George McLean

Resident slave-owner at the time of compensation, trustee, executor and co-legatee of his brother John McLean (q.v.), son-in-law of Alexander George Milne senior (q.v), dying at Cheltenham in 1858.

1. An anonymous painting of a white female and two white children on one of the family estates was offered for sale at Bonhams in 2005 together with a miniature of George M'Lean. "Provenance: George MacLean. By direct descent through the MacLean family to the present owner. John MacLean was a notable plantation owner in Grenada and Carriacou and posessed five estates among the islands, it was noted in 1833 that the family owned 3,200 of Carriacou's 4,000 slaves. The backdrop for the above work is either one of the Belair, Belvedere, Beausejour or Dumfries estates in Carriacou or the Constitution Hill estate in Grenada. The Maclean family were liberal landlords and allowed their slaves unprecedented freedoms. On 15th June 1833 the Bristol Mirror recorded that they had initiated a system of work that allowed slaves to do a set 'task' for the day and upon completion of this the worker was free to go to their own gardens. The slaves liked being able to cultivate their own piece of land so the idea became popular and soon other estates began to adopt this system. John Maclean married Janet Urquhart in 1812 and upon his death in 1825 [sic] his family became the wards of his brother George MacLean."

2. The will of George McLean late of Malcolm Ghur North Cheltenham who died 12/03/1858 was proved by Alexander George Milne of Eltham Kent 14/06/1858 the brother [sic] and one of the executors, effects under £10,000.

3. George Gavin McLean, the son of George McLean 'of Lymington', born c. 1836, matriculated Wadham Oxford 1854 aged 18, was curate of Horsham 1862-1872; Vicar of Nutley, Sussex 1872-1882; and Southrop, Goucs. 1882.

1. http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/english-caribbean-school-early-19th-century-1-c-7ftvir4232 Travel & topographical Lot 207 [accessed 03/01/2011]. The death-date of 1825 for John McLean the brother is erroneous: his will was proved in 1817.

2. National Probate Calendar 1858.

3. Ancestry.com, Oxford University Alumni, 1500-1886 [database online].

We are especially grateful to David Alston for his help in compiling this entry.