Richard Willis of Grenada

Early mortgagee of slave property on St Vincent. Administration of the will of Richard Willis of St James Grenada granted 21/03/1785 to James Willis. The will, made in 1780 under the French occupation, described him as being on New Hampshire plantation aged 56 a native of Cumberland, and left all his property between his five children, Richard Legg[e] Willis of the E.I.Co., Thomas Willis, James Willis, Berthia [or Bethia] Willis and Mary Willis. The description of his portrait held by the National Trust at Clevedon Court says that he was a bankrupt Turkey merchant 'sent by his creditors' to Grenada.

1. The surviving assignee of Richard Willis advertised for the annuitants on the estates of Walker and Atkinson to come forward in 1791. The estates were mortgaged to Richard Willis and he had secured the annuities by his bond. [This appears to refer among others to an estate described as the Upper estate on St Vincent, on which annuities were secured in 1773].

2. Richard Willis also appeared in a deed of 15/04/1771 in which his advance of £4000 to the executors of John Lawley and the heirs of Henry Morgan was secured on the estates on St Vincent then known as Morgan's and Lawleys, and later as Upper and Lower Diamond.

3. Richard Willis of the Crescent, near the Minories was bankrupt in 1778.

PROB 11/1128/66.

1. London Gazette 13335 16 August 1791 13335 p. 480; Deed Book 1770-1776, British Library, EAP688/1/1/25, https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP688-1-1-25 pp. 154-171.

2. Deed Book 1770-1776, British Library, EAP688/1/1/25, https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP688-1-1-25 pp. 87 et seq.

3. London Gazette11884 16 June 1778 p. 4.