Laurence Fitzgerald

Shown as the awardee of the compensation for three estates in British Guiana, but the awards were probably subject to mercantile interception by his mortgagees Hall, M'Garel.

1. Laurence Fitzgerald was described as 'deceased in his lifetime proprietor of plantations Richmond Hill and Cheltenham cum annexis situate in the island of Leguan' when litigation was brought c. 1848 by Thomas Christopher Fitzgerald of Fane Valley Co. Louth as administrator of will of Thomas Fitzgerald, late of Fane Valley. Described as 'Lawrence Fitzgerald late of Demerary and Essequibo' in a notice to creditors by his executor in the colony after his death c. 1841. 

2. Thomas Fitzgerald is said to have been a merchant who became wealthy in the West Indies and returned to Ireland to seek a seat in Parliament. Bought Fane Valley near Dundalk August 1823: he had two sons, Thomas Christopher (01/08/1820-27/04/1871) and Percy Hetherington (1831-1925; the same source also gives 1834 as date of birth).  Laurence was possibly a brother of this Thomas Fitzgerald of Fane Valley. This source shows Thomas Fitzgerald being returned as MP for Co. Louth, for which he sat 1833-34. Thomas Fitzgerald of Fane Valley was son of Christopher Fitzgerald and Anne Esmonde.  

3. Lawrence Fitzgerald of Plantation Richmond Hill married Sarah Antonia Goodman daughter of Lt-Col Goodman at her father's residence in Georgetown Demerary and then by the Rev. J.T. Hynes of the Roman Catholic Church in 26th November last (i.e. 1829).

T71/887 British Guiana claim nos. 2370 (Richmond Hill), 2371 (Cheltenham) and 2372.

1. London Gazette, Issue 20876, 11/07/1848, p. 2619; London Gazette, Issue 20005 06/08/1841 p. 2036.

2. http://www.collonhistoricalsociety.com/Collon%20history%20Dorcas%20page%206.htm [accessed 14/05/2014]; John Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland (1839) p. 385.

3. Times 28/01/1830 'Marriage Announcements', transcribed by Thomas Kidman http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyggbs/Marriages/AtoHLondonTimesMarriages.pdf [accessed 12/12/2010].