Peter Alexander Espeut

In a way it is rather surprising that Peter, as the son of two French-speaking, Roman Catholic refugees from St Domingue, so actively embraced the life and institutions of England and Jamaica, countries who had, until 1829, laws preventing practicing Roman Catholics from holding public office. In that context, it is interesting that in 1833, at the age of 17, Peter chose to be baptised in the Roman Catholic faith but then seems to have followed, unfailingly, the Anglican Church rites in his marriages, the baptism of his children and at his funeral.

Nothing has been discovered about Peter's early life but his eagerness to educate his children in England suggests that he, too, may have spent some time there in his youth. Whatever the case maybe, he first appears in public records as the Cashier at the newly created Planters' Bank in Kingston in 1839, aged 23, presumably, having first gained some experience in banking elsewhere. Peter worked for the Planters' Bank until it closed in 1851 and its assets were absorbed into the Colonial Bank, he was the bank's Secretary in its later years.⁹

In October 1851, Peter was fortunate to be appointed the Official Assignee for the County of Middlesex. The position carried a salary plus fees; it was probably the only "guaranteed" income that Peter received from then on. Many years later in February 1868, he was appointed to the same position for the County of Cornwall, which would have add 50% to his earnings from the government.¹⁰ ¹¹

When Peter's father died in 1846,¹² his assets, mostly his Hope Hill and Fairburn plantations comprising about 400-acres,¹³ would have been split between his four surviving children, his sons, William and Peter, his daughters, Louise and Caroline. Jamaica's land prices were greatly in decline at that time because many sugar plantations became loss-making after the full emancipation of the slave population in 1838. It seems unlikely, therefore, that Peter and his siblings benefited hugely from their father's estate, a situation confirmed, it would seem, by the fact that Peter's older brother William who had been managing Fairburn, did not buy a property of his own and worked all his life for other owners.¹⁴ ¹⁵

In contrast to his brother, Peter chose a commercial career, at least initially. As well as banking, he was involved with three mining companies as a director or management committee member¹⁶ and in later years, in a similar capacity for a life assurance company. In some cases, for instance the mining companies, he may well have been an investor too but it would be surprising if he had not been rewarded, also, for his directorial services.

For most of Peter's adult life, Jamaica suffered economic decline caused, principally, by an acute labour shortage and need for its principal product to compete without tariff protection against sugar and rum produced by places not so affected (slavery continued outside the British dominions). As a result, many Jamaican sugar plantations became uneconomic and their owners sold up or went bankrupt, being the Official Assignee for the Bankruptcy Court in Spanish Town, Peter would have gained much experience in the latter cases.

In that economic climate, it is surprising that Peter purchased two sugar producing plantations, Leith Hall Estate (c. 1856) in the parish of St Thomas-in-the-East and Dover Estate* (c. 1859) on the coast mid-way between Annotta Bay and Buff Bay in the district of Metcalfe.¹⁷ He is reported to have paid £1200 for the 1200 acre estate at Dover. Leith Hall estate's acreage was said to be 455 in 1845, assuming it had remained the same acreage and that he paid a similar price per acre, he would have paid something in the region of £500 for it. It is not clear how Peter managed to finance the purchase for these estates. Obtaining mortgages on Jamaican plantations was difficult at that time as land values were still falling. IIt seems likely that he struck a deal with a firm trading in sugar and rum who agreed to finance him on condition that they received all of the estates' produce. Such arrangements were quite common for Jamaican planters and would explain the family's financial difficulties when Peter died. (See later).

Some years later in 1864, a small property (210 acres) on the fringes of the Blue Mountains near Newcastle in St Andrew's Parish, was put up for sale by the Encumbered Estates** Court¹⁸ and Peter bought it. Peter may well have been the property's sitting or former tenant as his son Augustus was born there in 1853. There is no record of what he paid for it but it was not "taken over" by his agents when he died unlike the two sugar estates and it eventually passed into the hands of his son William.¹⁹ In 1865, he also purchased Waireka, a property on Long Mountain, over 500 feet above sea level, to the east of Kingston overlooking Port Royal and the sea.²⁰ This was the only residential property that Peter owned as the Retreat and its pen (attached pastureland), which was the Espeut family's main residence, was rented from the Mattocks family. ²¹

Peter's commercial interests were combined with a strong sense of civic duty. He was an alderman for the Corporation of Kingston from c. 1850 for about 10 years.²² In 1852, he was elected to the House of Assembly as a member for Kingston and stood for that constituency for many years.²³ Later in 1861, he was elected (on "a recount") for St Thomas-in-the-East²⁴ and, in the elections following the contentious dissolution of the Assembly in 1862 by the Lieutenant Governor, Edward Eyre, he was elected as a member for St. John. ²⁵ Peter's membership of the new Assembly proved to be a difficult time for him as he and a fellow member, Mr March, were forced to stand aside in 1864 on account of the Governor, threatening to remove them from their government appointments. In Peter's case, this left his constituency effectively disenfranchised for twelve months.²⁶

This situation arose over malfeasance in connection with the construction of a tramway between Spanish Town and Porus (also known as the "Tramway Swindle") together with accusations of forgery by the contracting board over which the Governor and his advisers had oversight. In a vote of confidence on the matter, the Governor demanded the support of every Member of the Assembly which Peter and his colleague were not prepared to give. The Governor's high-handed behaviour created a furore in the Assembly bringing all its statutory functions to a standstill. The Colonial Secretary's office in London eventually forced Mr. Eyre to back down²⁷ and Peter was able to resume his seat, which he held until late 1865 when, following the Morant Bay rebellion, the House of Assembly voted to become an appointed legislature rather than an elected one.

