Solomon Ashley

???? - 1775


Biography

MP for Bridport 1734-1741, director of the Royal African Co. and deputy governor of the Welsh Copper Corp. [sic], and the holder of unspecified claim over estates in Jamaica (Catherine Mount and Catherine Hall) which descended to the family of Humphry Sturt (q.v.). His wife was Winifred Pitfield, daughter of Alexander Pitfield MP. The couple had two daughters: (a) Dorothy who married firstly Charles Pitfield (her first cousin, with whom she had a daughter Mary Sturt nee Pitfield, wife of Humphry Sturt, q.v.) and secondly Felton Hervey; and (b) Elizabeth, who married Julines Beckford (q.v.) and had with him a son, Peter Beckford of Stapleton (q.v.).

  1. Will of Solomon Ashley of St Pauls Churchyard London [and then of St James's Square] [made in 1763 with a series of codicils, the latest dated 1773] proved 22/02/1775. He left £4000 to Peter Beckford, the only son of his late daughter Elizabeth, together with £425 11s 10d 'my stock of and in the united five keys' between the Tower and Bridge of London, and £4000 in trust for his granddaughter Mary Sturt. He made Humphry Sturt both his residuary legatee and sole executor.

  2. The will does not specify the claims in Jamaica that appear to have passed to Humphry Sturt.


Sources

http://www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1715-1754/member/ashley-solomon-1775 [accessed 26/11/2019].

  1. PROB 11/1004/382.

  2. The Crichel Estate Papers at the Dorset Archives include 'Case: Beckford v Sturt: demands of Humphrey Sturt, residuary legatee of Solomon Ashley on estates in Jamaica 1772', D-CRI/A/115/3, http://dcc.dorsetforyou.com/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=D-CRI%2fA%2f115%2f3 [accessed 26/11/2019].

We are grateful to Michael Pitfield for his assistance with compiling this entry.


Further Information

Absentee?
British/Irish
Spouse
Winifred Pitfield
Children
Dorothy; Elizabeth

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
1772 [SY] - → Not known

Solomon Ashley entered into a lease/release with the mortgagee Thomas Collett in 1772, presumably to take on or participate in the mortgage.


Legacies Summary

Commercial (1)

Director
Royal African Co.
Slave Factors  
 

Political (1)

MP
 
election →
Bridport Dorset
1734 - 1741

Relationships (3)

Testator → Executor
Notes →
Humphry Sturt was also the residuary legatee of Solomon Ashley, and had married Ashley's grand-daughter Mary...
Father-in-law → Son-in-law
Grandfather → Grandson

Addresses (1)

St James's Square, London, Middlesex, London, England