William Gwavas was an English barrister and writer in the Cornish language.
Background
The eldest son of William Gwavas, by Eliza, daughter of Sir Thomas Arundell of Tolverne, near Truro, he was born at Huntingfield Hall, Suffolk, 6 December 1676, and baptised in Huntingfield Church on 1 January following. His father had left his Cornish property with debts, but he paid off the incumbrances, and redeemed the mortgage on the rectory of Paul.
Career
He was articled to James Holt, an attorney in Lyon"s Inn, and then entered the Middle Temple, where he purchased a ground chamber, Number. 4 Brick Court. Gwavas moved back to Cornwall, living in a house in Chapel Street, Penzance. With this rectory he had inherited a chancery suit, begun on 14 June 1680, as to the right of the rector to take tithe of fish landed at Newlyn and Mousehole.
The case came before the House of Lords 26 February 1730, and went against the fishermen.
Nevertheless, at the entrance to Newlyn there was for many years a notice affixed to a house which said "One and All, Number tithe of fish". Gwavas was buried on 9 January 1741 in Paul Church, where a marble monument was erected to his memory.
On 29 April 1717 Gwavas married Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher Harris of Saint Ives, Cornwall, with whom he received a portion of £1,500. He left two daughters: Anne, who married the Review
Thomas Carlyon, and died in 1797, and Elizabeth, who married William Veale, and died in 1791.
Views
Quotations:
"One and All, Number tithe of fish".