P_10433_0484 – Samuel Bonham | The Register of British Slave-Traders (staging)

3.1 million enslaved people trafficked to the British colonies

Major London slave-trader, shown as captain in nine voyages between 1705 and 1712 and then owner or co-owner in at least twelve further voyages from London and one from Bristol between 1716 and 1735. Builder of Orsett House Orsett Essex, and founder of a mercantile and maritime dynasty.

Title: /

First name: Samuel

Middle name: /

Last name: Bonham

Aliases: Bonham, Samuel, Barham, Samuel

Primary cohort: London

Sex: Male

Religion: /

Social background: /

Primary outcome: /

Political Affiliation: /

Relations

No information

Political Offices Held

No Information

Bankruptcies

No Information

Geographic experiences

No Information

Internal migrant: Don't know

Foreign born: Don't know

Supplier to slave trade voyages: Don't know

Creditor to slave trade voyages: Don't know

Philanthropy: Don't know

Plantation owner: Don't know

Sources: There are eight voyages from London shown for Samuel Bonham as owner in the TASTDB, and one from Bristol. By inference three more voyages (75805, 75809 and 76528) from London in the Margaret with the same captain as 21904 (James Cassells) for which the TASTDB shows no ownership information were also his. An additional voyage of the Margarett (76628) shown for 'Samuel Barham' must also have been Bonham's. Two additional voyages in the Margaret 1716-1718 (voyages nos. 76587 and 78302) with Samuel Thurman or Surman as Captain were probably also Bonham's but have not yet been connected below. PROB 11/738/274 Sutherland, London Merchant p. 142

Other Individuals

No information

Organisations

No information

Role: Owner

Birth

Date: /

Location: /

Death

Date: 1745

Location: /

Burial

Date: /

Location: /

Memorial details: /

Christening: /

Knighthood: /

Baronetcy: /

Peerage: /

Residencies

Orsett House, Orsett, Essex

No Information

Was slave trading profitable: No

Will

Value of Total Personalty: /

Value of Known Legacies (where material to total estate): /

Occupation: /

Town/City: /

Courts: PCC

Under the will of Samuel Bonham of Stepney made 24/01/1744-5, he left his household goods at Stepney and Orsett to his wife Jane on condition she remained a widow; if she remarried he left he only the goods at his house in Stepney and left the goods at Orsett to his son Henry. Similarly he left her his lands for life unless she remarried in which case he left the rents and profits from his lands equally among his children Jane, Henry, Pinson, and Samuel, with the latter 'if he proves good' administering them unless removed by his mother and siblings. He left his son William enough money to raise to £500 the amount advanced to him. If his stock in trade exceeded £5500, he left £1000 to each of his sons Henry, Pinson and Samuel at 21, £1500 to his daughter Jane and the residue to his wife Jane if she remained unmarried. He asked that his son Samuel should continue his [the testator's] business under the name of his [the son's] mother 'but they should not be concerned in any shipping or ship any goods beyond the sea.' He gave his son Samuel his shares in the Pennsylvania Land Co. If his stock in trade did not exceed £5000 [sic] he left it equally among his widow and four children (excluding William). After his widow's death he left his 'new house' at Orsett to his son Henry. He left under entail his son Pinson a farm at Orsett rented out at £65 p.a.; a farm at Stainbridge in Essex to his son Henry; a further farm at Orsett to his daughter Jane; and a house at Keppell Side [also given as Kippelside] for life to his son William, who would forfeit it if he gave his siblings any trouble at law. His executors were his wife Jane and son Henry.

Legacies

No information