Rev. George Capper

Vicar of Wherstead, awarded part of the compensation with his wife Ann[e] Capper (q.v.) for the Friendship estate in Trelawny which had belonged to his father-in-law George Reid senior.

1. 14/06/1847 death of Rev. George Capper, Rector of Gosbeck and Little Blakenham, and Vicar of Wherstead, in London in his 80th year. Son of Rev. Francis Capper, Rector of Earl Soham and Monk Soham in Suffolk. Had married 1805 Anne, dau. of George Reid esq. of Island of Jamaica, but left no issue. Magistrate, chairman of quarterly sessions at Ipswich for several years.

2. St Mary's Church Wherstead contains table top tomb of (1) George Reid of Island of Jamaica died Jan 28 1823 aged 75 years; Elizabeth Lydia, relict of the above, died Nov. 11th 1842 aged 83; and Mary Reid, daughter of George Reid died 24th February 1850 aged 53, and (2) Rev George Capper, for 32 years Vicar of this parish died 4th June 1847 in 80th year and Ann, widow of Rev G. Capper, d. 24th August 1855 in 76th year of her age.

3. BA Trinity; ordained 1790; Rector Little Blakenham (1794-1815), Knodishall with Buxlow (1799-1801), Gosbeck 25/08/1803-13/05/1815); Vicar Wherstead 12/05/1815 [until death].

4. 'A well-known hunting parson..also a keen yachtsman.'

5. George Capper and his wife Ann were recorded at Montagu Street, Bryanston Square, in the census of 1841 in the household of Isabella Reid Thomson and Elizabeth Reid Thomson (both q.v.). Note that Ann Capper's maiden surname was Reid, as was Isabella and Elizabeth's mother Rebecca. Given George Capper's role at Wherstead, they were probably visiting relatives.

6. Will of Rev. George Capper clerk of Wherstead proved 19/07/1847. In the will, he said that the bulk of his wife's income under their marriage settlement depended on the production of the Friendship estate in Jamaica, and that given the 'desperate state of affairs in that quarter' he wished to provide for her, which he did from his English property to bring the £200 p.a. annuity left to her by Rev. George Capper's sister Elizabeth Capper up to a total of £720 p.a. His heir was his nephew Francis Capper Brooke, who left £91,285 13s 10d on his death at Ufford Suffolk in 1886.

T71/874 Trelawny No. 417 and 530. Trelawny No. 530 shows the counterclaim from The Rev George Capper executor of Mary Reid spinster creditor by bond and judgement and under an indenture of 9th August 1823 charging the debt on this estate'; also from The Rev Henry Denny Berners and the Rev Geo Capper and Ann his wife, as entitled to the interest for their lives as stated of £10,000 sterling at 5 per cent -for arrears. £2700 to Mrs Capper'. Also from Mary Reid spinster annuitant of £500 under the will of George Reid. There is no note of an award being paid to court under Trelawny No. 530.

1. Gentleman's Magazine Aug. 1847 p. 216.

2. www.merrill.org/wherstead/church/St_Marys_Church_MI.pdf [accessed 07/01/2012].

3. CCEd [database online] Person ID: 111898.

4. Ancestry.com, Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900 [database online].

5. 1841 census online.

6. PROB 11/2059/59.

We are grateful to David Barker for his assistance with compiling this entry.