James Law of Portland Place

London merchant, partner with William Lushington in William Lushington and Law until 1796, then in partnership as East India merchants as Law, Bruce & Co. until 1802, then with Thomas Reed.

1. Will of James Law of Portland Place proved 07/04/1807. In the will he left half his share in the profit of his business with Thomas Reed of Copthall Court since the last settlement to Thomas Reed and two others, and half to his nephew William Law now in the office of Mossimans [?] French & Co. He left the rest of his estate including property in the West Indies in trust for his brother William Law, with annuities of £1000 p.a. to his wife. His indebted estate was the subject of contestation in the suit of Ellice v Goodson.

2. James Law had been the mortgagee of the Upper and Lower Pearl estates for £32,848 18s 9d from 1792 subject to the equity of redemption of Edmund Proudfoot, and a further sum of £16,965 2s 1d due from Proudfoot. At the time of his death he owned Madeys and held also Boccage and Boulogne (from 1793 and 1800 respectively) transferred to him to secure £78,547 16s 8d. He also owned an estate at Cannon Hill in Berkshire and a house at Portland Place valued [possibly in combination] at £15,000, and plate and jewels of £7,500, as well as lands in Co. Donegal worth £36,121, 6s 4d.

London Gazette 13888 30/04/1796 p. 410; ibid., 15475 27/04/1802 p. 435.

1. PROB 11/1459/60.

2. 'Ellice v Goodson' in The Jurist, containing reports of cases determined in law and in equity during the year 1838 (1839) Vol. 2 pp. 127-129.