Richard Cumberbatch

Notes:

Died at Saint Nicholas Plantation, age 71

1811 purchased Saint Nicholas Plantation with Edward Carleton Cumberbatch

Lawrence married Elizabeth NOT MARRIED. Elizabeth was buried 23 Mar 1824, Saint Peter, Barbados, West Indies. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

She was a Free Mulatto, the property of Lawrence Trent Cumberbatch.

Notes:

Born Abraham Carlton; "assumed the name of Cumberbatch"

"He was a Member of the Council of Barbadoes for thirty years."

Died at College Green

Inherited the Cleland and The Farm plantations from his grandfather Abraham Cumberbatch's will, in which he insisted that Abraham Carleton adopted and use the name Cumberbatch (Brandow J.C. Genealogies of Barbados Families page 527).

Carleton's Name. A Petition of Abraham Cumberbatch, heretofore called Abraham Carleton, was presented to the House [of Parliament], and read; setting forth, That Abraham Cumberbatch, late of the Parish of Saint Andrew, in the Island of Barbadoes, in America, Esquire, deceased, by his last Will and Testament, bearing Date the 22nd Day of November 1750, after several Legacies therein given, gave all the rest of his Eftate, with the Improvements, Additions, and Interest, to and for the Use of the Petitioner, by the Name and Description of his Grandson Abraham Carleton, to be received by him under the Trustees appointed by his said Will, during the Term of his natural Life, with Remainders to the Petitioner's First and and other Sons successively, in Tail Male, with Remainders over, upon Condition, that the petitioner should take upon him the Surname of Cumberbatch; declaring by his said Will, that it was his Intention that his Estate should continue through all the Limitations thereof, in the Name of Cumberbatch; and that the Petitioner, upon the Death of the said Abraham Cumberbatch, which happened on or about the 25th Day of December 1750, became possessed of the Premises given him by the said Will; and hath taken upon himself, and used, the Surname of Cumberbatch; and is desirous that the said Surname may be established on him, and his Issue Male, by Authority of Parliament : And therefore praying the House to give leave to bring in a Bill, for enabling the Petitioner, and his Issue Male, to take and use the Surname of Cumberbatch.
Ordered, That Leave be given to bring in a Bill, pursuant to the Prayer of the said Petition: And that Mr. Alderman Bethell, and Mr. Nathanael Newnham, do prepare, and bring in, the same. (The Journal of the House of Commons 1753 Volume 26 Page 537-538 26o Geo II Parl 4 Sess 6 A.1753), also quoted in Collections for a Genealogical Account of the Family of Comberbach by G.W. Marshall LL.B London:1866

Index of The Journal of the House of Commons 1753 Volume 26 - 26th Geo. II Parl. 4 Seff 6. A. 1753 :
Carlton, Abraham, Petition for a Bill to take the Name of Cumberbatch, presented: and Bill ordered, 26 Jan. Read, 1 Feb. Committed, 5. Reported, and to be ingrossed, 14. Passed, 21. Agreed to by the Lords, 28. Royal Assent , 8 Mar (Journals of the House of Commons from January the 17th 1750 in the twenty-fourth Year of the Reign of King George the Second to April the 6th 1754 in the twenty-seventh Year of the Reign of King George the Second - Reprinted by Order of the House of Commons 1803).

ARMS: Gules, an eagle displayed between three trefoils, two in chief and one in base, Or.
CREST: An eagle's head couped.
MOTTO of Abraham Cumberbatch - Ne tentes aut perfice [Attempt Not, or Accomplish - Pine L.G. A Dictionary of Mottoes Routledge & Kegan Paul: London 1983 pp 146 AND Urdang L. & Dame Robbins C. Mottoes 1st Edition Gale Research Company USA: 1986 pp 44]. Authority for the Arms were his book-plate. I have also found these listed in West Indian Bookplates SOG/WI 37 pp 21 by Vere Langford: as above but also with : 179. "ABRAHAM CUMBERBATCH" (F., 7545.) Arm. spade shield...There were three generations of these names. The first died 1753, the second 1785, and the third 1786 (ANTE, II., 84).

Will dated 26 April 1785 of Abraham Cumberbatch of Saint Andrew, Barbados, intending shortly for England. To my wife Eliza £3000 cy. in full of our marriage articles, and the further sum of £1000 cy. All my plate and that of my grandfather Abraham Cumberbatch to my wife and six negroes and one-half my furniture. The other half of my furniture to my son Abraham. All my lands in the Parish of St. Peter to be purchased by my son Abraham and my stonewall house in Speightstown and the money to go to pay the legacy to my wife. The residue to be divided between my sons Lawrence Trent Cumberbatch, Edward Carleton Cumberbatch, and John Trent Cumberbatch.
WHEREAS my grandfather Abraham Cumberbatch directed that 250 slaves be kept on his plantation: I direct that all others to be sold and the money divided between my three sons. On the marriage of my said daughter Ann Sandiford with Mr. William Sandiford. I promised £3000: I direct any balance due to be paid to her. To my two grandchildren Alexander and Abraham Cumberbatch Sandiford, children of my said daughter Ann.
I appoint my wife Elizabeth and son Abraham Executrix and executor. sd. A. Cumberbatch. Witnesses: Wm. Craigg, Wm. Bovell, Wm. Cadogan. Proved 15 December 1785 by Oath of Wm. Bovell before Governor D. Parry (Brandow James C. Genealogies of Barbados Families pp.539).

Abraham Carlton Cumberbatch 1727-1785
He was born in Barbados, the son of Edward Carlton and Ann Cumberbatch. Under the terms of the will of his maternal grandfather, he would inherit all his grandfather's estate if he changed his name to Cumberbatch, thereby retaining that name here in Barbados, which would otherwise have died out on his grandfather's death. In those days you could only change your surname by an Act of the Westminster Parliament and this was duly done. Thereafter, all the male descendants, even to this day, added Carlton as their last Christian name.

