QUEELY SHIELL (1755-1847)
Compiled by
Richard Shiell and Dorothy Anderson, Melbourne, Australia.
Revised version March 2005. For reader comment please contact the first author on hairman@mira.net
Introduction.
The progenitor of the
Shiell clan on Montserrat is most likely to have been Queely Shiell. He was
probably white skinned, of Irish descent and lived to a remarkable age of 93
years. Three of his sons, William, James Phipps and John Shiell, rose to become
men of considerable importance in the Leeward Islands of the West Indies.[1]
Early Life of Queely.
According to his 1847
death certificate, Queely Shiell, West India Merchant, died in London on 27th
November 1847.[2] This would place his birth date as 1754 or
1755.[3]
His parents names were not listed but we have reason to believe that his family
were from the island of St. Christopher (St. Kitts) in the West Indies. His
parents were very probably William Shiell, about whom we presently know nothing
[4]
and Margaret Queely, (daughter of John Queely, attorney), who married by
license in Basseterre, St. Kitts, on June 17th 1756.[5]
(A Margaret Shiell is listed as being buried on June 4th 1757.[6]
We know nothing about
Queely’s upbringing or education but we can presume that, like most sons of
affluent white West Indian merchants, professionals and planters he would have
been sent to boarding school in England. Under British Law, the oldest son was
sole heir to the family estates and was expected to spend the years prior to
his father’s death learning to manage these. Younger sons may have been sent to
University to study for the Church or to read Law at one of the Inns of Court.
Others bought a Commission into the Army if these were available.
Although we do not have a
record of Queely’s marriage to Ann we do have evidence that the oldest son
William was born around 1785 [7] and that the couple eventually raised seven
children.[8]
We know the names of five of these children. They were William, John, James
Phipps, Eleanor and Maria.[9]
Queely probably married around 1783-84 and we feel that it was very likely that
Ann’s maiden name was Gordon.[10] The Gordons were a very influential family
throughout the British West Indies and this would have been a “good” marriage
or him.
Later Life of Queely Shiell
The first known reference to Queely on Montserrat appears in 1783 when Deed number 3484 was lodged by Queely Shiell of Montserrat.[11] His name was mentioned again in 1798 when he was named on a 1796 Indenture along with Richard Macnamara, Richard Dyett, all Attorneys of Montserrat.[12] Queely’s wife’s family (the Gordons) may have been there much earlier. An Alexander Gordon was Collector of Custom from 1765 and President of Council on Montserrat from 1787-1790.[13] Queely’s son William, in a letter to Earl Grey in 1850, claimed that his family had held a particular Estate on Montserrat for 150 years, that is, from around 1700.[14]
The source of Queely’s
early wealth is at present unknown. He appears to have been an only child and
may have inherited wealth from his parents. There is no record of his parents
in the West Indies after the death of his mother in 1757 and perhaps Queely
received his inheritance in cash or property after attaining his majority in
1776. It is known that some 18th
century individuals bearing the name Shiell had been involved in the slave
trade and this was certainly a possible path to riches for those with the
initial capital to become involved. [15]
Queely ‘s only known
income from the public purse on Montserrat derived from his position of Customs
Searcher and eventually that of Comptroller of Customs from 1805. The “fringe
benefits” associated with these posts may have been far in excess of the modest
salary of some £200 per year.[16]
If not, there would have been little driving incentive to keep the job in the
family for some 70 years.
It is on record that
Queely’s land holdings on Montserrat increased considerably from 1810, when he
was listed as owning 266 slaves[17]
to 1824 when he had 656.[18]
He seems to have lived at the Richmond estate and eventually became the major
landowner on the island with many estates and other properties and was stated
to be the largest slave owner on Montserrat in 1833 although he had reduced his
numbers to 370, presumably having sold many off prior to Emancipation.[19]
Certainly in the compensation payments to slave owners in 1836 Queely Shiell
received £ 9743, 12% more than the next
largest owner and nearly double the next largest.[20] It is clear from the amount of compensation
he received, which averaged £26, that he must have sold off most of his young
and old slaves and was holding only the best at the time of Emancipation.
