Legacies of Enslavement at Christ's
Richard Lacy
Life 1797 - 1883
Matriculation year 1815
Place connected Jamaica
Richard kept 10 terms at Christ's, where he was recorded as a 'keen sportsman'. He later went on to publish 'The Modern Shooter', a practical instruction book about shooting.
Connection to enslavement
Richard was the great-grandson of Samuel Walter, who owned Chancery Hall, a plantation in Jamaica.¹ ⁵
Samuel Walter left his Yorkshire property and that plantation to his only daughter, Mary Ann, who was Richard's great-aunt. She died in 1820, (while Richard was still at Christ's) leaving her estate to Richard.² ³
Richard's ownership of the estate was interconnected with 'Ralph Lacy', who may have been his brother, acting as his great-aunt's and his attorney. In 1823, Richard was registered as the owner of the estate and the 148 enslaved people on it. He owned a peak of 162 enslaved people on the estate in 1825.⁴
By 1836 the plantation appears to have left Richard's possession, and no compensation claim has been identified as relating to the estate.⁴
References
¹ Legacies of British Slavery database,'Samuel Walter', http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146650843 [accessed 1st August 2022]. ² Legacies of British Slavery database,'Richard Lacy or Lacey', http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146650847 [accessed 1st August 2022]. ³ Legacies of British Slavery database, 'Mary Ann Walter', http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146650845 [accessed 1st August 2022]. ⁴ Legacies of British Slavery database,'Chancery Hall [ Jamaica | St Andrew ]', http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/estate/view/14527 [accessed 1st August 2022]. ⁵ Venn, J.A., ed. (1947) "Lacy, Richard". Alumni Cantabrigienses (Part 2). Vol.4, Cambridge University Press - via Internet Archive.
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