Joseph Hunkin (1610-1661) of Gatherleigh in the parish of Lifton in Devon, was Governor of Scilly between 1651 and 1660, during Parliamentary control in the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

Origins

He was the son and heir of John Hunkin (d.1629) of Gatherleigh, High Steward of the Borough of

Liskeard Liskeard ( ; kw, Lyskerrys) is a small ancient stannary and market town in south-east Cornwall, South West England. It is situated approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Plymouth, west of the Devon border, and 12 miles (20 km) eas ...

in Cornwall (son of John Hunkin (d.1608) first Mayor of Liskeard elected on the re-incorporation of that Borough on 6 July 1587) by his first wife Grace Clobery, a daughter of Andrew Clobery (d.1596/7) of Lifton in Devon, 2nd son of John Clobery of

Bradstone Bradstone is a village in Devon, England, on the River Tamar. It has a small church and a Tudor hall (now a farm) with an attractive gatehouse. Bradstone Manor Farm is a Grade II listed manor house with a Grade I listed 16th century gatehouse. ...

, Devon, near the Cornish border.

Career

He was Governor during the construction of

Cromwell's Castle Cromwell's Castle is an artillery fort overlooking New Grimsby harbour on the island of Tresco in the Isles of Scilly. It comprises a tall, circular gun tower and an adjacent gun platform, and was designed to prevent enemy naval vessels from e ...

, an artillery fort overlooking New Grimsby harbour on the island of

Tresco Tresco may refer to: * Tresco, Elizabeth Bay, a historic residence in New South Wales, Australia * Tresco, Isles of Scilly, an island off Cornwall, England, United Kingdom * Tresco, Victoria, a town in Victoria, Australia * a nickname referring to ...

in the Isles of Scilly. According to the ''Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum 1642–1660''{{Full citation needed, date=December 2020 he was a commissioner for Devonshire for December 1649, December 1652 and June 1657.

Marriage

In 1630 at Boyton, he married Frances Loveys (d.1657), a daughter of Robert Loveys of Beardon in Cornwall. Her mural monument, a simple slate tablet, survives on the external wall of Old Town Church,

St Mary's, Isles of Scilly St Mary's ( kw, Ennor, meaning ''The Mainland'') is the largest and most populous island of the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the southwest coast of Cornwall in England. Description St Mary's has an area of — 40 percent of the total la ...

, inscribed as follows:
:''"To the memory of Francys, the wife of Joseph Hunkyn of Gatherly in the parish of Lifton in Devon, Governour of the Iland of Silly. She was the daughter of Robert Lovyes of Beardon in the parish of Boydon in Cornwall Esqu. She dyed the 30 day of March 1657 about the 46 (?) yeer of her age. Blest Soul thy race is run whilst we behind Strive for that crown WCH thou prepar'd didst find By Christ for thee, here shall thy body rest Till with thy soul it be for ever blest"''.

Death and burial

He was buried on 15 August 1661 at Lifton in Devon. A later prominent member of the Hunkin family was Joseph Hunkin (1887-1950), born in

Truro Truro (; kw, Truru) is a cathedral city and civil parish in Cornwall, England. It is Cornwall's county town, sole city and centre for administration, leisure and retail trading. Its population was 18,766 in the 2011 census. People of Truro ...

, Cornwall, the 8th

Bishop of Truro The Bishop of Truro is the ordinary (diocesan bishop) of the Church of England Diocese of Truro in the Province of Canterbury. History There had been between the 9th and 11th centuries a Bishopric of Cornwall until it was merged with Credi ...

from 1935 to 1950. His monument in Truro Cathedral displays the arms of Hunkin of Gatherleigh, namely: ''Argent, a mascle sable over all a fess of the last''.Vivian, p.493

References

1661 deaths 1610 births Governors of the Isles of Scilly