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2(iii). Leicester Colville Shirley, esq.
born 1838 in Tonbridge Kent England (child by Isabella nee Darrell),
Came to Jamaica at age 20 and assumed the proprietorship of all
of the legacy of his brother Henry and that of the late Henry
Shirley of Hyde Hall; At one time he held Hyde Hall, Glamorgan,
Ettington and Steelfield estates, all of which he lost by the
time of his death. He was custas of Trelawny and a member of
Lincoln's Inn in London; He died 21 October 1914 at age 78 in
Trelawaney, Jamaica He was buried in St Michael's Church in Clarks
Town Jamaica.
 Leicester Colville
Shirley |
 St
Michael's Church,
Clarks Town |
History of the Parish of Trelawny, by David Ogilvie -
Mr. Leicester Colville Shirley was an Englishman. Born in the
year 1836, he came to this country in the year 1856, at the age
of 20, to assume control of the affairs and estate of his elder
brother, Henry, who died under tragic circumstances at Spanish
Town, where he was serving as a Representative of this Parish
in the House of Assembly. The first public notice we have of
Mr. Leicester C. Shirley was when he was appointed by Sir John
Peter Grant, Governor, as a member of the Municipal Board of
Trelawny on the 1st January, 1870, along with six other gentlemen,
headed by the Honourable Robert Nunes. Mr. Shirley was a most
likeable man. His stature was imposing, he being over six feet,
and his body in proportion. No superfluous fat or flabbyness.
He had a military gait and his deportment synchronized with his
lofty character. He was a most approachable man and gave everyone
with who he came in contact a pleasant smile. His presence at
meetings conferred a singular dignity and charm to the proceedings.
His refined accomplishments produced a marvelous attachment and
enchantment on those who secured his friendship. Indulgence,
kindness and generosity were his peculiar attributes and which
were dispensed without parade or ostentation. Mr. Shirley identified
himself with every movement calculated to uplift our people and
enhance the welfare of Trelawny. He was at one time Colonel of
the Trelawny Militia and right well did he display military discipline
and training with great sympathy and consideration to his subordinates.
His uniform courtesy to the rank and file won for him the respect
and esteem of all his men. He was no mere ornament but one who
applied diligence with wisdom in his public performances. Mr.
Shirley was appointed to the Municipal Board by Mr. John Peter
Grant, Governor, on the 8th. January, 1870. As the first Chairman
of the newly constituted Parochial Board of Trelawny in the year
1885 under Sir Henry Norman. We understand he was a graduate
from Lincoln’s Inn. At the inaugural meeting of the Parochial
Board on the 1st October, 1885, which was held in the Falmouth
Town Hall, in addressing the members, Mr. Shirley is reported
to have said: “Gentlemen, fellow parishioners, we have been
honoured by the Government of this Colony with the task of administering
the affairs of this Municipal Board, and so we are called upon
to address ourselves to a task which indeed demands the best
energies of the best among us and I do believe, with great humility,
we will not be found wanting or unworthy in our responsibilities
if they are even beset with unpredictable difficulties. The honoured
men preceding us have by laying a sure foundation, bequeathed
a legacy of which we are the proud inheritors. Without gainsaying,
new and colossal problems may from time to time arise, but I
am confident, I am certain that with grit and determination,
successful issues will crown our efforts. Our thoughts and actions
should be devoted and applied in seeing that the administration
of each of the various departments in this municipality is conducted
with energy and stamped with honesty, wisdom and virtue, redounding
to the happiness and contentment of our people. Interwoven in
our thoughts must be a love of service, even at a sacrifice to
achieve our goal. Your individual and united support is the main
pillar on which I rely for every achievement contemplated in
making this Parish a happier and more progressive place than
we found it. It is not a parade of words that we hope to further
the interests of Trelawny Parish, but a display of enthusiastic
interest never waning but developing continued freshness as the
years go by. And now gentlemen we take a forward march. I pledge
to do my part and rely on your cooperation.” (Applause).
Mr. Shirley remained as Chairman of the Board until the year
1903, when he resigned in disgust in consequence of the conduct
of an irracible Medico who was a member of the Board. Despite
pleadings and expressions of appreciation of his services Mr.
Shirley refused to give favourable consideration and resile from
his decision. The repeated insults hurled by this member created
an atmosphere nauseating to the finer feelings of Mr. Shirley
and others of his class. He was a celebate, a fact which he lamented
in his late years. He at one time owned Hyde Hall, Steelfield,
Glamorgan (where he resided), and Etingdon. There were all lost
to him before his demise. He was befriended to the last by his
God-son, Mr. Percy Sewell. He died on the 21st October, 1914,
at the age of 78, and his mortal remains interred at St. Michael’s
Church at Clarke’s Town. His passing was regretted by all
who knew him and the multitude which attended his funeral was
a silent but demonstrable testimony of the love and esteem they
bore. We who knew him have penned this unvarnished and faithful
eulogy to one who we admired and respected.
