Richardsons of La Ferme, St Martin
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It is not often that one finds personal letters dating from the 17th century, but such has been our good fortune in the course of cataloguing a collection of family papers belonging to Mr D P Richardson.
It is a particularly rich and fruitful collection from several points of view and we are most grateful to the Richardson family for allowing us to study them.
Ouie de paroisse
The earliest document is dated 1492 and is a ouie de paroisse concerning a plot of 30 perch of land in Grouville, near Gorey, where subsequently a house was built. Another ouie is dated 1540 and is for the sale of a house in St Martin; yet another, of 1553, was passed in Trinity cemetery. There is also one of the rare documents of 1551 giving the sale of obits by the Royal Commissioners, in this case in St Ouen.
One touching document of 1594 is about Drouet Ie Roy, whose wife, Ysabel, "est allee de vie en trepas”, that is to say she had died, and he is claiming her inheritance on behalf of their children.
A group of documents in the 17th century is connected with land at Ville es Renauds, and the families involved are mainly Mars, Bertram, Regnault, Nicolle and Gaudin. Many of these papers belonged to the Gaudin family and have come through the marriage of Nicolas Ralph Richardson (1819-1876) to Esther Gaudin. The Gaudins came from La Queruée and their main homes were Le Haut du Rue and Green Farm, now called La Clochette.
La Ferme
The Richardson home was La Ferme, near the Trinity boundary. According to Payne, Ralph Richardson settled in Jersey in 1507 and leased 73 vergées of land from Le Vuyellart. La Ferme later had rather more land than this, but field Martin no 13 is called Le Clos du Veillard, which seems more than a coincidence, but unfortunately Payne does not give any supporting authority for his statement.
But there is little doubt tht the Richardson family held La Ferme for close on 400 years. It is a very fine property indeed. A dated stone may be seen in the facade of the house with 18 NRS 17, for Nicolas Richardson, and in all probability the date of erection of the house. On the back is a complex stone with the initials of Philippe Richardson and the date 1663, followed by a monogram for Abigail Dumaresq, his mother, and then NRR 1839 for Nicolas Ralph Richardson, son of the Nicolas who built the house.
Tenants' obligations
An interesting document dated 1806 is a Lettre passed between Philippe Raoul Lernpriere, Seigneur of Rozel and his 15 chefs tenants and francs tenants. The chefs tenants, 13 in number, had to fulfill the following duties; to give a day (corvée) before Christmas and another after, for spreading manure; to clear the stables of manure; to give a day before Christmas and another after for ploughing (aerer) one vergée of land; to cart wine and logs within the fief; to clean (nestier) the stackyard and stack the champart corn; to bring meat from the market; to work at the water mill; to provide help for (servir) the masons and thatchers; to cart the grinding stones for the said mill; to clean the leat, except an arm's length on each side of the conduit (goulet); to keep the ferrets earthed for three days if they cannot be found, working with one of the Seigneur's men; to gather fern at La Lande and stack it on the fief, as is laid down in the Extente of the said fief, renewed and confirmed in 1758.
The francs tenants, Edouard Noel, Philippe Nicolle and Clement Richardson snr, did not have to fulfill all these services. The Seigneur then released all the tenants of these dues, the chefs tenants paying £666 13s 4d per tenement, and the francs tenants paying £200 each, in order money. However, they still had to perform the duty of Prevot, each one in turn, and they still had to cart the champart corn and bring wheat and other seigneurial dues which they owed, as in olden times, and pay la ferme and do any duty not expressly excluded by the affranchisement.
Most of the above dues were quite common, but we have not elsewhere found the duty to bring meat from the market nor to watch the ferrets. The water mill in question is La Perrelle.
There is also an undated but most detailed specification for building stables and outhouses at La Ferme, and such a document is rare. It is signed by William Gaudin as Curateur, and probably dates around 1870, at which period the farm was let.
Letters from Jamaica
But the most interesting and valuable of these documents is a group of letters written from Jamaica in 1668, 1670, 1677 and 1683.
