Hugh Ryley Semper

Unsuccessful claimant for the compensation for the enslaved people on Belle Tett on St Kitts, which had belonged to his father-in-law Richard Augustus Fahie, and awardee on several smaller claims in St Kitts and Montserrat.

1. Marriage at St Thomas, Middle Island, St Kitts, 14/03/1821, "Under Licence, Hugh Ryley Semper, Esq., bachelor, and Caroline Georges Fahie, spinster, third daughter of Richd Augustus Fahie, Esq., of the Bel Tete estate."

2. Hugh R. Semper was a Member of the House of Assembly in St Kitts, 03/07/1840.

3. Death, 24/01/1840, "On Tuesday, at Sandy Point, Miss Caroline Semper, daughter of H.R. Semper, Esq."

4. Mentioned in the will of John Rawlins of St Kitts, "practitioner in physic and surgery", dated 12/01/1850, Catherine Louisa, wife of Henry James Schooles and daughter of Hugh Riley Semper of St Kitts.

5. Presumably related to Michael Joseph Semper senior and Dudley Semper senior (both q.v.). A clue as to possible links is given in the claim of Dudley Semper junior for Montserrat claim number 4 for Ryley's estate, "'attorney to Michael Joseph Semper [junior] the executor of Michael Joseph Semper [senior] deceased who was executor of Martin Semper, who was executor of Thomas Semper who was executor of Catherine Ryley executrix of Michael Ryley deceased."

1. Vere Langford Oliver, Caribbeana being miscellaneous papers relating to the history, genealogy, topography, and antiquities of the British West Indies (6 vols., London, Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1910-1919), Vol. 4 p. 268. See ibid. p. 267 for a genealogy of his wife Caroline Georges Fahie.

2. Ibid. Vol. 2. p. 179.

3. Ibid. Vol. 2, p. 179.

4. Ibid. Vol. 5, p. 163.

5. See separate entries for Michael Joseph Semper and Dudley Semper. T71/888 Montserrat claim no. 4 (Ryley's).

We are grateful to Neil How for his assistance with this entry.