William Muter

A major merchant and slave-owner on St Lucia who was in London in 1837, but apparently resident on St Lucia again in the 1840s. William Muter and at least three of his brothers (Peter (q.v.), Basil and James), sons of Rev. Robert Muter and Agnes Freeland of Kirkcudbright were all active in St Lucia prior to Emancipation.

1. Sturge and Harvey met William Muter, 'an extensive merchant and ship-owner', member of council, and visited two of his estates; 'The proprietor intends on his next visit to England, to endeavour to bring out some Scotch peasantry, young married persons, to enable him to introduce the plough in an efficient manner. Even on these well-managed properties many changes might advantageously be made.' William Muter, late of island of St Lucia, but now residing in Montague Street, Russel Sq., wrote a note to the Compensation Commissioners regarding a claim for Grande Riviere in St Lucia.

2. A William Muter aged 68 merchant born Scotland was a boarder in Manchester Street, London in 1861, and was presumably the same William Muter of 4 Leonard Place Kensington buried at All Souls Kensal Green aged 77. No probate has yet been found for this man.

3. In 1858, three estates on St Lucia (Bel-Air, Pearl and Saint Pierre), the property of William Muter, that had been seized in 1843, were advertised for auction.

David Dobson, Scots in the West Indies, 1707-1857 (2009) Vol. 1, p. 111; Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae.

1. Joseph Sturge and Thomas Harvey, The West Indies in 1837 (London, Hamilton, Adams, & Co., 1838) pp. 117-123, quote from p. 121. T71/1243: note from Wm Muter dated 01/10/1837: Wm Muter, late of island of St Lucia, but now residing in Montague Street, Russel Sq.

2. 1861 census online; Ancestry.com London, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1980 [database online].

3. London Gazette 26/10/1858 p. 4593, reproduced from the St Lucia Gazette 22/10/1858.