The first, of 1668, is from Richard, son of Nicolas and Abigail, to his brother Nicolas; it is in English and he may have employed someone to write for him, though it is surprising that he chose to write to his brother in English. Some of the items he is asking to have sent out cannot be identified, but it is most interesting that he is asking for craftsmen to be sent to Jamaica, particularly those to build a mill, and he suggests the purchase of a vessel, if willing partners can be found to take shares in it.
The second letter, written in French, is dated 1670 and is from the same Richard to his mother Abigail, chiding her for never writing or sending him a message. He boasts that he can any day mount his horse or proceed with his carriage, as smart as any in Jersey. We learn from this letter that his wife's name is Sarah.
We know from a Procuration passed in Jersey (Livre des Procurations, 1/279) that in 1671 he was 'lately deceased', and that he lived at Yallah, written as Yallon. This is on the south coast of the island of Jamaica, east of Port Royal, from where his nephew Nicolas wrote a few years later. One of his executors was Mary Richardson, his wife, and one was Edward Stanton, whose daughter Frances, married Nicolas, his nephew.
The executors appointed David Bandinel, Isaak Heraut, Etienne Antoniy (Anthoine) the husband of his sister Elizabeth, and Abraham Richardson his nephew, as his procureurs in Jersey, to organise for them any property in the island that he inherited from his father. His children, Thomas, and a daughter, were minors at the time and his widow later re-married.
The third letter, dated 1677, in English, is from Clement, the younger son of Nicolas and Abigail, to his elder brother Philippe. This again contains a plea for news from home, which never seemed to be forthcoming, and also a request for an introduction to Sir Henry Morgan from Jersey's Governor, Sir Thomas Morgan. He announces his hope to visit Jersey the next year.
The fourth letter, this time in French, is from Nicolas to his uncle Philippe and is dated 1683. He also intends to visit Jersey, and to engage workmen, taking them on for a four-year term of service, with eight ecus for each man to be paid at the end of the time.
A further procuration, dated 1738, was passed in Jersey appointing attorneys to act for Abraham Richardson (fils Abraham fils Nicolas fils Nicolas) and he was then living 'in the parish of St Catherine in the island of Jamaica', a name calculated to appeal to a St Martinais. There is a Catherine's Peak north of Yallah. He chose 'my dear wife Jane Richardson of the island of Jersey' to be his attorney, which suggests that she (née Jeanne La Cloche) was living in Jersey then.
From these letters we gain the impression of a family who emigrated, and through their own resources and hard work, became prosperous in Jamaica, but who retained a deep affection for their relatives in Jersey, and a keeness to employ Jerseymen and keep up trade with their native island.
Family tree
- 1 Nicolas Richardson ( -1663) m Abigail Dumaresq
- 2 Philippe Richardson
- 2 Nicolas Richardson (1633- ) m Sarah du Parcq
- 3 Nicolas Richardson (1665- ) m Frances Stanton
- 3 Abraham Richardson (1673- ) m Elizabeth de Carteret
- 4 Abraham Richardson (1701- ) m Jeanne La Cloche
- 3 Clement Richardson m Jacquine Reserson
- 4 Clement Richardson ( -1795)
- 4 Nicolas Richardson m Jeanne Falle
- 2 Richard Richardson (1635- ) m Mary
- 3 Thomas Richardson
- 3 Daughter Richardson
- 3 Abigail Richardson
- 2 John Richrdson
- 2 Clement Richardson m Sarah
- 2 Elizabeth Richardson m Estienne Anthoine
See Descendants of Ralph Richardson - 3 for an extended tree
Letters
To brother
- Mons Nicholas Richardson, Jersey
- Jamaica July primo 1668
- Deare Brother
- I wrat yoe p(er) Mr Max Bushe and by him desuired you to doe me
- ye ffauor to axcept a letter of Attorney I sent by him to cale
- my Brother to account for what may bee my due from my ffather
- Estate which I houpe yoe have Received itt for my Brother
- Abraham writt me from Plemouth that he had Received
- them and sent them to Jersey; and doe Jntreate you to gitt itt
- from my Brother houping hee will not withstand itt but
- Deliver you what is my Due without trouble which I shoule
- bee glad to here. I wase in gratt houpes to see you this yeare
- butt coule not dispache my Busenese in these p(ar)ts butt houpe
- nex somer to bee with you if it plese god to spare my layfe Deare
- Brother Jame inn seatlinge A Suger plantation which
- Requayer many hands to manaige itt soe that may detain
- him (?) when you have concluded with my Brother that what rent
- comes to bee my due yo? willingage itt for a some of money
- and with ye said money with some ffriends that may be willing
- to trade in this island to Bay Asmale Vasell of 40 or 50 tuns
- and in ye same to lodge what saruants who cane care (?come)
- and to gitt what trades men yo cane as carpentter masons
- Smithes whille maker loners Taylers Showemakers and suche
- Layke with some wine and Brandy and Lining Clath
- as canes and Rones and Canting and some Siobines I kenow
- if my Brother Abraham is Able hee would come p(artner) and
- bee able to bee Master; pray brother if yo" gitt a parte
- of a vessell (?)
