John Coley (later Bromfield or Coley-Bromfield)

Purchaser of the coffee estates of the deceased Henry Palmer from Palmer's trustees in 1821. He mortgaged both his own estate of John's Hall and the acquired estates to secure the purchase price.

1. John Coley esq and Caroline Gautier, spinster, both of Manchester parish, were married there by licence, 24/11/1828. Emma, daughter of John and Caroline Coley of John's Hall, was born 03/09/1829 and baptised in Manchester 23/11/1830.

2. At some point between 1830 and 1836, John Coley changed his surname to Bromfield, presumably a condition of an inheritance from his wife's mother's family. They may have been the parents of four more children baptised in Manchester with the surname Bromfield: John Coley (born 04/05/1836 and baptised 09/05/1837, father given as John Coley Bromfield of Mellington Lodge Esquire, mother Caroline his wife); Mary Ann Hay (baptised 09/06/1838, father John Bromfield of Scotia, apprentice[?]); Robert Anderson (baptised 09/08/1841, father John Bromfield of Scotia, Ranger, mother Caroline Bromfield); and Susanna Wright (born 05/06/1843, baptised 30/07/1843, father John Bromfield of Scotia, mother Caroline Bromfield).

3. The name change is confirmed by the death of Caroline Bromfield Coley Bromfield, widow, who died 03/10/1888 at 49 Selborne Road, Hove, Sussex. Caroline's eldest son John C. Bromfield was living at the same address in 1881 with his wife and three daughters - his birth c. 1837 in Jamaica. This man gave his surname as Coley-Bromfield at the baptism of his daughter Beatrice Pringle in Kensington in 1863.

4. John senior's wife Caroline was living alone in London in the census of 1851, listed as married. He was given as John Coley Bromfield, gentleman, at the marriage of his eldest son John Coley Bromfield in London in 1854, with no mention of being deceased. Caroline was listed as a widow when she was living in Chelsea in 1861.

5. He may be the John Coley, magistrate, of Heavitree, who was buried in St George's churchyard 23/11/1851 age 58; and the John, son of John Coley and his wife Sarah Ann who was born 23/11/1793 and baptised in St Elizabeth 19/10/1796.

1. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].

2. Ibid.

3. National Probate Calendar 1889; 1881 census online; Ancestry.com, London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 [database online].

4. 1851 and 1861 censuses online; Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932 [database online].

5. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].

We are grateful to Paul Hitchings and David Barker for their assistance with compiling this entry.