Robert Bell

1781 - 1841

Claimant or beneficiary

Biography

Partner in the Demerara firm of Cornfoot, Bell (q.v.), in which capacity he was awarded compensation with his partner David Cornfoot (q.v.) for Belle Plaine, and identified as 'residing in England' in another award in British Guiana as trustee.

  1. Feb. 4th [1841] [Death of] Robert Bell of Demerara at Stickworth I[isle of] W[ight] aged 60.

  2. Will of Robert Bell of Stickworth Isle of Wight proved 18/03/1841. His executors were his wife Mary Halson, David Cornfoot of Petersham Lodge, his wife's nephew Charles Halson wine merchant of South Street, Finsbury and the latter's son Charles Augustus Halson. He left his estate to his wife for life subject to legacies of: £1500 to his niece Henrietta daughter of James Halson deceased; £200 to her brother John; £2000 to Eliza Halson sister of Charles Halson; £5000 to Charles Augustus Halson; £1000 to the latter's sister, Robert Bell's god-daughter Mary Halson; £5000 in trust, the income from which was to be paid to Mary the wife of James Earl of Butcher [?] Hill in the Isle of Ely, and the principal to be divided among her children at her death; an annuity, after the death of the survivor of Robert Bell and his wife, of £100 p.a. to Augustus Halson brother of Charles Halson, at present of Bradford in Upper Canada, or £2000 to Augustus Halson's children if he died before the survivor. There is no reference to property in British Guiana.


Sources

T71/886 British Guiana claim no. 1311. T71/887 British Guiana claim no. 2323 (Belle Plaine).

  1. Gentleman's Magazine Vols. 169-170 (1841) p. 332.

  2. PROB 11/1942/120.


Further Information

Absentee?
British/Irish
Spouse
Mary Halson
Occupation
Merchant

Associated Claims (2)

£367 13s 9d
Awardee (Guardian)
£14,729 18s 7d
Awardee (Owner-in-fee)

Associated Estates (1)

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
1817 [EA] - 1834 [LA] → Joint owner

Legacies Summary

Commercial (1)

Name partner
Cornfoot, Bell & Company
West India merchant - British Guiana  
 

Relationships (2)

Business partners
Trustee → Testator
Notes →
In a codicil of 1829 to the will of Johanna Meertens of 1829 she appointed as trustees David Cornfoot of Woolley Lodge near Maidenhead Berks. and Robert Bell of Stickworth Grove in the Isle of...

Addresses (2)

England
Stickworth Hall, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Wessex, England