Richardsons of La Ferme, St Martin

Richardsons of La Ferme, St Martin This article by Joan Stevens and Jean Arthur was first published in the 1982 Annual Bulletin of La Société Jersiaise Jerripedia property profile

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

(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.