John Cobham of Bristol and Barbados

Deceased owner of an estate inferred from his will to have been Applewhaites, in Barbados, the compensation for which was paid to three Bristol men (Robert Bright, Henry Bush, George Hilhouse). Two of the three were executors of Robert Bush (d. 1829) and a third (Robert Bright) was the son of Richard Bright, another executor of Robert Bush; Robert Bush in turn was an executor and brother-in-law of John Cobham, and almost certainly party to the Chancery suit of Cobham v Bush (still running in 1825) and it appears likely that they were acting in relation to this suit. Robert Bush had a son John Cobham Bush, clearly a namesake.

1. Will of John Cobham [late of the island of Barbados but now resident in the above named City] of Bristol Gloucestershire [made in 1810] proved 14/12/1811. In the will, he recited his settlement on his marriage to 'spinster Elizabeth Tobin' of £1000 'chargeable only on my plantation in the island of Barbados and known by the name of Applewhaites Spring', and provided an additional £500 p.a. annuity to her during her widowhood, together with his house in Berkeley Square in Bristol for life or until her second marriage, whereupon the house was to pass to his [unnamed] eldest son and failing sons to his [unnamed] eldest daughter as owner-in-fee. He earnestly recommended to his executors to sell his plantations on Barbados. Until their sale he instructed the shipment of sugars from them to Thomas and John Daniel of London and Bristol 'as in my lifetime.' He left his nephew John Cobham £3000 a the age of 23. His residuary heirs were his wife and children. He asked that if his servant John Taylor should 'continue to serve my beloved wife faithfully in the capacity of Butler' he should be paid £50 p.a.; if he chose to return to Barbados, he would be manumitted with the cost to make his freedom valid and his passage money to be charged to Cobham's estate, and a stone wall house shingled with about four acres of land be built on Applewhaites Spring, for John Taylor for life, with an annuity of £20 currency p.a. (he would forfeit the £50 p.a. above). His executors were his wife Elizabeth, and his much-esteemed brothers-in-law Robert Bush and James Webbe Tobin.

2. Wedding of George Webbe Tobin of 2nd Reg. of Dragoon guards to Susannah Christian, only daughter of late John Cobham of Island of Barbados, 15/12/1830 at Teignmouth, Devon.

3. John Cobham Bush, Adm. pens. (age 18) at PEMBROKE, June 13, 1829. 5th s. of Robert, mercer, deceased, late of Bristol. B. there May 25, 1811. [School, Merchant Taylors'.] Matric. Michs. 1829; Scholar; B.A. 1833; M.A. 1837. In Holy Orders. Died Mar. 29, 1839, aged 26 (sic), at Grove House. (Merchant Taylors' Sch. Reg.; G. Mag., 1839, I. 552.).

1. London Gazette 18110 22/02/1825 p. 309; PROB 11/1528/221.

2. Times 18/12/1830 p. 4; Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 18/12/1830.

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

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