Philippa Williams (née Wiltshire)

Previous owner of the Brighton or Wiltshire estate on Barbados. Her marriage portion of £3000 was the subject of efforts in 1834 by her son and heir John Williams of Marlbro Wiltshire to intercept the compensation for the enslaved people on Brighton or Wiltshire estate: in that context, John Williams said that the estate had belonged to his maternal uncle Richard Wiltshire.

1. The will of Philippa Williams widow was proved 09/09/1813. The will gives no indication of where she was when she made it, but in it she freed three enslaved people, John, Margaret and Mary, implying she was resident in Barbados. Her residuary legatee was her son John Williams.

T71/1611, unnumbered claims package: letter, dated 03/06/1834, from John Williams, Marbro [?], Wiltshire, stating: 'it was an informal claim it belonged to my maternal uncle Richard Wiltshire then to my father Capt John Williams; three thousand pounds was my original demand upon it, of which two thousand were paid to me by Mr Pile, the present possessor - it was the marriage portion of my mother Mrs Philippa Williams; in consequence of the inability of the present proprietor Mr Pile to pay the remaining part of the principal, I have been satisifed with the interest. It is a matter of notoriety in the Island, that it is the first and oldest debt.'

1. PROB 11/1548/84.