John Jackson of Fulham

1738 - 1809


Biography

London merchant, partner with (and almost certainly son-in-law of) John Serocold (q.v.) in the merchant and sugar factoring house Serocold and Jackson. John Serocold was bankrupt in 1786, but John Jackson appears to have navigated the collapse: certainly in his will proved in 1810 he disclaimed responsibility for the debts of Serocold and Jackson. A creditor, Ann Baxter (q.v.), in her will made in 1803 described him as late a West India merchant but now residing at Hammersmith, brickmaker.

  1. Will of John Jackson of [North End] Fulham in Middlesex proved 23/02/1810. The will was self-penned, without 'the assistance of professional men of law' and shows it as he recounted the complex state of his affairs: 'I forgive mine enemies, persecutors and slanderers.' 'I leave to my executors the fullest power possible to obtain some justice from Mr Beckford of Fonthill, from John Jarrett Esquire of Portland Place and from every other person now or who may hereafter be indebted to me.' He willed that all his just debts contracted since May 1798 be fully paid, 'and although debts which were incurred by Serocold and Jackson cannot be legally claimed against me', he instructed his executors to settle in full from money to be received from Beckford and Jarrett the amounts that had been lent by creditors to Serocold and Jackson [of which he said he attached a list, which gives the names of a dozen or so individuals without amounts]: he made a distinction between these obligations and those in which Serocold and Jackson had merely provided sureties for third parties without receiving payment from them, for which he said he did not feel responsible. He said that his wife would be amply provided for by her thirds of all the West India estates, and left her £1000. To 'my dear nephew Samuel', the only son of his dearly beloved brother [also Samuel] he left £10,000 'with all my reversionary rights in Amity Hall and Sod Hall'; to his nephew John Serocold Jackson he left £5000 and the reversionary rights to the house in which John Jackson lived, with 5 acres of grounds walled in, as well as all his interest in Hampton estate, which had belonged to John Serocold Jackson's father Robert Jackson, and he instructed his nephew to distribute among his siblings the judgment for £27,000 held by John Jackson on his brother Robert's estate. He left £5000 each to William Ludlam of North End (an executor) and to Maria, daughter of William Noble banker of Pall Mall, £3000 to James Ricketts and his wife and £4000 to his very esteemed friend Mrs Olivia Parkins. He expressed confidence that the 'undermentioned estates' would eventually be recovered: Cath. Hall; Hampton; Amity Hall; the Rhine; the Spring; Blackheath and Sod Hall in Jamaica and Courland estate in Tobago. In a codicil he redirected his house at North End to his nephew Samuel Jackson.

Sources

Anne M. Powers, 'Serocold of London', http://aparcelofribbons.co.uk/wp-content/paf_files/serocold/pafg05.htm#25 [accessed 30/03/2015]; London Gazette 12760 13/06/1786 p. 270.

Michael Craton and James Walvin, A Jamaican Plantation. The History of Worthy Park 1670-1970 (W.H. Allen, London and New York, 1970) pp. 157-159, 162-163.

  1. PROB 11/1508/419.

Further Information

Absentee?
British/Irish
Spouse
Elizabeth Serocold
Occupation
Merchant and sugar factor

Associated Estates (12)

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
1786 [EA] - → Mortgage Holder
1774 [EA] - 1800 [LA] → Owner
1809 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Previous owner
1784 [EA] - 1784 [LA] → Joint owner

Shown as the property of Serocold & Jackson

1808 [EA] - 1809 [LA] → Not known

In his will made in 1808 and proved in 1810. John Jackson of Fulham (d. 1809) expressed the expectation that a group of estates including Rhine and Blackheath (both earlier associated with William Gray) would be recovered by his estate.

1758 [SY] - → Mortgage Holder
1781 [EA] - 1784 [LA] → Not known

The estate is shown as the property of John Jackson but in his will made in 1797 Jonathan Beckford Barnett, a previous owner, referred to rent charges owed to him for the estate of John Jackson known by the name St Catherine Hall.

1809 [EA] - 1811 [LA] → Previous owner
1808 [EA] - 1810 [LA] → Not known

In his will made in 1808 and proved in 1810 John Jackson of Fulham referred to his claims over the Courland estate in Tobago.

1808 [EA] - 1809 [LA] → Not known

In his will made in 1808 proved in 1810. John Jackson of Fulham (d. 1809) expressed the expectation that a group of estates including Hampton would be recovered by his estate.

1808 [EA] - 1809 [LA] → Not known

In his will made in 1808 and proved in 1810. John Jackson of Fulham (d. 1809) expressed the expectation that a group of estates including Rhine and Blackheath (both earlier associated with William Gray) would be recovered by his estate.

1796 [EA] - 1799 [LA] → Owner

Legacies Summary

Commercial (1)

Name partner
Serocold & Jackson
West India merchant  
 

Relationships (5)

Brothers
Business partners
Notes →
Almost certainly John Jackson was also the son-in-law of John Serocold...
Deceased → Heir-at-law
Notes →
Samuel Jackson was almost certainly the nephew of John Jackson of Fulham....
Uncle → Nephew
Business associates
Notes →
John Straw was a creditor of Serocold &...

Addresses (2)

London, London, England
North End, Fulham, London, Middlesex, London, England