Arms of Woollocombe/Woolcombe: Argent, three bars gules

John Woolcombe (1680–1713) of Pitton in the parish of Yealmpton in Devon, was a Member of Parliament for Plymouth in Devon 1702–5, and served as Sheriff of Devon in 1711–12.[1]

He was the eldest son of John Woolcombe (d.1690) of Pitton by his wife Thomasine Francis, a daughter of Philip Francis, Mayor of Plymouth in 1642 and 1651.[2] His family used the same coat of arms as the ancient "Woollocombe" family of Over Woolocombe in the parish of Roborough[3] near Great Torrington in North Devon (or in the parish of Morthoe, North Devon[4]) in Devon, namely Argent, three bars gules.[5]

In 1692 he became the heir of his uncle Henry Woolcombe (d.1692), who had married the heiress of Ashbury in Devon,[6] and thereby inherited Ashbury.[7]

In 1707 he married Anne Hele (d.1713), a daughter of Rev. Richard Hele of Hele in the parish of Cornwood[8] in Devon, Rector of Helland in Cornwall, by his wife Judith Cary, a daughter of Dr George Cary (1611-1680) lord of the manor of Clovelly, Devon, and Dean of Exeter. Her brother was Richard Hele (1679-1709) of Fleet House, Holbeton, Devon, MP for West Looe in Cornwall.[9] His marriage was without issue.

Woolcombe died in April 1713, a few days after his wife, and was buried at Yealmpton on 20 April. His heir was his youngest brother Philip Woolcombe,[10] Rector of Zeal Monachorum in Devon, who married Elizabeth Blackall, a daughter of Offspring Blackall, Bishop of Exeter, by whom he was the father of John Woolcombe (d.1788) of Ashbury, Sheriff of Devon in 1751.[11]

References

  1. ↑ History of Parliament biography
  2. ↑ Cruickshanks & Hayton
  3. ↑ Over Woolocombe in the parish of Roborough per Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.394
  4. ↑ Risdon, Tristram (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, p.270
  5. ↑ Vivian, pp.795,803
  6. ↑ Vivian, p.803
  7. ↑ Cruickshanks & Hayton
  8. ↑ Risdon, p.192; Gray, Todd & Rowe, Margery (Eds.), Travels in Georgian Devon: The Illustrated Journals of The Reverend John Swete, 1789-1800, 4 vols., Tiverton, 1999, Vol 2, p.19
  9. ↑ Vivian, p.466
  10. ↑ Cruickshanks & Hayton; Vivian, p.803
  11. ↑ Vivian, p.803

Sources

  • Eveline Cruickshanks / D. W. Hayton, biography of Woolcombe, John (1680-1713), of Pitton, Yealmpton, Devon, published in History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690–1715, ed. D. Hayton, E. Cruickshanks, S. Handley, 2002
  • Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p. 803, pedigree of "Wollocombe of Pitton"
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