Family and Education

b. c.1687, 2nd s. of Henry Vincent of Trelavan, M.P.; bro. of Henry Vincent. unm. suc. bro. 1719.

Offices Held

Commr. of leather duties 1714-18, of land taxes 1714-19; assay-master of the stannaries 1720-d.

Biography

On Henry Vincent’s death his brother, Nicholas, succeeded him both as Member for Fowey and as government agent for Cornwall under Hugh Boscawen, later Lord Falmouth. He is shown in Sunderland’s plans for a new Parliament as responsible for Lostwithiel, Truro, Bodmin, Helston, Camelford, Grampound, Tregony, Mitchell, and St. Mawes. During the 1722 election campaign he toured the west country with Boscawen.1 It was said that he ‘bore the greatest sway in his country of any commoner of his time’, and ran through a fortune of ‘at least £30,000 besides what he had acquired himself’. He died ‘more of trouble of mind than any other distemper’ 1 July 1726, aged 39,2 leaving his estates mortgaged to John Knight.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Eveline Cruickshanks

Notes

• 1. Blenheim (Sunderland) mss; HMC Portland, vii. 307; Chandos to Parker, 27 Feb. 1722, to Vincent 20 Mar., 11 Apr. 1722, Chandos letter bks.
• 2. Thos Tonkin’s Hist. Cornw. f. 119, R. Inst. of Cornwall.