William Berners

Profile & Legacies Summary

???? - 1783

Biography

Almost certainly the 'William Barnes' shown as co-owner of Wag Water or Wagwater in St Mary Jamaica in 1760. William Berners was the son-in-law of Henry Bendysh senior and brother-in-law of Henry Bendysh junior, both previous owners of the estate. He was the developer of the Berners estate in London, including Berners Street. Several of William Berners' grandchildren intermarried with members of the Jarrett family, also slave-owners in Jamaica.

Will of William Berners of Woolverstone Hall Suffolk proved 25/09/1783. The will with a series of codicils is silent on property in Jamaica or enslaved people. William Berners left his house in Hanover Square to his wife and entailed Woolverstone Hall to his son Charles and then to Charles's sons Charles with remainder to Henry Denners Berney (q.v.).

Sources

PROB 11/1107/504

Further Information

Absentee?

British/Irish

Spouse

Mary Bendysh

Children

Charles; Henry

Associated Estates (1)

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

1760 [EA] - 1760 [LA] → Joint owner

Wagwater [ Jamaica | St Mary ]

Given as William Barnes but almost certainly William Berners, son-in-law of Henry Bendysh senior, previous owner.

Legacies Summary

Physical (2)

Country house

Woolverstone Hall [Built]

Details

description →

Grade I Palladian house, built c. 1776 for William Berners by John Johnson. ...

Urban Development

Berners Estate, Fitzrovia [Built]

Details

description →

Between 1758 and 1772, William Berners undertook systematic development of his estate in what is now Fitzrovia, after earlier piecemeal development, including Berners Street which survives. ...