Cheltenham College Register - Shirley, Leicester Colville,
son of ___ Shirley, esq; born 26th February 1838. Day Boy.
1860 Nov 16 Records of the Honorable Society of Lincoln's
Inn, Admission's Register folio 224. Leicester Colville Shirley
(22) first son of Henry Shirley late of Cheltenham, esq, dec'd.
Shirley, Leicester Colville, practises before the supreme
court of Jamaica, a student
af Lincoln's Inn 16 Nov., 1860 (then aged 22), called to the
bar 6 June 1864 (eldest son of Henry Shirley, Esq., late of Cheltenham,
dec.); born , 1838. - Men at the Bar, by Foster
Illigitimate children of Hon. Leicester Colville Shirley
and Eliza Stoney
Elizabeth Stoney born about1850 died at Pimento Walk, Duncan's
District, Trelawney on 2 July 1925, spinster age 70, domestic.
Leila Shirley was present at death, Pimento Walk Trelawny.
3(i). Henry Percival Barnett Shirley born 2 March 1873
at Glamorgan, name 'Henry Percy Roper" on birth registration;
complexion brown; illigitimate; Father Hon. L. C. Shirley, proprietor
Hyde Hall, mother Eliza Stoney. Henry was age 27 at time of marriage
in 1899. Lived Hyde Hall Jamaica. Immigrated to the US, lived
in Hempstead Nassau Co NY in 1930 census (age 56; her age 55;
race: white; born England; age at marriage he 25/ her 24; cable
man at electric company; immigrated 1920 to US); ; Lived 48th
St in Queens NY in 1940 census (he age 63/ her age 65; race:
white; both finished high school education; not a citizen; lived
in Queens in 1935; stock man for an electric utility co.). He
died 2 July 1943 at Highwood, Lake Co Illinois USA, buried Libertyville
IL. His occupation at time of death was stock clerk - electric
service. (Father on death cert: Lester Shirley; Mother: Eliza
Stoney)
married Ethel Ella Maud Philpot on 17 August 1899 in
Jamaica. She was age 27 at time of marriage. Daughter of John
Philpotts of Hyde Hall, Trelawny. She and daughters Beryl and
Cicily immigrated to the US, departing from Cristobal Canal Zone
on the ship Aconcagua, arriving Ellis Island NY on 25 June 1924.
Ethyl listed nearest relative or friend at point of departure
as Mr S E Muschell of Colon. She and children were said to be
meeting husband Henry shirley at 301 W 55th St NY, all with complexion:
white; hair: brown; eyes: brown. Ethyl's place of birth listed
as Kingston and the 2 girls as Gorgona Canal Zone
children:
4(i). Ouida Alexandria Shirley born 5 July 1901 at
Trelawny Jamaica (her father was listed at time of birth as a
planter of Hyde Hall, surname Barnet-Shirley, mother Ethyl Phillpott)
Email: Jan 2015 - LC Shirley had a son, Henry Percival
Shirley, with Eliza Stoney in Jamaica. Henry married my great-grandmother
Ethel Philpotts and their eldest daughter, Ouida, was my grandmother.
It has been amazing reading about her heritage but I would love
to know more about Eliza Stoney and Ethel Philpotts. We always
thought my grandmother had African roots. One of my early recollections
sitting on my Nana's lap, playing with her hair, I asked her
if she was "colored." She slapped my face and told
me to never say that. She told us many stories of Jamaica, Panama,
and her family leaving English royalty before being told to get
out by the queen. Reading some of the history has shown me how
it actually supports some of grandmother's stories.