He married Elizabeth Trent, daughter of Lawrence Trent of Barbados, and they had four sons and one daughter. One of their sons, Edward Cumberbatch, was the father of Sarah, who married, in 1818, Charles Cave, fourth son of Stephen Cave and Anne Daniel. Sarah Cave nee Cumberbatch would later inherit St Nicholas Abbey in Barbados from her brothers.

Abraham Cumberbatch, as he now became, was a member of the Barbados Legislative Assembly for thirty years, and indeed, at the time of his death in 1785, he was the senior member of that Assembly. Towards the end of his life, he had failing health and went to England to try and recover, but sadly he died in Bristol.

He is buried in Bristol Cathedral where there is a fine memorial to him. (source: A Family History Leaflet from St. Nicholas Abbey written by Lt. Col. Stephen Cave).

Monumental Inscription : Bristol Cathedral: Choir vestry leading out of the east cloister, high up on the north wall:

To the Memory of ABRAHAM CUMBERBATCH Esqr : A Native and Inhabitant of the Island of Barbados, Senior Member of his Majesty's Council of that Island, to which honorable board he had belonged near Thirty Years. He bore a long and painful Illness with uncommon Patience and Fortitude, and came to England in hopes of receiving Benefit from a change of Climate and died in this City July 25, 1785.

1785, July 30. Abraham Cumberbatch Esqr was buried by the Precentor (Cathedral Burial Register).
1785, Sat. July 30. Monday, died at lodgings in College Green, - Cumberland (sic), Esq ; a West India Merchant.
The ARMS noted by Rev. J. Woodward in 1867, were : 1, Cumberbatch (Gules, an eagle displayed between three trefoils, two in chief and one in base, Or. ) Quarterly, 1 and 4, Sable, two swords in saltire proper, hilted Or, between three coronets of the last, one in chief, two in flanks ; 2 and 3, Vert, a fess dancettee Ermine. This tablet was in 1867 in the north aisle near his son's.

North transept, floor marbles over vault:; ABRAHAM CUMBERBATCH Esqr 1785 The Honble Abraham Cumberbatch Esqr Eldest son of the above, died June 16th 1796. (source: Caribbeana Volume II Page 84)

Monument in Bristol Cathedral - Choir Vestry leading out of the east cloister, high up on the north wall :-
To the Memory
of ABRAHAM CUMBERBATCH Esqr:
A Native and Inhabitant of the Island of Barbados,
Senior Member of his MAJESTY'S Council of that Island,
to which honorable board he had belonged near Thirty Years.
He bore a long and painful Ilness
with uncommon Patience and Fortitude,
and came to England in hopes of receiving Benefit
from a change if Climate
and died in this City July 25, 1785. (Source: Caribbeana Vol II p. 84)

The title "Honourable" was granted as he was a member of His Majesty's Council of Barbados - roughly similar to England's House of Lords. He was also a Senior Member of His Majesty's Council of Barbados. Members of the Barbados legaslative Assembly, such as his son Abraham, were entitled to be called "Esquire".
"The local importance of these titles is indicated by the fact that members of the Assembly and judges by custom might use four horses to their coaches while members of the Council drove a team of six." (Genealogists Magazine March 1974, Vol.17 No. 9 p.494).

Abraham married Elizabeth Trent Abt 1750. Elizabeth (daughter of Lawrence Trent and Jane Somers) was born Abt 1725, of, Barbados, West Indies; died 26 Jan 1794, Barbados, West Indies; was buried , , Barbados, West Indies. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Died at West, Nimba, Liberia?

Buried 14 Oct 1797?

Notes:

surname also spelled Carlton?

prior marriage 25 Nov 1707 to Mrs. Judith Mellows, Vol. I, Page 112?

Edward married Ann Cumberbatch 5 Jun 1726, Saint Thomas, Barbados, West Indies. Ann (daughter of Abraham Cumberbatch and Mary Ann Misson) was born 1708, Saint Peter, Barbados, West Indies; died , Saint Peter, Barbados, West Indies; was buried 12 Sep 1727, Saint Peter, Barbados, West Indies. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

given name also spelled Anne

marriage entry is Mrs. Ann Cumberbatch - was she previously married to a Mr. Cumberbatch; there were two spinsters both with Mrs. married in 1730?

Died in childbirth

Buried 12 Sep 1727?

Her age on 12 October 1715 was either 8yrs, 4yrs or 1 month. The 1715 census also lists Abraham and his wife as having 3 daughters (Barbados and America David L. Kent 1980).

The Will of GOLD, Mary, being very sick and weak. St. Philips Parish, 20 Aug 1718, RB6/4, p.566. My cousins Elizabeth Pollard, John Pollard, and Ann Cumberbatch jr, if Ann Cumberbatch dies before 21 her share to her sisters Mary Cumberbatch and Sarah Cumberbatch;...
(Mcree Sanders J. Barbados Records: Wills and Administrations Vol III 1701 - 1725). As Ann is mentioned first 1718 I have assumed she is eldest.

There is a burial entry for 22nd November 1725 - Died of consumption (Brandow J.C. Genealogies of Barbados Families page 536). However, she married Edward on 5 June 1726!

Consumption is now known as Tuberculosis - the effect of the disease was that of wasting away. Other 'wasting' diseases such as dissentry were also called consumption. Consumption killed Mozart, Chopin and other figures in the arts and sciences at early ages.

Lawrence married Jane Somers. Jane was born 1716; died Aft 1743. [Group Sheet]