Queely settled in London some time after he
was superannuated as Comptroller of Customs on Montserrat in 1827 and the first
address we have located for him there is in Mayfair at 46 Clarges St. in 1843.[21] He is later mentioned at number 40 Clarges St.[22]
He drew up his Last Will and Testament in 1844 and made several changes as his
family and fortune changed over the next 3 years.[23] He died on 27th November 1847 after
suffering a stroke.[24]
Historical References to Queely Shiell
The authors have located
many references to Queely Shiell’s activities on Montserrat and these are listed
chronologically below -
1783, December 18th. Queely Shiell of Montserrat lodged Deed No
3484, probably in the Montserrat Courthouse.[25]
1792. Death of daughter
Maria.[26]
1798. Queely listed along with Richard Macnamara
and Richard Dyett, all Attorneys of Montserrat, on a 1796 Indenture.[27]
1805, 4th
Dec. Queely is appointed Comptroller of
Customs on Montserrat.[28]
1809, Dec 23rd.
“A negro
stole a barrel of Irish Mess Pork, the property of Queely Shiell”.[29]
1810. In the census of
this year Queely is listed as owning 266 of the 6880 slaves on Montserrat.[30]
1810. Queely Shiell and John Queely Shiell both
listed as Members of the Assembly.[31]
1810, Dec. Queely Shiell
is mentioned in connection with supervising a count of the white people in St George’s Parish.[32]
1812, June 20th.
Queely Shiell and Dudley Semper submit a tender to supply rum.[33]
1815, 17th June. Queely must have been on leave because his
son William signed a letter on this day in his capacity as “Acting Comptroller
of Customs”.[34]
1817, March 7th. We have a copy of a
letter signed by Queely this day in his capacity as Comptroller.[35]
1820/21 Queely Shiell is
still Comptroller of Customs, Montserrat: salary £50 p.a.[36]
1823, Nov 16th Letter from Michael Joseph Semper to William
Shiell asking to be remembered to his father who was presumably living at the
Richmond Estate.[37]
1824. Queely listed as owner of 656 slaves, the
largest number of any owner on the island.[38]
1824. Queely’s daughter visits the island of St
Vincent’s.[39] The
purpose of the visit is unknown but it was probably a social visit as there
were many Gordons on the island and at least one Allan family.
1826. Queely is
Comptroller and JPS is listed as Customs Searcher at salary of £200 p.a.[40]
1827, Dec. 18th Queely is
superannuated as Comptroller at salary of £100 p.a. and James Phipps Shiell
(presumed to be his son) takes over as temporary Comptroller.[41]
1833. Queely still the
largest owner but has reduced his holding of slaves to 370.[42]
1836 A number of slave claims
by Queely (some litigated) but he eventually received the largest compensation
pay-out on Montserrat (£9,743). [43]
1837. Queely donates land
for a school at Fry’s estate, 3 miles from Plymouth, in St Anthony’s Parish.[44]
1841, 7 years after
emancipation of his slaves, the value of Queely’s 5 remaining plantations was
still listed (perhaps optimistically) at £44,500 (BPP H of C 1848, Vol 45)
making him still the largest property owner on Montserrat.[45]
1843 Queely and his
daughter Mrs Allan listed as living at 46 Clarges St. London [46],
but in 1844- 46 living at number 40.[47]
1844, April 29th-
Queely’s First Will and Testament.[48]
Queely is living in Clarges St. Mayfair.
1844, December 14th -1st
Codicil to Will.[49] It is
stated that Queely is now blind and unable to write. (This was probably a
result of a stroke as he later recovered).
1845 (first quarter)
Queely’s wife Ann dies.[50]
1845, November 22. 2nd Codicil of Will.[51] (Queely’s sight has partially recovered and
he is now able to sign).
1847, Jan.1st. 3rd Codicil to Queely’s Will.[52]
1847, September 6th.
Death of Queely’s son John Shiell, Chief Justice of Antigua.[53]
1847, November 27th.
Queely Shiell, died in London at 40
Clarges St. Mayfair after being paralyzed for one week, (probably a result of
another stroke).[54]
APPENDICES
Appendix I.