If anyone has a suggestion as to where I can find more information
I would appreciate it. My email is jrylryll (at) yahoo.com
4(ii). Gerald Clinton Shirley born 10 March 1903 at
the Ettington estate in Trelawny; Father: Henry Shirley of Hyde
Hall, planter; Mother: Ethyl Shirley formerly Phillpotts nothing
more known
4(iii). Irma/Izma Henrietta Shirley born 23 September
1904 at Kingston (according to immigration record). Her father
was listed at time of birth as a planter of Hyde Hall, surname
Barnet-Shirley; mother Ethyl Phillpott. "Izma" immigrated
to the US in 1922 from Cristobal Canal Zone on the ship Colon,
two years before her mother and 2 sisters. She lists mother Ethyl
Shirley as next of kin in Panama and that she was meeting her
father Henry Shirley at 56th Street New York; Complexion: white;
hair: brown; eyes: brown
4(iv). Beryl Shirley (Is she Irma?) born about 1909
at Gorgona Canal Zone (according to US immigration); age 21 in
the family household, 1930 US Federal Census for Hempstead NY;
born England; chief ?oplistie at telephone company
4(iv). Cecily Shirley born 9 September 1910 at Gorgona
Canal Zone (according to US immigration), age 19 in the family
household, 1930 US Federal Census for Hempstead NY; born England;
typist at telephone company
3(ii) [presumed] Leicester Colville Shirley born 5
August 1878 at Hyde Hall Trelawny to Eliza Stoney [no father
named]. He died 27 December 1883 of fever at Hyde Hall, Trelawny,
age 5. His Shirley surname was listed in the death certificate
Other children, supposedly via Elizabeth Stoney:
3(iii). Leila Houlton/Moulton/ Shirley (tradition
says half sister of Michael Alfred Barnett Shirley). She
may be the Leila May Stoney born to Eliza Mare Stoney at Pimento
Walk Trelawny on 29 January 1890.
"Growing up, I had always heard that Gerald and Leila
had a white mother. Hence they were my grandfather’s half
siblings, but they knew each other very well growing up. And
I understood that Leicester [Shirley] changed the second name
to keep the children straight according to their mothers. Hence
my grandfather had Barnett in his sequence of names. I thought
that Gerald and Leila were Bolton, but in my study of this, I
saw Houlton or Moulton as being names from Leicester Colville’s
mother. So I am unsure of this."
Email Sept 2018: ....Y DNA testing sponsored by the Shirley
Association and his line is through Leicester and Eliza Stoney.
Leila apparently has the same mother.
Leila Shirley, half sister of
Michael Alfred Barnet Shirley
(Photo in possession of M.A.B. Shirley family, name Leila
written on back)
3(iv). Gerald Moulton/Bolton/Barnett Shirley born about
1869 [age 36 at time of marriage in 1905] He Apparently
witnessed the marriage of his half brother Henry Percy Barnett
Shirley in 1899. He died on 6 August 1909 of pneumonia, age 39
at Port Antonio Portland parish, occupation: customs officer.
(middle name appears as Moulton as marriage witness, and as
Bolton in one child's birth record, and Barnett at all other
times)
Ancestor of DNA Kit #33306
matches DNA of other descendants of Bernard Shirley via Edmund
Shirley (m Mary Ivy Mann)
married Susan Subani (East Indian) and had many children
Email 2015: It is my understanding
that Gerald Barnett Shirley had relations with an East Indian
woman by the name of Susan Subani. From their union, my grandfather
was born. I show that when my grandfather was about 7 years old,
Gerald married Adela Holwell and had one daughter Agnes, in 1907.
Susan Subani left Jamaica for New York around that time, leaving
Reginald. I am trying to contact the Lewin family as they have
more details on Susan. Reginald married my grandmother Estella
Reid and had 9 legitimate children. There were one or two illegitimate
ones also.
married Adela Mercedes Hollwell on 19 November 1905
at Falmouth, Trelawny. Adela Shirley apparently had an illigitimate
child after the death of her husband. The child, Gerald Shirley,
died as a 2 month old infant on 21 August 1911. She was a dressmaker
in Kingston at the time.
19 November 1905, a Gerald Barnett Shirley bachelor age
36 planter of Eingdon [sic] Trelawny, son of Leicester Shirley
[Why not "esq."?] married Adela Mercedes Holwell, spinster
age 19 teacher of Falmouth Trelawny, daughter of Charles Hollwell.
The marriage was witnessed by Leila Shirley
children:
4(i). Reginald Barnett Shirley born 12 October 1898
[source: tombstone]; His occupation was listed as shopkeeper
at the time of his two childrens' birth in 1922 and 1925 and
butcher at the time of his daughter Leonie's birth in 1929. He
died 8 December 1966; buried at St Michael's Clarks Town, Trelawny
Jamaica.
In Loving Memory of a Dear Husband and Father
Reginald Barnett Shirley
Born 12th October 1898
Died 8th December 1966
Sadly Missed by All
Email Nov 2015: My maiden name is Angela Shirley, and I
have been researching my family tree. I have managed to trace
roots from Bernard Shirley of London where I was born, all the
way to my grandfather Reginald Shirley, born in Trelawny, Jamaica.
My lineage goes as follows:
Bernard Shirley Esq - Henry Barnett Shirley - Leicester Colville
Shirley – Gerald Moulton Barnett Shirley – Reginald
Barnett Shirley – Lester Reginald Shirley (my father). Do
you know if your book follows this lineage in depth? On your
site there are some gaps I may be able to answer regarding Michael
Alfred Shirley of Panama.
