The Remarkable Pinwill Sisters

The Pinwill sisters, Mary, Ethel and Violet, learnt to carve as teenagers during the restoration of their father’s church at Ermington, Devon. 

With the patronage of architect Edmund H. Sedding, they established a professional woodcarving business, Rashleigh, Pinwill & Co. in 1890, which later relocated to Plymouth. 

After about 1907, Violet ran the business single-handedly, with a workforce of nearly 30 carvers and joiners during the peak years, establishing one of the best wood and stone carving companies in the West Country. 

By the time Violet died in 1957, there were over 650 pieces of carving work in more than 180 churches in Devon and Cornwall, including both of the Anglican churches in Falmouth.

Dr Helen Wilson was born and brought up in Plymouth, Devon, and studied for a BSc and PhD in Environmental Science as a mature student at the University of Plymouth, teaching there for a number of years. Since retiring she has developed an interest in local history, architecture and churches. Over the last decade she has been studying the life and work of the Pinwill sisters, delivering numerous talks and lectures across the Southwest and in 2021 published ‘The Remarkable Pinwill Sisters’. 

Wednesday 16th April, 6:00pm

Tickets: £8/£5

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