Sir George Thomas 1st Bart.

Profile & Legacies Summary

1694 - 1774

Biography

Son of Col. George Thomas of Antigua (d. 1707) and Sarah Winthrop, heir of his uncle William (d. 1718), and father of Sir William Thomas 2nd bart. Established the family at Yapton and Ratton in Sussex. Disinherited his grandson Sir George Thomas 3rd bart in favour of the families of his daughters. He an entry in the ODNB as 'planter and colonial governor.'
A memorial inscription in St Mary Magdalene Church, Madehurst, West Sussex, England, records: "In a grave beneath are deposited the Remains of ROQUE FERDINAND a Native of the ISLAND of BONAVISTA who died May 7. 1789 Aged 67. He came to England with SIR GEORGE THOMAS BART late GOVERNOR of the LEWARD ISLANDS and served him and his succeeding Family with unremitted Zeal Affection and Honesty Fifty two Years. This Stone is erected as a Token of Regard and in Commemoration of his Worth by SIR GEORGE THOMAS [3rd bart.] A: D: 1789." Roque Ferdinand had been manumitted and bequeathed an annuity in the will of Sir George Thomas 1st bart.
Letters from Dr Walter Tullideph to Sir George Thomas concerning the latter's estates (identified as North Sound; Winthorpes; Popeshead; and Five Islands are reproduced in an article by Richard B. Sheridan.

Sources

Newcomb, Benjamin H. 2004 "Thomas, Sir George, baronet (c. 1695–1774), planter and colonial governor." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 5 Jul. 2019. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-68757.
Rachel Stone, 'Black slavery and rural Britain', https://magistraetmater.wordpress.com/2019/10/28/black-slavery-and-rural-britain/ [accessed 07/09/2020].
Sheridan, Richard B. "Letters from a Sugar Plantation in Antigua, 1739-1758." Agricultural History 31, no. 3 (1957): 3-23. Accessed September 22, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3740654.

We are grateful to Rachel Stone for her assistance with compiling this entry.

Further Information

Spouse

Elizabeth King

Children

William; George; Elizabeth; Lydia; Margaret

Will

Transcription from Vere Langford Oliver, History of the Island of Antigua (1894) vol. 3 p. 129.

Sir George Thomas, late Captain-General and Governor-in-Chielf of H. M. Leeward Charibbee Islands, now of Yapton Place, and Ratton, Sussex.

Dated 29/04/1773, proved 20/02/1775.

£4000 to my executors in trust for my daughter Lydia White for life, then to her son George White and his heirs. The same in trust for my daughter Margaret Freeman and her children. £6000 to my executors in trust for my daughter Eliz. Thomas for life, then to Margaret Freeman and her children.

£100 to each of my three daughters for mourning.

£50 to my dear sister Eliz. Dunbar.

£50 to my grandson George White for a ring.

I am empowered by the articles made on the marriage of my son William Thomas, Esquire, with the daughter of Dr Walter Sydserfe to charge £4000 on the New North Sound estate, which I conveyed to him, and I give this sum to the daughters of my said son equally, but not to be raised till 1 year after my grandson George come into the estate.

My cook Roque Ferdinando to be free and to have £20 a year.

All residue of my personal estate to my son William Thomas.

All my manors and lands in England and all my plantations, slaves etc in Antigua to my son William for life, then to my son-in-law Arthur Freeman of Antigua, Esquire, Thomas Warner, Esquire, attorney general of the Leeward Islands, Francis Farley, now living in Antigua, Esquire, Richard Oliver, Alderman of the City of London, Esquire, Richard Neave of London, merchant, and Gibbs Crawfurd of Saint Hill, Sussex, Esquire, in trust for the following purposes:

My Ratton estate near Bourne which I lately purchased of Samuel Durrant of Lewes to my grandson Inigo Freeman, son of my daughter Margaret Freeman, and his heirs in tail male, and in default to her second son George Thomas Freeman, etc, then to my grandson George White, son of my daughter Lydia White, and his heirs male.

My lands in Yapton, Warburton, Climping, Slindon, Little Hampton etc for my grandson George White and his heirs male, then to my grandson Inigo Freeman, then to George Thomas Freeman.

My Antiguan estates to George Thomas Freeman and his heirs male, then to Inigo Freeman, then to George White.

In default of issue in any of the above cases all my estates to my three daughters equally.

My reason for not making any provision in this my will for my grandson George Thomas is on account of his marriage with a foreign woman.

My grandsons who may be heirs to my estates to take my name and use my coat of arms.

To my cook Roque Ferdinando 15 guineas, and a year's wages to my other servants.

My son-in-law Arthur Freeman, Thomas Warner, William Thomas, George White, Richard Oliver, Richard Neave and Gibbs Crawfurd Esquires to be executors. 10 guineas each to them.

Codicil. The land purchased of the heirs of Pellett to go to the heirs of my Ratton estate. In case of the death of my son William Thomas before me my grandsons George White and Inigo Freeman to be my residuary legatees. To my grand-daughter Lydia Frances Freeman who has been brought up in my house and maintained by me, £1000 at age 20.

Oxford DNB Entry

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Associated Estates (3)

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

- 1774 [EY] → Owner

Five Islands, St John [ Antigua ]

Associated by R.B. Sheridan as one of the Antiguan estates owned by Sir George Thomas bart., Sheridan, Richard B. "Letters from a Sugar Plantation in Antigua, 1739-1758." Agricultural History 31, no. 3 (1957): 3-23 [at p. 3]. Accessed September 22, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3740654.

- 1774 [EY] → Owner

North Sound, St George [ Antigua ]

- 1774 [EY] → Owner

Winthrope's [ Antigua ]