Descendants of Charles Vidal of Jamaica

7. Stephen Vidal ⁹ was baptized on 19 May 1767 in St. Mary's Parish, Jamaica ^{¹²^,47} and died before May 1800.

• Will: 11 Dec 1797, Jamaica. ⁴⁸ Stephen left his housekeeper (and mistress) Sarah White five slaves, Maria, Cicero, Charlotte, Cretia and George. He requested that another slave, Charles Thomas, should be manumized.

He appointed his cousin, John J. Vidal, as his sole executor and trustee and instructed him to sell all his remaining estate and to use the money arising to discharge his debts, funeral expenses, &c., and then to split the residue equally between his three daughters by Sarah White, whom he named as, Elizabeth Jackson Vidal, Harriet Vidal & Francis Ann Vidal.

The witnesses to this Will were: Sarah Vidal, Jean Tombs, Elizabeth Phillips & William Wren.

As all his daughters were quite young when Stephen died, John Vidal acted as the trustee for some time.

• Probate Granted: 17 May 1800, Spanish Town, Jamaica. ⁴⁹ John Vidal was granted probate and the inventory that he provided to the Court was recorded as follows:-
Inventory of goods and chattels, rights and credits of Stephen Vidal junior, late of the parish of St. Mary [Jamaica], as shown by John James Vidal, his sole executor, amounting to £4966. 11. 0½d. Dated 5th August 1800.

18 F i. Elizabeth Jackson Vidal ⁴⁸ was born <1794> and was baptized on 3 Apr 1814 in St Mary's, Jamaica.^⁵¹ (Illegitimate)

General Notes: According to the Returns of Givings-In published in various editions of the Jamaica Almanac, Elizabeth was the proprietor of a property called Pleasant Hill in the Parish of St Mary. Between the years 1818 to 1823 she is recorded as having been increased the number of slaves that she owned from 10 to 27, so she and her sister Harriet (and perhaps her sister Frances, if she was still alive) must have prospered on that estate. She and Harriet were still there when Harriet made her Will in 1832. ⁵²

+ 19 F ii. Harriet Vidal was baptized on 5 Apr 1796 in St Mary's Parish, Jamaica ^{⁵³^,54} and died in 1838 in Jamaica ^⁵⁵ at age 42. (Illegitimate)

8. John James Vidal was born on 19 Sep 1763 in Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica,^⁸ was baptized on 12 Dec 1763 in Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica,^⁸ and died on 22 Oct 1823 in 34 Richmond Terrace, Clifton, Gloucestershire ^{²¹^,22} at age 60.

General Notes: As can be seen, John's father died when he was barely two years old and he was brought up in the Gibson family into which his mother married in 1765. His stepfather, Joseph, died when John was six and his mother does not seem to have married again. This may account, in part, for the lack of family history regarding John's Vidal ancestors and, of course, the destruction of his mother's house in the great storm of October 1780 (see below) would mean that no written records that she had concerning the Vidals, survived.

When his mother and stepsisters perished in the devastating hurricane of October 3rd, 1780, John survived. Differing accounts about that dreadful night have been handed down - how John saved his first cousin, Elizabeth Allwood, (a girl he was to marry seven years later) by helping her cling to a spar when the tidal wave engulfed their house in Savanna la Mar - how Elizabeth aged nearly six and her two brothers, one aged eleven, the other four, were saved by their faithful black nurse who, with the help of another slave, rushed them up to higher ground as the waters rose.

Judging from contemporary reports (See Mary Wade) about that night, it is amazing that anyone survived in and around the town of Savanna la Mar and, indeed, about 400 souls perished as a result of the hurricane and tidal wave. Of the 60 or 70 houses in the town not one was left standing.

Elizabeth is reputed, in later life, to have been very reluctant to speak of her traumatic experience on that night but it is a little surprising that John, who was 17 at the time, did not pass down any personal account of his experience. It is possible that he was not present in Savanna la Mar on that fateful night as, at that age, he would, in all probability, have been training as an attorney and would have been in Kingston or Spanish Town.

• Military Service: 1794, Jamaica. Was an Lieutenant in the Kingston Regiment of the Jamaican Militia in 1794; promoted to Captain in 1795.

• Occupation: 1793.1819, Jamaica. ⁵⁶ John, like his father, became an Attorney at Law and after being in practice for some years, possibly in partnership with his first cousin, Robert Allwood, he went on over the years to hold the following appointments, some of which continued until his final retirement to England:-

Clerk to the Court of Common Pleas, in Kingston, in 1793; JP for St Catherine's parish, 1803 and St Mary's, 1804; Assistant Judge at the Supreme Court in 1804 and a magistrate (one of many) for St Catherine's Precinct in 1806.; Returned to serve at the General Election in 1803 for the parish of St Thomas in the Vale in the House of Assembly of Jamaica; Master in Court of Chancery, 1808; Secretary to the Committee of Public Accounts, 1810; Comptroller of the Board of Public Works, 1811 and Comptroller of Public Accounts, 1819.

