Ellen Blades

Alleged daughter of John [sic] Renny, who enquired about her inheritance of Swamps and Norris estates in Jamaica but was told by the Compensation Commission that her enquiry came too late to make a claim.

1. Letter dated 31/10/1839 from Ellen Blades of Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland, England, claiming to be one of the daughters of the late John Reiny who died about 19 years ago, leaving an estate called Norris Head with 210 slaves and another called Swamp Head with 198 slaves, to his children which property she understood under the provisions of his will could neither be sold nor mortgaged. "I am the wife of an outpensioner of Chelsea Hospital - we have been buffetted about in the world - suffered many privations - which has hitherto been the means of preventing us from establishing our claim to the above property." The Commissioners replied that it was too late for her to make a claim. It is not clear to whom she was referring as John Reiny: Thomas Renny Strachan died c. 1823, the closest known fit.

2. Presumably the Ellen Blades living at Mitchel Gate, Kirkby Lonsdale, in the census of 1841, age 45, born "F" [Foreign parts] with James Blades (age 46, Shoemaker, born in Westmorland), Ellen Blades (age 12), Mary Blades (age 9) and Wm Blades (age 6). (Each of the children born in Westmorland.)  

T71/866 St David claim nos. 104 (Swamps) and 122 (Norris).

1. T71/1607 letter from Ellen Blades, 31/10/1839; T71/1594 p. 278 letter from the Compensation Commission, 04/11/1839.

2. 1841 census online.