John Ross of Berbice

Awarded the compensation for the enslaved people on Rossfield & Fearn, and possibly for several smaller claims in British Guiana. In Inverness at the time of compensation.

1. Born Golspie, Sutherland 1782/3 and 'from an early age' active in British Guiana. Acting manager and then Chairman of the Caledonian Bank, established in Inverness in 1838. Known as 'John Ross of Berbice.'

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/98394/textcontribution/inverness+culduthel+road+clifton+lodge/ accessed 04/03/2013.

T71/1610 letter from John Ross Inverness 17/11/1835: interested in slave compensation to the extent of 175 slaves attached to the coffee plantation Rossfield. 'But my agent there has omitted to furnish me with the number of my claim, or any information as to the mode of preferring it, simply stating that the Colonial would transmit to the Metropolitan commissioners all necesssary documents in any way connected with the claims of proprietors resident in England. I trust Sir you will have the goodness to excuse my thus applying to the fountain head, by encroaching on your valuable time, to inform me what is the number of my claim and what formalities I may observe to establish it.'

1. http://www.spanglefish.com/slavesandhighlanders/index.asp?pageid=225843

We are grateful to Jim Brennan for his help with this entry, which also draws on David Alston's Slaves and Highlanders material.