John was also a Churchwarden for the parish of St Catherine in 1810

• Property: Jamaica. ⁵⁷ Form the evidence of his Will, John seems to have owned two properties in Jamaica, Berkshire Hall in the parish of St Thomas in the Vale where the family seems to have lived (at least Francis was born there) and St Jago Park Penn in the parish of St Catherine's. By 1822 Berkshire Hall was let go to a City merchant in London in lieu of an annuity of £300. St Jago Park Penn was left to Gale who continued to own it up to the time that he died.

• Probate Granted: 25 Feb 1824, London. ⁵⁸ Personal Estate in England: £9000

Elizabeth (294 KB)

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John married Elizabeth Wade Allwood , daughter of Francis Allwood and Jane Wade , on 15 May 1791 in St. Elizabeth's Parish, Jamaica.²³ Elizabeth was born on 26 Oct 1774 in Savanna La Mar, Jamaica,^¹⁷ was baptized on 6 Jan 1775 in Savanna La Mar, Jamaica,^{¹⁷^,18} died on 18 Oct 1858 in Newport, Nr Barnstable, Devon ^{⁵⁹^,60} at age 83, and was buried in St. John the Baptist Church, Bishop Tawton, Devon.^⁶¹

• Probate Granted: 6 Nov 1858, Exeter. ⁶² Effects under £300. Resworn at the Stamp Office Oct 1859 under £1000.

+ 21 M i. John Gale Vidal ¹⁷ was born on 11 Feb 1792 in Jamaica,^¹⁷ was baptized on 28 Mar 1792 in Kingston Parish, Jamaica,^⁶³ died on 8 Nov 1850 in Saint Jago Park Pen, St Catherine's, Jamaica ^{¹⁷^,64} at age 58, and was buried on 9 Nov 1850 in Saint Jago Park Pen, St Catherine's, Jamaica.^⁶⁵

22 M ii. William Vidal ¹⁷ ^,68 was born on 10 Aug 1794 in Jamaica,^{¹⁷^,68^,69} was baptized on 20 Oct 1794 in Kingston Parish, Jamaica,^{⁶⁸^,69} died on 27 Aug 1797 in London ^⁶⁸ at age 3, and was buried in All Saints, Fulham, London.

General Notes: Buried in All Saints Churchyard, Fulham - Fulham Monumental Inscriptions - Headstone 213

24 F iv. Elizabeth Vidal was born on 16 Jun 1803,^¹ was baptized on 28 Aug 1803 in St Thomas in the Vale, Jamaica,^⁶⁸ died on 17 Jul 1813 in Spanish Town, Jamaica ^{⁶⁸^,71^,72} at age 10, and was buried in St Catherine's Cathedral, Spanish Town, Jamaica.^{⁶⁸^,73}

+ 25 M v. Revd. Francis Vidal ⁷⁴ was born on 26 Nov 1805 in Berkshire Hall, St Thomas in the Vale, Jamaica,^⁷⁴ was baptized on 15 Feb 1806 in St Thomas in the Vale, Jamaica,^⁶⁸ died on 20 Jun 1884 in 29 Royal Crescent, Bath, Somerset ^{⁷⁵^,76} at age 78, and was buried in Sutton Parish Church, Sutton, Suffolk.

+ 26 M vi. Robert Vidal ¹⁷ was born on 12 Sep 1807 in Jamaica,^¹⁷ was baptized on 11 Feb 1808,^⁶⁸ and died on 6 Nov 1875 in 2 Barnabas Terrace, City Road, Bristol ^{¹⁷^,78} at age 68.

+ 27 M vii. Revd. Canon George Vidal was born on 28 Apr 1815 in Spanish Town, Jamaica,^¹⁷ was baptized on 25 Jul 1815 in Spanish Town, Jamaica, died on 10 Jan 1878 on board SS "City of Melbourne", between Melbourne & Sydney ^⁸¹ at age 62, and was buried on 12 Jan 1878 in Haslems Creek (now Rookwood Cemetery), N.S.W., Australia.^⁸²

13. Charles Lewis Vidal M.D. ⁹ was born in 1782 in St Mary's Parish, Jamaica,^{³²^,33} died in Mar 1862 in Aveley, Romford, Essex ^{³⁴^,35} at age 80, and was buried on 15 Mar 1862 in Aveley, Romford, Essex.^³⁶

• Occupation: 1805.1861, Aveley, Romford, Essex. ³⁹ ^,85 Charles was a surgeon (doctor of medicine) who built a successful country practice in and round Aveley, near Romford in Essex, which he is reputed to have bought with his first wife's dowry after her death. Was at one time also Surgeon to H. M. Ordnance, Purfleet (near Aveley) and District Medical Officer for Romford and Orsett Unions.

