English planters & merchants: Edward Barnwell

Two sons of Edward Barnwell ‘of Demerara’ matriculated at Oxford colleges - Edward (born c1793) and John (born c1800) [Alumni Oxonienses: the members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886]. In 1807, a widower, he married Miss Lucy Brothersen, but she died in 1811. Edward died before 1815 [Caribbeana]

Edward Barnwell jnr

In 1815, at Gretna Greene, his son Edward married Johanna Sarah Christina Marcini or Martini of Demerara. [Timheri describes him as Edward Barwell of Demerara; Caribbeana as the son of the late Edward Barwell Esq of Demerara.] In 1821 he married Eliza Masters of Bristol.

At some time after this he became involved with his sister-in-law, the wife of Eliza’s brother. Her husband pursued Barnwell and brought a civil case for damages for ‘criminal conversation’ with his wife. He was awarded £4000 which led to the insolvency of Barnwell, whose Demerara estate, Taymouth Manor, was sold in 1831.

Barnwell lived in Demerara, Shirehampton (Gloucestershire), Bristol, Clifton, Demerara, Bristol, Cheltenham, Leamington (Warwickshire), Bath, Sidmouth (Devonshire), Brussels, Calais, and finally Russell Square, Middlesex - many of these moves in an attempt to evade Masters [Law Advertiser, 1831]

John Barnwell

Edward Barnwell snr's son, John (b1800), became a clergyman in the Church of England.