In November 1865, Peter was appointed Custos Rotulorum (Chief Magistrate) of the parish of St Thomas-in-the-East, replacing Baron von Ketelhodt who had been murdered the previous month at the outbreak of the Morant Bay rebellion.²⁸ ²⁹

When Peter was sworn in as Custos in early December that year, he held a large lunch party at Morant Bay for his friends, supporters, members of the St Thomas magistracy and the local gentry and vestrymen, some sixty or so gentlemen in all. The event was later reported in the Kingston Morning Journal in much detail, not least because of an incident when Peter's Kingston guests were embarking to go home, "The step of the wharf gave way under the weight of the Hon. Doctor [Hamilton] who fell into the sea and sunk, he soon rose again when he was rescued by a sailor of the "Cordelia," who jumped over board after him." Earlier, "The general company … … assembled in the upstairs of Gough's tavern, where was laid a splendid dejeuner. Everything that an excellent cuisine could afford was to be seen, and the artistic arrangement was as delightful to the eye as it was comforting to the body." Many toasts, were afterwards "drunk in bumpers of champagne".³⁰

Clearly, Peter enjoyed entertaining and becoming a Custos was probably the pinnacle of his life in public service, so it is not surprising that he held a generous lunch party to mark the occasion, but whether or not this an indication of the general extravagance of which he was later accused is difficult to judge from this one surviving report.

In addition to his civic duties, Peter served as an officer in the Kingston Militia (more correctly, the Surrey Foot Militia, Kingston Regiment) from 1840, rising to be a captain in 1861. When rebellion flared up in the Morant Bay area in October 1865, an early event occurred at his sugar estate, Leith Hall, with attempts to burn down some of the sugarcane fields and later it transpired that the estate's head "stiller-man" was a local rebel. Peter as a local magistrate and landowner had, understandably, a special interest in seeing the rebellion brought to an end and the perpetrators punished. He took no part in the military action against the rebels but, instead, sat for nearly three weeks as a member of local courts martial at Morant Bay and Port Antonio, hearing the cases of rebels brought before them by the Provost Marshall.

Peter was later publicly thanked by Brigadier General Nelson who was in charge of the Island's Land Forces' operation against the rebels and under whose command Peter acted as a member of the courts martial.³¹ The Brigadier's thanks would have been endorsed by all of the white community in Jamaica at that time such was their fear of uprisings, a fear that was born out of memories of similar events in Jamaica and elsewhere in the Caribbean. In England, however, the brutal suppression of the revolt was regarded with horror and disgust forcing the government of the day to set up a Royal Commission to enquire into causes of the insurrection and the conduct of those involved.

Peter was required to give evidence to that enquiry in January 1866.³² When the Jamaica Royal Commission subsequently published its report, it concluded, "Lastly. That the punishments inflicted were excessive. (1.) That the punishment of death was unnecessarily frequent. (2.) That the floggings were reckless, and at Bath positively barbarous. (3.) That the burning of 1,000 houses was wanton and cruel." ³³ The blame for most of these actions lay with the Land Forces but it was Mr. Eyre as Lieutenant Governor, who had proclaimed martial law and sanctioned the Land Forces' operation and he was dismissed from his post. No one in the Land Forces was punished for their behaviour and one of the last actions of the House of Assembly was to pass an Act of Immunity for all those involved in the suppression and punishment of the rebels.

Happily, Peter's domestic life seems to have been a good deal less contentious, if not less sad. His first marriage was to Virginia in July 1837. She was the daughter of Colonel Robert Munroe Harrison (1770-1858), the American Consul General in Jamaica; her brother Edward later married Peter's sister Louise.³⁴ Peter and Virginia had two girls, Emma Christina, born in 1838,³⁵ and Virginia Margaret born in 1839.³⁶ Virginia Margaret died in January 1841 and her mother the following November; ten months later, Peter married Augusta.³⁴

If the letters Peter wrote to his children, Ella and Augustus, are any indication, he was a loving father who wanted them to work hard and do well at school. In one surviving letter, dated November 1866 and written to Augustus in England, Peter writes, "Take care of yourself my dear boy & become a good boy clever & nice in every respect. I hope you will distinguish yourself at college & show that you are made of good stuff." ³⁷ Again a year later, in a joint letter to Ella and Augustus (Gussie), he writes, "My dear Ella I hope you will be able to sing and play the piano for me very nicely. You know how fond I am of music. I shall be sadly disappointed if you do not play and sing well. You too my dear Gussie I hope that you will be agreeably proficient as your sister & amply repay me for all the expense and anxiety I have on your account." ³⁸ Both these letters are signed off in most affectionate terms, e.g. "With much love and kisses for you both. Believe me my dearest Guss. Your affectionate father. P. A. Espeut"

