Elizabeth Reid of Belvidere Hanover and Somerset Street (née Lawrence)

Slave-owner in Jamaica, absentee in London at the time of her death.

1. Will of Elizabeth Reid widow of [Belvidere estate in the parish of] Hanover Jamaica [and of Somerset Street Portman Square] [made 23/05/1811] proved 13/11/1811. She rehearsed the will of her husband Thomas Reid the younger of Belvidere, by which he had placed his property in trust to raise £16,000, of which £5000 was to be willed by her; under this power she left £1000 to her brother Richard James Lawrence of Fairfield; £200 each to her three nephew and nieces, children of her sister Susanna O'Connor; £200 each to her nieces Isabella Reid Thomson and Elizabeth Reid Thomson, children of her sister-in-law Rebecca Thomson; £200 to Thomas Stevenson son of William James Stevenson of Beverley in Jamaica; £300 to her nephew George Lawrence of Fairfield; £500 to Elizabeth Reid Lawrence, daughter of her late brother James Lawrence; and the remaining £2000 equally between Samuel Wells Thomson the nephew of her late husband and seven children of her late brother James Lawrence (including Elizabeth Reid Lawrence). She had, she said, received none of the annuity of £500 p.a. left to her by her husband's will and she left the arrears between the children of James Lawrence; and she left any money due to her from Messrs George Reid & Co. of Mincing Lane in 1/6th shares between her brother and nieces and nephews. Her residuary co-heirs were her sister Mary James the wife of John Robert James and her niece Mary Lawrence Stevenson, wife of William James Stevenson. In two codicils she left her personal items among her relatives, and included what appeared to be a list of her assets: £2000 on two bonds from J. Robt James, plus £360 of 3 years interest; 'value of my negroes' £2000; one year's hire say £280; bond of Dr Hallner [?] which I fear is not good £420; 5 years interest £105.

1. PROB 11/1527/154.