Hugh Junor

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Hugh Junor, from the Black Isle, went to Guyana before 1804. In 1815, with his partner Alexander Henderson, he bought a timber estate in Essequibo, named Industry, along with its 60 slaves [E&DRG 19 Aug 1815]. In 1817 they registered 74 slaves - 42 male and 32 femaie [TNA T391 p306]. Henderson owned a second plantation called Grampiam Hills, with 37 slaves; and Hugh Junor personally owned a further 22 slaves.

In 1815 he constructed new barracks at Capoey for the military commandant of the colony [British Guiana Boundary, Arbitration with the United States of Venezuela, 1898]. These barracks were described in 1838 as follows:

Capoey Post, situated close to the sea-shore, about 20 miles from the north-west bank of the Essequibo, and consisting of a small square enclosure, protected by a trench and pallisades, with a barrack and hospital in the centre. Immediately in front of the post extends a swamp about 150 yards in breadth, never quite dry; and the ground around is altogether of so wet and marshy a character that the post is about to be removed to some less objectionable site. The force stationed there generally consists of from 40 to 50 men. [Statistical report on the sickness, mortality, and invaliding among the Troops in the West Indies, 1838]

Junor returned to Scotland in 1816 with his two mixed race children, Eliza (b1804) and William, who were both baptised at Rosemarkie in August of that year. The following year he married Miss Martha Matheson, daughter of Colin Matheson of Bennetsfield, chief of Clan Matheson.

Both Eliza and William attended Fortose Academy, Eliza winning a prize for penmanship in 1818 and William the prize for French in 1822. Hugh donated £30 to the school in 1820 but the money was never paid over. He died in 1823 leaving his Essequibo estate to his legitimate son, Colin, who subsequently sold it to George Jeffrey, from Lochcarron. His widow subsequently married Rev Archibald Browne, who had been the first Church of Scotland minister in Demerara.

Eliza died in Fortrose in 1861 and William in Buenos Aires in 1873.

See also Hugh Junor (Upper Kincurdy) and John Junor of Berbice