Rev. Edmund Melville

Rev. Edmund Melville of Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire and possibly of St David’s, Pembrokeshire, co-claimant for compensation in Barbados as co-trustee under the marriage settlement of George Carrington (q.v.) and Anna Maria Parris (q.v.). This marriage took place in 1809 so that if Rev. Edmund Melville of St David's is the same man as the trustee he must have inherited the role of trustee.

1. In an extract from The Windsor and Eton Express for 15/09/1827, Rev E Melville, Gt. Missenden, is listed on the Bucks Game Duty – List 1 as one of the long ‘List of Persons who have obtained General Certificates (D) at the Rate of Three Pounds Thirteen Shillings and Sixpence each, for the Year 1827; made up to the 1st of September’.

2. Rev Edmund Melvill, Clerk of Gt Missenden, recorded as one of the two executors of Edmund Morris on a Copy of Appointment and Release, 10 July, 1828. The other executor is George Carrington, Esq, of Missenden Abbey, Bucks (q.v.). Also mentioned is Charles Morris Esq of 3 Old Quebec Street, Middlesex (q.v.).

3. No further sightings of Rev Edmund Melville after this in Gt Missenden. However, the dates above, and the lack of further evidence of him there after this, would fit with his being the same Rev Edmund Melville who was appointed as Prebendary of St David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, in 1841 and who was later Chancellor of the Ecclesiastical Court of St David’s. The dates when he is clearly in Gt Missenden would also fill a gap in the details of his career as given in his entry in the Cambridge University Alumni. If, as seems probable, these two are in fact the same person then the following applies.

4. Edmund Melvill born 04/12/1797, East Indies, parents unknown. Educated Eton College: school lists simply say ‘1811 Melvill mi Edmund Late Chancellor of St David’s Cathedral’.

5. Edmund Melvill entered Trinity College, Cambridge 01/07/1814. Scholar, 1817; B.A. 1818; M.A. 1821.

6. Probable entry in 1841 census at St James Place, St James, Westminster, Middlesex: living with a number of other people whose occupation is listed as Independent is Edmund Melvill, aged 40 (rounded down to nearest 5), occupation Ind, born out of county. [This is the only 1841 entry in England/Wales for an Edmund Melvill(e)]

7. Prebendary of St David’s Cathedral 1841-1857 and Chancellor of the Ecclesiatical Court of St David’s, Pembrokeshire 1845-1847.

8. 1851 census at 40, St James Place, Westminster, Middlesex: Edmund Melville, Lodger, unmarried, aged 53, Clergyman of St David’s, born East Indies. This is the same address as in 1841 as Rebecca Ireson is the Head of Household.

9. Died 27/09/1857. Death registered in the December quarter of 1857 in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, as Edmund Melvill.

10. The obituary in the Gentleman’s Magazine 1857, II, 564, would probably throw some light on whether these two are the same person.

11. There is some evidence in later censuses of Melvill(e) families from East India ‘Kept by Annuities’, ‘Living on own Means’ or ‘Income from Stock’ in Britain.

T71/897: Barbados claim nos. 2934 (Chapel) and 2980 (Carringtons).

1. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dutillieul/ZWindsorEtonExpress/15thSeptember1827B.html [accessed 10/11/11].

2. Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies, http://calm.hertsdirect.org/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=CDEGH%2f1%2f5%2f1&pos=1 [accessed 31/08/2015].

3. Ancestry.com, Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900 [database online].

4. Ancestry.com, Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900 [database online]; 1851 census online; The Eton School Lists 1791-1850 online.

5. Ancestry.com, Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900 [database online].

6. 1841 census online.

7. Ancestry.com, Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900 [database online] and Pigot & Co. South Wales directory for 1844 at www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/CMN/Carmarthen/Pigot1844.html.

8. 1851 census online.

9. Ancestry.com, Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900 [database online]; FreeUKGen, England and Wales Free BMD Database, Deaths, 1837-1983 [database online].

10. Ancestry.com, Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900 [database online].

11. 1881 and 1891 censuses online.