On 30 July 1723 Catherine Acrod, widow of St Botolph Bishopsgate London, made a will which mentioned that her son John Acrod intended to go to Africa, and making provision for his share of the inheritance should he die. On 7 August 1726 she added a codicil which states that she had information that he had died in Africa. I'd like to know more about this trip to Africa. As far as I can tell the only British possessions in Africa at this time were on the coast of West Africa for the slave and gold trade, and these were largely operated by the Royal African Company. The Company records are at the National Archives in class T70, but the catalogue is not very detailed, and the online discussion of them that I have found is about how they can be used to study the slave trade. Does anyone on the list know whether this is the best place to look for a well-to-do Londoner who went to Africa in the 1720s? Are the Royal African Company records any use for tracing Englishmen rather than slaves? Are there other records worth looking at to establish more about what John Acrod was doing in Africa and what happened to him? Andrew -- Andrew Millard - [email protected] Bodimeade genealogy:   http://www.dur.ac.uk/a.r.millard/genealogy/Bodimeade/ My family history:     http://www.dur.ac.uk/a.r.millard/genealogy/ GenUKI Middx + London: http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/genuki/MDX/ + ../LND/

Andrew, Having lived for some years in West Africa, my immediate thought when reading your message was of the forts on the Gold Coast (Ghana) which the British began establishing in the 17th century (the Portuguese and Dutch even earlier). In addition to gold and slaves, they also traded in palm oil and timber. This website: http://goo.gl/06zzR gives a list of the forts and castles, with dates of establishment. The records in class T70 at Kew should be of use to you. They include detailed inventories of the forts, listing employees by name; contracts of employment naming individuals and listing their positions and salaries; and lists of auctions of property belonging to deceased employees. Since John Acrod died in Africa, his possessions might appear in the auction lists. Senate House Library, London, has a 1725 report on the Royal African Company's activities in Sierra Leone: http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/dispatcher.aspx?action=search&database=ChoiceArchive&search=priref=110016015. An ideal date for your purposes. The Bodleian also has Royal African Company material: http://goo.gl/PgBNi. 1723 was the year Captain Bartholomew Stibbs explored up the River Gambia. His journal is available online: http://goo.gl/F0xKa. Happy hunting! Do let us know if you find anything. Caroline Gurney www.carolinegurney.com On 11 March 2012 15:36, MILLARD A.R. <[email protected]> wrote: > On 30 July 1723 Catherine Acrod, widow of St Botolph Bishopsgate London, made a will which mentioned that her son John Acrod intended to go to Africa, and making provision for his share of the inheritance should he die.  On 7 August 1726 she added a codicil which states that she had information that he had died in Africa. I'd like to know more about this trip to Africa. As far as I can tell the only British possessions in Africa at this time were on the coast of West Africa for the slave and gold trade, and these were largely operated by the Royal African Company. The Company records are at the National Archives in class T70, but the catalogue is not very detailed, and the online discussion of them that I have found is about how they can be used to study the slave trade. > > Does anyone on the list know whether this is the best place to look for a well-to-do Londoner who went to Africa in the 1720s? Are the Royal African Company records any use for tracing Englishmen rather than slaves? Are there other records worth looking at to establish more about what John Acrod was doing in Africa and what happened to him? > > > Andrew

The thread about going to Africa in the eighteenth century has spurred me to ask about a more recent Africa connection. A will written in 1917 includes a reference to 'my interest in my son Walter Barry's Land in Africa'. Walter George BARRY was b. in Middlesex in 1867. I can't find him after 1881 although there is a possible illegitimate child in 1888. He was presumably alive when his father's will was written in 1917 but was dead by 1929 when his name appears, with other deceased family members, on a memorial window in the church in West Drayton, Middlesex which was dedicated in 1929. Does anyone have a suggestion about this 'Land in Africa'. At that time where in Africa was land likely to be bought? Would Walter have actually been in Africa to buy it? I can't find a death for him so have rather assumed that he died abroad although I can't find any trace of that or of any voyages either. Would there be records somewhere about the purchase of this 'Land in Africa'. This is all rather nebulous. Any ideas about the mysterious Walter and his land would be very welcome. Angela

