Residents of Gorran Haven

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Philip PILL, 1708 – 1783

Philip Pill was the eldest son of Hugh and Mary Pill, baptised at Gorran in October 1708.

In June 1735 at Gorran, Philip Pill married Mary OLIVER, daughter of Nichols and Joan Oliver of Gorran Haven, another old established fishing family. Philip was 26 and Mary nearly 20 years of age.

Philip and Mary had six sons and five daughters between 1736 and 1759: John Pill the fifth child and third son is the next in line in this family.

Philip was a yeoman farmer and miller at Rice in Gorran Haven but probably maintained an interest in seine fishing. His eldest son, also Philip, was a miller at the grist mill but evidently from his will of 1793 still had an interest in a seine net.

In 1776 the proprietor of the mill tenement at Rice was recorded on a map as being Mr Philip PYLE although William Rowse was the actual miller.

After 47 years of marriage Philip Pill (Pyle) died in February 1783 aged 74 years. He left a will made some four months before he died in which he left one shilling each to his four sons, five daughters and grandson Hugh Pill. He left a bed to his still single son Pearce and all his remaining estate to his still single son Richard who was his executor. Richard was to maintain Philips wife Mary “so long as she lives ..” but she died not long afterwards and Richard married on New Year’s Day 1788. Both Philip and Mary were buried in Gorran churchyard.

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