Sir Alexander Woodford

Awarded with his wife Charlotte Mary Ann Woodford one-third of the compensation for Schepmoed in British Guiana: the other two-thirds went to Charles Henry Fraser and to Jane Agnes Wilhelmina Fraser Rich and her husband, George Frederick Rich (all of whom q.v.). The women the sisters of the [Captain] Charles Henry Fraser in the award.

1. Field Marshal and Waterloo veteran, first cousin of Sir Ralph Woodford, governor of Trinidad. Married Charlotte, daughter of Charles Henry Fraser, son of William Fraser, secretary of state for Foreign Affairs in Pitt's ministry 1783.  Will of Sir Alexander Woodford GCB GCMG late of the Royal Hospital Chelsea who died 26/08/1870 proved by 20/10/1870 by executors including sons Rev. Adolphus Frederick Alexander Woodford of Swillington Rectory near Leeds and John William Gordon Woodford of 18 Park St Grosvenor Square, effects under £14,000.   

2. Charles Henry Fraser the father of Jane Agnes Wilhelmina Fraser Rich and Charlotte Mary Ann Woodford (and of the Charles Henry Fraser of the award) had been a diplomat and was the son of William Fraser, secretary of state for Foreign Affairs in Pitt's ministry 1783. Charles Henry Fraser was appointed His Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary to the Circle of Lower Saxony, and Resident with the Hanse Towns, in the room of Emanuel Mathis deceased in 1790.  He had previously been Secretary to the Embassy in Madrid, and Minister Plenipotentiary there in the absence of HM's Ambassador. He died before 1820 - he was described as 'late' in the announcement of his daughter's wedding to Colonel Alexander Woodford in 1820, and was probably the Charles Henry Fraser of Camden Place Bath whose will was proved 06/06/1814. Under this will Charles Henry Fraser commented that his children by his first wife had been amply provided for by the fortune of their mother: this the 'Mrs Fraser born Westrik' shown in the 1825, 1828 and 1831 Slave Registers for Schepmoed.

3. Public auction of Schepmoed, following a fiat 03/11/1843 in favour of the executors of William Gramberg, against the same group (still including Captain Charles Henry Fraser, not signalled as 'late') as owners of the plantation,  May 1845.

T71/885 British Guiana Nos 426A-B.

1. Lionel Mordaunt Fraser, History of Trinidad 1781-1813, Vol. 2 p. 2; National Probate Calendar 1870.

2. London Gazette, Issue 13238, 18/09/1790 p. 581; London Gazette, Issue 13114, 14/07/1789, p. 493; Edinburgh Magazine, Sept. 1820, p. 286; PROB 11/1557.

3. London Gazette, Issue 20401, 08/11/1844, pp. 3815-6.