The catalogue of the South African National Archives has a reference (between 1910 and 1911) to BARRY, WALTER PATRICK. (ALIAS WALTER GEORGE BARRY).www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm30ddf0?201203121247459A4DCB05&DN=00000002and another to Walter Patrick BARRY.Have you made a search for a will for this man here in the UK (E+W or Scotland). If he died abroard but had property here the the will should have been resealed here.cheersChris Watts----- Original Message ----- From: "ag.hamilton" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, March 12, 2012 9:04 AM Subject: Re: [SOG-UK] going to Africa > The thread about going to Africa in the eighteenth century has spurred me > to ask about a more recent Africa connection. > > A will written in 1917 includes a reference to 'my interest in my son > Walter Barry's Land in Africa'. > > Walter George BARRY was b. in Middlesex in 1867. I can't find him after > 1881 although there is a possible illegitimate child in 1888. > > He was presumably alive when his father's will was written in 1917 but was > dead by 1929 when his name appears, with other deceased family members, on > a memorial window in the church in West Drayton, Middlesex which was > dedicated in 1929. > > Does anyone have a suggestion about this 'Land in Africa'. At that time > where in Africa was land likely to be bought? Would Walter have actually > been in Africa to buy it? I can't find a death for him so have rather > assumed that he died abroad although I can't find any trace of that or of > any voyages either. > > Would there be records somewhere about the purchase of this 'Land in > Africa'. > > This is all rather nebulous. Any ideas about the mysterious Walter and > his land would be very welcome. > > Angela > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

I used to work under a Peter Tucker from Sierra Leone (this was in a quango and he was my boss). His forbear was an Englishman who had gone to Sierra Leone in around 1660 and settled there in Bo. In the 18th century he was for 50 years the trading partner of John Newton, supplying him with slaves before the latter's conversion to Christianity. I could certainly contact Peter if it would help. Jane Brown [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: "MILLARD A.R." <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 3:36 PM Subject: [SOG-UK] going to Africa in 1723 On 30 July 1723 Catherine Acrod, widow of St Botolph Bishopsgate London, made a will which mentioned that her son John Acrod intended to go to Africa, and making provision for his share of the inheritance should he die. On 7 August 1726 she added a codicil which states that she had information that he had died in Africa. I'd like to know more about this trip to Africa. As far as I can tell the only British possessions in Africa at this time were on the coast of West Africa for the slave and gold trade, and these were largely operated by the Royal African Company. The Company records are at the National Archives in class T70, but the catalogue is not very detailed, and the online discussion of them that I have found is about how they can be used to study the slave trade. Does anyone on the list know whether this is the best place to look for a well-to-do Londoner who went to Africa in the 1720s? Are the Royal African Company records any use for tracing Englishmen rather than slaves? Are there other records worth looking at to establish more about what John Acrod was doing in Africa and what happened to him? Andrew -- Andrew Millard - [email protected] Bodimeade genealogy: http://www.dur.ac.uk/a.r.millard/genealogy/Bodimeade/ My family history: http://www.dur.ac.uk/a.r.millard/genealogy/ GenUKI Middx + London: http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/genuki/MDX/ + ../LND/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

John Newton was involved in the slave trade from 1744 to 1754, a period of 10 years, 84-94 years after 1660. Caroline Gurney www.carolinegurney.com On 12 March 2012 17:50, Jane Hammond <[email protected]> wrote: > I used to work under a Peter Tucker from Sierra Leone (this was in a quango > and he was my boss).  His forbear was an Englishman who had gone to Sierra > Leone in around 1660 and settled there in Bo.  In the 18th century he was > for 50 years the trading partner of John Newton, supplying him with slaves > before the latter's conversion to Christianity. > > I could certainly contact Peter if it would help. > > Jane Brown > [email protected] > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "MILLARD A.R." <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 3:36 PM > Subject: [SOG-UK] going to Africa in 1723 > > > On 30 July 1723 Catherine Acrod, widow of St Botolph Bishopsgate London, > made a will which mentioned that her son John Acrod intended to go to > Africa, and making provision for his share of the inheritance should he die. > On 7 August 1726 she added a codicil which states that she had information > that he had died in Africa. I'd like to know more about this trip to Africa. > As far as I can tell the only British possessions in Africa at this time > were on the coast of West Africa for the slave and gold trade, and these > were largely operated by the Royal African Company. The Company records are > at the National Archives in class T70, but the catalogue is not very > detailed, and the online discussion of them that I have found is about how > they can be used to study the slave trade. > > Does anyone on the list know whether this is the best place to look for a > well-to-do Londoner who went to Africa in the 1720s? Are the Royal African > Company records any use for tracing Englishmen rather than slaves? Are there > other records worth looking at to establish more about what John Acrod was > doing in Africa and what happened to him? > > > Andrew > -- > Andrew Millard - [email protected] > Bodimeade genealogy: http://www.dur.ac.uk/a.r.millard/genealogy/Bodimeade/ > My family history: http://www.dur.ac.uk/a.r.millard/genealogy/ > GenUKI Middx + London: http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/genuki/MDX/ + ../LND/ > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message