Thomas Bygrave (1763 - 1819)
Thomas Bygrave was born in Hertfordshire in 1763. He was the fourth son and youngest child of Robert Bygrave and Esther Tomlinson. He was christened at Aldenham, Hertfordshire on 5 April 1763.
Thomas father died when he was 4 and despite this, it appears that the family prospered. It has not been possible to determine exactly when Thomas departed the UK for Jamaica, how he got there or why he went.
The earliest record we have of him in Jamaica is in Aug 1798 where the christening of his son Richard is recorded in the parish of Vere.
Thomas married Hannah ? some time before 1798. Based on her death records, Hannah was born in late Oct 1778 (her parents are unknown) and she passed away at Green Pond, Manchester, Middlesex Jamaica on Apr 17 1817 at the age of 38.
Thomas and Hannah had 5 known children (3 boys and 2 girls) :
- Richard Bygrave. Born 1798. Died 1829
- John Bygrave. Born 1799. Died before 1831
- Ann Bygrave . Born 1801. Married John McCammon Trew ?. Died 1842
- Jane Bygrave. Born 1803. Died before 1831
- Thomas Bygrave. Born 1804. Died 1851.
Based on ex extract from his brother - John Bygrave Esq - Thomas also had 2 illegitimate children by Jane Sill
- Elizabeth Sill
- Mary Sill Born ? Married John Snowling Middlesex 1844
Thomas Walker Sill was the owner of a plantation in Green Pond, a neighbour to the May Day Hills Plantation. It has not been possible to determine if Jane was a free woman or a slave.
Plantation Owner - Jamaica
The Jamaican Almanac provides information that has been useful in helping to piece together Thomas's work history.
It appears that between 1802 and 1817 Thomas acted as the Deputy Postmaster for Leeward, Green Pond.
The 1804 Jamaica Gazette Notes the following
| S/N | County | Part | Parish | Up | L-Rt | Prop Type | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 291 | Middlesex | South | Vere | F | 4 | Place | May Day Hills |
| 292 | Middlesex | South | Vere | F | 4 | Prop | Bygraves |
| 293 | Middlesex | South | Vere | F | 4 | Prop | Morant's |
| 294 | Middlesex | South | Vere | F | 5 | Place | Green Pond |
| 295 | Middlesex | South | Vere | F | 5 | Prop | Stewart's |
| 296 | Middlesex | South | Vere | F | 5 | Prop | Sill's |
The map below shows the location of Green Pond and the Byrgrave plantation (in red circles)
The 1811 Almanac was the first to capture property names and owners, and he is noted as the owner of May Day Hill Coffee Plantation. The almanac provides the following information about the property in terms of slave and stock numbers.
| Year | Slaves | Stock | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1811 | 93 | Almanac | ||
| 1812 | 99 | Almanac | ||
| 1815 | Almanac | |||
| 1817 | 111 | Almanac | ||
| 1817 | 107 | Slave Return | Noted as 53 Males and 54 Females | |
| 1818 | 108 | Almanac | March Qtr 1817 | |
| 1820 | 112 | Almanac | ||
| 1820 | 108 | Slave Return | Noted as 54 Males and 54 Females | |
| 1821 | 118 | Almanac | Estate of Thomas Bygrave Mayday Hill | |
| 1823 | 115 | Slave Return | Noted as 57 Males and 58 Females | |
| 1825 | 115 | Almanac | Estate of Thomas Bygrave Mayday Hill | |
| 1826 | 119 | 25 | Almanac | Estate of Thomas Bygrave Mayday Hill |
| 1826 | 6 | Slave Return | At St Thomas in the East in the possession of John McCammon | |
| 1826 | 115 | Slave Return | At May Day Hill | |
| 1827 | 118 | Almanac | Estate of Thomas Bygrave Mayday Hill | |
| 1828 | 116 | Almanac | Estate of Thomas Bygrave Mayday Hill | |
| 1829 | 134 | Almanac | Estate of Thomas Bygrave Mayday Hill |
On 29 September 1816 John McCammon Trew (later his son-in-law) baptised 48 slaves at May Day Hill.
On 17 April 1817 his wife Hannah died at Green Pond
1817 April 17th
Bygrave, Mrs Hannah, wife of Thomas bygrave Esq of May Day Hill, died at Green Pond on Thursday the 17th day of April, and was buried at same place on the Saturday following. Aged 38 years, six months and 18 days
J Mc Trew - Rector
Thomas died 2 years later on Oct 14 1819
1819 Oct 14th Thomas Bygrave aged years was buried by me at May Day Plantation
Geo. W. Bridges
His property appears to be run under trust for the majority of the next 9 years until taken over on a permanent basis by his youngest son Dr Thomas Bygrave. The key exception to this is a 2 year period (1822 and 1823) where it appears to have been operated by his eldest son Richard Bygrave.
During this period, 51 of his slaves were baptised by Robert M Dallas, Rector of Manchester on 25 March 1824 at the request of John McCammon Trew (his son in law and trustee of his estate) and 23 couples were married in 5 separate ceremonies on 9 Jan 1820, 23 Jan 1820, 5 Mar 1820, 25 Feb 1824 and 5 Mar 1824.