Henry Eccles

Henry Eccles, natural son of George Knowles Eccles and Eleanor Anderson, "a free woman of colour". His sister Jessy Eccles was baptised at Vauxhall 31/07/1817.

Mary Eccles nee Rennalls, mother of George Knowles Eccles, died 01/11/1820 and in her will, proven in 1821, she wrote “I do hereby give and bequeath unto two natural children of colour of my aforesaid son George Knowles Eccles begotten of Eleanor Anderson a free woman of colour and named Henry Eccles and Jessy Eccles the sum of 50 pounds each.”

Henry Eccles inherited three enslaved children, Edward, age 11, George age 1 3/4 and Ann age 9 years 7 months, from his mother. The children's mother was Charlotte Anderson, who had been inherited by Henry's sister Jessy Eccles, along with Charlotte Anderson's other surviving child Bella.

Henry Eccles, a widower, age about 60 years, a carpenter, died of "fever and ague" (probably malaria) in St Catherine, 16/09/1882. The informant was his daughter Jesse Eccles.

Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online]. Information on the will of Mary Eccles nee Rennalls provided by Anthea Eccles-Koprululer, email 10/02/2017.

T71/8 [unpaginated].

We are grateful to Anthea Eccles-Koprululer for her assistance with compiling this entry.