Robert Hawthorn

Partner in Hawthorn & Shedden (q.v.) with his brother-in-law William George Shedden (q.v.), and probably earlier a partner with Patrick Ogilvie in Hawthorn and Ogilvie. LBS has concluded, based in part on the will of Alexander Hawthorn and in part on the will of William Paterson of Ayr (q.v., in which Robert Hawthorn, son of Alexander Hawthorn, and his wife Agatha were minor beneficiaries) that this man was son of Alexander Hawthorn (q.v.).

1. Born Falmouth Jamaica, reportedly son of John [sic] Hawthorn and grandson of John Hawthorn of Oulton Co. Wigton.  Died Gower Street 04/03/1869.  Married Agatha Wells Bridger Shedden 02/11/1824. Son William of 5 Lime St Square was his executor. 

2. Will of Robert Hawthorn late of Gower Street and of Lime St Square who died 04/03/1869 at Gower Street proved by William Hawthorn of 5 Lime St Square merchant the son. Effects under £40,000 resworn at the Stamp Office July 1869 under £30,000.

3. In 1861 Robert Hawthorn, West India merchant aged 70 born Falmouth Jamaica was living at 34 Gower Street with wife Agatha W. B., and one son and 5 daughters aged 17-34, all born in London. In 1841 the family was already at 34 Gower Street.  

4. Death of Colonel George Shedden Hawthorn 09/08/1907: executors = Frances Augusta Hawthorn and George Shedden. 

5. Dormant Chancery account in Hawthorn v Shedden 1855 H, 168, the account of the legacy to the London Ragged Training School of Industry and Dormitory Duty. 

6. 1811 Jamaica Almanac St Anns shows 'Hawthorn, John Outon' with 70 enslaved: also shows 'Robert Hawthorn, Unity Valley etc.' with 119 enslaved; similar entries 1816-1821 (the latter also includes entries for Hawthorn & Anderson and Anderson and Hawthorn): by the 1825 Almanac Outon is shown owned by the Strachan family (who in 1824 are shown as owning  a consistent number of enslaved but with no estate name given).

7. Sarah, daughter of John Hawthorn Esq., of Glenluce in the county of Wigton and late of the island of Jamaica, who married the Rev. John Ferdinando Collins 30/9/1836, was presumably related to the Robert Hawthorn of this entry as well as to the Rev. Robert Hawthorn (q.v.), probably as first cousin of the latter.

8. Deed between 1. Philip Haughton James of Sidmouth, esquire 2. David Lyon of Grosvenor Square, Middlesex, esquire 3. Robert Hawthorn of Lime Street Square, City of London for a mortgage of £8686 1s 9d at 4% per annum on Haughton Hall Estate and Burnt Ground, parish of Hanover in Jamaica.

Sarah Harrison (ed.), A Jamaica Master in Chancery: The Letterbooks of Herbert Jarret James 1821-1840 fn. 33, https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/254050/HJJ%20letter%20book%20full%20numbered%20text.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y [accessed 02/12/2019].

1. England and Wales Visitation, Volume 11, 'Shedden of Spring Hill Isle of Wight and of Paulsers Pury Park Co. Northampton' available at www.ancestry.co.uk [accessed 22/12/2010]. As noted, the parentage of Robert Hawthorn given there (with John Hawthorn as his father) is disputed by LBS.

2. England & Wales National Probate Calendar (index of Wills and Administrations) 1861-1941 1869.

3. 1861 census online 

4. London Gazette, Issue 28063, 27/09/1907, p. 6522.  

5. London Gazette, Supplement to Issue 28809, 03/03/1914, p. 1921. 

6. www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com [accessed 22/12/2010].

7. John Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain Vol. 4 'Collins, of Betterton', p. 616.

8. Email from Peter Selley 21/12/2020 sourced to Devon Heritage Ventre, 2792Z/F/5.

We are grateful to Peter Selley for his assistance with this entry.