Martha Frances Stokes (née Barker)

Wife of Robert Stokes (q.v.), sister of Judith Barker (q.v.) and sister-in-law of John Boswell (q.v.). Born 14/10/1788 and baptised in Kingston, Jamaica, 31/01/1789, daughter of John Barker and Sarah his wife. Her children Robert Stokes (1809), John Milbourne Stokes (1813) and Ann Stokes (1814) baptised in Jamaica.

Her husband died in 1819 and bequeathed to her the proceeds of the sale of one half of the lease of Abbey Court pen in St Andrew, Jamaica, and 33 enslaved people, to be invested in stocks to provide her with an annuity. By 1827 she was living in Chelsea, England. Both her sons moved to New Zealand in 1840 where they by 1880 they had jointly acquired property of nearly 30,000 acres; the eldest, Robert, was a member of the New Zealand legislative Countil 1862-1879.

Martha Frances Stokes, place of birth not known, was living at Kensington House Lunatic Asylum in the census of 1841. In 1851 Martha Frances Stokes, age 62, born Jamaica, 'annuitant', was a visitor at the house of Charlotte Binns, 'house property', Abbey Cottage, Staines Road, Isleworth. She is probably the Sarah Stokes, age 70, 'fundholder', born Jamaica, a visitor in the household of Thomas Smith, 'proprietor of houses', at Wooburn Moor, Buckinghamshire.

Frances Martha [sic] Stokes died at Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, 15/08/1865, age 80.

See entries for her husband Robert Stokes and her nephew John Matthews Boswell. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].

Fully sourced article on Robert Stokes junior in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Stokes_(politician) [accessed 16/12/2016].

1841 and 1851 censuses online.

Findmypast, England Deaths & Burials 1538-1991 [database online].

We are grateful to James Hodsdon for his assistance with compiling this entry.