He escaped the restrictions of the Apothecaries Act by being in practice before its enactment. (See below)

In 1815 the London Society of Apothecaries obtained an Act of Parliament restricting the practice of pharmacy to its licentiates throughout England; it could also licence the practice of physic. This was the first of the Acts to bring some form of formal qualification to the practice of medicine.

Charles married Martha Butler , daughter of Thomas Butler and Martha ——— , on 28 Mar 1805 in St. George The Martyr, Southwark, London ³⁷.^,38 Martha was born <1778> in London, was baptized on 27 Sep 1778 in St. Bartholomew, Exchange, London,^³⁸ died in Apr 1862 in Queens Square, Bloomsbury, London ^{³⁶^,86^,87} at age 84, and was buried on 2 May 1862 in Aveley, Romford, Essex.^³⁶

Marriage Notes: According to her granddaughter (Alice Mangold, later Diehl), Martha was a very close friend of Charles’s first wife, Ann, to the extent that she moved in with the family to nurse Ann when she was dying.
If Alice's account is to be believed, Charles was utterly miserable as Ann’s death approached and persuaded Martha that he could only be consoled by her promise to marry him. With some reluctance, given the circumstances of his proposal, she agreed to do this and they were married some eight months after Ann’s death. ³⁹

+ 28 F i. Eliza Vidal was born <1814> ^³¹ and died in 1898 in Ventnor, IOW ^⁸⁸ at age 84.

Charles next married Sarah ——— . Sarah died in Jul 1804 in Southwark and was buried on 8 Jul 1804 in St Olave's Church, Southwark.^⁹⁰

16. George Vidal ⁹ was born <1789>, was baptized on 9 Sep 1792 in St Mary's Parish, Jamaica,^⁴⁰ died on 10 Sep 1838 in Bariffe Hall, St. Mary's, Jamaica ^⁹ at age 49, and was buried on 14 Sep 1838 in Bariffe Hall, St. Mary's, Jamaica.^⁴¹

George married Theresa King ,⁹ daughter of ——— King and Fanny Staples .

+ 29 M i. George Barnes Vidal ⁹ was born on 12 Oct 1810 in Rockspring, Hanover, Jamaica,^⁹ was baptized on 17 Jan 1811 in St. Andrew's, Holborn, London,^{³⁸^,91} died on 27 Dec 1852 in the sea around Little Mewstone, off Wembury Bay ^⁹ at age 42, and was buried in St Werburgh's, Wembury, Devon.^⁹²

30 F ii. Theresa Hooper Vidal ⁹ was born on 24 Jan 1815,^⁹ was baptized on 28 Jun 1816 in St. Andrew's, Holborn, London,^⁹⁴ died on 24 Dec 1816 in Bloomsbury, London ^⁹ at age 1, and was buried on 2 Jan 1817 in St. Andrew's, Holborn, London.^⁹⁵

31 M iii. John James Vidal ⁹ was born on 20 May 1816 in London,^⁹ was baptized on 22 Jun 1816 in St. Andrew's, Holborn, London,^⁹⁴ died on 28 Dec 1816 in Bloomsbury, London ^⁹ , and was buried on 2 Jan 1817 in St. Andrew's, Holborn, London.^⁹⁶

32 M iv. Henry Crayser Vidal ⁹ was born on 17 May 1818 ^⁹ and died c.1859 ^⁹ at age 41.

34 M vi. Jacob Crayser Vidal ⁹ was born on 22 Sep 1821,^⁹ was baptized on 21 Jun 1828 in St George's Church, Bloomsbury, Middlesex,^⁹⁷ and died in Jun 1841 in Prospect ^⁹ at age 19.

General Notes: In Navy according to Agnes Mersey (neé Vidal) in letter to MRRV in 1957 but there is no record of him in any of the Navy Lists of the period (these only recorded officers, Lt and above) so perhaps he was more junior (very likely as he was dead before he was 21) or, like his father, was in the Merchant Navy.

+ 35 F vii. Jane Vidal ⁹⁸ was born on 4 Dec 1822,^⁹⁸ was baptized on 9 Sep 1823 in St George's Church, Bloomsbury, Middlesex,^⁹⁸ and died in 1907 ^⁹⁸ at age 85.

+ 36 F viii. Ellen Georgina Vidal ⁹ was born on 5 Oct 1824 in Bariffe Hall, St. Mary's, Jamaica ^⁹ and was baptized on 5 Oct 1828 in St Mary's Parish, Jamaica.^⁹⁹

17. William Henry Vidal was baptized on 5 Apr 1795 in St Mary's Parish, Jamaica ^{³¹^,42} and was buried on 18 Aug 1827 in St Mary's Parish, Jamaica.^{⁴³^,44} Another name for William was William Henry Stephen Vidal.

