Henry Halket

???? - 1843

Claimant or beneficiary

Biography

Glasgow and Demerara merchant, originally partner with Roderick MacDonald or McDonald (q.v.) among others, and co-owner of Aurora in Essequibo between at least 1817 and 1826 and Maria's Lodge between at least 1817 and 1834. In Demerara from at least 1823, when he was president of the colony’s Board of Orphans. In 1834 he was attorney for the Glasgow merchants Bogle, King & Co on a number of estates and personally received compensation for emancipation of 84 enslaved people, including 78 on Maria's Lodge. He had returned to Glasgow by 1837 and died there in 1843.

  1. Henry Halket married Margaret McDonald (probably a relative of his partners Roderick and Alexander MacDonald) in Glasgow 28/08/1820. Later census returns give the births of their son Alexander McDonald Halket c. 1824 and daughter Henrietta c. 1828 in Glasgow. The family were living on Buccleugh St, Glasgow, in the census of 1841.

  2. Alexander McDonald Halket matriculated at Glasgow University in 1843 and later became a minister in the English Presbyterian Church, Liverpool. Their daughter, Henrietta, lived with her brother at 1 Morningside Place, Edinburgh (1851), Parkgate, Leighton, Cheshire (1861) and 81 Canning St, Liverpool (1881).

  3. In a notice headed 'Glasgow March 22 1809' but published in 1815, the partnerships between M. McAlister, Roderick McDonald, Alexander McDonald and Henry Halket, trading in Glasgow as Roderick McDonald & Co. and in Demerary as McDonald Halket & Co. were dissolved by mutual consent on 31st December last [i.e. apparently 1808], with Roderick McDonald and Matthew McAlister settling the debts by and due to the firm in Glasgow and Henry Halket and Alexander McDonald doing the same in Demerary.

  4. The firm of Halket, Dunlop & Co traded in Demerara in 1822. It is likely that Margaret Halket, who married George Falconer in Demerara in this year ‘assisted by her friends Mr And Mrs Dunlop’. was a sister of Henry.


Sources

The Demerara & Essequebo Vade-mecum; Containing the Principal Laws & Regulations of the United Colony, and a Variety of Miscellaneous Articles, of Local Importance (1825) p. 301. Will of Henry Halket: SC36/48/31.

  1. GROS OPR marriages 622/00 0160 0012; 1841 census online.

  2. 1851, 1861 and 1881 censuses online.

  3. London Gazette 17032 01/07/1815 p. 1289.

  4. Marriage of Margaret Halket: Guiana Chronicle & Demerara Gazette 03/06/1822.

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


Further Information

Absentee?
Transatlantic
Spouse
Margaret McDonald
Children
Alexander McDonald, Henrietta
Occupation
Merchant

Associated Claims (2)

£4,145 13s 1d
Awardee
£259 2s 7d
Awardee

Associated Estates (2)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
1817 [EA] - 1826 [LA] → Joint owner
1817 [EA] - 1834 [LA] → Joint owner

Legacies Summary

Commercial (1)

Partner
Roderick MacDonald & Co.
West India merchant?  
 
notes →
Partner in Roderick MacDonald & Co. of Glasgow and in Halket MacDonald of Demerara...

Relationships (1)

Business partners

Addresses (2)

Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Central Scotland, Scotland
Buccleuch Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Central Scotland, Scotland