By the time Ella and Augustus went to England, William had already finished his schooling there and Edward's was coming to an end. William went to Ipswich School³⁹ and Edward, Southampton College, where Augustus joined him c. 1865;⁴⁰ the school Ella attended has not been identified. In 1854, Southampton College charged 70 guineas pa for "parlour borders"⁴¹ so, if that is any guide, educating his children in England was a significant drain on Peter's financial resources over a number of years, and one which, no doubt, added significantly to his borrowings. Peter also employed a governess to teach the younger children and there is a report of a Miss Hardcastle dying of yellow fever at the Retreat in 1867⁴² and of a Mrs McNair coming in April 1868.⁴³

Peter's early death does not seem to have been caused by the usual Jamaican scourges, cholera and yellow fever - he had lost his second son Charles in 1850⁴⁴ and his brother William in 1854 to the former and his son Edward in 1867,⁴⁵ to the latter. In Peter's case, his final illness seems to have developed over a period of months. In a letter to his son Augustus in April 1868, he writes, "I am just about the same as when I last wrote at times feeling better & then worse & so on - I don't know what to make of my state. The Doctors insist on my taking a trip off the Island but the sic] alas! I don't see how I can manage it." In fact, he and Augusta did take a trip to Barbados a week or two later returning on June 5th but without, sadly, any benefit to his health and he died at the Retreat six days later.⁴⁶ ⁴⁷

A Kingston newspaper published this obituary for him; it is not entirely accurate:⁴⁸

Death of P. A. Espeut

We deeply regret in having to announce the death of the Hon. Peter Alexander Espeut, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon last at his residence at 'Retreat' in St. Andrew's. Mr. Espeut was in the prime of life and up to the period of his last illness, would have been pronounced by anyone who saw him to have been in the bloom of health. But it was proved that his appearance was deceptious, as an incurable malady had already made serious inroad upon his constitution. He suddenly became ill and, when circumstances permitted, he left the county on a trip to the Windward Islands in the hope of recruiting his strength, so as to be able to undergo further medical treatment. His hopes were not realised, his strength gave way the more, and he returned here in the 'Atrato' on the 4th instant only in time to end his life in his own home, and among his family and friends.
The Hon. Mr. Espeut has long been connected with this island, holding property both in St. Andrew and St. Thomas, having a fine Sugar estate in the latter parish. He was for many years Official Assignee for Cornwall,^† in conjunction, in anticipation, it was reported, of some changes contemplated by the Government which were to place him in a higher and more responsible position^††.
Under the old regime, he was for several years connected with political life, commencing with the representation of Kingston in the House of Assembly, as colleague of the Hon. Mr. Jordon and the late Mr. March. After holding his seat for some time, a general election came round, and he and Mr. March had to make way for Charles Levy, Esq., and the Hon. Dr. Bowerbank.He was elected for St. John, for which parish he sat until the abolition of the Assembly. He had also been an Alderman for Kingston, and held commissions of the Peace for several parishes, and soon after the late disturbance, he was appointed Custos of St. Thomas in the room of the late lamented Baron Ketelhodt.
He was a gentleman of intelligence, was esteemed by all who knew him, and his death will be generally regretted. As a mark of respect for his memory the flags of the Commercial Exchange, the RM Company and the Museum of the Royal Society of Arts were kept at half-mast all yesterday.

^†Peter had been Official Assignee for Middlesex for many years but had only been recently appointed for Cornwall.⁴⁹
^†† Peter's name had been mentioned in connection with a newly created position, one of Island Sheriff.⁵⁰

R. J. Green whose opinion was shaped by his mother-in-law Julie Vidal, Peter's daughter, and her sister Helen Oakes, paints a highly moralizing picture of Peter, writing: "When Peter Alexander Espeut died there was chaos in the family affairs. Due to his extravagant hospitality and having no sense of thrift he left no means.... almost everything had to be sold and no care was taken of much apart from family belongings." ⁵¹ Part of this statement is quite true, once Peter died there was no regular income (by then £600 pa and fees) coming from his appointments as Official Assignee to counties of Middlesex and Cornwall or his directorships***. Worse still, there was, presumably, little "cash in the bank" and a large debt owed to his agents (in all probability, the London and Barbados merchants, Messrs. Thomas Daniel & Co.) from whom he had taken advances against future sugar and rum output. Consequently, with no other means of paying off the agents, Peter's executors had to give them a mortgage on Dover and Leith Hall and assign all the income from those estates to them.⁵² This left Peter's wife Augusta and her household with relatively little to live off (see her story).

The only publicly reported evidence that Peter entertained extravagantly is his Custos inauguration lunch party (see above) and there is no evidence of him being careless with money, indeed, in a letter to Augustus in 1866, he writes, "I enclose a Post Office money order for £2... one pound for you & the other for dear Ella with my love. I wish I could afford to send you more but I cannot at present." Of course, it could be argued that purchasing sugar plantations in Jamaica in the 1850s and 1860s was foolhardy but they were assets which could, as in Peter's case, provide a means of borrowing against future income to finance an expensive period in family life.

It is also true, that all Peter's properties were sold off; members of Messrs. Thomas Daniel & Co. acquiring Dover and Leith Hall⁵³ ⁵⁴ and an unknown purchaser, Waireka. However, Greenwich Hill remained in the family being, presumably, purchased from Peter's executors by his son William. When, in 1876, Augusta decided to take the family to live in England it would have been impracticable to ship all the household effects, furniture, etc., there, so of course, most of it was sold but, certainly, some silver and smaller family items found their way to England.

