Belleaire

Estate Details


Associated People (11)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
- 1828 [EY] → Joint owner

Will of John Brown merchant of St Vincent proved 24/03/1829, PROB 11/1752/307.

1829 [SY] - → Trustee and Executor

Co-trustee and co-executor of Francis Brown, the owner of Belleaire prior to his death in 1829.

1829 [SY] - 1834 [LA] → Trustee and Executor

Co-trustee and co-executor of Francis Brown, the owner of Belleaire prior to his death in 1829.

1767 [EA] - 1768 [LA] → Owner
1768 [EA] - 1797 [LA] → Joint owner
1768 [EA] - → Joint owner
1797 [EA] - 1799 [LA] → Legatee
1803 [EA] - 1803 [LA] → Seller
1803 [EA] - → Joint owner
1817 [EA] - 1828 [EY] → Joint owner
1817 [EA] - 1822 [LA] → Joint owner

Associated Claims (1)

£3,697 10S 11D

Estate Information (8)

What is this?

1803
[Name] Belleaire  
 

By deeds of lease and release of 13 and 14/02/1803, (1) James McCaul and William Alexander (as executors of James Mackie), Henry Stuart of Hammersmith the nephew heir at law and residuary devisee of his uncle John Stuart late of Hampstead who was the heir of John Townson late of Grays Inn and Charles James surviving executor of John Townson and one of the executors of John Stuart sold the Belleaire estate to (2) James Brown, Francis Brown, Robert Brown and John Brown, all of Glasgow. James Mackie had been granted the land and placed enslaved people on it, and then needing further capital agreed in 1768 for John Townson to take a half interest in exchange for £2200 to match Mackie's investment (which the deed gives as £1820 for: 37 enslaved people at £40 each; 16 horned cattle at £15 each; and five horses at £20 each; plus £380 paid for the land, totalling £3200 [sic]). Both men were then given as of London, Mackie temporarily. A separate document detailed the payment structure of the £25,000 purchase price paid by the Browns in 1803: two bills of exchange of £5000 drawn by James McCaul as attorney of the Browns on Leitch & Smith at 90 days, and six bills of exchange for £2500 plus interest at 5% p.a. each, in two sets at 1 year, 2 years and 3 years.

Deed Book 1804, British Library, EAP688/1/1/18, https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP688-1-1-18 pp. 283-327, 328-331.

 
Deed Book 1804, British Library, EAP688/1/1/18, https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP688-1-1-18 pp. 283-327
1817
[Number of enslaved people] 148(Tot)  
[Name] Belleaire Estate  
 

Francis Brown, Robert Brown, John Brown, Robert Brown Jnr., William Brown, Francis Brown Jnr., as owners.

 
T71/493 235-237
1822
[Number of enslaved people] 151(Tot) 76(F) 75(M)  
[Name] Belleaire Estate  
 

Francis Brown Snr., Robert Brown, John Brown, Robert Brown Jnr., William Brown, Francis Brown Junr., as owners [24 enslaved people purchased and imported from Bahamas, June 1817].

 
T71/495 113-114
1825
[Number of enslaved people] 161(Tot) 78(F) 83(M)  
[Name] Belleaire  
 

Messrs. Brown [increase by birth, by import from Cariacou, October 1824 and by purchase from Trinidad].

 
T71/497 80-82
1827
[Number of enslaved people] 150(Tot) 75(F) 75(M)  
[Name] Belleair  
 

Belleair Estate. Statement sworn by John Brown [20 deaths].

 
T71/497 45-46
1830
[Number of enslaved people] 143(Tot) 72(F) 71(M)  
[Name] Belleair Estate  
 

Messrs. Smith and Brown, trustees to the will of the late Francis Brown. Statement sworn by Niven McKenzie [20 deaths].

 
T71/499 47-48
1833
[Name] Belleaire  
 

In 1833 the unattested August 1829 will of Francis Brown, who died in St Vincent aged 71 in 1829, was successfully challenged by his grandson Francis Brown Douglas in the Privy Council in Douglas v Smith & Brown, and the Belleaire estate passed to him relatively unencumbered by other legacies.

1834
[Number of enslaved people] 135(Tot) 68(F) 67(M)  
[Name] Belleair Estate  
 

Belleair Estate. The property of Francis Brown Douglas. Statement sworn by Thomas Studdert. Register taken on 1st May. Total on 1st August 1834 was 136 enslaved people.

 
T71/500 77-78