John Walker

John Walker was born in July 1795, the second son of Richard Walker of Liverpool (1760-1801, q.v.) and Althea, his wife. John Walker and his half-brother Richard Watt Walker were awarded shares in compensation for the enslaved on the Potosi estate in St James, Jamaica (the remainder of the compensation went to Francis Watt of Ottringham (q.v.)).

1. It seems that his father had intended that John should take over the Liverpool business established by Richard Watt I. In his will Walker senior had made arrangements for the firm to be looked after by two fellow merchants, Richard Pillfold and Thomas Rawson junior, who were already nominal partners, until John came of age. John was at Eton in 1811 but unlike his elder brother, Richard Watt Walker, did not go on to Oxford. He clearly decided not to follow his father’s wishes for in July 1816 a notice appeared in the press: "The Business in the Mercantile House in Liverpool carried on under the Firm of Richard Walker and Co. … carried on by Us, the Undersigned Richard Pillfold and Thomas Rawson, Junior, … no longer exists, and that we shall henceforth carry on the Business of Merchants in Liverpool, on our own account, under the Firm of Pillfold and Rawson."

2. Presumably John had no interest in developing a commercial career and, as he inherited a fortune of £50,000 under another of the terms of his father’s will, he had no financial incentive to do so. Indeed, he seemed to have shared his brother’s interests, particularly in hunting and horse racing. He was also involved with coaching services including a service from Bognor to London and Brighton to Chichester. He was later known locally as ‘The Squire’.

We are grateful to Anthony Tibbles for compiling this entry.

T71/873 St James No. 152A-C.

1. Will, TNA PRO11/1369; ‘Walker, John, was of Michelgrove, Worthing’ in Upper School, fifth form, 1811 (H. Stapylton, The Eton School Lists from 1791 to 1850 (1863) p. 68; Liverpool Mercury, 16 August 1816.

2. Will, TNA, PROB11/1369; William Blew, Brighton and its coach services (1894) p. 283.