St Vincent 470 (Mount William)

Not listed in Parliamentary Papers.

T71/892: claim by Cecilia Blake, owner-in-fee. Counterclaims from Justinian Vernon of Boulogne sur Mer and John Vernon in Antigua and of Boulogne Sur Mer, tenant-in-tail and tenant for life respectively under the will of John Vernon.

T71/500 p. 35: enslaved persons registered in 1834 by Duncan McDonald for Cecilia Blake.

T71/1302: counterclaims of the two Vernons were based on the value of enslaved persons sold 'illegally' by Justinian Casamajor from Vernons to Bryan Blake and removed to Mt William. Cecilia Blake replicated, tabling an indemnity from 1821 whereby executor of J. Casamajor surrendered the remainder of his lease on Vernons to Vernon and indemnify Justinian Casamajor's estate, whose executor was James Newman. Notice of appeal vs award, dismissed 07/07/1838.

Caribbeana Vol IV p 252-6: Cecilia Blake was the daughter of Bryan Blake [died 1801], who was cousin and agent of the Dublin merchant Valentine O'Connor senior. Valentine O'Connor in his will of 10/11/1813 bequeathed £500 to Cecilia Blake, ordered the sale of his 2/3rds of Mt William, to be sold and produce laid out on lands in Ireland. Martin Blake [son of Bryan Blake, brother of Cecilia Blake, died 1826] went to the Court of Chancery in Ireland which revoked the sale of Mt William from Bryan Blake to Valentine O'Connor. The House of Lords reversed the judgement of Irish Chancellor and decreed that Martin Blake was entiteld to possession subject to the mortgage to representatives of the O'Connors. Cecilia Blake had been brought back [aged 4 when Bryan Blake died] to Dublin, and was maintained by Valentine O'Connor till his death.