William Gunter

1. According to Joseph Alfred Bradney, A History of Monmouthshire (1906) vol. 1, part 2a, p. 161 William Gunter was one of four children of James Gunter and his wife Lucy nee Gabriel. Both parents were originally from Abergavenny, South Wales. Bradney records that James was 'of new Bond Street', distinguishing him from his cousin, also James, who was 'of Berkeley Square'. James Gunter (the cousin) ran Gunter's Tea Shop in Berkeley Square (his parents were married in St George, Hanover Square, London, in 1780, both "of this parish") and James Gunter (father of William) ran a less-renowned shop in New Bond Street. It's not clear if the cousins were business partners. Bradney states that William "went to the West Indies".

2. James Gunter married Lucy Gabriel in St George's Hanover Square, London, in 1780. William Cussell Gunter, son of James and his wife Lucy, was born 24/03/1789 and baptised 05/05/1789 in St George, Hanover Square. He was the sixth of eight children baptised to this couple in the same church between 1780 and 1792.

3. Resident attorney and slave-owner on Jamaica. Father of four children with Mary Morison: Robert Gunter (baptised in Kingston, 22/06/1812), Henry Gunter (baptised in St Andrew, 29/11/1813), Thomas Gunter (baptised in Kingston, 04/07/1814) and Jane Morrison Gunter (baptised in St Elizabeth, 03/12/1817).

4. Thomas Gunter, who died in London in 1881 was 'formerly of Melbourne House, Ventnor, Isle of Wight.' William Gunter's great grandson was Sir Geoffrey Campbell Gunter, Acting Governor of Jamaica in 1960.

1. Email from David Barker 15/05/2020 sourced to Joseph Alfred Bradney, A History of Monmouthshire (1906) vol. 1, part 2a, p. 161; S. M. Pennell, 'James Gunter, (bap. 1745, d. 1819), confectioner', ODNB, online edition, https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/55950.

2. Findmypast.co.uk, Westminster marriages [database online]; Findmypast.co.uk, Westminster baptisms [database online].

3. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].

4. National Probate Calendar 1881. See entry for Mary Morison for more on their children.

We are grateful for the help of David Barker with this entry.