Franchine De Brulone

Awarded compensation for the ownership of 4 enslaved people in British Guiana in 1834; likely to be a free person of colour.

1. Almost certainly the Fanchine Debrulong [sic.] described as "my housekeeper" in the will of George Roberton (1756-1799) and mother of his two children, Gilbert and Antoinette. Franchine was bequeathed 5,000 Dutch guilders also the use of two enslaved people named Charlie and Juno during her natural life. The children were bequeathed 12,000 Dutch guilders each.

2. According to the British Giana Colonists Index, Franchine Debrolon [sic.] was born about 1733, a native of Martinique, and died 10/09/1838 at Church Street.

3. Their son Gilbert Robertson (1794-1851) has an entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography as 'editor and agriculturist.' Gilbert and his wife Agnes Lee had a daughter, Frances De Brulon Robertson, who was born and baptised in Gladsmuir, near Haddington, Scotland, and five more children after having emigrated to Van Diemen's Land in 1822. According to his gravestone, Gilbert was born in 1794 in Trinidad.

1. National Library of Scotland, Traill Papers, NLS MS 19399 ff 6 & 7.

2. https://www.vc.id.au/tb/bgcolonistsD.html [accessed 10/12/2021].

3. Margery Godfrey, 'Robertson, Gilbert (1794-1851), Australian Dictionary of Biography http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/robertson-gilbert-2595 [accessed 09/12/2021]; GROS OPR Births 708 40 7 Gladsmuir; [accessed 10/12/2021]. Note all the secondary literature erroneously gives Gilbert Robertson as the son of George Robertson's nephew, also named Gilbert Robertson.

We are grateful to David Alston for his assistance with compiling this entry.