Thomas Forrest

Thomas Forrest of Dinan France counterclaimed as tenant-in-tail in possession for the compensation for the enslaved people on Bellfield in St Mary, Jamaica. The compensation was paid into the colonial court suit of Lynch v Lynch. A Thomas Forrest, presumably the same man, also claimed for two estates in Westmoreland (Robins River Pen and Masemure), for which the compensation was paid to the London merchant firm of Beckford and Ranken as mortgagees.

1. 'Thomas Forrest Esq.' was described as heir-at-law of Arthur Forrest in the registration of the enslaved people on Masemure in Westmoreland in 1820. Arthur Forrest (q.v.) was his father, the son of Admiral Arthur Forrest (also whom q.v.). Captain Haughton Forrest, the Australian artist who has an entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, was his son.

2. The Berkshire Records Office holds 'Deeds and papers relating to plantations in Jamaica owned by Thomas Forrest of Binfield', which include material on Masemure, Robins River plantation, Ragged Castle, lands at Broad Nutt Hill, land at Luna, and a vineyard [in fact, the estate called Vineyard], all in Westmoreland and St Elizabeth. 'Includes will extract of Thomas Forrest, 1852.' (The will of Thomas Forrest of Hereford Street Park Lane proved 01/03/1852 was for this man, but is silent on property in Jamaica).

3. Children of Thomas and Mary Forrest were baptised regularly between 1818 and 1825 at Binfield, including Julia in 1820 and Augusta in 1821. In 1851 Thomas Forrest landed proprietor aged 68 (65?) born Berkshire was living at Wonersh in Surrey with wife Mary and children Julia aged 31 born Binfield and Augusta 29 born in France. Thomas Forrest of Benfield (sic) Berkshire had married Mary Lowther in Kensington in 1808. There is reportedly a gravestone in Wonersh parish church with the inscription transcribed as 'Sacred to the memory of Thomas Forrest Esq. of Forest Lodge Binfield who departed this life on the 18th December 1821(?)' [sic].

4. The naval officer Arthur Forrest (d. 1770, q.v. under Admiral Arthur Forrest) had married Frederica Marina Cecilia, 'probably a daughter of Colonel Lynch of Jamaica', and died there in 1770: 'in his will Forrest and his famly are described as being "of Binfield Berkshire".'

T71/856 St Mary no. 13, Alexander Barclay and JHLivingston, Receivers in Lynch v Lynch. Counterclaim from Thomas Forrest tenant in tail in possession Dinan France. Letter from Thos Forrest Hayes T71/1606 30/7/1835 Bedford Sq as agent for Thomas Forrest, alludes to 135 negroes claimed by Edward Hyde East and a further 113 on the same estate belonging to Thomas Forrest.

1. Slave Registers Westmoreland 1820; http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/forrest-captain-haughton-6210" [accessed 11/08/2016].

2. Berkshire Record Office D/EX 1212/1/1-37 1808-1871; PROB 11/2194/4.

3. 1851 census online; Ancestry.com Pallot's Marriage Index for England 1780-1837; Ancestry.com England & Wales Christening Records 1530-1906 [database online]; http://www.wonershchurch.org.uk/inscriptionsongravestone.htm [accessed 20/04/2013].

4. ODNB online J.K Laughton, rev. Ruddock Mackay, 'Forrest, Arthur (d. 1770), naval officer and planter.'