Summaries of lives of Queely’s known children (for more detail see
individual biographies by the same
authors)
William Shiell ( 1785-1853)
. William was a prominent figure on Montserrat for many years as attorney to
his father’s numerous estates and as a member of Council from 1808 rising to
President in 1834. William married Mary Cabey Semper, daughter of Dudley Semper
in 1826. In a letter to Lord Grey of the Colonial Office on 27th
August 1842 William claimed to have “……..8 children, 3 receiving education in England and
3 about to be sent there for a similar purpose”. He mentions his eldest son William “now in his
16th year “thus born in 1826, and unsuccessfully attempts
to obtain a Commission for him in the Army.
This child must have died early because Montserrat historian Dr Norman
Griffin stated that another son was born to William and Mary in 1850 but died
at aged 5 months. [55]
His father Queely appears to have provided
poorly for President William in his Will of 1847, leaving him only with a
number of debt-laden properties. He
became bankrupt in 1851 and was forced to resign from the Council on which he
had served for 43 years, many as its President. He died in 1853.[56]
John Shiell, 1788-1847. This name was noted several
times on both Montserrat and Antigua during our researches but it was only
after discovery of Queely’s Last Will and Testament that he was positively
identified as the son of Montserrat’s principle landowner. Further research
showed that he entered Lincoln’s Inn, London in 1808 and was admitted to the
Bar in 1813. He was on the Montserrat Assembly in 1810, the year he would have
turned 21.
John married Elizabeth Jane (maiden name
probably Nugent) around 1834-36 and the couple had 4 daughters, Maria Ann,
Elizabeth Harriet, Louisa Gordon and Eleanor Matilda.
John Shiell practiced as a Barrister on Antigua and became a King’s Council in 1826. He was appointed Acting Clerk of the Council in 1836 and Chief Justice in June 1844. He died in September 1847.[57]
James Phipps Shiell – (1790-1834). It
is presumed on strong circumstantial evidence that he was one of the 7 children
of Queely and Ann. In 1826, James Phipps Shiell was a witness at the wedding of
William Shiell to Mary Cabey Semper, suggesting that he was a close relative of
William. At about that same time he
married Elizabeth Carey.[58]
The couple became the parents of Henry and Mary Ann Shiell who migrated to
Australia in the years 1853 and 1883 respectively.
In his business life,
James Phipps Shiell appears to have been Customs Search Officer of Montserrat
and later, from 1827, Comptroller of Customs, a position previously held by
Queely.
He served on the
Montserrat Assembly (the elected Lower House) from 1823-1834.
James died in 1834 when
his children were quite young. These
children are not mentioned in Queely’s Will but perhaps, if he was indeed the
grandfather, he had provided for the widow and for the children’s education in
the early years and felt that nothing more was necessary. Longer biographies of
James Phipps Shiell and his two legitimate children Henry and Mary Ann have
been prepared by the present authors.[59]
Eleanor Shiell was mentioned in Queely Shiell’s Last Will and
Testament but we know very little about her. She may have been married to the
William Alexander Allan who became Comptroller of Customs on Montserrat after
the death of James Phipps Shiell in 1834.[60]
Two daughters of Eleanor,
Louisa and her sister Eleanor Allan are generously provided for in Queely’s
Will. Eleanor and her aged father lived
together in London from around 1844.
Maria Shiell,
another daughter of Queely’s, died of smallpox at a few months of
age on
Sept 16th,
1792.[61]
APPENDIX II . SHIELL FAMILY CHART.
APPENDIX III - Typed
transcription of Queely Shiell’s Last Will and Testament (variations in spelling of names are as
given in the original manuscript)
This is the last Will and
Testament of Mr Queely Shiell formerly of the Island of Montserrat in the West
Indies but now residing in Clarges Street in the County of Middlesex Esquire.
