Alexander McBarnet

Awarded the compensation for enslaved people on The Villa and Walilabo estates, part of the compensation for the enslaved people on Sans Souci and the compensation for one other group of enslaved people on St Vincent and a further group on Grenada.

1. Will of Alexander MacBarnet of the Island of St Vincent proved 22/04/1839. In the will he describes himself as living in Inverness and as heritable proprietor of the lands and estates of Attadale and Torridon [in the parish of Appleross] in the County of Ross as well as of St Vincent, the latter depreciated in value 'because of the recent entire emancipation of the coloured population.' His trustees were Lt Colonel Donald Macpherson late of the 39th Regiment of Foot of Kingussie [later in the will constituted a sine qua non trustee if residing in Britain], Walter Cockburn of Edinburgh, 'my wife's uncle John Macpherson Grant younger' of Ballindalloch, John Macpherson Esq. residing at Croyard near Beauly [?] and John Hoyes late of the Island of Grenada now residing at Forres. His heir in Scotland was his son [Alexander Cockburn MacBarnet, a minor], but his lands in Grenada he instructed his trustees to convey 'without regard to the state of my funds' to Elizabeth Stroud of that island: he left his trustees discretion whether to keep or sell his estates in St Vincent . He left an annuity of £100 p.a to his wife Mary MacCulloch and annuities of £60 p.a. and then lump sums of £1000 on majority to his youngest son and his daughter Jessy Cruikshank MacBarnet. He left £200 to Farquhar MacBarnet 'now overseer of Torridon', and encouraged his trustees to retain him in that post as long as he gave satisfaction. To his 'present nursery [?] maid Bella a woman of colour and a native of St Vincent' Alexander MacBarnet left £30 and a free passage to the West Indies.

2. The M'Barnet period of ownership of Scottish estates at Attadale and Torridon was the object of hostile comment by representatives of their tenantry at the Napier Commission in 1883.

St Vincent nos. 481A-C, 541, 631A and 646; Grenada no. 420.

1. PROB 11/1909/379.

2. http://napier-ross.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/shieldaig-1-august-1883-duncan-beaton.htm [accessed 10/09/2016]