Peter's Will left everything to Augusta during her lifetime or widowhood.⁵⁵ On her death or her remarriage, his estate was to be equally divided between all the surviving children of both his marriages. When probate was granted, Peter's personal assets were virtually non-existent and, as we have seen, the major part of his real estate was mortgaged to his agents. In 1873, five years after his death, members of the family are reported as going to stay at Dover,⁵⁶ which suggests that Peter's executors still retained ownership of that plantation. It seems likely that it and, possibly Leith Hall, were sold off between then and 1876 as they had enough money to provide Augusta with an annuity, albeit possibly a small one, when she moved to England.

Notes
* Not to be confused with Dover Castle in the parish of St Thomas-in-the-Vale near Linstead.

** An Encumbered Estate was one that was subject to a mortgage or debts greater than the market value of the property. Such estates became a common occurrence in the West Indies following the abolition of slavery.

*** At the time of his death, Peter was a director of at least two companies, the Jamaican branch of The Standard Life Assurance Company and The Sligo Water Company in Spanish Town.⁵⁷ ⁵⁸

Peter married Virginia Fairfax Harrison on 18 Sep 1842 in Kingston, Jamaica.¹ (Virginia Fairfax Harrison was born on 28 Aug 1821 ⁵⁹, baptised on 11 Apr 1827 in Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire,⁶⁰ died on 5 Nov 1841 in Jamaica ⁵⁹ and was buried on 6 Nov 1841 in Kingston Parish Church, Jamaica ⁶¹ ⁶².)

Peter next married Marianne Augusta Bancroft, daughter of Dr Edward Nathaniel Bancroft, M.D., F.R.C.P. and Ursula Hill Hoseason, on 18 Sep 1842 in Kingston, Jamaica.² ³ (Marianne Augusta Bancroft was born on 13 Nov 1822 ⁶³, baptised on 19 Aug 1823 in Kingston Parish Church, Jamaica ⁶⁴ and died on 29 May 1891 in Beaufort House, Oxford-road, Gunnersbury, Chiswick ⁶⁵.) Marianne and Peter were married by special licence at 2am on September 18th 1842 at her dying father's bedside. He lived for another 19 hours. ⁶⁶

Sources

1 Parish Registers of Jamaica, Kingston Parish Marriages, 1837 (Vol. 2, Page 169, No. 57). …
Peter Alexander Espeut, Bachelor, and Virginia Fairfax Harrison, Spinster, both of the City and Parish of Kingston were married by licence in July 21st 1837 by John Magrath Officiating Minister.

2 Parish Registers of Jamaica, Kingston Parish Marriages, 1842 (Vol. 3, Page 223, No. 63). Peter Alexander Espeut and Marianne Augusta Bancroft both of the City & Parish of Kingston were married by Licence on the 18th day of September 1842 by me: Robert Robinson Assistant Curate.

3 Fisher's Colonial Magazine
Fisher's Colonial Magazine and Commercial Maritime Journal, 1842 — Vol. 1, No.5, page 647 — Marriages. ...
ESPENT [ESPEUT], Peter Alexander Esq. of the Planters' Bank to Marianne Augusta, the youngest daughter of E.N. BANCROFT, Esq. M.D. Deputy Inspector-General of Army Hospitals, on the 18th Sept. at Kingston, Jamaica. The ceremony took place a few hours previous to the death of Dr. BANCROFT.

4 Sir Bernard Burke C.B. LL.D - Ulster King of Arms, "History of the Colonial Gentry" (Published 1891-1895 - Reprinted 1970 by Herald Today in London S.W.3), Pages 528 & 529.

5 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), Roman Catholic Baptisms — Kingston "Book 5" (October 28, 1832 to December 26, 1836). ...
Espeut, Pierre Alexandre [Peter Alexander], bap 3/23/1833, aged 17 years, legit son of William Francois Espeut and Cecille Josephine ____ [blank] wife of Espeut. Gp= Ramond Roux and Jeanne Branday. [F] p. 10.

6 Royal Gazette (Kingston, Jamaica), June 1868 — Deaths. At the Retreat, St Andrews, on the 11th inst. In the 52nd year of his age, the Honorable Peter Alexander Espeut, Custos Rotulorum of the Parish of St Thomas & Official Assignee for the Counties of Middlesex & Cornwall, Jamaica.

7 Morning Journal (Published at Kingston, Jamaica), Saturday 13 June 1868, Page 2. …
The remains of the Hon. Mr. Espent were interred at the Parish Church Yard, in this city, yesterday.

8 "Parish Register Transcript" (Unattributed or foreign transcripts), Jamaica — Kingston — Burials 1868. …
No. 282 — Peter Alexander Espeut Custos of St Thomas - St Andrews - June 12- Church Yard - The Lord Bishop of Kingston.

9 "West Indian Reference Library", Biographical Notes sent to Joan Hoseason in 1975 — Peter Alexander Espeut. …
1839-47 — Cashier, Planters' Bank; 1848 — No Almanack; 1849 — Secretary, pro tem; 1850-51 — Secretary.

