Joseph Purcell

Slave-owner on Grenada, co-owner with his partner Richard Purser of an estate named Cottage that he left in his will and that has not yet been traced.

1. Will of Joseph Purcell [late of the island of Grenada but now] of Somerstown proved 10/05/1803. He left his wife Catherine their holding of consols generating an income of £71 p.a., and the rest of his property he left in trust (his trustees included his son Patrick Joseph Purcell and his nephew Patrick Purcell both of Grenada), with instructions to them to sell his moiety of an estate called Cottage that he co-owned with his partner Richard Purser, together with the enslaved people on it. The interest from the proceeds was to go to his wife for life then (after £100 set aside for his grand-daughter Celia Catherine Lindsey) two-thirds to go to his son Patrick Joseph Purcell and one-third to his daughter Bridget Maria Robertson. In a codicil he said that he had intended to convey two-thirds of the principal to his son, not just the interest. The will of his son Patrick Joseph Purcell of City of London was proved 28/03/1807: in it, Patrick Joseph Purcell identified his housekeeper as Franchine and willed his portrait by 'Bigg' [presumably William Redmore Bigg] to his niece Celia Catherine Lyndsey.

1. PROB 11/1393/70; PROB 11/1458/170.