I give and devise all my
plantations and lands with the buildings works machinery cattle and other live
and dead stock upon or belonging thereto in the said Island of Montserrat or
elsewhere in the West Indies unto my dear wife Ann Shiell for and during her xxxxxx
life and from and immediately after her decease I give devise and bequeath the
same unto and equally among my three children William Shiell, John Shiell and
Mrs Eleanor Allen widow and their respective heirs executors and administrators
as tenants in common and not as joint tenants
And I appoint my said three children Executors and Executrix of this my
will in the said Island of Montserrat and elsewhere in the West Indies And I bequeath the following annuities to
the persons herein after named videlicet
To my granddaughter Mary Ann Allen an annuity of forty pounds during her
life To Mrs Mary Barratt and Harriett
Gordon two sisters of my said wife an annuity or yearly sum of two hundred
pounds for their equal benefit during their joint lives and from and after the
decease of either of them the same last mentioned annuitants then for the
benefit of the survivor during her natural life And I direct the said several annuities to be paid half yearly on
the sixth day of January and the sixth day of July respectively in each year
the first payment being made on such of the same days as shall be next after my
decease And I further direct that a sufficient
sum of three pounds per cent consolidated bank annuities or other Government
stock as will be sufficient for the purpose may be appropriated and set apart
by my Executors hereinafter named to answer and satisfy the same several
annuities and subject thereto I give devise and bequeath all my residuary real
and personal estate whatsoever to Sir Samuel Scott of Cavendish Square in the
County of Middlesex Baronet and John Hopton Forbes of Westwood near Southampton
Esquire their heirs executors and administrators upon trust to permit my said wife
Ann Shiell to have take and enjoy for and during her life the use benefit or
income thereof respectively and also of so much of the said appropriated stock
or funds as may fall in during her life and from and after her decease then
upon trust to stand possessed of all my residuary estate real and personal in
trust for my said three children and their respective heirs executors and
administrators in equal shares and proportions as tenants in common. And I empower my said Trustees to convert
all such parts of my said residuary personal estate into money or to postpone
the conversion thereof for such period as they shall think fit during the life
of my said wife she in the meantime having the use and enjoyment of so many and
such parts thereof as shall consist or be of the nature of chattels and
likewise receiving the income of all other parts thereof producing income And I direct my said Trustees during the
life of my said wife to layout and invest my said residuary personal estate or
the monies to arise from the conversion thereof in the public funds or on
Government or real securities of Great Britain with power to vary and charge
the same as often as thought fit and to give effectual receipts and charges to
all persons whomsoever on account or in respect thereof And I nominate and appoint the said Sir
Samuel Scott and John Hopton Forbes Executors of this my will in Great Britain
and devise to them their heirs and assigns all trust or mortgaged estates
vested in me as a trustee for others and not xxxxxx beneficially to be
held upon the trusts affecting the same
In witness whereof I the said Queely Shiell the Testator have to this my
Will and Testament set my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of April in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty four - Queely
Shiell - Signed sealed published xxxxx acknowledged and
declared by Queely Shiell the Testator as and for the last Will and Testament
in the presence of us we being present together at the same time and we at his
request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our
names as witnesses thereto - Matt Hale City Street Holborn - William John Martin -
Hny Ollio xxxx Clerks to Messrs Hale Boys & Austin xxxxx
APPENDIX IV- Codicils to Queely’s Will
This is a Codicil to the
last Will and Testament of me Queely Shiell formerly of the Island of
Montserrat in the West Indies but now residing in Clarges Street in the County
of Middlesex Esquire Whereas by my last
Will and Testament bearing date on or about the twenty ninth day of April last
I gave and bequeathed to Mrs Mary Barratt and Harriett Gordon sisters of my
wife Ann Shiell one annuity or yearly sum of two hundred pounds for their equal
benefit during their joint lives and after the decease of either of them the said
two annuitants then for the benefit of the survivor of them during her natural
life And whereas since the execution of
my said Will I have been under the necessity of withdrawing large sums of money
from my funded property in support of my West India estates It has become necessary that I should reduce
the said annuity so given as aforesaid
Now I do hereby evoke the gift of the said annuity or yearly sum of one
hundred pounds in lieu thereof to the said Mary Barrett and Harriet Gordon for
