Matthew Kirwan

Apparently a surviving partner in a family firm of merchants: a group identified as trustees of Matthew Kirwan were awarded part of the compensation for the Farm and Waterworks estates on Montserrat.

1. Report of Kirwan v Kirwan in court of exchequer 1834: Jane Kirwan, administratrix of late Anthony Kirwan claimed v Clement, Matthew and Nicholas Kirwan, West India merchants. Anthony Kirwan had lent £12,000 to his brothers, they had successively left the partnership. Dispute as to whether brothers or continuing firm was liable, the court found in favour of Jane Kirwan.  Report of Kirwan v Kirwan in Court of Rolls, 1839:  there had been a settlement 02/05/1835 in suit entitled 'Sheldon v Kirwan' of the compensation monies for Farm and the Waterworks, by which Matthew and Elizabeth Kirwan agreed to pay £1500 to William Sheldon (who was it appears exercising his equity of redemption against the Kirwans as mortgagees) through his solicitor J.H. Forbes. Jane Kirwan as administratrix of Anthony Kirwan then sought to enforce payment of a judgement debt and to charge the compensation money (even though the Commissioners had ruled the judgement did not affect the compensation monies). On 18/03/1837 Elizabeth and Matthew Kirwan appear to have agreed to transfer the compensation to Jane Kirwan on condition she paid the £1500 to Forbes. 'Messrs. Lock' are identified as solicitors of Elizabeth Kirwan.  The second Kirwan v Kirwan arose from a further dispute about Jane Kirwan's costs in this sequence.

2. Probably the Matthew Kirwan whose death was registered Q1 1851 at Brighton and whose will was proved (Matthew Kirwan of Brighton Sussex) 10/07/1851, although this might conceivably be the son of Anthony Kirwan and Jane Kirwan (q.v.). The will is short and leaves everything to Matthew's widow Sarah.

T71/888 Montserrat No. 55 and 206; T71/888 Montserrat No. 252. See also T71/888 Nos. 231 and 232 for the Syms and Paradise estate in Montserrat, for which the compensation was paid to Ebenezer Fernie et al., apparently trustees for Matthew Kirwan.

1. Times 07/05/1834 p. 7; Times 18/04/1839 p. 6.

2. FreeUKGen, England and Wales Free BMD Database, Deaths, 1837-1983 [database online]; PROB 11/2136.