Thomas Williams Pinsent

Vital Statistics

Thomas Williams Pinsent: 1837 – 1890 GRO1156 (Collector of Water Rates, St. John’s Newfoundland)

Sophia Milroy: xxxx – 1885
Married: xxxx. xxxx, xxxx

Children by Sophia Milroy:

Arthur Alfred Pinsent: 1885 – 1890

Family Branch: Hennock
PinsentID: GRO1156

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Thomas Williams Pinsent was the second eldest son of Robert John Pinsent, a Magistrate in Brigus, Newfoundland, by his wife, Louisa Broome Williams. He was born in 1837 and grew up alongside two brothers (Robert John and Charles Speare Pinsent) and two sisters (Louisa Williams and Mary Elizabeth Pinsent. The boys were educated at Harbour Grace Grammar School and went onto successful careers in St. John’s. Their lives are discussed elsewhere.

Thomas trained as an accountant and worked for the “General Water Co., of St. John’s” in the 1870s. He had the awkward responsibility of collecting the local water rates – which, unfortunately, did nothing to endear him to his friends, or the public at large.

A wistful item published in the Evening Telegram (6^th July 1880) states: “The Chronicle thinks that when the Hon. A. Shea—the Water-tax man—”has passed from us,” his services will be long remembered. We fear they will. As long as ever Mr. Thos. Pinsent, or his official successor exists, the Shea Water-tax will never be forgotten. And when (?) the Water-tax man “passes away”, we’ll drop a watery tribute over his memory.”   

Thomas’s family’s adherence to the temperance movement may have caused  some (one hopes good-natured) ribbing too. An item placed in the “Patriot” newspaper (Monday 24^th December 1877) made doubtful comparisons between Mr. Thomas W. Pinsent’s watery and unsophisticated grog and the “expressed juice of the sugar cane!”

The position was not without its dangers either as: “Mr. Thomas Pinsent, while engaged in collecting water rates today was set upon and worried by a dog belonging to a gentleman. Mr. Pinsent lost one leg of his pants and had the tail of his coat somewhat prejudiced; but the owner of the canine has offered him ample compensation in the shape of a new and elegant “fit out”. (Evening Telegram: 18^th June 1881). Thomas was not impressed; he sued the gentleman for $200 (Evening Telegram: 20^th June 1881) but eventually settled for $25 (Evening Telegram: 26^th November 1881).

In a world where there were only limited entertainments available, public lectures were far more popular that they are today and Thomas attended a series on “Phrenology” put on by a Professor Fowler in May 1882. Unfortunately, he made the mistake of sitting in the front row: “At the close of his discourse, which lasted over an hour, he (Professor Fowler) asked the audience to nominate any person present whose traits of character were well known in the community, that he might give them a test of his skill in the science which he had adopted for upwards of forty years. Mr. Thomas Pinsent who occupied a front seat, was accordingly nominated; but for some reason or other, this gentleman declined to come forward. A number of others were then proposed without avail. At last Mr. Michael Dea was put in nomination, and he boldly walked to the stage to submit himself to the crucial test” (Evening Telegram: 19^th May 1882). I am sure Thomas had his reasons! 

In another wistful look – this time back to the 1860s, the Evening Telegram mentions the “water question” and the authorities seizing property for non-payment and concludes that nowadays “Mr. Thomas Pinsent is the tax gatherer, and they say he is the best dun in the country” (Evening Telegram: 8^th October 1883).  A “dun” is, by definition, someone who makes demands for payment. Yet another somewhat poetic item in the Evening Telegram (28^th February 1885) goes “There, like dew from nature’s still, or Water from our hydrant’s rills, It flows for all (see Pinsent’s bills), Or Ask at Devon Row.”

Thomas was living with his father (Lovell’s Newfoundland Directory, 1871) in Cochrane Place,on Military Road while working for the water board. He married Sophia Milroy – although I do not know where or when – and they moved to Catherine Row on Monkstown Road, in St. John’s and had a child, Arthur Alfred Pinsent on 12^th June 1885. Sadly, Sophia died in childbirth. It was too much for Thomas and he decided to move house. His furniture was auctioned off on 20^th June the same year. His son survived and was baptized in St. Thomas’s Parish Church on 28^th June 1885.

Thomas continued to collect water taxes – and to meet periodic resistance that was generally good-natured but occasionally otherwise. On one occasions he visited a “Senor Morey” – A Mexican resident who offered to pay part of his bill in Mexican silver dollars. Thomas was having none of it. He considered the debt unpaid and arranged for the foreign gentleman’s water to be cut off. Senor Morey wrote to the manager of the “General Water Company” saying that he was joking and that he was more than willing to adjust the value of the currency according to the current rate of exchange. However, as he had been insulted, he would insist that he pay in Mexican dollars (Evening Telegram: 14^th February 1887). Judge Conroy resolved the issue in the Central District Court. The Water Company got its money but it had to accept some of it in Mexican dollars (Evening Telegram: 16^th February 1887)! Perhaps the citizens would have been less flippant about their water taxes if they had realized that approximately three quarters of the city – including the cathedral and the Duckworth and Water Street commercial centre was to be destroyed by a fire in July 1892.

Thomas died of bronchitis in January 1890 and his household furnishings on Queen’s Road were sold off in April (Evening Telegram: 15^th April and 22^nd April 1890). His son, Arthur Alfred Pinsent was five years old when he died of diphtheria, in October that year (Evening Telegram: 22^nd October 1890). Thomas’s younger brother, another accountant, Charles Speare Pinsent administered the estate (Evening Herald: Tuesday 26^th August 1890.)

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Family Tree

Grandparents

Grandfather: John Pinsent: 1753 -1821
Grandmother: Susanna Speare: 1766 – 1830

Parents

Father: Robert John Pinsent: 1798 – 1876
Mother: Louisa Broom Williams: 1808 – 1882

Father’s Siblings (Aunts, Uncles)

Mary Speare Pinsent: 1794 – 1882
Susanna Speare Pinsent: 1795 – 1819
John Pinsent: 1796 – xxxx
Robert John Pinsent: 1798 – 1876 ✔️
Elizabeth Pinsent: 1801 – 1828
Sophia Speare Pinsent: xxxx – 1805

Male Siblings (Brothers)

Robert John Pinsent: 1834 – 1893
Thomas Williams Pinsent: 1837 – 1890 ✔️
Charles Speare Pinsent: 1838 – 1914
William Burton Pinsent: 1846 – 1846

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