Belleaire

[Name] Belleaire  

By deeds of lease and release of 13 and 14/02/1803, (1) James McCaul and William Alexander (as executors of James Mackie), Henry Stuart of Hammersmith the nephew heir at law and residuary devisee of his uncle John Stuart late of Hampstead who was the heir of John Townson late of Grays Inn and Charles James surviving executor of John Townson and one of the executors of John Stuart sold the Belleaire estate to (2) James Brown, Francis Brown, Robert Brown and John Brown, all of Glasgow. James Mackie had been granted the land and placed enslaved people on it, and then needing further capital agreed in 1768 for John Townson to take a half interest in exchange for £2200 to match Mackie's investment (which the deed gives as £1820 for: 37 enslaved people at £40 each; 16 horned cattle at £15 each; and five horses at £20 each; plus £380 paid for the land, totalling £3200 [sic]). Both men were then given as of London, Mackie temporarily. A separate document detailed the payment structure of the £25,000 purchase price paid by the Browns in 1803: two bills of exchange of £5000 drawn by James McCaul as attorney of the Browns on Leitch & Smith at 90 days, and six bills of exchange for £2500 plus interest at 5% p.a. each, in two sets at 1 year, 2 years and 3 years.

Deed Book 1804, British Library, EAP688/1/1/18, https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP688-1-1-18 pp. 283-327, 328-331.

Deed Book 1804, British Library, EAP688/1/1/18, https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP688-1-1-18 pp. 283-327

[Number of enslaved people] 148(Tot)  
[Name] Belleaire Estate  

Francis Brown, Robert Brown, John Brown, Robert Brown Jnr., William Brown, Francis Brown Jnr., as owners.

T71/493 235-237

[Number of enslaved people] 151(Tot) 76(F) 75(M)  
[Name] Belleaire Estate  

Francis Brown Snr., Robert Brown, John Brown, Robert Brown Jnr., William Brown, Francis Brown Junr., as owners [24 enslaved people purchased and imported from Bahamas, June 1817].

T71/495 113-114

[Number of enslaved people] 161(Tot) 78(F) 83(M)  
[Name] Belleaire  

Messrs. Brown [increase by birth, by import from Cariacou, October 1824 and by purchase from Trinidad].

T71/497 80-82

[Number of enslaved people] 150(Tot) 75(F) 75(M)  
[Name] Belleair  

Belleair Estate. Statement sworn by John Brown [20 deaths].

T71/497 45-46

[Number of enslaved people] 143(Tot) 72(F) 71(M)  
[Name] Belleair Estate  

Messrs. Smith and Brown, trustees to the will of the late Francis Brown. Statement sworn by Niven McKenzie [20 deaths].

T71/499 47-48

[Name] Belleaire  

In 1833 the unattested August 1829 will of Francis Brown, who died in St Vincent aged 71 in 1829, was successfully challenged by his grandson Francis Brown Douglas in the Privy Council in Douglas v Smith & Brown, and the Belleaire estate passed to him relatively unencumbered by other legacies.

[Number of enslaved people] 135(Tot) 68(F) 67(M)  
[Name] Belleair Estate  

Belleair Estate. The property of Francis Brown Douglas. Statement sworn by Thomas Studdert. Register taken on 1st May. Total on 1st August 1834 was 136 enslaved people.

T71/500 77-78