Bernard Shirley

Brother of Henry Shirley II, father of Henry Shirley III (each of whom q.v.) and owner of a coffee estate called Mount St Bernard in St George Jamaica.

1. Will of Bernard Shirley [late of the parish of St George in the Island of Jamaica but now ] of Fingest Buckinghamshire proved 14/01/1812. He excluded from his instruction to pay off his just debts the debt owed by him to his brother Henry Shirley and secured by mortgage on his coffee estate called Mount St Bernard: this mortgage was to be serviced according to the deeds establishing it on the second day of January last. He left £200 in trust to his brother for the benefit of his reputed natural son Edmund [possibly Edward] the son of a free mulatto woman called Brown [?] now an apprentice to Mr Johnson carpenter' in St George, and a further £200 in trust for his reputed natural daughter Mary Bernard born in January 1794 on Petersfield estate. Mary Bernard was clearly living in England becaue the will provided that if she should desire to return to Jamaica, the expenses would be paid from Bernard Shirley's personal estate and if she did return there she would take the [sur]name Shirley. He left an annuity of £30 p.a. to Ann Hawkins now living at Warren Street and a further £30 p.a. in trust to Henry Shirley for Edward Bernard, the natural son of Ann Hawkins [and presumably also of Bernard Shirley]. He left a further annuity of £80 p.a. to Mary Scharschmidt [?] now living with me and a further £20 p.a. to support her natural son Bernard born 21/06/1805 now called Bernard Shirley. Subject to these bequests his estate passed to his son Henry and daughter Ann. A note on probate shows a death date of 25/04/1808.

1. PROB 11/1529/177.