Helen Hoyes (née Petrie)

1. Born Helen Petrie, daughter of Ninian and Elizabeth Petrie at Morant Bay 07/121791, baptised at Mount Ida 17/02/1798 with her two younger siblings Andrew and Jane.

2. Miss Helen Petrie married John Hoyes Esquire in Kingston, 21/09/1816. John Hoyes, son of John Hoyes and his wife Helen formerly Petrie was born in 1817 and baptised 30/11/1817 in Kingston.

3. Helen Hoyes registered enslaved people with Elizabeth Petrie in Kingston in 1820 including two by legacy from Ninian Hoyes.

4. A note inserted into the Kingston burial register states, "Helen Hoyes of the City and Parish of Kingston widow being duly sworn maketh oath and saith that her maiden name was 'Petrie' that she was born of white parents and on the twenty-first day of September one thousand eight hundred and sixteen was married in Kingston by license to John Hoyes who was also born of white parents and is now deceased. And this deponent further saith that there was issue of that marriage only one son named John who died and was buried in Kingston aforesaid on the twentyninth day of June one thousand eight hundred and nineteen. And this deponent further sith that having been informed that in the Register of Marriages and Burials in the books of the Rectors of the City of Kingston aforesaid under the above mentioned dates that Informant and the said John Hoyes are (by reference to the description of certain prac[?] whose marriages and burials precede that of this deponent and the said John Hoyes, and their said son) described 'Negro Slaves' and their said son as a "Quadroon Child" this deponent saith that such descriptions are erroneous and should be amended." Sworn 20/02/1844 and signed Helen Hoyes.

1. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].

2. Ibid.; Royal Gazette (Jamaica) 28/09/1816.

3. T71/86 p. 140.

4. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Parish Registers, Kingston Burials 1774-1825 vol. 2 inserted between pages 423 and 424.

We are grateful to Jim Brennan for his assistance with compiling this entry.