ROBERT DUCKINFIELD
Jamaica

• Born 1700


• Went to live at his father's Duckinfield Hall Plantation in Jamaica when he was about 24


• By 1728 he was listed as one of the Principal Inhabitants and later became part of the Legislature


• Married Isabella Miller daughter of John and Agnes Miller of Jamaica 23 January 1729


• They had two Children: Isabella born 3 June 1732 died 1753 and Henry Miller Duckinfield born 31 January 1737 died 26 March 1738



• The frontage of his house in East Kingston on Duke Street

• Map of St Thomas in the East, Jamaica showing Duckenfield on the eastern tip.


• His Will dated 1755

Extract:
On Jane Engusson, a free negro woman, he settled 101 acres and 14 slaves, 2 lots of land in East Kingston (Duke Street) and the use of his town house in East Kingston until his brother Samuel should arrive from England, and all his furniture and plate, with £300 to have a house built on one of the fore mentioned lots. Also one of his chaises.

To each of his two sons, William and Estcourt Dukinfield, by Jane engusson, 400 acres, 4 slaves and a building lot in Kingston (opposite to Thomas Wheeler, Duke Street) To their sister Elizabeth 417 acres, 7 slaves and a building lot in Kingston adjacent to her borther. Also £500 to William, £500 to Estcourt and £1,000 as a dowry for Elizabeth provided she marry a white man.


• Long standing relationship with a FREE NEGRO woman Jane Engusson


• In 1747 Robert petitioned the Assemby to pass a private act to give his mullato children William, Estcourt and Magaret the same rights and privileges enjoyed by English Subjects


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• Documents found in the The Cooper Family collection at the London Metropolitan Archives


Sources:

"History Alive Tameside" - issue 3 2008 page 23 Dukinfield Halls in North Carolina and Jamaica - Gay J Oliver

An Inventory of Robert Duckenfield's Plantation at Duckenfield Hall, St Thomas in the East, Jamaica including the names of 320 of his slaves - copy at Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre

"Jamaica Surveyed: Plantation Maps and Plans of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries" B W Higman

With very many thanks to Thomas Averill Duckenfield III for his research, friendship and his book, "Barons and Bastards" - A History of the Duckenfield Family - from English Origins to an American Presence.