Frederick Cort

Awarded the compensation for 12 enslaved people in British Guiana. Probably but not certainly the Frederick Cort who served as attorney to the Gladstone family, and who returned to Liverpool c. 1831 and established a merchant firm there with his brother-in-law John Wilson. This Frederick Cort reportedly died 12/5/1834, whereas the award was made in his name in January 1836. However, the will was not proved until late 1835, so it is conceivable that the executors did not notify the Commissioners of the death until after the award was made.

1. Will of Frederick Cort, partner in the firm of Wilson and Cort of Liverpool, proved 26/12/1835. In the will he disposes of property in Georgetown in favour of Betsy Cort and Louisa Cort, the latter the mother of his two natural sons William (aged c. 7) and Frederick Cort (aged c. 5), the former of whom his father had brought to Liverpool with him. He also provided for a third natural child, Eliza Ann, born in Liverpool 29/05/1833, whose mother Ann Whittaker had been Frederick Cort's servant at Everton 1832 and 1833. The will identifies Frederick Cort's three brothers as Coningsby, William and Richard Cort.

2. The reference to Coningsby Cort confirms Frederick Cort the testator as the son of Henry Cort the ironmaster. Coningsby Cort had petitioned the House of Commons in 1812 over his father's patents. A fifth brother, Henry Cort, had died on arrival in Berbice in 1805, where he had gone to settle as a merchant.

T71/887 British Guiana claim no. 2142; London Gazette, Issue 19635, 13/07/1838, p. 1596. Correspondence between Frederick Cort and John Gladstone is in the Flintshire Record Office, http://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/PDFFiles/Records-and-Archives/Glynne-Gladstone-Catalogue-GG.pdf [accessed 17/07/2015].

1. PROB 11/1855.

2. Chris Evans, ‘Cort, Henry (1741?–1800)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2006 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6359, accessed 17 July 2015]; HC Deb 24 January 1812 vol 21 cc329-31 329; the will of Henry Cort of Berbice was proved 28/07/1806, PROB 11/1446/250, which contains a narrative account from Coningsby Cort of his brother's travel.

We are grateful to J. Greenwood for help with this entry.