General Notes: Wiiliam seems to have practiced medicine in London for several years (he was a Surgeon when he married Elizabeth) and on his return to Jamaica in 1823 he became a Surgeon with the Kingston Artillery Militia.

William married Elizabeth Forrester Foot ,³⁸ daughter of John Forrester Foot and Unknown , on 16 Jul 1817 in St. Anne, Soho, London.⁴⁵ Elizabeth was born <1797> and died on 21 Nov 1825 in St Mary's Parish, Jamaica ^¹⁰² at age 28.

• Obituary: 1826, London. ¹⁰³ On Nov.21st [1825?] In St. Mary's Jamaica in her 28th year Eliza wife of Dr. William Henry Vidal and niece of Jess's Foot Esq. of Ilfracombe, Devonshire. This lady is much and deservedly esteemed. Her daughter Emma Sarah Vidal a promising child of 7 years old was unfortunately drowned on the 6th August last at Ilfracombe whilst on a visit to her great uncle Mr Foot owing to the want of proper bathing machines.

37 F i. Emma Sarah Vidal ³⁸ was baptized on 23 Apr 1819 in St. Anne, Soho, London ^³⁸ and died on 5 Aug 1826 in Ilfracombe, North Devon ^¹⁰⁴ at age 7. The cause of her death was drowning.

General Notes: GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE

1826
On Nov.21st [1825?] In St. Mary's Jamaica in her 28th year Eliza wife of Dr. William Henry Vidal and niece of Jess's Foot Esq. of Ilfracombe, Devonshire. This lady is much and deservedly esteemed. Her daughter Emma Sarah Vidal a promising child of 7 years old was unfortunately drowned on the 6th August last at Ilfracombe whilst on a visit to her great uncle Mr Foot owing to the want of proper bathing machines.

38 M ii. Horace Vidal M.R.C.S., L.S.A. ¹⁰⁵ ^,106 was born on 27 Mar 1819 in Dean Street, London,^¹⁰⁷ was baptized on 23 Apr 1819 in St. Anne, Soho, London,^³⁸ and died on 14 Jan 1881 in Wonford House, near Exeter ^{¹⁰⁵^,106} at age 61.

• Occupation: 1841.1857, Various places. ¹⁰⁸ ^,109 Obtained L.S.A.* in 1841 and his M.R.C.S, Eng. in July, 1842. The Medical Directory for 1851 gives his address as Ilfracombe, Devonshire.

After 1857 he does not appear in a Medical Directory. This could have arisen by him failing or, more likely, refusing to register with the new General Council for Medical Education (later known as the General Medical Council) created by the Medical Act of 1858 and thus excluding himself from the official directory. Failure to register did not prevent a person continuing to practice medicine.

*Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries

• Probate Granted: 24 Jun 1881, Exeter. ¹¹⁰ Personal Estate £1,622 7s 10d

Horace married Elizabeth Lovering Harris ,¹⁰⁵ daughter of George Harris and Eliz Lovering , on 23 May 1850 in Ilfracombe, North Devon ¹¹¹.^,112 Elizabeth was born <1830> and died on 30 Aug 1909 in Wonford Asylum, near Exeter ^¹¹³ at age 79.

Marriage Notes: Horace appointed Elizabeth one of the executors of his Will but, presumably because she was not well enough to act herself, a John Harris of Bideford and a William Harris of Woodbury (gentlemen) [presumably these were his wife's brothers of those names] were granted limited administration. When she died an Edward Harris [presumably also his wife's brother] acted as her Executor. In view of this, it is likely that they did not have any surviving children.

• Probate Granted: 13 Oct 1909, London. ¹¹⁴ Effects: £5299 13s 3d Resworn £2240 18s 3d

39 F iii. Mary Vidal ³⁸ was born on 12 Oct 1820 in St. Paul, Covent Garden, London ^¹⁰⁷ and was baptized on 26 Apr 1822 in St. Anne, Soho, London.^³⁸

+ 40 F iv. Elizabeth Vidal ³⁸ was born on 19 May 1822 in Clapham, Surrey,^¹⁰⁷ was baptized on 8 Aug 1823 in St. Anne, Soho, London,^³⁸ and died on 1 Sep 1850 in Carawina Estate, Jamaica ^{³³^,115^,116} at age 28.

William next married Susan Hulock , daughter of P W Hulock and Unknown , <1826>.⁴⁶

41 F i. Ann Elizabeth Vidal ⁴⁶ was baptized on 12 May 1828 in St Mary's Parish, Jamaica ^⁴⁶ and was buried on 2 Jan 1829 in St Mary's Parish, Jamaica.^⁴⁶

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Descendants of Charles Vidal of Jamaica

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