Transcript

of

P. O. Hingston [Obituary]

Trans. Devon Assoc., 1881, Vol XIII, p. 64.

by

W. Harpley

Prepared by Michael Steer

Burgoyne (2007) asserts that the Hingston family originated in Devon’s South Hams. Family origins can be traced to the end of the fifteenth century (c. 1490). The Lay Subsidy Rolls for 1543 indicate that there were Hingstons residing in seventeen parishes from Plympton in the west to Dartmouth in the East. There were relatively wealthy Hingstons in and around East Allington, South Milton/South Huish/Malborough and Holbeton/Yealmpton. A record of this ancient family is given by Chris Burgoyne. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

P. 0. Hingston, of Kingsbridge, became a member of the Association on the occasion of its visit to that town in 1877. Few men were held in higher esteem or were better known in his locality than he was. By his unostentatious charity, simplicity of manners, and good-will towards all, he endeared himself to every one with whom he was brought into communication. His success was that of character over circumstances. Commencing as a clerk with the late Mr. W. Beer, he continued to rise higher by his conscientious devotion to duty, until he acquired a reputation that anyone might well aspire to obtain. No one in the locality was more trusted and more frequently applied to for advice, as well in public as in private matters; indeed kindness may be said to have been the most prominent feature in his character. Unwilling at all times to give pain, he was ever ready to give advice, and bestow charity wherever it was needed, so that no one appealed to him in vain who was really in want Mr. Hingston profitably filled many public appointments, and was identified from their foundation with the disposal of the most prominent of the local charities.

He died on the 26th March, 1881, at the comparatively early age of 54 years.