James Corlet

1. Slave-owner on Dominica and Speaker of the House of Assembly there, reportedly dying on a visit to Britain in 1840. He had purchased the Morne Vrai estate and the enslaved people attached to it between 1829 and 1832. He was very probably the James Corlet named in the will of John Corlet of Dominica (proved 27/06/1814) as his brother: the will made James Corlet and their sister Frances Phipps Audain the residuary legatees of John Corlet.

2. Death: "Here, deeply regretted by a circle of friends, James Corlet Esq., of the island of Dominica, West Indies, Speaker of the House of Assembly, and Lieutenant-Colonel of the St. George's Regiment of Militia of that island."

1. Vere Langford Oliver, More Monumental Inscriptions: Tombstones of the British West Indies p. 9, which shows a memorial at Roseau giving him as James Corley; PROB 11/1557/450. In the will of John Corlet, the testator ordered the manumission of an enslaved woman named Charlotte and her four children and also Fragile, and the manumission after two years of Betsey, Registe and Ned. He left Charlotte an enslaved woman named Antoinette and £33 currency for mourning, and £16 10s to each of Betsey and Registe for the same purpose. He instructed the sale of two enslaved people, Helena for £165 and the 'mulatto slave' Jem Bruce for £198: Jem Bruce was also to account for arrears of six months hire. He left £250 p.a. for three years for Mrs Hamilton to support his daughter Frances Isabella, after which the latter was to have an allowance set by his executors.

2. The Era 18/10/1840.

We are grateful to Peter Selley for his assistance with this entry.