Legacies of Enslavement at Christ's
Edward Bush Trotter
Life 1842 - 1920
Matriculation year 1861
Place connected Jamaica
After graduating and working as a priest in England until 1890, Edward Bush went on to become a Rector and later Archdeacon in Trinidad (until 1903). He was the brother of Coutts Trotter and half brother of Alexander P. Trotter.
Connection to enslavement
Edward was the son of Alexander Trotter.¹ Alexander was a partner in a stockbroking firm alongside James Capel from 1827 until at least 1864. The Legacies of British Slavery project suggests that he was the same man who made a successful claim for compensation relating to a contested estate in Jamaica, and died in 1865.² ³
Alexander was one of various awardees of compensation for 240 enslaved people on the estate, for which the total compensation amounted to £4184 0s 1d.⁴ Alexander was possibly also one of multiple unsuccessful counter-claimants who sought some compensation for 285 enslaved people on an estate in British Guiana.⁵ When Alexander died he left £30,000 to his heirs.³
Edward matriculated in 1860, following his father's compensation, meaning that some of the money supporting his education at Christ's was probably derived from that compensation.
References
¹ Venn, J.A., ed. (1954). "Trotter, Edward Bush". Alumni Cantabrigienses (Part 2). Vol.6, Cambridge University Press - via Internet Archive. ² Trumpington Local History Group, 'Alexander Trotter', 2022, http://slatters.org.uk/Trumpington/f5470.htm [accessed 1st August 2022]. ³ Legacies of British Slavery database, 'Alexander Trotter', http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/46084 [accessed 1st August 2022]. ⁴ Legacies of British Slavery database, 'Jamaica St Thomas-in-the-East, Surrey 507 (Morant)', http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/claim/view/17454 [accessed 1st August 2022]. ⁵ Legacies of British Slavery database, 'British Guiana 2369 (Elizabeth Anne)', http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/claim/view/7196 [accessed 1st August 2022].
More information about our research, including searchable databases, can be found here.