- or any other come from Jerzy doe me the fauor to send me
- 4 or 5 Carpentte that vnderstand the building o Watter mille
- and wine mille and fouling mille for I shall want
- suche for to Build me A Suger Mill and if yo" cane not gitt
- suche good wourkemen for there pasidge agre with them to
- give them Besides there passidge something peer) yeare
- My Brother Clement wasse with me yeterday and his wayfe
- whome desaier to bee Remebered to you hee is in a uery houpfull
- way and hee Jntends to send yor akutt of Attorney peer) the
- first .... ?
- Pray present my seruise to my good sister Anteuinne I should be
- glad to here from you and to
- vnderstand how many Children itts plesed god to Blase you with; my
- wayfe present her seruice to your
- good Beadfelow; itt plesed god to send us 3 children 2 garlles
- and 1 Boy one of the garle lived but 6 weekes which was
- of my mother name; pray present my Dutty to my mother and
- my love
- to aile our ffriends soe wishing you halth and propperite I rast
- your Affeketioned Brother soe dated
- Ric Richardson
To mother
- A Sa Bien ayme
- mere Abigaielle
- Richardson
- St Martin
- de la Jamico Ie 4 de
- Octobre 1670
- Cherre et Bien amye Merre
- Cese deux ou troies mots sont pour vous
- donner a connoiestre nostre sante qui este bonne grace
- adieu esperant ynsi de vous et de tou Ie Reste
- de mes Bon amy en generall Comme aux si de
- tous mes frere et seurs priante Ie bon dieu
- vous mientennir en santte cese ceu que desire
- vostre affectione a Jamaies Chere mere Je vous
- avoies ecrite oparavant par plusiure fois
- nayant Jamaies entandu une mots de vous
- nouvelle mon frare phill. yle a printe la paine
- descrire a mon frare Richard mais pas un mot
- de moy cen qui me faictte Croere que vous
- ne vous soucie par boucoupe de moy maies ca
- nanpechera pase que Je ne fase bien Chare mere
- Je metone mon frare phill. ne veux pointe
- venire a aucun conte quecque mon frare
- Abraham Jauroies bien en vie de Ie voiere en
- en Ce lieue pour cen qui este de rna Condition
- ell ast grase a dieu bone yline (?) Je me suis
- maries hors dauecque mes perant mais pauceque
- mes amis ..... sant aux cune disegrace
- de I'isle Je puis tous les Jeours montere mon Chevall
- auceque bon equipage aux si bien que un des
- melieure de votre isle dieu nabandonera J amais
- Celuy qui se fie en luy Chare mere vostre fille
- ma Chere fame vous baese laiex maien et
- desire de vous voiere sille estoit posible
- Elle a isin este Crite son nome pour taimoinage da fection
- Sarah Richardson
- Vostre huble et affectione Sarvitore et fils
- Clement Richardson.
