Matthew Munro

1761 - 1797


Biography

In 1794 the owner ['Eigenaar'] of Plantagie Edenburg [sic] in Berbice was shown as M. Munro.

  1. 'Matthew Munro [1761/2-1797] arrived in Grenada in the spring of 1772 as the new clerk for Houstoun & Paterson and rose to become a member of the island assembly by the late 1780s. [Douglas Hamilton, Scotland, The Caribbean and the Atlantic World, 1750-1820, p. 88; Ned C. Landsman (ed), Nation and Province in the First British Empire: Scotland and the Americas, p. 111]; in 1792 he was granted the 500 acres plantation on the coast of Berbice, which was named Edinburgh [Kaartboek van de navolgende gronden uitgegeven in de kolonie Berbice, met acten van meting (1790-1793)]. He was also in partnership with William Macfarlane and James Blair, both of Grenada, and Lambert Blair of Berbice, trading as Lambert Blair & Co. He died in England in February 1797, aged 36, and was buried in Bath Abbey [plaque in Bath Abbey].'

  2. Pursuant to a Decree of the High Court of Chancery made in a Cause Baillie and Another against Macdowall and Others, the Creditors of Matthew Munro, late of the Ifland of Grenada, in the West Indies, deceased, the surviving Partner of William Macfarlane, who had carried on Trade and Business in the Name, Style, and Firm, of Messrs. Munro, Macfarlane, and Co. are forthwith to come in and prove their Debts before Nicholas Smith, Esq; one of the Masters of the said Court, at his Chambers in Southampton-Buildings, Chancery-Lane, London, or in Default there of they will be excluded the Benefit of the said Decree. Pursuant to a Decree of the High Court of Chancery made in a Cause Baillie against Blair, the Partnership Creditors of Matthew Munro, late of the Island of Grenada, in the West Indies, deceased, William Macfarlane, late of the same Island, deceased, James Blair, late of the fame Island, and Lambert Blair, of the Colony of Berbice, in South America, Merchant; and Copartners, who carried on Business together in the said Colony of Berbice, in South America, under the Firm of Lambert Blair and Co. are forthwith to come in and prove their Debts before John Spranger, Esq; one of the Masters of the said Court, at his Chambers in Southampton- Buildings, Chancery-Lane, London, or in Default thereof they will be excluded the Benefit of the said Decree.

  3. The will of Matthew Munro of West Horsley Surrey, proved 15/02/1797, shows him as late of the town of St George in the Island of Grenada but now of West Horsley. It includes a legacy of £750 to his wife Elizabeth. One of his executors was Thomas Townsend late of the Island of Grenada (q.v., under Thomas Townsend of Grenada) but now of Poyle Park Surrey.

  4. Matthew Munro of Wimpole Street, with Hugh Rose, James Chapman and Thomas Hawkins of Grenada were the recipients of an Exchequer Loan on 21/08/1795 of £15,000.

  5. Matthew Munro appears as co-owner of three intra-colonial slave trade voyages from Grenada to Jamaica and Tobago between 1786 and 1788. In addition with his partner William McFarlane he was party to a suit in the Vice Admiralty Court of St Kitts after a ship laden with sugar bound from Guadeloupe 'received in payment for enslaved people sold on account of Munro McFarlane and Co and Sugnin' was captured and brought to St Kitts in 1793.


Sources

Naam-Lyst der Bestierders, officieren, bediendens en plantagien op de colonie de Berbice (Amsterdam, 1794), transcribed by Paul Koulen. We are very grateful to Mr Koulen for making his transcription available to us.

  1. David Alston, Slaves and Highlanders http://www.spanglefish.com/slavesandhighlanders/index.asp?pageid=487161 accessed 16/12/2013.

  2. London Gazette 15051 18/04/1798 p. 784.

  3. PROB 11/1286/115.

  4. Museum of London in Docklands 681 98 Exchequer Bill receipts for Grenada and St Vincent No. 45.

5 Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database voyages nos. 102104, 102108 and 102122; TNA HCA 45/19/3 (1795).


Further Information

Absentee?
Transatlantic

Associated Estates (1)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
1792 [SY] - 1797 [EY] → Owner

Legacies Summary

Commercial (2)

Partner
Lambert Blair & Co.
West India merchant - British Guiana  
 
Name partner
Munro Macfarlane
Slave Factors  
 

Relationships (4)

Business partners
Business partners
Other relatives
Notes →
The children of Matthew Munro were among the legatees under the will of George...
Son-in-law → Father-in-law

Addresses (1)

West Horsley, Surrey, South-east England, England