William Searles

Resident slave-owner in British Guiana.

1. Will of William Searles proprietor of plantation Good Intent Demerara and Essequebo proved 07/10/1834. Under the will he bequeathed an annuity of £30 p.a. to William Burgess of No. 1 George Street Smethurst [?] Fields Stepney London; to his daughter by Christian van Dam named Sarah Elizabeth Searles he gave £5000 (the contingent legatees of this sum were his brother James Edward Searles and sister Frances Ann Bryan); to his wife Elizabeth Searles he left an annuity of £200 p.a. In a codicil, however, he referred to the death of William Burgess and instituted his sons William and Isaac Searles as his heirs; a second codicil, however, transcribes his sons as William and 'James.'

T71/887 Counterclaim of Elizabeth Searles of No. 1 Morden Place Lewisham Lane Blackheath Co. Kent widow of Wm Searle Esq. annuity of £200 payable under will of sd Wm Searles during the life of sd Elizabeth Searles. The original claimant William King admitted a varied counterclaim which gave Elizabeth Searles the interest and dividends on the compensation for her life.

1. PROB 11/1837/406.