Family and Education

b. c.1686, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of Henry Vincent I*; bro. of Nicholas Vincent†.  educ. L. Inn 1702.  m. 5 Feb. 1706 (with £19,000), Anne, da. and h. of Henry Stevens of Chelsea, Mdx., 1s. d.v.p.  suc. fa. 1717.1

Offices Held

Stannator, Tywarnhaile 1710.2

Commr. victualling Nov. 1711–18; dep.-paymaster of the tin 1714–d.3

Biography

Vincent’s elder brother died aged 20. Vincent was ‘above 19’ and living in St. Botolph’s, Aldgate when his marriage licence was issued in January 1706. According to Thomas Tonkin*, his father handed over his estate at Trelavan upon his marriage and in the return of 1710 he was described as ‘Henry Vincent jnr. of Trelavan’. He was elected for Fowey in 1708 ‘in the 20th year of his age’, and classed as a ‘gain’ by Lord Sunderland (Charles, Lord Spencer*). As his father was still a Member, identification of his activity from the Journals is difficult. However, Vincent jnr. proved the accuracy of Sunderland’s assessment by voting for the naturalization of the Palatines in 1709 and for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell in 1710. He also adapted rapidly to the changing political circumstances of 1710: during the summer at the convocation of tinners he made ‘a handsome speech’ against the terms proposed for the pre-emption contract by Hugh Boscawen II*, lord warden and head of the Whig interest in Cornwall, and defended his assistant who accused Boscawen of bringing in tinners from his Chasewater mine into Truro to cause a riot and so bring in pressure on the stannators. Those of ‘Mr Vincent’s party’ concerned in counter-riots were later acquitted at Launceston assizes. In June 1711 George Granville* informed Robert Harley* that Vincent had ‘relinquished the stewardship of the duchy [of Cornwall] to devote himself to your service’. In the event, he succeeded his father as a victualling commissioner. One contemporary recorded his appointment as ‘Mr Vincent son of Vincent W[hi]g’ which suggests that he was not regarded as a complete convert to the Tory cause. Perhaps in view of this, Lord Oxford (Harley) wisely included him on his lobbying list of January 1712 in preparation for the attack on Marlborough (John Churchill†). As a dutiful placeman, Vincent voted for the French commerce bill on 18 June 1713. In the 1713 election he assisted Lord Lansdown (George Granville*) in opposing the Boscawen interest, especially at Truro, and was classed as a Tory in the Worsley list. In May 1714 he petitioned with his cousin Tonkin for a reversionary lease of the toll of all tin in the duchy of Cornwall, and later prevailed on Tonkin to make over to him his existing lease of half of the toll of tin in the duchy.4

On the death of Queen Anne, Vincent and his father ‘entirely struck in with Boscawen’ in managing Cornish elections. Thus, on a list comparing the 1713 Parliament with that elected in 1715, he was classed as a ‘whimsical’ Whig. Returned in 1715 he kept his place until his resignation in 1718 owing to ill-health. He went to the Continent in search of a cure, but died on 5 Nov. 1719 at Aix-la-Chapelle. His only son having predeceased him, his estate fell to his brother, Nicholas.5

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Authors: Eveline Cruickshanks / Stuart Handley

Notes

• 1. R. Inst. Cornw. Tonkin’s mss hist. i. 119–20; ii. 251; St. Mildred Bread St. (Harl. Soc. Reg. xlii), 35; info. from Dr D. F. Lemmings.
• 2. Add. 6713, f. 214.
• 3. Boyer, Anne Annals, x. 385; Cal. Treas. Bks. xxix. 271.
• 4. Tonkin, 119–20; London Mar. Lic. ed. Foster, 1389; Morice mss at Bank of Eng., Richard Bligh to Sir Nicholas Morice, 2nd Bt.*, 28 Mar. 1712; Add. 70288, Granville to Harley, 3 June 1711; 70331, canvassing list; Bodl. Ballard mss 21, f. 95; Cal. Treas. Bks. xxviii. 277.
• 5. Ballard 18, ff. 71–72; Tonkin, 119–20; Boyer, Pol. State, xviii. 464.