Hugh McCalmont

Probably but not certainly a relative of Hugh McCalmont of Abbeylands (q.v.), and likely to have been the correspondent known to have reported to Hugh McCalmont of Abbeylands on the 1823 uprising by the enslaved people in Demerara. The Hugh McCalmont of this entry claimed compensation as sequestrator to two estates in British Guiana, marking him as resident in the colony at that time, and certainly a different man to Hugh McCalmont of Abbeylands.

1. This may be Hugh McCalmont (1811-1838) who drowned travelling from Berbice to Demerary 07/09/1838 and is commemorated in St Andrew's, Georgetown, as 'late Mayor' of the town and an elder of the church.

Online genealogical material on Ancestry.com shows a Hugh McCalmont born in Ireland c. 1800: reportedly, this was the son of Thomas McCalmont IV of Jacksonville and his wife Mary Guildford, although Mary Guildford's life-dates variously show her as aged between 46 and 55 at the time of Hugh's birth. It appears more likely that the Hugh McCalmont of this entry was the son of William McCalmont of Larne: William was the first cousin of Hugh McCalmont of Abbeylands. This Hugh McCalmont the son of William is shown on a family tree privately supplied to LBS as having drowned in the West Indies [n.d]. Separately, the British Guiana Colonists Index shows a Hugh McCalmont born Larne c. 1801, marrying Eliza in British Guiana and dying around December 1838. Eliza McAlmont widow aged 44 born British Guiana with her three daughters, Susan born in Demerara aged 19, Eliza born in London aged 14 and Catherine Fulton widow aged 27 born British Guiana) were living in 1851 at 15 New Cavendish Street, 1851 census online. The two elder sisters, Susan and Catherine, both married on the same day 06/01/1853 at St Marylebone, Susan to Thomas Mawhinny surgeon and Catherine Fulton widow to John Taylor currier of Co. Monaghan Ireland, and both showing their father as Hugh McCalmont merchant, Ancestry.com, London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 database online.

1. Email from David Alston 29/03/2020 sourced to memorial tablet in Georgetown.

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