Email Sept 2018: ....Y DNA testing sponsored by the Shirley
Association and his line is through Leicester and Eliza Stoney.
Leila apparently has the same mother.
married Estella Reid. She was born about 1894 in Trelawny
(age 81 at death in 1975). She died 2 November1975 at St Andrews
Parish, age 81, widow of Reginald Shirley, businessman. Informant
at death was son Lester Shirley.
children:
5(i). Donald Alexander Shirley born about 1920, age
24 at the time of his marriage in 1944 at Duncans Trelawny, son
of Reginald Barnett Shirley
5(ii). Etheline Maud Shirley born 26 Dec 1922 to Reginald
Shirley shopkeeper of Armagh Falmouth Trelawny and wife Estella
Shirley (nee Reid).
5(iii). Cleavland Shirley born 8 Jan 1924 to Reginald
Shirley shopkeeper of Falmouth Trelawny and wife Estella Shirley
(nee Reid).
5(iv). Victor Gordon Shirley born 24 Nov 1925 to Reginald
Shirley shopkeeper of Sherwood Trelawny and wife Estella Shirley
(nee Reid).
5(v). Lester Reginald Shirley born 21 November 1927
to Reginald Barnett Shirley butcher of Prospect Trelawny and
wife Estella Shirley (nee Reid).
5(vi). Leonie Bernice Shirley born 7 July 1929 to Reginald
Barnett Shirley butcher of Prospect Trelawny and wife Estella
Shirley (nee Reid).
5(vii). Adolph Shirley born 11 January 1933. He died
30 September 1999 according to USA Social Security death records,
son of Reginald Shirley and Estela Reid, a resident of North
Hills Los Angeles at one time.
Shirley book - Supposedly these are the children of Gerald
Barnet Shirley and Susan Subani (need confirmation - I don't
find any of these births, some appear similar to the above)
i. Donald SHIRLEY
ii. Gerald SHIRLEY
iii. Cleve SHIRLEY
iv. Victor SHIRLEY
v. Lester SHIRLEY
vi. Adolph SHIRLEY
vii. Lee SHIRLEY
viii. Normafay SHIRLEY
ix. Keith SHIRLEY
x. Glennor SHIRLEY
xi. Janet SHIRLEY
xii. Faith SHIRLEY
4(ii). Agnes Eliza Mercedes Shirley born 10 January
1907 at Kingston, daughter of Gerald Barnett Shirley of Face
View Pimento Walk Duncans, planter, and Adela Mercedes Shirley
(nee Holwell)
4(iii). Leicester Colville Shirley born 3 November
1908 at Port Antonio Portland Parish, son of Gerald Bolton
Shirley of Port Antonio Portland, customs officer, and wife Mary
Adela Shirley (nee Holwell) The birth record was signed as Gerald
Bolton Shirley
illigitimate children with Olivia Elizabeth Martin,
later Harmond
Email Aug 2016: Uncle Mike listed Mrs Elizabeth Harmon
on his personnel record of dependents in 1929. Turns out she
married Richard Harmond and had three children with him, Isabella
(b 1890 at Trelawny), John Israel (b 1893 at Trelawny), and Nehemiah
(b d 1896, mother Olivia Eliz Martin).
[Ed: An Elizabeth Harmond, wife of Richard, died at Kingston
on 18 Jun 1930, age 74 (b 1856)]
3(iv). Michael
Alfred Barnett Shirley born in Duncan, Trelawny on 30
November 1877; Lived in Panama; 1930 US census in Gatun states
Michael Shirley's father is an Englishman (thus, his mother
Elizabeth Martin would have been about age 21 at time of MAB
Shirley's birth)
Email 2014: My research has taken me to Michael Alfred
Barnett Shirley’s Panama Canal personnel records stored
in St. Louis, Missouri, and that yielded a real gem about his
mother, Elizabeth Harmon Martin from a handwritten form in his
hand from 1929; a death certificate from 1968 that says his maternal
surname was Maritn; and, best of all, from the National Archives
of the Republic of Panama, a certification of registry listing
his father as Lester Colville Shirley and his mother as Elizabeth
Harmon Martin having entered Panama in 1906.
3(vi). unknown son (source of this son?)
3(vii). Agnes Shirley (apparently a sister of Leila)
she died at a young age.
"Lelia Moulton/Houlton Shirley is my great great aunt.
I have limited information about an Agnes who is supposed to
be Leila's sister. Lelia took care of my grandmother, Clemenica
Antonio (married name) when Clemenica's mother Agnes died ( at
a young age). From stories told to me Agnes was the legitimate
child and Lelia was not but I cannot find ANY info about her."
- Michelle July 2013
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Bernard Shirley, esq