Elizabeth Riddock of Grange

Owner of Grange estate in Westmoreland, Jamaica, from at least 1817 to 1832. Not identified in the compensation records.

1. Elizabeth was the daughter of Scotland-born, Jamaican planter and merchant, John Riddoch (q.v.), probably with his free black mistress, Jeaney Riddoch. A Westmoreland, Jamaica baptism record, dated October 8th, 1796, of a Elizabeth Riddock is probably her. A Westmoreland, Jamaica baptism record, dated March 18th, 1798, of “a child of colour”, is likely to be her brother George Riddock (q.v.). Neither record shows the names of the parents.

2. Elizabeth is first listed as owner of the Grange estate in 1817 but it is not known how she acquired the property. There is no evidence that her father owned Grange. Elizabeth was previously listed in the Jamaica Almanacs with her brother, George Riddock, as a co-owner of Strawberry Hill estate, Westmoreland, Jamaica, a neighbouring estate, starting in 1815. She is likely by then to have been age 21, as directed by her father’s will as the age to come into her legacy. From this she is presumed to have been born in 1794.

3. Although Elizabeth and George are listed in the Jamaica Almanacs as co-owners of Strawberry Hill from 1815, John Riddoch had named only his “reputed natural son George Riddoch” as his legatee to the Strawberry Hill land, according to his will. He had only left to his “reputed natural daughter, Elizabeth Riddoch”, … “so many of my negroe slaves as will amount in value to two thousand pounds current money aforesaid”.

4. Elizabeth likely died in 1834. In her will, written July 12th, 1834 and proved February 5th, 1836, she left her house at the Grange to Alexander Riddock junior (likely her nephew) and to David Riddock junior. She also left to David junior her household furniture and “Vouchers”. She named David Riddock senior as her residuary legatee. It is unclear how the Davids were related to her. Elizabeth also gave legacies of £10 each to her nephews, George, Alexander, John, and James Riddock (sons of her brother George), “to be paid out of the compensation money about to be received”. A David Riddock received compensation money 18th July, 1836 but there is no estate name attached to the award.

5. Note that John Riddoch arrived in Jamaica around 1771 and died there 23rd December, 1801. Little is yet known of his life in Jamaica or his origins in Scotland. It has not been verified where in Scotland John was born or the names of his parents. Strawberry Hill was conveyed to him by William Lewis and his wife Mary Lewis and Rebekah Dennison, a widow, in 1781 in lieu of “350 pounds current Jamaican money”.

6. John had a brother, George Riddoch, who was a writer (lawyer) in Glasgow, Scotland and who predeceased him in 1794. In his will, John also named the son and four daughters of his brother George as legatees. The names of the surviving nephew and nieces in the will match the names from Glasgow baptismal records of the children of George and his wife Janet Somervell(vill), proving he was the brother of John Riddoch, of Strawberry Hill, Westmoreland, Jamaica. John’s death notice in UK newspapers also notes him as “brother of George Riddoch, writer in Glasgow”.

7. A James Riddoch, likely also a brother, was named as residuary legatee and an executor in John Riddoch’s will. This James, was the owner of Glen Islay estate, Westmoreland, Jamaica from at least 1809 to 1811 (see the site’s Estate View) and died in 1812 based on his will. During John Riddoch’s time in Jamaica, there was also another James Riddoch of Grange, Scotland, now planter and slave owner of Mirandahill, Montego Bay, St James, but he had predeceased John in 1796. Based on the people named in his will, this James was the brother of Margaret (Riddoch) Huie of Grange, Banffshire Scotland and Trelawny, Jamaica, the mother of George Huie of Duff House, Trelawny, (see the biography for George Huie). It is not yet known if this James Riddoch or Margaret Riddoch Huie were related to John Riddoch of Scotland and Strawberry Hill.

We are grateful to Vilma Ruddock for compiling this entry.

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

2. Jamaica Almanacs transcriptions available on www.JamaicanFamilySearch.com.

3. Jamaica Almanacs; John Riddoch’s will, written September 24, 1800, proved March 13th, 1802: accessed at the Jamaica Registrar General Department (RGD) by Margianna Ruddock in 2016: Will Book 68, folio 176. Thanks to Margianna Ruddock for accessing the will at the Registrar General Department (RGD) in Jamaica.

4. Elizabeth Riddock’s will, written 12 July, 1834; proved Dec 12 1835: Accessed at the Jamaica Registrar General Department (RGD) by Margianna Ruddock in 2016: Will Book 116, Folio 163.

5. John Riddoch’s death notice in The Scots magazine, Vol 64, Page 182, Jan, 1802; Conveyance of Strawberry Hill to John Riddoch from William Lewis and his wife Mary Lewis and Rebekah Dennison, a widow, in 1781: Jamaican Archives Liber 318, Folio 108. The conveyance has not been accessed but is noted in a 1938 The Gleaner newspaper article, accessed from the Newspaper Archives.

6. Familysearch.org, Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database online].

7. Will of James Riddoch of Glenislay, Westmoreland, written January 4th, 1812, proved April 25th, 1812: accessed at the RGD by Margianna Ruddock in 2016: Will Book 86, folio 33. Will of James Riddock of Mirandahill, St James, written 26th March, 1795, proved 10th November, 1796: accessed at the Jamaica RGD by Margianna Ruddock in 2016.