John Pedley

MP and slave-ower in Jamaica, awarded the compensation for the Stanton estate in St Thomas-in-the-East.

1. A John Pedley is shown as Deputy Register of the Court of Vice-Admiralty in 1799 and as a lawyer (not practising) in Jamaica in 1808. It is likely that this was the same man as this John Pedley, the owner of Stanton.  

2. The John Pedley of 24 Grosvenor Street and Caddington Hill Hertfordshire who died in 1838 appears tied in to the Stanton estate by the notice in the Times 08/07/1843 of the sale at the Mart on Friday November 10 [1843], by order of the Trustees under the will of the late John Pedley Esq., of Stanton Sugar Plantation situate near Morant Bay with 800 acres, water mill and 79 head of stock. Messrs Clayton and Cookson of Lincolns Inn are identified as one of the sources of particulars: elsewhere, Michael Clayton of Lincolns Inn is identified as a trustee, lately appointed, of the will of John Pedley then late of Caddington, who died 22/07/1838, under an indenture of 30/06/1846.

3. The History of Parliament identifies the life dates of John Pedley the MP for Hindon 1802-1806 and Saltash 1807-1809 as 1762-22/07/1838, and shows him as going to Jamaica c. 1785, and undermining the Wildman brothers (his employers) to emerge as the manager of the estates of William Beckford: 'he made a large fortune from his connexion with Beckford.' Hull History Centre has a deed of conveyance 23/08/1806 relating to the transfer of Stanton from William Beckford to John Pedley.

4. Will of John Pedley of Caddington Hill Hertfordshire [made in 1835] proved 30/08/1838. The will has not been fully analysed by LBS, but he placed his property in England and the West Indies in trust. Among other legacies he left an annuity of £500 p.a. to Ann nee Neville wife of William James St John over and above the £100 p.a. he had settled in her under her marriage settlement of 1829; £1000 p.a to his 'brother' Robert Deverell on condition he waived any claim on Pedley's property; and £200 p.a. to his sister Ann Lee. He left his residuary estates to his niece Ann Macnamara wife of Arthur Macnamara of Llangoed Castle.

T71/867 St Thomas-in-the-East claim no. 419, where he is given as John Pedely.

1. Jamaica Almanac (1799, 1808); Boyles 1835; will of John Pedley of Caddington Hill Hertfordshire proved 30/08/1838 PROB 11/1899.

2. Boyles 1835 for the addresses; Times 08/07/1843; p. 12; Issue 18343; col A. Bedfordshire and Luton Archive and Record Service SH102/2 1915 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=004-sh_2-1&cid=32-2#32-2 [accessed 21/11/2011/.

3. http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/people/mr-john-pedley [accessed 21/11/2011]; http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/pedley-john-1762-1838 [accessed 14/04/2014]; C DDI/1/14 http://catalogue.hullhistorycentre.org.uk/files/c-ddi.pdf [accessed 24/05/2018].

4. PROB 11/1899/455.