their equal benefit during their joint lives but with all the same benefit of
survivorship and in all other respects as in my said Will declared and
containing the said annuity or yearly sum of two hundred pounds And I hereby declare that in case the annual
sum to be received by my said wife during her life from my West India Estates
and the residue of my real and personal estate as in my said Will mentioned
shall not amount to the sum of eight hundred pounds per annum then and in such
case I hereby direct the Executors appointed by my said Will to raise the
deficiary by the sale or sales of sufficient part or parts of my landed
property and pay the same to my said wife and so from time to time in order
that she may have and receive full annual sum of eight hundred pounds for and
during the term of her natural life And
I confirm my said Will in every particular in which the same is not hereby
altered In witness thereof I the said
Queely Shiell the Testator have to this Codicil to my last Will and Testament
set my hand and seal this fourteenth day of December in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and forty four - The mark of X Queely Shiell - Signed
sealed published acknowledged and delivered by the said Queely Shiell the
Testator as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament (the said Codicil
having been first carefully read over to him and being signed by the mark of a
X in consequence of the said Testators blindness and incapacity to write) in
the presence of us we being present together at the same time at his request in
his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our
names as witness - Matt Hale - Fred Lewis Austin City Street London
Solicitors - William John Martin Clk to Messrs Hale Boys & Austin City
Street
This is a second Codicil
to the last Will and Testament of me Queely Shiell formerly of the Island of
Montserrat in the West Indies but now of Clarges Street in the County of
Middlesex Esquire Whereas since the
date and execution of my former Codicil which bears date the fourteenth day of
December one thousand eight hundred and forty four my dear wife has departed
this life and consequently the gifts and bequests I had intended for her by my
said Will and Codicil have failed of effect
And whereas I have by my said Will which bears date the twenty ninth day
of April one thousand eight hundred and forty four give and devised (subject to
the life interest thereby intended for my said wife) all my plantation and
lands with the buildings works machinery cattle and other live and dead stock
upon or belonging thereto in the said Island of Montserrat or elsewhere in the
West Indies unto and equally among my three children William Shiell John Shiell
and Mrs Eleanor Allan widow and their respective heirs executors and
administrators as tenants in common and not as joint tenants And I have by my said Will devised and
bequeathed all my residuary real and personal estate whatsoever to Sir James
Scott and John Hopson Forbes upon certain trusts for the benefit of my said
wife and three children Now I do hereby
revoke and make void all the beforementioned devises and bequests so by my said
Will made to and In trust for the benefit of my said children respectively And I give and devise to my said daughter
Mrs Eleanor Allan and her assigns from and immediately after my decease and
thereforth during her life to be issuing yearly from and out of my said
plantations and lands in the said Island of Montserrat elsewhere in the West
Indies and which I do hereby charge and make chargeable with accordingly one
annual sum or yearly rate charge of five hundred pounds of lawful money of the
United Kingdom to be payable and paid to her at the Royal Exchange in the City
of London by equal quarterly payments on Lady Day Midsummer Day Michaelmas Day
and Christmas Day in every year without any deduction or abatement whatsoever
and to be apportionable up to the day of her decease the first payment thereof
to become due and be made on such of the said quarterly days of payment as
shall happen next after my decease if my said daughter shall be then
living And from and after the decease
of the said Eleanor Allen I give and devise to my granddaughters Eleanor Allan
and Louisa Allan children of my said daughter for their equal benefit as
tenants in common during their joint lives and after the death of either of
them during the life of the survivor for her sole benefit and their or her
assigns and to be issuing yearly from and out of my said last mentioned
plantations and lands and which I do hereby charge and make chargeable with xxxxxx
accordingly one annual sum or yearly xxxxxxx charge of three hundred pounds of
like lawful money to be payable and paid to my said granddaughters in equal
charges or to the survivor alone as the case may be at the Royal Exchange in
the City of London by equal quarterly payments on Lady Day Midsummer Day
Michaelmas Day and Christmas Day in every year without deductions abatement
whatsoever and to be apportionable up to the day of the decease of the survivor
of my said granddaughters the first payment thereof to become due and be made
