Robert Ross of Henrietta Street and Bybrook

Owner of Bybrook in Jamaica, dying on the island in October 1821. William Ross was awarded compensation for the enslaved people on Bybrook as executor of Robert Ross, and under a similar description for two smaller awards in St Catherine and St John.

1. The journal of Alexander Innes (October 1823- February 1824) recorded Bybrook as a 'very fine' sugar plantation owned by the Scot Robert Ross until the latter's death 'that October.'

2. The will of Robert Ross of Henrietta Street Cavendish Square [made 18/10/1820] was proved 15/01/1822. His executors and trustees were John Shand of the Burn in Scotland, William Shand of Jamaica, William Ross of Gloucester Place and Francis Robertson of Lincolns Inn. In the will, Ross said that prior to the marriage of his reputed daughter Mary Ross with Robert Tunstall Haverfield, he [Ross] had agreed to secure as fortune £8000 on his estates Palmer Hut and Bybrook, and he reaffirmed that settlement and gave the payment of the £8000 priority. He left a series of annuities in trust: £50 p.a. each to his nieces Agnes and Charlotte Ross, daughters of his deceased brother James Ross; £25 p.a. to his niece Catherine Imray [?Murrary]; £50 p.a. Jamaican currency to Elizabeth Upton Swoonbrick [?] of St Catherine, 'the mother of my reputed children Samuel Ross and Mary Haverfield; £50 p.a. Jamaican currency to his reputed daughter Elizabeth Ross 'a free mulatto' residing in Jamaica; and £50 p.a. Jamaica currency each to his reputed children William Ross and James Ross, both living in Jamaica. He provided an annuity of £100 p.a. to his executor and trustee acting in England with a further £200 on the winding up of his estate, expressing a preference that Francis Robertson take on this role, failing whom William Ross. He left £5000 in trust for his reputed son Samuel Ross then residing with Captain Haverfield in Bideford, Devon, with a further £10,000 on his reaching 25; £2000 to his reputed daughter Mary Haverfield; and £3000 to his niece Agnes Delpratt wife of Samuel Delpratt of Jamaica at present in London; and to his niece Mary Hering wife of Oliver Hering of Jamaica, at present residing at Gloucester Place, 'who from her husband's circumstances does not require assistance the sum of £21 as a remembrance.' He gave legacies of £3000 to his niece the widow of John Boland; £500 each to his brother General Alexander Ross and sister-in-law Isabella the wife of Alexander Ross; £2000 to his nephew Charles Ross, and £1000 to his nephew Lt-Col. John Ross and £500 to his wife; £1000 each to his nieces Agnes and Charlotte Ross; £500 each to his nieces Mary Donaldson the wife of William Donaldson of Scotland, Jane Gordon wife of George Gordon of Scotland and Jane Watt wife of James Watt of Scotland, Catherine Imray [?]; £500 to Agnes Delpratt the daughter of Agnes and Samuel Delpratt; £500 to Robert Wemyss Hutchison planter of the island of Jamaica; £210 each to Laurentia the wife of Francis Robertson, to Catherine the wife of William Ross and a further series of smaller legacies totalling under £1000 to several other individuals in Britain. He laid out a 'fund' to advance no more than two sons of his nephews and nieces with no more than £200 each. He instructed that his leasehold house and contents in Henrietta Street be sold. He left his real estate in Jamaica - specified to include Palmer Hut[t] and Bybrook in St Thomas-in-the-Vale and his 'penn' Laurencefield in St Catherine - in trust to be held for 7 years unless £70,000 could be realised for them in that period, and then to be sold for what they would fetch. He instructed that the estates should be insured against fire damage for over £5000 and that 'the stock or number of Slaves...and the cattle' be kept up (with a specified minimum of 350 enslaved people). His residual estate was to be divided in third between his reputed son Samuel Ross, his reputed daughter Mary Haverfield, and his nephews Col. John Ross and Charles Ross son of General Alexander Ross. In a codicil made in Jamaica dated 02/10/1821, Ross replaced William Shand as executor and trustee with his nephew Charles Ross. Mary Haverfield as residuary legatee of one-third for life was granted administration of the will left unadministered by William Ross 03/05/1847.

3. Advertisement for creditors of Robert Ross, late of Henrietta St Cavendish Sq. and of the Island of Jamaica who d. in Jamaica Oct 1821.

1. Eric J. Graham, 'The Journal of Alexander Innes of Banffshire in Jamaica 1823-1824', Scottish Local History Issue 93 Winter 2015-2016, pp. 31-35, at p, 33.

2. PROB 11/1652/225.

3. Times 22/4/1862 p. 6.