10 The Morning Chronicle (Published in London.), Friday 24 October 1851, Page 3 — THE WEST INDIA MAIL. ...
Peter Espent, Esq., member of the corporation of Kingston, and cashier* to the Planters' Bank, has been appointed official assignee for the county of Middlesex, in the place of Alexandre Bravo, Esq., appointed auditor-general. * Other records suggest that Peter had been the Secretary of the Bank during its latter years.

11 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), 1861 ALMANAC — WHO'S WHO? IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE JAMAICA ALMANAC — Official Assignees. ...
Surry, Henry Hutchings, Kingston, £400; Middlesex, Peter A. Espeut, Kingston, £400; Cornwall, Adolph Phillipson, Montego Bay, £400.

12 Royal Gazette (Kingston, Jamaica), [??] July 1846. …
On the 11th July 1846 at Hope Hill Plantation in the parish of Metcalfe at the age of 70, William Francis Espeut Esquire….

13 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), 1845 Jamaica Almanac — Returns Of Proprietors, Properties, and Land In the Different Parishes, For March Quarter, 1844 — Metcalfe. …
Espeut, W. F., Fairburn, 200 [acres]; Espeut, W. J., Hopehill, 200 [acres].

14 Julia Ursula Bancroft Vidal (neé Espeut), Julia Vidal (Notes, papers and correspondence of Julia Vidal now in the possession of the executors of the late Mrs J. R. C. Marston (2022)), Copied from cuttings in the Espeut family bible - 26 June 1901. …
On Sunday morning the 2nd July 1854 of malignant Cholera at New Macuble? Estate in the Parish of St Mary's, William James Espeut Esq. at the early age of 46 yrs. ….

15 Julia Ursula Bancroft Vidal (neé Espeut), Julia Vidal (Notes, papers and correspondence of Julia Vidal now in the possession of the executors of the late Mrs J. R. C. Marston (2022)), Copied from cuttings in the Espeut family bible - 26 June 1901 — William James Espeut's death notice. ...
As a planter, from his skilful management of estates & steady control of the labouring population which a long experience had produced, he had acquired the confidence & esteem of the several employers under whom he had served until at length he had attained the management not only of the estate on which he died but the adjoining ones belonging to the same owner. ...

1 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), 1857 JAMAICA ALMANAC. ...
The Wheal Jamaica Copper Company.
Directors. — James Derbyshire, Peter Alexander Espeut, William Girod, William S. Cooper, R.N. ,,,
Ellerslie and Bardowie Copper Mining Company.
Committee of Management. — James Bell, Peter A. Espeut, Richard James C. Hitchins, Colin Campbell. ...
Rio Grande Copper Mining Company.
Committee of Management. — Richard James C. Hitchins, James Derbyshire, William Girod, Peter Alexander Espeut, William Barclay.

17 The Morning Chronicle (Published in London.), Tuesday 13 December 1859 , Page 6 Col A — Letter from "A Colonist", County of Surry, Jamaica. ...
Dover estate, with its rich alluvial plains bordering on the seashore, with waterpower, substantial stone buildings, machinery, and distillery, with 1200 acres of land, capable of making 300 tons of sugar and rum of the first brand in the market was lately bought by Mr. Espeut, a resident proprietor, for 1200l.

18 The Colonial Standard and Jamaica Despatch (Kingston, Jamaica), Tuesday 9 February 1864, Page 2 Col D — Encumbered Estates. …
A return has been laid before the Legislative Council, of number of causes in the Encumbered Estates Courts in England having reference to the sale of properties in this island; and of the causes brought before the court in this island. Twelve been filed in England and one in Jamaica. In the latter case John McNaught et al are the petitioners, and George Henry Chavannes, the owner of the property in dispute, namely, Greenwich Hill, in St, Andrew.

19 "Budget", Thursday 12 July 1888, Page 3 Col A — FOR SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION. …
GREENWICH HILL PLANTATION situate in the parish of Saint Andrew, Newcastle and Craigton, and with easy distance of Gordon Town, containing 200 acres, more or less, after reserving about 10 acres at the South-West corner. ... For further particulars and conditions of sale, application may be made to Honble. Wm Bancroft Espeut, Spring Garden, Buff Bay, P. O., by whom permission to view will be granted. ...

20 The Colonial Standard and Jamaica Despatch (Kingston, Jamaica), Tuesday 11 February 1879, page 2, Col C — DEATH OF MRS CRACROFT. …
The United Service Gazette announces the death of Mrs Cracroft, the widow of the late Commodore Cracroft, R.N., whose death while in command on this station in 1866, will be fresh in the memory of many of our readers. The deceased lady was owner at one time of the mountain residence of Waireka, on the summit of Long Mountain and a conspicuous object in the view of the mountains from the city. After the death of Commodore Cracroft the property in question was purchased by the late P. E. [sic] Espeut, Esq.

21Helen Bancroft Espeut (1855-1929) later Oakes, "Helen Espeut's Waireka Diary — 1873" (A surviving Espeut diary now in the possession of the executors of the late Mrs J R C Marston (née Green)), Entry for October 2nd, 1873. …
"Mama heard from Mr Geo. Solomons who has bought the penn from Mr Mattocks."

22 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), 1861 ALMANAC — WHO'S WHO? IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE JAMAICA ALMANAC CORPORATION OF KINGSTON. — ALDERMEN. ...
Those marked * retire in January 1861
Peter A. Espeut* (Withdraw. Not re-elected).