on such of the said quarterly days of payment as shall next happen after the
decease of my said daughter if my said granddaughters or either of them shall
then be living And my Will is And I do
hereby direct that when and so often as the said annual sum or yearly rent
charge of five hundred pounds or the contingent rent charge of three hundred
pounds or any part thereof respectively shall any time or times be unpaid by
the space of twenty eight days next after any of the days therein before
appointed for the payment thereof then and in every such case it shall be
lawful for my said daughter or her assigns as her said rent charge and for my said
granddaughter or either or the survivor of them as to their her said contingent
rent charge to enter into and dispose upon the hereditaments hereby charges or
any part thereof and to dispose of the distress and distresses then and there
found according to Law to the intent that thereby or otherwise the said annual
sum or yearly rent charge of five hundred pounds or contingent rent charge of
three hundred pounds as the case may be and every part thereof so in arrear and
all expenses occasioned by the nonpayment thereof may be fully paid and
satisfied And my Will further is And I do hereby declare that in case the
said rent charge of five hundred pounds or contingent rent charge of three
hundred pounds or any part thereof respectively shall at any time either during
the continuance thereof respectively or after the same shall have determined be
in arrears and unpaid for the space of forty days or more then and so often it
shall be lawful for my said daughter as to her said rent charge and for my said
granddaughters or either or the survivor of them as to their or her said
contingent rent charges or if the said rent charges respectively shall have
determined then for the persons or person respectively legally entitled to the
arrears to enter into and retain possession of all or any part of the said
hereditaments charged therewith and receive and take the rents issues and
profits thereof for her or their benefit respectively until therewith and
thereby or otherwise the arrears so due to her or them and to grow due while
she or they shall so be in possession and all costs charges and expenses
attending or occasioned by the nonpayment or recovery thereof respectively
shall be fully paid and satisfied and such possessions when taken shall be
without impeachment of waste And subject
to and charges with the said rent charge and contingent rent charge and the
remedies hereby provided or to which the person or persons entitled for the
time being may be entitled to resort for the recovery thereof I give and devise my said plantations and
lands with the buildings works machinery cattle and other live and dead stock
upon or belonging thereto in the said Island of Montserrat or elsewhere in the
West Indies unto and equally between my said two sons William Shiell and John
Shiell and their respective heirs executors and administrators as tenants in
common and not as joint tenants And I
give and bequeath to my said daughter Eleanor Allan all the stocks funds
securities and other the Personal Estate whatsoever belonging to me
or which I shall be possessed of in any manner entitled unto at the time of my
decease in Great Britain and not elsewhere for her own absolute use and benefit
but subject nevertheless to the annuities of forty pounds and one hundred
pounds bequeathed by my said Will and Codicil and to the appropriation thereout
of a sufficient sum of three pounds per cent consolidated annuities or other
government stock to answer and satisfy the same respectively as in my said Will
in that behalf directed in exoneration of my General Residuary Estate And as to all my residuary real and personal
estate whatsoever (except mortgage and trust estates which I have disposed of
by my said Will) I give devise and bequeath the same unto and equally between
my said two sons William Sheill and John Sheill and their respective heirs
executors and administrators as tenants in common and not as joint tenants And save so far as my said Will and Codicil
have become by the death of my said wife and by this present Codicil are or is
otherwise altered I do hereby confirm the same respectively In witness whereof I the said Queely Shiell
the Testator have to this second Codicil to my last Will and Testament set my
hand and seal this twenty second day of November in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and forty five - Queely Shiell - xxxxxx - Signed sealed
published acknowledged and declared by the said Queely Shiell the Testator as
and for a second Codicil to his last Will and Testament (the said Testator
having since the date and execution of his Codicil of the fourteenth day of
December one thousand eight hundred and forty four undergone an operation and
thereby partially recovered his sight) signed his name at length as it appears
in the presence of us we being present together at the same time who at his
rrequest in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto
subscribed our names as witnesses - Matt Hale City Street Solicr - Chas Boyd of the Middle Temple Gent. -
Wm Shuckburgh Garlick Clerk to Messrs Hale Boys & Austin City Street
Solicitors.
