), had died in 1892 and he lost his long-time housekeeper Mrs. Elizabeth Bailey in August 1910 (Western Times: Friday 19th August 1910). He was in his 60s and, if the truth were known, he had attended quite a few funerals of his erstwhile friends and colleagues over the previous twenty years. His son, William Henry Pinsent was nominally there to support him in running the business but there is not much to show that he ever did. In fact, William had to bail him out several times and his son was forced into bankruptcy in 1912. They were hardly on speaking terms.
William was the sitting tenant when the “Rising Sun” was sold from under him in 1910 (Western Times: Friday 21st October 1910) and he held a lease over part of the pasture lands known as the “Teignbridge Marshes” when they were sold by auction in 1912 (Western Times: Friday 2nd August 1912). In the latter case, the graze of the pasture had been let to “Messrs. Pinsent and Sons and G. Quantick”, at an annual rental of £125. This is a useful reminder that most commercial transport was still done by horse and cart and that the horses had to be fed—as did William’s championship winning harness horses, of course.
The brewing industry had been under attack since the turn of the century, and it was hit yet again both by the First World War, when so many young men went overseas and so few returned, and by further steps by Government to reduce the availability of alcohol. Staff were hard to find at the best of times and it did not help that the landlord of the “Ship Inn” in Teignmouth died “somewhat suddenly” in May 1914 (Teigmouth Post and Gazette: Friday 22nd May 1914. When the war started, it limited the hours a licensed establishment could stay open and, when it ended, it increased liquour taxes to previously unheard of levels.
In 1916, the Government cast its eye over the “Union Inn”, a beer and cider on-and-off-license in Hennock that was leased and supplied by “Pinsent and Son”. At first sight it might have seemed an easy cut, given that it was immediately adjacent to the much better known and still active “Palk Arms”, which William also supplied; however, the decision made no allowance for the clientele. Mr. Pinsent explained that the “quarry-men” who frequented the “Union Inn” would not fraternize with the “farmers” and “agricultural labourers” who went next door, and they were likely to take their business to Trusham. Nevertheless, the license was bought out for £500 (Western Times: Friday 25th August 1916). When the Haldon Estate came up for sale a couple of years later, Lot 51 was described as being: “‘The Palk Arms’, Hennock, comprising licensed house and outbuildings: Let to Mr. W. S. Pinsent, of the Brewery, Newton Abbot on a 60-year full repairing lease by indenture dated 25 December 1875 & Lot 52: Dwelling house formerly known as the ‘Union Inn’. Let to Mr. W. S. Pinsent” (Devon Archives Catalogue).
At the Newton Abbot “Petty Sessions” the following year, 1917, William managed to arrange for the temporary transfer of the license for the “King of Prussia” in Bovey Tracey; although the Magistrate was quick to point out that the name was highly inappropriate; “You can’t have the King of Prussia now, you know …”. Mr. Pinsent said he had thought of that, and that he would find a more suitable name (Western Times: Friday 15th June 1917). The war ground on, and it was evidently becoming more and more difficult to find recruits. Thus, the Government decided to take a look at those people who held exemptions. In the process, it lighted on a Mr. J. Warren, who was a “cellar-man” and one of William’s “brewer’s assistants” who had been with him for over thirteen years. He was the only man William had left but military “powers-that-be” were unimpressed and Mr. Warren seems to have been called up (Western Times: Saturday 24th August, 1917).
William succumbed to the inevitable and sold the brewery and related businesses to “Heavitree Brewery Limited”, of Exeter in 1919: The following notice appeared in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette on Friday 17th October 1919: “The Heavitree Brewery Ltd. Exeter, having purchased the old-established Brewer and Wine and Sprit Business of Messrs. Pinsent and Sons, Newton Abbot, together with about 45 Licensed Premises, beg to inform the Public that they have opened a large branch stores and offices at 16 Highweek Street, Newton Abbot, where all orders received for their celebrated ales and stout in cask and bottle, also choice wines and spirits will be promptly attended to: Full particulars as to prices etc. May be obtained from: Branch Manager Heavitree Brewery, 16 Highweek Street Newton Abbot”.
An item by Wilf Ellis published on-line by “newtonabbot24.co” quotes “The Brewery Manual 1955” by John G. Potter as stating that the Pinsent family brewery ran 44 “tied houses”; although he himself suggested that other sources put the number at no more than 38. They included the “Market House Inn” and “Courtenay Arms” in Newton Abbot, the “Butchers Arms” and “Two Mile Oak” at Abbotskerswell and as we have seen before, the “Ship Inn” in Teignmouth. William sold his business interests for £15,700 on 16th March 1920.
The number 44, mentioned above, may have come from an item in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette (Tuesday 23rd December, 1919) reporting on Heavitree’s Annual General Meeting in December, 1919: It stated “The most notable thing in the report was the purchase by the Company of the business of Messrs. Pinsent and Sons, of Newton Abbot. This undertaking had been managed by Mr. Pinsent himself as a private concern for many years and by his father before him, and had always been considered one of the most satisfactory and sound little businesses in Newton Abbot and district. The Directors had an opportunity of buying the business, and they did not hesitate to secure it. They had acquired 44 licensed houses all of which were freehold except four. Looking at the ability of the Company to turn out far more beer than was required for the previous number of houses owned, it was obvious that the new purchase was a very valuable acquisition, and the Directors looked forward to producing big results.” The new owners had a problem with over-production of beer at their Exeter plant and they closed the Newton Abbot brewery shortly afterwards; however, they kept the bottling plant open a few years longer.