23 The Morning Chronicle (Published in London.), Friday, February 27, 1852, Page 6 Col C — WEST INDIA AND PACIFIC MAILS — JAMAICA. …
The confirmation of the appointment of Edward Jordon, Esq., to the council of the island had given unbounded satisfaction, and that gentleman had vacated his seat in the house. Among the candidates for the vacant seat in the Assembly was Mr. P. A. Espent, the official assignee for the county of Middlesex. P. A. Espeut was elected.

24 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), 1861 ALMANAC — WHO'S WHO? IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE JAMAICA ALMANAC — House of Assembly — ST. THOMAS IN THE EAST. ...
Hon. George Solomon, Kingston, 47 [votes]; Augustus Hire, Plantain Garden. River, 36 [votes].
From Appendix: House of Assembly. A Scrutiny Committee of the House decided that, at the late Election for St. Thomas in the East, P. A. Espeut, Esq. was the duly elected member, and not Augustus Hire, Esq. Mr. Espeut, consequently, took Mr. Hire's seat.

25 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), 1865 JAMAICA ALMANAC — THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. ...
Seventh Assembly of Her Majesty, and second under the New Constitution Act, elected February and March, 1863.
ST. JOHN: Isaac Levy, Peter Alexander Espeut.

26 The Colonial Standard and Jamaica Despatch (Kingston, Jamaica), Tuesday 24 January 1865, Page 2, Col E - Packet Summary. …
"It will be remembered, that his Excellency descended to the unusual step of sending for the members of the Opposition, and soliciting their forbearance towards the Executive Committee, in order to keep them in office; and that he resented, with inexorable bitterness, the adverse vote given against them by Messrs. Espeut and March. Mr March was compelled to elect between the resignation of his seat and the loss of his office; a constituency of the island was virtually disenfranchised for a whole year, by the enforced absence of Mr Espent [sic] from his seat through the direct prohibition of the Governor.".

27 Daily News (London), Monday 8 January 1866, Page 2 — GOVERNOR EYRE. …
"… his excellency was subsequently forced, by the opinion of the crown officers of England, to inform Mr. Espent he could resume if he pleased ... ".

28 Morning Journal (Published at Kingston, Jamaica), Tuesday 5 December 1865, Page 2 Cols B & C — INAUGURATION OF THE NEW CUSTOS OF ST. THOMAS YE EAST. …
Her Majesty's screw corvette Cordelia, which was kindly placed at the disposal of the Government by the Admiral, conveyed to Morant Bay, on Saturday last, a large party of gentlemen, members of both branches of the legislature and officials, who were the guests of the Honble. Mr. Espeut, the newly-appointed Custos, and who were invited to be present at his inauguration.

29 Morning Journal (Published at Kingston, Jamaica), Friday 10 November 1865, Page 4. …
That the Legislative Council desires to record its regret at the death of the Honorable Maximilian Augustus Baron von Ketelhodt, a member of this Board, who lost his life on Wednesday, the 11th day of October last, by a most wicked, treacherous ....

30 Morning Journal (Published at Kingston, Jamaica), Tuesday 5 December 1865, Page 2 Cols B & C — INAUGURATION OF THE NEW CUSTOS OF ST. THOMAS YE EAST.

31 Morning Journal (Published at Kingston, Jamaica), Friday 21 February 1868, Page 2 Col C — EXTRACTS FROM THE DISPATCH OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL A. A. NELSON
"Colonel Lewis, St Catherine's Militia, and Captain the Hon. P. A. Espeut, Kingston Militia, took to the field at the same time as myself. … … These Officers rendered very able service and the colony owes them a deep debt of gratitude for having sacrificed their home avacations[sic] in order to take part in operations with a Field Force.".

32 "Jamaica Royal Commission" (Published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office — London, 1866), Part II. EVIDENCE. — Pages 94-96 — Mr. P. A. Espeut

33 "Jamaica Royal Commission" (Published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office — London, 1866), Part I. REPORT. — CONCLUSIONS — Page 41.

34 Captain J. H. Lawrence-Archer, Monumental Inscriptions of the British West Indies, Page 148 — Entry 339 for Kingston Parish Churchyard. ...
Sacred to the memory of Virginia Fairfax, the beloved wife of Peter Alexander Espeut, Esqr., of this city, and daughter of Colonel Robert Munro Harrison, Consul-General of the United States of America for this island, born 28th August, 1821, died 5th November, 1841, aged 20 years and 69 days. — Also, Virginia Margaret Grosett, daughter of the above, born 25th October, 1839, died 7th January 1841, aged 14 months, & 15 days. This monument is erected by her affectionate surviving husband.

35 "Parish Register Transcript" (Unattributed or foreign transcripts), Kingston (Jamaica) Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1843, Vol. 2-3 - Baptisms 1838 - No: 200. …
June 29 - Emma Christina [born 8 May 1838] - Peter Alexander Espeut - Virginia Fairfax Espeut - T. R. Branfoot, Asst Curate.

36 "Parish Register Transcript" (Unattributed or foreign transcripts), Kingston [Jamaica] Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1843, Vol. 2-3 - Baptisms 1840 - No: 24. …
March 29 - Virginia Margaret Grosett [born 25 March 1839] - Peter Alexander Espeut - Virginia Fairfax his wife - Hanover Street - Banker - T. R. Branfoot, Asst Curate. … The memorial inscription for Virginia (junior) is recorded as giving her date of birth as March 28 but that may be because many years later, 25 was read as 28.

