Robert Semple

Partner in Robert Semple & Co. (q.v.), merchants of Berbice and Liverpool.

1. Described as' of Demerary' in notice of his marriage in Glasgow 30/09/1818 to Adriana, daughter of Wm Moore of St Eustatia.

2. His youngest child, William, was baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Liverpool, in 1830, where Robert was described as a merchant of Blackburn Terrace. In the mid-1830s, he is shown as living at Richmond House Wavertree. 'By 1832 (Gore's Liverpool Directory) Richmond Lodge was the home of Thomas Lightfoot, described as a 'patent sugar refiner'. He is shown as [the] owner on Bennison's map of the Environs of Liverpool, dated 1835, but a year later, Sadler's Survey of the Township of Wavertree indicates that ownership had passed to Robert Semple. Semple remained at Richmond Lodge until at least the mid-1840s; he was a merchant with an office in Cook Street, Liverpool.'

3. Will of Robert Semple merchant of Liverpool [made in 1843] was proved 22/04/1851. Under the will he left his property in Berbice, Calcutta and Wavertree and Toxteth Park in trust, the English property to be lived in by his eldest daughter until all his children were of age, and his estate to be divided equally between all his children. His executors and trustees, John Crosthwaite and Henry Robertson Sandbach, renounced probate in favour of Robert Semple's 'natural and lawful son and as such one of the residuary legatees', Robert Semple. In turn Robert Semple the son left the will unadministered and letters of administration of the will of Robert Semple 'late of Liverpool...Merchant who died 11/12/1850 at Stafford' were granted in 1860 to William Semple of Liverpool, the son also of Robert Semple (d.1850), 'effects under £20 in England.'

4. Robert Semple who died 11/12/1850 had been admitted to the County Asylum in Stafford 09/02/1849.

T71/885 British Guiana claim no. 449.

1. Blackwood's Magazine, Vol. 2 (1818), p. 126.

2. Ancestry.com, Liverpool, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1906 [database online]; elder children's life dates by email from Veronica Hagart 23/11/2017 (consistent with census data, all born in the West Indies except William); http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ENG-LIVERPOOL/2002-08/1028519597 [accessed 18/01/2011].

3. PROB 11/2131/241. The will refers to his partnership in Calcutta as well as property in British Guiana; National Probate Calendar 1860.

4.Ancestry.com, UK, Lunacy Patients Admissions Register 1846-1912 [database online].

We are grateful to Veronica Hagart for her assistance with compiling this entry.