Ruth Lettsom formerly Georges (née Hodge)

Grand-daughter and heiress of Bezaliel or Bezaleel Hodge. She married first William Payne Georges (who died at Manchester Square in 1806) and then Pickering Lettsom, a barrister sixteen years her junior. Her second marriage took place on Tortola 22/09/1808 and Lettsom died 28/10/1808. At her own death shortly thereafter on Tortola, she left her slave-derived fortune to her father-in-law John Coakley Lettsom (q.v.) rather than to her son and three daughters. The bequest was contested, but reportedly the Court ruled in favour of Dr John Coakley Lettsom shortly before his death. The Chancery suit of Georges v Georges, presumably connected, led to the estates being put up for sale in 1825.

1. TORTOLA. To be peremptorily sold, pursuant to an Order of the High Court of Chancery, made in a Cause Georges v. Georges, with the approbation of John Edmund Dowdeswell, Esq. one of the Masters of the said Court, at the Public Sale Room of the said Court, situate-, in Southampton-Buildings, Chancery-Lane, London, on Tuesday the 3lst day of May 1825, at Two o'clock in the Afternoon, the following estates, all situate in the said Island of Tortola, and late the property of Mrs. Ruth Lettsom, deceased, viz.: Great Mountain Estate, containing 150 acres; Leslie's or Huntum's Gut Estate, containing 80 acres; Fat Hog Bay Estate, containing 257 acres; Vanderpool's Estate, containing 56 acres; Paraquita Bay Estate, containing 318 acres; Brandy Wine Bay Estate, containing 189 acres; Banger's Bay Estate, containing 200 acres. Two pieces of land, containing respectively 50 acres and 45 acres. The Lower Estate, containing 200 acres, with about 99 negroes. Cane Garden Bay Estate, containing 249 acres, with about 136 negroes. Mount Healthy Estate, containing 210 acres, with about 116 negroes. The North Side Mountain Estate, containing 314 acres, with about 124 negroes. And Turnbull's Mountain Estate, containing 200 acres, with about 161 negroes. Particulars and conditions of sale whereof may be had (gratis) at the said Master's Office, in Southampton-Buildings aforesaid; of Messrs. George and Robert Dennistoun and Co. Merchants, Glasgow ; of Messrs. Clayton, Scott, and Clayton, Lincoln's-Inn; of Mr William Whitton, No. 3, King's-Road, Bedford-Row ; and of Mr John Hopton Forbes No. 6, Ely-Place, Holborn.

John Andrew, The hanging of Arthur Hodge, a Caribbean Anti-Slavery Milestone (2000) pp. 99-101; Gentleman's Magazine Jan-June 1817 Vol. LXXXVII part 1 pp. 140-145 at p. 144 for the outcome of the suit; fully sourced wikitree at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hodge-2521 [accessed 09/01/2017].

1. London Gazette 18089 11/12/1824 p. 2065. The numbers of enslaved people were different in subsequent editions of the London Gazette. Huntum's Gut appears under different ownership in the 1822 registration; Fat Hog Bay, Vanderpool and Paraquita Bay, Brandy Wine and Banger's Bay have not yet been traced.

We are grateful to William Norton for his assistance with compiling this entry.