To brother
- Jamaica July 17th 1677
- To Mr Philippe Richardson
- living in the Island of Jersey
- in St Martin parish
- These humbly present Captt Oke
- St Thomas honourd Brother
- Sr These shall serue to accoient you of our prsant
- condition Sr I am and my wife latterly recovered of a
- verry great fit of sickness which I tought woled
- have mad an end of use it lasted 10 weeks but
- now tank god wee ar Indiferantly well Recovered
- and Sr I have noe friends here so dere unto me as
- my one Brothers and Sistres only my Brother Richard
- chilsdrens which ar in a verry good waye and there
- father have lefet them a nofe to leve verry well
- and god have blesed me with a good esteat in this
- Island which if god is pleased to take me from
- these worled to whom shall I leue it by my ffriends
- and you are allso silant or so Ingratfull to me
- beng your brother That you will not vachaf me
- with a feu lins from you which beleue mein-
- to me euery time I tinke of it a scond fit of
- sikenese, pray to honour me with a line from
- you that I my know how you all doe and werit
- me what is come of my Brother John and how
- all au ffriends doe in generall. Sr I formerly werit
- you that my Lord Vaughan Earle of Carbory Sone
- was our Governor, and a Great ffriend of yours
- Sir Thomas Morgan and that a line from Sr Thomas
- to these our Gouernor in fauor of me woled be
- very acceptable and all So to Sr Henery Morgan
- our Lt Generall They ar all Redey my good ffriends
- yt it woled ad mor to there fauors which ar very
- acceptable and withall profitable unto me your
- Brother and to you of noe Great dificulty to
- optine as I am Informed these goe by one Capt
- Oke of Southapton ..... capt of shipes and Intand
- for these Island a gine pray Remanbre me by him
- for Intand god willing home with him the next
- voyage and wold haue sooner had I hered from you. The man is well knowne
- he hauing but one eaie; my deuty to my deare mother which heartily
- desires to see Thus from Sr
- You louing Brother and Saruant
- Clt Richardson
- You louing Brother and Saruant
(Sir Henry Morgan (1635-1688) was a celebrated buccaneer, knighted by Charles II. Died in Jamaica)
To uncles
- To Mr Philipp Richardson
- Living in Jersey
- Present
- Jamaica Port Royal Mars Ie 28 eme 1683
- Honore oneles
- Ces deux ou trois Lignes sont pour faire
- Conoistre de ma bonne seante la quelle est tres
- bone dieu mercy dieu mercy desirant quil en soit ainsy de vous
- oncles il vos plaira de faire mes recommandations
- a ma grandmere et a matante
- et a madam de la haule et atoute la maisonee mon oncles Clement et
- ma tante sont en bonne seante de sirant le mesme
- Devous et vous presente leur Recommandantions
- et matante fame de mon oncle Richard et sa fille
- sont en bonne seante et vous presente leurs
- Recommandations et matante excepte mon cousin
- Thomas Tous les Jours et elle est remaries
- et le nom de son mary est Thomas Ryues
- oncles Cecy est pour vous faire acconoistre
- que mon oncles Clement a achatte le 16 ieme
- Dans un nauires de 330 Tonneaux et 18 p(aire)s de
- Canon et le nauire ariuera alondres Jiray
- en Jearze pour engager des seruiters auec
- vostre aide sy il vous plaist Et sitost que
- le nauire aura descharge ses marchandises il viendra
- en Jearze pour prandres les seruiters et autre
- chose nessecere pour transporter Le nom du Capt
- est Edward Brookes et son freres est maistre
- est le nom du nauires est le Port Royal marchant
- oncles sill y en a quil veulle leur engager le
- seruices est par 4 ans car il y a une acte
- faite que aucun ne sairoit demeurez dan lile
- sans seruir ..... a point damis pour les securer de troubbles au maladie quil ne pourois se
- maintenir .... est que il faut seruir 4 ans et au bout des 4 ans ils Recev(eront)
- 8 ecus pour .... que lacte aloue es seruiters oneles nous esperons de (?partir)
- Dans ung mois pour londres nayant autre chose pour Ie present demeurant vostre tres
- humbles et affectione seruiteur et neveu
- Nicollas Richardson.
Note: The letter is torn down one side and some words are illegible. We cannot see who 'ma tante de la Haulle' is. Susanne Dumaresq, Dame de la Haule, died in 1682 (which he may not have known) and her daughter-in-law was Margaret La Cloche. There is a marriage between Richardson and La Cloche, but too late to fit this.