John Lamb

Profile & Legacies Summary

1725 - 2^nd Jan 1772

Biography

Owner of Keith Hall estate in Trelawney, Jamaica. Died in 1772.

Memorial inscription in Bath Abbey gives him as John Lamb of Jamaica Esquire, died 02/01/1772 aged 47 years. "Greatly lamented by his family. He was a loving husband and a true and sincere friend." The Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette states he died in Bath of gout, having recently lost a lawsuit against Dr Sir James Jay, whom he had paid 600 guineas to for medical attendance two years earlier.
The reference in his will to his sister Christian Kemp shows her traceable as the Christian Lamb, baptised in Aberdeen 02/12/1739 with parents Robert Lamb, burger and weaver and Elspet Smith his spouse. No baptism has been found for John Lamb. His will also gives his uncle's name as John Farquhar, suggesting this was his mother's maiden name and that he was the child of an earlier marriage of Robert Lamb.
John Lamb of Britain, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1773. Slave-ownership at probate: 131 of whom 107 were listed as male and 24 as female. 32 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £14533 Jamaican currency of which £7826 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £0 currency cash, £4420 currency debts and £4.75 currency plate.
The will of John Lamb, planter of St James, was proved in Jamaica 11/05/1774.

Sources

'MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS IN ENGLAND RELATING TO JAMAICA', http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/bcarib15.htm; Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette 09/01/1772.
GROS OPR Births 168/A 80 99 Aberdeen; PROB 11/975/282.
Trevor Burnard, Database of Jamaican inventories, 1674-1784.
LOS 41.

We are grateful to Daniel Livesay for his assistance with this entry.

Further Information

Absentee?

Transatlantic?

Spouse

Elizabeth Libert

Will

PROB 11/975/282 - precis.

John Lamb of St James, Jamaica., planter.

To my dearly beloved wife Elizabeth Lamb, that parcel of land in St James commonly called the Lagoon containing 300 acres more or less and patented by me in the year 1755, and also lot of land no. 16 in the town of Martha Brae, St James, to her use and behoof forever.

To my uncle John Farquhar of the parish of Chappel Garrioch in Aberdeenshire, £100 sterling.

To my cousin John Lamb of Montross[sic] in Scotland, £200.

To my nephew John Brown £200.

To my sister Christian, wife of John Kemp of Aberdeen, £200.

All rest and residue of my estate as follows. One-third to my wife Elizabeth Lamb for the term of her natural life, and after her decease to the heirs of her body by me lawfully begotten. The other two thirds to my child or children lawfully begotten on the body of my wife share and share alike.

If I shall have no child then a further £100 to my uncle John Farquhar; one moity of my residuary estate to my wife Elizabeth Lamb for her natural life and after her decease to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten by any future husband, and if she dies without issue then this moity to such persons as she choose in her will; the other moity likewise to my wife for her natural life and thereafter sold and the money remitted to Britain and vested in the bank anuities, the interest to be equally divided into three parts, one part to the poor of the parish of Chapel Garrioch, one part to the poor of the parish of Inveruery[?] and the remaining part to the poor of the parish of Manymuss[?], all in Aberdeenshire, on the first Monday in October every year.

If my wife should die without making a will, then two-sixths parts of her moity to her brother William Libert, and one-sixth parts of her moity each to her brother Samuel Libert, sisters Charlotte O'Dempsey (wife of Andrew O'Dempsey of St James, Jamaica), Jane Scarlett (wife of James Scarlett the younger of St James, carpenter and millwright), and Sarah Libert.

[Further division of his property among his sister Christian Kemp, nephew John Brown, and nephew John Lamb - it's not clear what remainder this refers to, with contingencies based on his date of death].

Elizabeth Lamb, William Libert, James Scarlett the younger, John Brown, brother-in-law John Kemp of Aberdeen, cousin John Lamb of Montross to be executors.

Signed 21/07/1766.

Proved at London 29/02/1772 and 18/04/1772.

Occupation

Planter

Associated Estates (2)

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