37 Various, Espeut Papers, Family Letter from P. A. Espeut to his son Augustus dated 23rd Nov /66 from The Retreat.

38 Various, Espeut Papers, Family Letter from P. A. Espeut to his son Augustus and daughter Ella dated 24th Sept /67 from The Retreat.

39 Bury and Norwich Post, and Suffolk Herald (Published at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk), Tuesday, September 14, 1858, Page 2 - CRICKET - BURY SCHOOL v. IPSWICH SCHOOL (2nd ELEVENS). …
This match was played at the Bury ground, on Saturday, September 11th, and after a very closely contested game ended in favour of the Ipswich by 8 runs only.… 1st innings. IPSWICH… W. Espent, run out ……… 2; 2nd innings, run out……… 18.

40 Salisbury and Winchester Journal (Salisbury), Saturday, June 23, 1866, Page 8 Col C. …
SOUTHAMPTON COLLEGE. — Friday, the 15th, was the prize day at this college, and a great many of the leading gentry of the neighbourhood assembled with the friends of the pupils to hear the results of the examinations.… … The Archdeacon then distributed the prizes as follows: —
IN DIVINITY, CLASSICS, FRENCH, AND GERMAN.
II. Form. - Espeut II*, West Indies - Certificate. * Espeut II shows that this refers to Augustus and that Edward was at the school that year.

41 Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle, etc., (Portsmouth), Saturday, January 14, 1854, Page 1, Col B — ADVERTISEMENTS. …
SOUTHAMPTON COLLEGE and BOARDING SCHOOL.
PRINCIPAL — James Duncan, M.A., F.R.S.E. (Assisted by three members of the Universities, by Professors of Modern Languages, of Drawing, Music, and Military Exercises.) …
TERMS (inclusive)*.…… Parlour Borders ……… 70 guineas
Prospectuses and references will be forwarded on application to the Principal. The College Term commences on the 2nd day of February.

42 The Colonial Standard and Jamaica Despatch (Kingston, Jamaica), Thursday 8 August 1867, Page 3, Col D — DEATHS. …
At Retreat, St. Andrews, yesterday, the 7th inst., Miss HARDCASTLE aged 27 years. The lady was governess to the family of the Honorable Peter Alexander Espeut, and her sudden death is much regretted by her numerous friends.

43 Various, Espeut Papers, Family Letter from P. A. Espeut to his son Augustus dated 15 Apr /68 from The Retreat. …
"I think we will be able to get Mrs McNair [?] as governess she is just now with Col. Chesborough & has been to stay in the country in Manchester with Mrs Lionel Isaacs & they speak in high terms of her".

44 Royal Gazette (Kingston, Jamaica), November 1850 — Deaths. ...
At Retreat, St Andrews, on Tuesday 12th after four days illness of cholera, Charles Allen Espeut second son of P.A. Espeut Esq of this city aged 5½ yrs. deeply regretted by his afflicted parents.

45 The Colonial Standard and Jamaica Despatch (Kingston, Jamaica), Thursday 8 August 1867, Page 3, Col D — DEATHS. …
At the Retreat, St Andrews, on Tuesday the 6th, EDWARD MACKENZIE BANCROFT ESPEUT aged 17 years, 8 months & 6 days the third son of the Honorable Peter Alexander Espeut, Custos Rotulorum of the parish of St Thomas. The deceased was attacked by the prevailing [yellow] fever and fell a victim after a brief illness.

46 Morning Journal (Published at Kingston, Jamaica), Saturday 25 April 1868, Page 2, Col A - SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE - Departures from Port Royal - April 23. …
R.M.C. Str. Tasmanian, Gilles, Southampton, via Water Island. [PASSENGERS] …
For Barbados - hon. P. A. Espeut; Mrs Espeut. ….

47 Morning Journal (Published at Kingston, Jamaica), Saturday 6 June 1868, Page 2, Col A - SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE - ARRIVED AT PORT ROYAL - June 5. …
R.M.C. str. Atrato, Rivett. [PASSENGERS] … From Barbados - Hon. P. A. Espeut; Mrs. Espeut; 4 soldiers and 3 women.

48 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), The Gleaner, 13th June 1868 — DEATH OF P. A. ESPEUT.

49 Morning Journal (Published at Kingston, Jamaica), Friday 28 February 1868, Page 2. …
The provisional appointment of the Hon. P. A. Espeut as Official Assignee for Cornwall has been officially announced.

50 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), The Gleaner, April 2, 1868 — THE PROVOST MARSHAL. ...
In the course of events transpiring, we learn that a change is contemplated by the government, which will abolish the Office of Provost-Marshal-General and create a new appointment, that of Island Sheriff. Rumour connects the name of the Hon. P. A. Espeut, Official Assignee, with this arrangement. The retiring Provost Marshall will receive a yearly pension.

51 Richard J Green, House of Green, Espeut family notes.

52 Various, Hoseason Letters (Surviving letters that are held by various Hoseason descendants.), Letter from M. A. Espeut to Captain William Hoseason, R.N. (Port Captain of Malta), dated 3 June 1869. ...
"His agents to whom he had been largely indebted have called upon me to give them a mortgage on the Sugar Estates to enable them to carry them on & repay themselves the heavy debt my husband owed them so I have given them the Estates until such time the bill is paid." ...

