Vital Statistics
Birth: 1835
Marriage: 1882
Spouse: Elizabeth Ann West
Death: 1884
Family Branch: Bovey Tracey
PinsentID: GRO0833
Thomas and Mary’s second youngest son, Thomas Pinsent was born in Bovey Tracey in 1835. His father died when he was four years old and he grew up with his mother and siblings on Main Street in Bovey Tracey. His mother Mary (née Mugford) took up with Samuel Tapper and had an illegitimate half brother, George Pinsent who was born in 1844. There was another half brother, Francis, born in 1847; however he was short-lived.
Thomas’s elder brother John had joined the Royal Navy and Thomas “probably” joined him in what was then known as the “Senior Service”. I say “probably” as the records show a discrepancy in his date and place of birth. His enlistment documents (National Archives ADM 188/23: 39412 and 51167) have his date of birth as 10th November 1837 and his place of birth as Plymouth, whereas Mary Mugford’s son was clearly born in Bovey Tracey and baptized on 29th November 1835! Why the discrepancy I do not know; however there are no other likely Thomas in the offing and it makes sense that he would have followed his brother into the Navy. What’s more, he later became linked by marriage to his younger brother, Samuel Pinsent.
The Pinsent family lived close to Plymouth and the Navy, which was then in mid-transition from the wind-powered wooden fleet of Nelson’s day to the steam-powered “ironclad” ships of the then the modern era, was always looking for young men to fill its ranks.
Thomas’s records are incomplete and he probably joined as a “boy” and later signed on for ten years. The records show that he was 5 ft. 8 ¾ in. tall; had dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a scar on his right forehead when he signed on for ten year’s service on 10th December 1866. This may have been his second term as the 1861 Census shows that “Thomas Pinsent, aged 23 years and 5 months, born in Plymouth Devon, was an “ordinary seaman” on H.M.S. Terrible (a wooden paddle-wheel driven frigate) in Corfu Roads”.
Ten years later, the next Census show us that Thomas was still in the Royal Navy. He was then “2nd Captain of the hold” on “H.M.S. Minotaur”, which was docked at Spithead in Portsmouth, Hampshire. The Minotaur was a wind and steam-powered armoured frigate that had been commissioned in 1867 and served as the flagship of the Channel Squadron in the 1880s.
During his second stint, Thomas was posted to “H.M.S. Duke of Wellington” (an old-fashioned wind and steam powered “ship of the line”) on 1st January 1873 and he served there until 11th May that year. He then transferred to “H.M.S. Ready” (a small gun-boat) for a couple of months before being reassigned to “H.M.S. Egmont” (a 74-gun, old-fashioned wind-powered third-rate “ship of the line”) on 6th July 1873. He was posted there for a year while it was stationed in Rio de Janeiro, Argentina, and he then made his final transfer back to “H.M.S. Ready”. He was discharged to shore and pensioned off in Sheerness in Kent.
After leaving the service, Thomas returned to Plymouth and he was living with his brother Samuel and his wife, Sarah Jane Pinsent, when the census takers called in 1881. Samuel had married Sarah Jane (née West) in 1866 and had a large family that Thomas would certainly have known from his visits between postings. He would also have known his sister-in law’s family. Sarah Jane’s father, Abraham West, was a “cab driver”.
Thomas was a “mason’s labourer” by 1881 and settled back into civilian life when he married a widow – Elizabeth Williams – in Plymouth Registry Office the following year. Elizabeth was Sarah Jane West’s elder sister. Thomas gave his home address as “31 Morley Road in Plymouth” when he married. He was probably still living with his brother as this was the address that Samuel gave at the time of the 1891 Census, and it was to be his family home into well into the 1910s. Thomas was probably living there when he died in 1884.
After Thomas died, his widow, Elizabeth Ann (née West) moved in with a young married “tailoress” and her family in Cobourg Lane in Plymouth. She was living with them in 1891 (Census data). She was listed as a 57-years old, widowed, “shirt needle-woman.” I cannot find her in the 1901 or 1911 Census records; however, I know she died in Plymouth in 1917.
Family Tree
GRANDPARENTS
Grandfather: Unknown: xxxx – xxxx
Grandmother: Jane Pinsent: 1791 – 1831
PARENTS
Father: Thomas Pinsent: 1806 – 1839
Mother: Mary Mugford: 1808 – 1850
MALE SIBLINGS (BROTHERS)
John Pinsent: 1831 – 1908
Thomas Pinsent: 1835 – 1884
William Pinsent: 1837 – xxxx
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