Richard Meyler of Crawley House

MP for Winchester 1812-1818, owner of Meylersfield estate in Westmoreland, Jamaica. He reportedly inherited an income of £30,000 p.a. from his father in 1805, and claimed to have spent £20,000 on his parliamentary seat. Died in 1818; the Meylersfield estate and the enslaved people on it passed to his second cousin once removed, Richard Bright of Ham Green.

1. Will of Richard Meyler [of Grosvenor Square in parish] of St George Hanover proved 21/04/1818 and of Crawley House. The will, made in 1812, is six lines long and left his estate between Mary Ashton (wife of John Ashton), Sarah Berners (wife of Henry Denny Berners), Rachel (wife of William Berners) and Frances Fitzwilliam Bernard wife of Henry Bernard. These female legatees were his maternal aunts. Administration of the will was granted in 1869 to Hugh Berners, when his personalty was shown as £200.

See http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/meyler-richard-1791-1818 and http://www.orange-tree-valley.co.uk/magnificent-meylers/ [both accessed 16/02/2015].

1. PROB 11/1603/299; National Probate Calendar 1869.

We are grateful to Primmy Bright for her assistance with compiling this entry.