53 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), 1878 DIRECTORY — PARISH OF ST. MARY — ANNOTTO BAY. ...
Daniels T. & Co., propr. Dover estate.

54 "Jamaican Family Search" (A genealogical research website created and maintained by Patricia Jackson containing transcriptions from major Jamaican sources of historical information. Website: https://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/index.htm), DIRECTORY OF ESTATES, PENS AND PROPERTIES IN JAMAICA. 1878 — THE PARISH OF ST. MARY. ...
Dover, Daniels & Co., London, proprietors, H. Westmoreland attorney*, William Steele overseer, Annotto Bay. *An absent proprietor used an attorney as their legal representative on the Island. Henry Westmorland was, also, one of Peter Espeut's executors..

55 Testator, Will, Peter Alexander Espeut — dated 8th June 1863 — Jamaican Record Office Reference: Register No: 130, Folio 222.

56 Helen Bancroft Espeut (1855-1929) later Oakes, "Helen Espeut's Waireka Diary — 1873" (A surviving Espeut diary now in the possession of the executors of the late Mrs J R C Marston (née Green)), Entry for September 26th, 1873. …
"Sir Joe has asked us to come for a day to Caymanas before we go to Dover & we are to choose any books we like from his store of them to take to Dover.".

57 The Colonial Standard and Jamaica Despatch (Kingston, Jamaica), Thursday 25 June 1868, Page 4 — ADVERTISEMENT — STANDARD LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY. …
BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN JAMAICA. Captain W. S. Cooper, R. N., Harbour Master, Chairman. Wm. Barclay, Esq., Hon. J. H. MacDowell, Hon. P. A. Espeut, Reverend D. H. Campbell, M. A., W. P. Georges, Esq., H. B. Shaw, Esq., Medical Advisers. Dr L. Q. Bowerbank, Dr Chas. Campbell.

58 Morning Journal (Published at Kingston, Jamaica), Friday 26 June 1868, Page 3 Col C — NOTICE. …
Sligo Water Company's Offices, Spanish Town 24 June 1866
A meeting of the Shareholders of the above Company will be held at the Court House in this Town at 1 o'clock p.m.on the 30th instant, for the purposes of Electing one Director to serve in the room of the Hon. P A Espeut, deceased. ….

59 Captain J. H. Lawrence-Archer, Monumental Inscriptions of the British West Indies, Page 148 — Entry 339 for Kingston Parish Churchyard.

60 Compiled by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "International Genealogical Index (IGI) (a.k.a. Family Search)" (First published in 1973; data as at December 2008), Baptismal records, St. John's Church, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 1795- 1884.

61 Parish Registers of Jamaica, Kingston Parish — Burials 1841 (Vol. 2, Page 409, No. 691). Virginia Fairfax Espeut, 20 years & 69 days, [abode:] Mr. [or Mt.] Fairweather's Pen, [when buried:] November 6th, 1841, [where:] C. Y., [by whom:] John Magrath, Island Curate.

62 Captain J. H. Lawrence-Archer, Monumental Inscriptions of the British West Indies, Page 148 — Entry 339 for Kingston Parish Churchyard. Sacred to the memory of Virginia Fairfax, the beloved wife of Peter Alexander Espeut, Esqr., of this city, and daughter of Colonel Robert Munro Harrison, Consul-General of the United States of America for this island, born 28th August, 1821, died 5th November, 1841, aged 20 years and 69 days. — Also, Virginia Margaret Grosett, daughter of the above, born 25th October, 1839, died 7th January 1841, aged 14 months, & 15 days. This monument is erected by her affectionate surviving husband. This entry is followed by the following description "An elegant and classic Marble Tomb, enclosed by a railing, overgrown with flowers." and the comment "Verses follow. The Espeut family came to Jamaica with the French refugees from St. Domingo, in 1798."

The remark about the Espeut family coming to Jamaica in 1798 is clearly inaccurate as a further down this page (148) is the monumental inscription for Peter Espeut, senior, which says that he died on December 4th 1790.

63 Parish Registers of Jamaica, Kingston parish, Jamaica — Baptisms — Vol 2, Page 400.

64 Parish Registers of Jamaica, Kingston parish, Jamaica — Baptisms — Vol 2, Page 400. Aug 19 1823... Julia Eliza daughter of Edward Martha [ sic] Bancroft M.D. and Ursula his wife late Hoseason spinster... [ b ] 29 Aug 1820......
Marianne Augusta daughter of the above... [ b ] 13 Nov^r 1822.

65 The Times (London), July 1891 - Deaths. ESPEUT — on May 29th at Beaufort House, Oxford Road, Gunnersbury W., Marianne Augusta Espeut wife of the late Peter Alexander Espeut of Kingston, Jamaica W. I. and third daughter of Deputy Inspector General Edward Nathaniel Bancroft M.D., F.R.S., F.R.C.S. of Jamaica.

66 Julia Ursula Bancroft Vidal (neé Espeut), Julia Vidal (Notes, papers and correspondence of Julia Vidal now in the possession of the executors of the late Mrs J. R. C. Marston (2022)), Notes on various relatives.

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