George Booker

(1) Established in Georgetown 1834 on takeover of existing Lucas & Cook business.  (2) Added partners in 1840: John Booker (1819=1843, son of George's brother Thomas, a brewer in Lancs.) and James Paterson, nephew of John D Paterson (until July 1849, when he was bought out for £4000 for his quarter share); in 1843 William Alty (partner until 1861).  (3) John McConnell came to BG 1846 (having worked at George Booker & Co. In Liverpool since 1837), partner 1854, at same time as Josias II (born 1828, in Georgetown since 1849-50): in 1854, partnership was GB 1/3r; William Alty 1/3rd; JM 1/6th; Josias Booker II 1/6th). After Alty's death partnership goes to 1/3rd each.

(4) On George's death in 1866, his one-third share 'in the merchanting and commission business he had established' was worth just over £12000 (unclear whether this is only Booker Brothers or includes George Booker & Co. In Liverpool).   Josais II and John McConnell bought GB's share out over the next few years from the executors. Plantations outside the scope of the firm, owned personally by GB; Cane Grove sold June 1868 for £12,500 to Ludovico Porter.

Slinn & Tanburn pp. 14 (1); 16 (2); 22 (3); 26-7 (4).

1. Booker Brothers grew out of Lucas & Cook, 'a well-established house in Liverpool with a business in Georgetown, the capital of Demerara'

1. Partnership between Wm Lucas, William Cook and Geo. Booker lately subsisting at Liverpool under firm of Lucas and Cook and at Demerary under the firm of Lucas, Cook and co., is dissolved by mutual consent; the concern at Demerary will cease and determine 31/12 next. Dividends to Lucas, Cook from estates under administration were still being paid out in the 1850s and 1860s

1. Judy Slinn and Jennifer Tanburn, The Booker Story (Andover, Jarrold Publishing, 2003), p. 5 and pp. 14-15

1. London Gazette 19107 3/12/1833 p. 2237; e.g. London Gazette 21521 14/2/1854 p. 449 Estate of R.F. Mums [sic]; 22274 7/4/1863 p. 1954 Estate of R. F. Munro