This is the third Codicil
to the last Will and Testament of me Queely Shiell formerly of the Island of
Montserratt in the West Indies but now of Clarges St in the County of Middlesex
Esquire which Will bears date the twenty ninth day of April one thousand eight
hundred and forty four whereas I have by the second Codicil to my said Will and
which bears date the twenty second day of November one thousand eight hundred
and forty five given to my granddaughters Eleanor Allan and Louisa Allan an
annuity of three hundred pounds for their lives and the life of the survivor
charged on my West India Estates to take effect after the decease of their
mother Eleanor Allan and it is my intention that my said granddaughters shall
have an annuity of four hundred pounds instead of the said annuity of three
hundred pounds Now therefore I do
revoke the said annuity of three hundred pounds bequeathed by my said second
Codicil And I give to my said
granddaughters and to the survivor of them in lieu thereof during their and her
lives and life an annuity of four hundred pounds to take effect only in case my
said granddaughters or either of them shall be living at the decease of my
daughter Eleanor Allan and to be charged and chargeable and which I do hereby
accordingly charge upon and against my West India Estates and to be payable and
paid at such and the same times and to be recoverable together with a
proportionate part up to the day of the decease of the survivor of my said
granddaughters in such and the same manner as the said annuity of three hundred
pounds was intended to be under the provisions and powers in that behalf
contained in my said second Codicil all of which provisions and powers it is my
intention shall be applicable and incident to the annuity hereby bequeathed and
intended to be substituted as if the same powers and provisions were herein
repeated And in addition to such
personal estate in Great Britain which I shall die possessed of and which by my
said second Codicil I have bequeathed to my said daughter Eleanor Allan as
therein mentioned I give and bequeath to her all and every sum and sums of
money charged upon or due or owing to me or to which I am entitled from
Gerrald’s Estate and Trants Estate respectively in the Island of Montserratt
and the securities for the same respectively
And I devise to my said daughter Eleanor Allan her heirs executors
administrators and assigns all such estate right title and interest which I am
in any manner entitled to by way of mortgage or otherwise in the same several
estates or either of them in respect of the monies owing to me therefrom And I also give to my said daughter all and
every sums and sum due and owing to me from John Kirwan now or late of the said
Island of Montserratt Esquire on his xxxxxxx[bono?] and Warrant of Attorney
Indiguient or otherwise howsoever And
whereas under and by virtue of my second Codicil and this present Codicil my
two sons will become entitled as tenants in common in fee simple to all my
plantations and lands with the buildings works machinery cattle live and other
dead stock upon or belonging thereto in the said Island of Montserrat or
elsewhere in the West Indies subject and charged with the annuity of five
hundred pounds bequeathed by my said second Codicil to my said daughter Eleanor
Allan and with the said contingent annuity of four hundred pounds hereby
bequeathed as aforesaid Now my Will is
and I do hereby direct and declare that the property to which my said Sons
shall so become entitled shall likewise by subject and liable to all and every or any debts or debt
sums and sum of money whatsoever due or owing by me therefrom at the time of my
decease and to all liabilities (if any) incurred by me or on my behalf in
respect thereof or any part thereof or otherwise in the said Island of
Montserratt in the West Indies in exoneration and discharge of my personal
Estate in Great Britain and of such other specific personal estate as I have
hereby bequeathed it being my intention that
the benefits intended for
my said daughter shall be freed of all my West India debts and liabilities
whatsoever and save so far as the same is hereby altered I confirm my said
Second Codicil in all other respects In
witness whereof I the said Queely Shiell the Testator have to this Third Codicil
to my last Will and Testament set my hand and seal this first day of January in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty seven - Queely
Shiell - xxxxx - Signed sealed published
acknowledged and declared by the said Queely Shiell the Testator as and for a
third Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us we being
present together at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the
presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses - Matt Hale
Ely Place Solr - Clifton Nielson - Wm Shuckburgh Garlick Clerks to Messrs Hale
Boys & Austin Ely Place Solicitors
Proved at London with
three Codicils the 18th December 1847 before the Worshipful William
Galvert Gurtsis Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the Oath of John Hopton Forbes
Esquire one of the Executors for Great Britain to whom Administration was
granted having been first sworn only to administer power reserved of making the
like grant to Sir Samuel Scott Baronet the other Executor for Great Britain
when he shall apply for the same.
