Thomas Millward

1. Death "At Gosfield in the County of Essex , on 12th October last, in the 81st year of his age, Thomas Millward, Esq., formerly of this Island, and proprietor of River-Head, Brook Lodge and Millward's Beg Estates."

2. Will of Thomas Millward [formerly of Spanish Town Jamaica but now residing at] Gosfield Hall, Essex [made in 1830] proved 05/03/1836. In the will he gives a pained account of his management of his Jamaican property and the enslaved people attached to it. He had in 1793, many years after his former marriage, put the Bogg estate in trust for his own use for life while retaining the power to dispose of it under his will to his wife and children. After the date of the indenture he placed many 'negro slaves' on the estate, becoming indebted to a number of people most notably Messrs Davidson [of London]. After the death of his wife, the Bogg estate became unprofitable, and he removed a number of the enslaved people onto River Head to settle the waste lands thereon, the same [this appears to refer either to the enslaved people or to the Bogg estate itself] he later having to sell to reduce his debts, c. 1806. He had 'lately' been compelled also to sell River Head and his coffee estate called Brook Lodge, but his son [given as John Millward but later apparently given as Joseph] had obstructed the sale, arguing that his father had only a life-interest in the enslaved people moved from the Bogg estate. Accordingly, he abandoned the 1793 settlement and left 1/20th of the enslaved people to his son Joseph and 19/20ths to his daughter Eliza Barnard, two other children, Eleanor and Thomas Nixon Millward, having predeceased him. His residuary legatee was his then wife, Ann Millward, to whom left his picture 'by Russell', now in the Government Art Collection in London.

1. Royal Gazette of Jamaica 05/12/1835.

2. PROB 11/1859/219.

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