John French Lynch

Will of John French Lynch formerly called John French [heretofore of the City of London but now residing at] Mitcham Surrey proved 30/07/1788. Under the will he left lands in Co. Clare Ireland that had come to him from his uncle Anthony Lynch to Anthony French the son of his [the testator's] kinsman Patrick French Fitz Anthony late of Galway; among numerous monetary legacies mostly to individuals in Ireland he also left £400 to Michael French son of his uncle John French Fitzjohn of Co. Galway. He left an annuity of £40 p.a. to his 'faithful negroe servant John Lynch', granting him freedom and leaving him his [John Lynch's] house on his [the testator's] estate in Cabeia Terre [Capisterre] St Kitts.' He freed his brother Andrew French from obligations under the lease of the estate (although not the rent or other covenants), and left the estate for life to his nephew John Lynch French (the eldest son of his brother Andrew French) and his heirs, with remainder to Andrew's other children. He left an annuity of £200 p.a. to John Blake son of Martin Blake late of Antigua on condition John Blake did not seek to challenge the right to reversion in fee of the 'said estate' transmitted to John French Lynch by Martin Blake. The residuary heir was to be the person entitled to the St Kitts estate. In 1807 when administration was granted, the residuary heir was identified as Andrew John Lynch French, logically the son of either the testator's nephew John Lynch French or of another son of Andrew French the testator's brother: the will of John Lynch French of 1801 confirms that Andrew John Lynch French was his son.

The 'faithful negroe servant John Lynch' might be the man identified in the early 1820s as 'Black John', or Surgeon Lynch, practising as a surgeon in London, who was the subject of an attack in the Monthly Gazette of Health in 1823. There are several commonalities, including the description of John French Lynch moving to Mitcham c. 1787 to live with his brother Andrew French, a merchant of Copthall Avenue, and leaving his servant John an annuity, but that article also specified that John Lynch's 'master' died in 1819.

PROB 11/1168/241.

The Monthly Gazette of Health No. 93 Sept. 1823 pp. 661-662.