Thomas Hotchkin

Slave-owner in Jamaica, brother and co-heir of Robert Hotchkin, the Attorney-General of Jamaica (who d. 1709), brother of Rev. John Hotchkin (q.v.), and natural father of Charles Hotchkin (q.v.).

1. Will of Thomas Hotchkin of [Red Lyon Square] St Andrew Holborn proved 04/06/1717. In the will he made elaborate provision for Catherine Wood of Jamaica, who was then in England. He left legacies and left his real estates in England to the sons of John Hotchkin, and left his estates in Jamaica to his natural son Charles, then aged c. 18 months (the son of Catherine Wood), whom he acknowledged as his child. He left Catherine Wood "“two cows and ten sheep in Jamaica…also two midling Negro Slaves and all my wearing apparel…” To Charles and his heirs he made substantial bequests from his property in England and real and personal estate in Jamaica, for which John Griffiths, Planter, and Peter Beckford Esq. were to be executors and trustees. He alluded to the split of Jamaica property between himself and his brother John. It was clear from the will that he himself had been in Jamaica.

We are grateful to David Smart for his assistance in compiling this entry.

1. PROB 11/558/206. signed 22/04/1717 and proved 04/06/1717.