William and his coachman were both thrown from their trap while driving near the “Aller Vale Potteries” in July 1914. The coachman, Mr. Millman, was knocked unconscious and suffered cuts to his head. Fortunately for William, he himself received no more than a few scratches and bruises (Western Times: Friday 10th July 1914). Nevertheless, he was getting on in years and he probably realized that it was time to scale back. Certainly, the sale of the business must have been in the works for a while.
Shortly after selling the brewery, William arranged for the sale of his carriages, harnesses, saddles and other items, including his “show harnesses” out of his stables at “Minerva House”. It was all sold, as “the owner has no further use for it” (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 5th March 1920). William sickened from heart disease and died in September that year. The Western Times reminds us that in addition to serving on the “Highweek Parish Council”, William had been one of its “Feoffees” (a trustee of parish lands) and a manager of “Highweek Schools”. It tells us that: “he had a passion for gardening and horticulture and that he would be greatly missed for, at heart, he was generously disposed and always ready to render financial assistance” (Western Times: Tuesday 7th September 1920). He was buried in Highweek where he left £100 for the up-keep of the churchyard. According to Ms. Edith Wheeler (unattributed newspaper article) his portrait hangs (or in the 1960s hung) in the reference room of the “Newton Abbot Passmore Edwards Library”.
William Swain’s sons John Douglas Pinsent and William Henry Pinsent were no longer living in Newton Abbot and, now that the brewery was gone, his executors instructed the firm of “Rendell and Sawbye” to put his remaining property up for auction (Western Times: Friday 15th October 1920). Mr. W. Vicary, J.P., C.A. bought “Minerva House” for £2,200. His other plots of land netted £750 (Western Times: Thursday 21st October 1920). His household furniture went next, including “two pianos, piano player, billiard table, 600ozs Silver plate, Cellar of choice old wines and spirits, nearly new Brougham, Ford” (Western Morning News: Saturday 6th November 1920). Perhaps the crash he had had in his trap in 1914 had persuaded him to try out this new form of transportation.
John Douglas Pinsent, of 2, Southsea-terrace, Southsea, (his son) and Arthur S. Rendell and Gerald Douglas Woollcombe of Newton Abbot were granted probate of William’s will, which was dated November 3rd 1919. He left an estate valued at £32,548 5s 2d with net personalty of £30,361 14s 7d. William gave £600 to his grand-daughter Dorothy Iris Prall; £250 to Arthur S. Rendell; £50 to Gerald D. Woollcombe; £100 to his housekeeper Margaret E. Rowe and as to the residue of the property, four-tenths to his son John Douglas; two tenths each in trust for his daughters Ethel Mary Vaughan and Kathleen Blanche Prall, and two-tenths in trust for his son William Henry (Western Times: Monday 18th October 1920). Ethel Mary must have married Mr. Vaughan, although I have no record of it.
If he seems to have been a little unfair to his son William Henry Pinsent, it is likely that William Swain felt that he had already done more than enough for him. He inserted a clause in his will to the effect that his son William was to forfeit his inheritance if he became bankrupt, and this led to considerable legal discussion in 1921. Did it apply to a bankruptcy that his father clearly knew about when he wrote his will, or did it refer to an unknown later event? William had rescued his son from insolvency several times, but he had been forced into bankruptcy in 1912 anyway. This was seven years before the will was written and he was, technically, still in bankruptcy. William Henry hoped to have the clause annulled so that he could pay off his debts (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Thursday 5th May 1921). He argued quite reasonably that if he received his inheritance and paid his debts, his creditors would be happy and he would forfeit the inheritance anyway. Nevertheless, Mr. Justice Lawrence was hard nosed about it and decided that the clause should stand. The Official Receiver would have to do without the two-tenths of William’s father’s estate (Western Times: Thursday 7th July 1721).
Family Tree
Grandparents
Grandfather: Thomas Pinsent: 1782 – 1872
Grandmother: Mary Savery: 1780 – 1859
Parents
Father: John Ball Pinsent: 1819 – 1901
Mother: Hannah Davie Swain: 1815 – 1887
Father’s Siblings (Aunts, Uncles)
Mary Savery Pinsent: 1806 – 1884
Thomas Pinsent: 1807 – 1826
Anna Pinsent: 1809– xxxx
Elizabeth Savery Pinsent: 1811 – xxxx
Sarah Savery Pinsent: 1812 – 1813
Savery Pinsent: 1815 – 1886
Sarah Pinsent: 1817 – 1847
John Ball Pinsent: 1819 – 1901 ✔️
Richard Steele Pinsent: 1820 – 1864
Emma Pinsent: 1823 – 1831
Male Siblings (Brothers)
Thomas Pinsent: 1842 – 1889
William Swain Pinsent: 1843 – 1920 ✔️
John Ball Pinsent: 1844 – 1890
Frederick Richard Steele Pinsent: 1855 – 1856
Please use the above links to explore this branch of the family tree. The default “Next” and “Previous” links below may lead to other unrelated branches.