Humphrey Senhouse Pinder was born in Barbados in 3 April 1805. With the exception of his London-born sister Ann Isabella, Pinder’s family were born in Barbados. His brothers were Francis Ford (1803-61) and George (1809-81), and sisters, Elizabeth Wood (1806-1847) and Ann Isabella (1818-?).
His father was Francis Ford Pinder, and his mother was Elizabeth Senhouse. His grandparents were Chief Judge William Pinder and Ann Horthesal. Francis Ford owned and managed plantation property in Barbados. The abolition of slavery led to a major compensation for all owners of enslaved Africans. This included his father Francis Ford, and the following information was located at the UCL’s Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery database.
T71/900 Barbados claim nos:
5288 Airy Hill £277 13s 11d (trustee)
5310 Hothersal £4307 4s 4p = 234 enslaved people (owner-in-fee)
Humphrey Pinder benefitted from his father’s profits. He was educated at Caius College, Cambridge. His first marriage to Henrietta Bowdler on 22 August 1838 ended sadly. Pinder marries again, this time to Maria Marianne Gould on 10 April 1848, in Bideford, Devon. She is the third daughter of James Gould, Esq. of Knapp, near Bideford. They have 7 children.
From 1838 until 1868, Pinder was the rector of Bratton Fleming. He was also the author of a number of works, including “the proslavery Advice to Servants; being five Family Lectures delivered to Domestic Slaves in the island of Barbadoes, in the Year 1822 (London, 1824), favourably reviewed by the Christian Remembrancer, 6 (1824), pp. 151-4.”
In 1843, he inherits part of his father’s wealth. With this money, he purchases a few curios – tomahawks and model boats – and builds the wall monuments in St. Peter’s church, Bratton Fleming.
From 1868-88, Pinder lived with his family in Southernhay, Exeter. There they employ a live-in governess and three servants (Source: 1861 census). Humphrey Senhouse Pinder died 22 April 1888 (aged 83), Exeter, and was buried at St. Peter’s Church, Bratton Fleming.
