William Hibbert

William Hibbert (1759-1844) was the sixth son of Robert Hibbert (1717-1784) and Abigail Hibbert née Scholey. Born in Manchester, William went to Jamaica in the early 1780s with the intension of becoming a planter. His brothers Thomas (1744-1819) and Robert (1750-1835) were already working as partners in their uncle Thomas’ (1710-1780) slave factorage business in Kingston. In 1782 William won £20,000 when his number was drawn in the Benefit Lottery following this he returned to England.

William married Elizabeth Greenhalgh of Horwich, she was the sister in law of his brother Samuel Hibbert (1752-1786). She and her sister Mary were co-heiresses to their father’s estate at Horwich. William and Elizabeth had eight children, shortly after the birth of their son Charles, Elizabeth died in 1800. The couple’s daughters Margaret and Letitia married their first cousins once removed, Nathaniel and Robert Philips of Heath House, in 1810 and 1825 respectively.

In 1797 William purchased a country estate in Cheshire - Hare Hills - from Sir J. F. Leicester. A year earlier his brother Robert (1750-1835) had bought an estate close by at Birtles Hall. Hare Hills gardens are now part of the National Trust. Hare Hills house remains in private ownership (although not by the Hibberts) and is an English Heritage Grade II listed building.

William was a partner in the firm Geo, Rob. & Wm. Hibbert which first appeared in Kent’s Directory in 1804. The partnership involved his brother George Hibbert M.P. (1757-1837) and cousin Robert Hibbert (1769-1849) founder of the Hibbert Trust. The West India merchant house was involved with the shipping, insurance and distribution of colonial commodities (particularly sugar). They owned their own ships and were also involved with finance and credit. William’s son William Tetlow Hibbert (1792-1881) was also an important member of the family firm.

From 1810 William lived at Crescent Grove just off the Southside, Clapham Common. William was very attached to Clapham; despite investing in Hare Hills he died at his home in Crescent Grove and was buried at St. Paul’s Churchyard, Clapham. William left upwards of £100,000 in personalty. In his will of 1844 he stipulated that his two daughters Sarah and Mary Anne were granted use of the house. In memory of their father the sisters erected an almshouse on Wandsworth Road. The house remains today and visible on the building is an inscription which reads; ‘These houses for eight aged women were erected by Sarah Hibbert and Mary Ann Hibbert in grateful remembrance of their father William Hibbert Esq. long an inhabitant of Clapham anno domini 1859.’ The almshouse continues to be administered by the Hibbert Almshouse Charity.

The Publications of the Harleian Society, Vol.37 (1894). http://archive.org/stream/publicationsofha37harluoft#page/272/mode/2up/search/hibbert . Felix Farley's Bristol Journal (Bristol, England), Saturday, December 21, 1782; Issue 1782.

John Burke, A genealogical and heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, enjoying territorial possession or high official rank; but uninvested with heritable honours, Vol.2 (London, Henry Colborn, 1835), p.592.

J. H. Hansall, The History of the County Palatine of Cheshire (Cheshire: 1823), p.519. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hare-hill/ [accessed 07/02/2013]. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-58340-hare-hill-over-alderley- [accessed 07/02/2013].

London Trade Directories, Institute of Historical Research, Senate House.

William’s house at Crescent Grove is depicted by J. C. Nattes (1812), Lambeth Archives and Library. William D. Rubinstein, Who were the rich? A biographical dictionary of British wealth-holders Volume Two 1840-1859 (MS) reference 1844/10. https://www.cafonline.org/system/charity-profile.aspx?friendlyUrl=HIBBERT-ALMSHOUSE-CHARITY/CCRegNo214672 [accessed 09/02/2013].