Deborah Piggott (née Thornhill)

Almost certainly the Deborah Piggott (also given as Pigott) born Barbados c. 1777 who died in the Isle of Wight in 1865, awarded compensation for 25 enslaved in the town of Scarbro, Tobago and claiming apparently unsucccessfully for the compensation for the enslaved people on Lowlands estate in Tobago as executrix and devisee of E. Piggott and tenant-in-common of a moiety. E. Piggott in turn was almost certainly Elphinstone Piggott, Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas Tobago whose will was proved 18/04/1831.

1.  In 1851, Deborah Piggott widow aged 72 was head of household, 'Lady', born Barbados living at Thorneville, St Helens [Isle of Wight] with her widowed daughter Agnes Campbell aged 45 and her grand-daughters aged 13, 11, 10 and 8, all five women born in Tobago. In 1861 she is shown aged 84 at Thorn-house, 'Proprietor of Houses', with daughter Frances [sic] Campbell and her grand-daughters, for one of whom Scotland was then shown as her birthplace. Elphinstone Piggott's brother was Sir Arthur Leary Pigott or Piggott (q.v.), attorney-general in the Ministry of All Talents (d. 1819).

2. Will of Deborah Piggott late of Thornville house in the parish of St Helens who died 10/02/1865 proved 23/03/1865: two of her executors were members of the Barchard family of Sussex. Effects under £4000 resworn Dec. 1865 £5000. The Times in 1865 carried an advertisement for the creditors of the late Mrs Deborah Piggott of Thorneville-house in the parish of St Helens Isle of Wight widow who died 10/02/1865.

3. Elphinstone Piggott's will left everything to his wife Deborah and appointed her as executrix, expressing confidence in her capacity to follow his wishes, given that one of their children was still an 'infant.'

T71/891 Tobago No. 130 and No. 10 (Lowlands); PROB 11/1784/318.

1. 1851 and 1861 census online; James Epstein, The scandal of colonial rule: power and subversion in the British Atlantic during the Age of Revolution [MS, Chapter 6 p. 19] shows 'Edward Piggott', Trinidad's solicitor-general in 1805, as also a brother of Sir Arthur Piggott.

2. National Probate Calendar 1865; Times 02/05/1865 p. 3.

3. PROB 11/1784/318.