Rev. Benjamin Guest

With Rev. James Furnival (q.v.), awarded a share of the compensation for the Orchard estate in Port Royal Jamaica as trustee and executor of James Willasy. The remainder of the compensation for the enslaved people on the estate reportedly went to George Guest (q.v).  

1. The case of Guest v Willasey in 1825 gives some background to the claim. James Willasey by will dated 10/02/1814 devised Clifton Hall to his son James and gave the Orchard Hall estate in Port Royal to Nicholas Salisbury and Abraham Garnett on trust. In 1818, having sold Clifton Hall, he bought Allerton Hall (both appear to have been in Lancashire). He added a codicil in 1819 to divide the proceeds of the sales of Clifton Hall and Allerton Hall to his children after a £300 annuity to his wife Mary. On 30/09/1823 he added a second codicil with instructions on the sale of Orchard Hall and appointing Edward Lister of Everton and Rev. James Furnival of Upton as executors. On 13/02/1824 he added a third codicil, replacing Edward Lister with Rev. Benjamin Guest of Everton. Willasey died 17/02/1824 and his widow died shortly thereafter. The parties were Guest and Furnival versus James Willasey an infant, Mary J. Willasey, Sarah C. Willasey, William Willasey, Edward Willasey,  Maria Ruth Willasey, Alicia Willasey and Salisbury and Garnett.

2. Benjamin Guest was Adm. sizar at QUEENS', May 12, 1818. S. of Henry. B. [1788], at Bridgnorth, Shropshire. [School, Bridgnorth.] Matric. Michs. 1818. Migrated to Trinity, Oct. 20, 1819, ‘age 29’; B.A. 1822; M.A. 1826. Ord. deacon (Bristol) Dec. 21, 1828. Proprietor of a private school at Brighton, -1841-3. V. of St Katherine's, Northampton, 1843-51. R. of Pilton, Northants., 1851-8. Unbeneficed latterly. Author, Hymns. Died Jan. 30, 1869, at Blackheath, Kent. (Clergy List; Crockford; Northants. Clergy; Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology.)

T71/864 Port Royal claim no. 30. In the Jamaica Almanac, Orchard was shown against James Willacy in 1811, James Willasey in 1816, Barnaby Maddan in 1818, John Willasey in 1820 and then Barnaby Maddan from 1821 to 1833.

1. John Moore, Cases argued and determined in the Court of Common Pleas and Exchequer Chamber (1828) Vol. 10, pp. 223-233. It seems peculiar that Willasey would entrust his estate to two youngish clergymen, but the identification of Rev. James Furnival of Upton is clear.

2. Ancestry.com, Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900 [database online]. The Rev. Benjamin Guest who was at Queens' Cambridge at the same time as Rev. James Furnival was not according to this source ordained at the time of the codicil appointing the 'Rev. Benjamin Guest' (and in addition, the Rev. Benjamin Guest of Queens' does not appear connected with Everton in clerical or academic biographies.) However, CCEd [database online] Person ID 52691 shows Benjamin Guest of Trinity Cambridge ordained deacon 28/12/1821 by John Kaye of Bristol and says the ordination date (presumably 21/12/1828) in Venn is wrong.