APPENDIX V
Letter
from William Shiell to Rt Hon. Earl Grey, Principal Sec. of State for the
Colonies - dated April 27 1850 (CO 7 97)
My Lord,
The
perfidious conduct of a Friend has reduced my Wife and Self with seven children
to a state of beggary, and an Estate in this Island which has been in my Family
for a period of one hundred and fifty years wrested from us forever- But why
make this appeal to your Lordship, but to incite your sympathy and compassion
in my behalf- I am now, My Lord, sixty five years of age at too advanced a
period of life to visit other climes to repair my shattered fortunes- I have
been upwards of forty years a Member of her Majesty’s Council in this Island
and have administered the Govt of the Colony upon two successive occasions and
think with all submission and deference, I am entitled to some little
consideration -The Provost Marshall of this Island is in a precarious state of
life, and not expected to live many days, and if your Lordship should deem me
worthy to succeed him in the event of his death I most humbly crave your
Lordships nomination to the appointment. It will be the means of preserving my
wife and children from starvation. Lord Glenelg appointed the present
Gentleman, Mr Hamilton to the situation, who was the son of my predecessor Mr
President Hamilton.
I am
the honor to be,
My
Lord,
Your Lordship’s
Most
Dutiful and Humble Servt,
Wm. Shiell
APPENDIX VI
List of properties owned by Queely Shiell .
TUITE’S/BETHEL &
HARRIS L20,000
GROVE L6,000
RICHMOND L9,000
FFRYES L6,000
BALAAM L3,500
Provision Properties
owned by Queely
POWERS L200
EDMOND SEMPERS COVE L200
Other assets
3 properties in Plymouth
valued at L1,150
N.B. These figures are taken from the BPP H of C book of 1848
(Vol 45) They seem wildly overoptimistic considering the economic picture of
the times and may be a regurgitation of earlier valuations.
APPENDIX VII
List of Major Slave owners on Montserrat and the Compensation
paid to them after 1834.
1.
Queely
Shiell…………………….. £9743
2.
Thomas
& John Daniel …………. £8798
3.
Sir
Thomas Neave……………… £5691
4.
………,
Coles, Lock & Smith…… £5064
5.
George
Byrin Jeffers ……………. £2799
6.
Robert
Dobridge …………………. £2697
7.
Susan
Batt……………………….. £2588
8.
Turner,
Brade & Brade…………….£2497
9.
Henry
Hamilton …………………. £1772
10. John Gage ………………………. £1759
11. William Shiell & John Cannonier .. £
1694
12. Edward………. & Cornelius Paine. £ 1620
13. Admiral Sir John Talbot……………£1600
14. Michael Joseph Semper …………..£1538
15. Richard Goodall……………………£1247
16. Felix Bedingfeld……………………£1024
APPENDIX VIII
The Gordon family was to
be found throughout the West Indies in the 18th and 19th
Centuries. There is a lot of Genealogical material available including a book “Gordons as
Jacobites “ by
J.M.Bulloch.
John Gordon of
Montserrat, in 1758, asked Sir John Gordon of Invergordon to try and get him
the Collectorship of the island ( page 39 “The Making of the West Indies - The Gordons as
Colonists” by J.M Bulloch)
Alexander Gordon was Collector of Customs on Montserrat from 1765 until
he died of “sunstroke” in 1790 aged 51 ( Diary of John Baker. Ed Philip C.Yoke,
Hutchinson, London, 1931, pages 462 & 463). He had replaced Edward Darell
on the Council of Montserrat in 1765
and was President of Council from August
1787 (History
of Antigua by, Vol. 1, page 185). He was probably Ann Shiell’s
father.
We have not traced who was Collector
of Customs from 1790-1818 but the lucrative post was in the hands
of L.Gordon, perhaps Alexander’s son in
1819.( CUST 34 501)
Presumed son-in-law, Queely
Shiell, was Comptroller of Customs from
Dec 1805 until December 1827.
This post was “kept in the family” through James Phipps Shiell, 1828 - 1834. (CUST 34 502) and then possibly
to Queely’s presumed son-in-law, William Alexander Allan. (CUST 34 503)
Mr W. Gordon died on Montserrat on 18 July 1810. (CO 714 4)
Mr B. Gordon Member of Council
for Montserrat died 6 September 1817. (CO 714 4).