Col Abraham Robarts MP

  General Notes:

He was a West Indian factor and East India Company director and a director of the Royal Exchange Assurance becoming in 1792 a partner with William Curtis in Robarts, Curtis, Were, Hornyold and Berwick of Cornhill and then Lombard Street.

He was also a partner in Lechmere's Bank in Worcester which, it seems, led to his election unopposed in 1796 in succession to his partner Edmund Lechmere "who was hard up".

He was described as "the fortunate loan contractor" having been in Walter Boyd's consortium since 1794.

It is clear that he was an active and, it seems, prominent Member.

He was worth £500,000 when he died.

He was buried at St Dunstan Stepney being described as "of Taplow".

Abraham Robarts (died 1816), banker, MP, son of Capt. Abraham Robarts. He married Miss Tierney, as in Burke's Landed Gentry for Robarts of Lillingstone Lovell. He was MP for Worcester from 1796 till he died in 1816. He can be noted as a slaver since in Christie on non-elite MPs he appears as a West India factor as well as an EICo director. He was also a partner in Lechmere's bank in Worcester. His daughter, Sabine, married into the line of Grant-Dalton formerly Thellusson of Brodsworth Hail. Edna Healey, Coutts, pp. 405ff. Robarts' bank with (Sir) William Curtis began in 1791 at 15 Lombard St., the site of the old Lloyd's Coffee House. A firm Robarts, Payne, and Robarts of Kings Arms Yard were involved in the 1773 tea deals provoking the Boston Tea Party.

These then were the men who held it in their power to give the Pacific Ocean a different history, who held it in their power to create situations meaning that what is now Australian history could have been less dominated by the topic of convictism.

They inhabited Britain's top echelon of merchants, and it is strange their negativity to opening the Pacific has never been seriously examined. From the list of East India Company directors above, only two names can be associated with convict transportation, and these only peripherally, if at all: Paul Le Mesurier as an alderman; and Abraham Robarts, a partner in banking with alderman William Curtis.

The Gentleman's Magazine

At Taplow, in his 72nd year, Abraham Robarts, esq. M. P. for Worcester, an eminent banker, partner with Sir W. Curtis, in Lombard-street ; an ex-director of the East India Company ; and colonel of the first regiment of East India volunteers. He first represented the city of Worcester in 1796.

The Times 16 9 1786: On Tuesday evening Abram Robarts Esq, an India Director, was robbed in his coach going to Highgate.

From the Dictionary of National Biography:

Robarts family (per. c.1780 - 1914), bankers, came to prominence with Abraham Robarts (1745 - 1816), born on 27 September 1745 in Stepney, Middlesex, the son of Captain Abraham Robarts and his wife, Elizabeth, née Wildey. He married Sabine, daughter of Thomas Tierney and sister of the Rt Hon. George Tierney MP, sometime leader of the whig opposition, on 16 June 1774. Well connected in the political world, the family was also well placed in the City of London. Already a director of the Royal Exchange Assurance by 1781, West India factor, and East India Company director (1788 - 92, 1793 - 7, 1799\endash 1803, 1804\endash 7), Abraham Robarts went into partnership with Curtis, Were, Hornyold, and Berwick of Cornhill in 1792, and was based at 15 Lombard Street, the site of the old Lloyd's Coffee House, from 1795. Besides his London banking interests, he was also a partner in Lechmere's Bank at Worcester, and thus began a long family connection with this city. As a successor to Edmund Lechmere he held the seat in parliament as a whig, was returned unopposed in 1796, and fought off challenges in 1802, 1806, and 1812. He had unsuccessfully contested Wootton Bassett in 1784. His parliamentary career was relatively pedestrian, but he was known to have been a 'staunch friend' (Thorne, 23) of the abolition of the slave trade and to have voted both for an inquiry into ministerial corruption and for parliamentary reform.

Economics and politics also mixed when Robarts was the 'leading man' (Cope, 58) of Walter Boyd's consortium in 1794, and when his firm donated £30,000 to the loyalty loan in 1797. He was an advocate of the 'principle and strict practice of banking' (Pressnell, 412) and the company, by the turn of the century, were already 'princes amongst London agents' (ibid., 405). In March 1806 a consortium of which he was a member secured the government loan contract. In this instance, as in others, Robarts was uncompromising in his attitude towards business. Similarly, in the series of banking panics of December 1825, 1836, and November 1840 his firm was seen as a rock amid the uncertain waters of some stormy financial weather. His forthright language and approach were not confined to his dealings with Pitt, government ministers, or his connections in the City, but extended to his colleagues in the country banks. Good practice may have begun in London but certainly, he believed, it should not have ended there.

This attitude, however, masks both Robarts's generosity towards his family and his voluntarist spirit. He was a commissioner of lieutenancy for the City of London and colonel of the first regiment of the East India volunteers. Accordingly, on his death at Taplow on 26 November 1816, aged seventy-one, he left money to the relief of distressed officers in the East India Company, to his servants, and to all his clerks in the bank. Despite his lukewarm political support for George Tierney, he made substantial bequests to the Tierney family in his will. However, he left the lion's share of £350,000 and a country estate to the eldest of his four sons and £10,000 to each of his three daughters. His middle sons, George and James, were left £33,892 and £22,251 respectively.

Also:

His father-in-law, Abraham Robarts (1745-1816) seems to have had a complex position in relation to issues of slavery and slave-based production. Robarts was well established in colonial trade and banking in the late eighteenth century. He was a regular East India Company director from 1788-1807, a director of the Royal Exchange Assurance from 1781 and a leading London banker by the mid 1790s, entering the 1794 government loan contract as a leading supporter of Boyd. He also had firm links with the slave-based colonies as a 'West India factor', and an advocate in parliament for the assembly in Dominica, a connection reportedly established through trade links with a Mr Gillan, himself once a member of the Council of Dominica. His biographer claims he was 'uncompromising in his attitude towards business'. However, by the early nineteenth century Robarts was reportedly against the slave trade as Thorne refers to him as a '"staunch friend"' of abolition of the slave trade, though he does not appear to have spoken in parliament on this issue. This position may have been influenced by Robarts' marriage into the Tierney family, and in particular his connections with his radical brother-in-law, George Tierney and the reforming wing of the Whig party. His connection with Tierney was not, however, straightforward as Robarts is said to have been only 'lukewarm' in his political support for him though he did vote in favour of parliamentary reform. Robarts' eldest son, Abraham Wildey Robarts (1779-1858) while a staunch Whig and supporter of Tierney, received £1,517 9s 10d in 1836 as mortgagee of over half the slaves on an estate in Dominica.

  Research Notes:

In the name of God Amen

Abraham Robarts of Grosvenor Street in the parish of St George Hanover Square in the County of Middlesex Esquire being of sound and disposing mind and memory do make this my last will and testament in the following form and manner.

First I commend my soul to Almighty God in the full hope and expectation that through the merits and intercession of our beloved Saviour I may find pardon for all the numerous sins and transgressions of which I have been guilty and that I may be translated to Eternal life and happiness and if I should die in London or within twenty miles of it I desire to be buried in my family vault in Stepney Church Yard without any parade or show only a hearse with four horses and our coach & four and with such of my {illegible} servants as may be living with us at the time of my decease but I do not desire any of my friends or relatives to attend me to the grave as I have to often experienced the melancholy task imposed on myself the coffin to be quite plain with black cloth and sharp nails and merely a plate with my name and age and time of my death if I should die at any distance beyond twenty miles from London then I desire to be buried at the nearest parish church where I may happen to breathe my last.

I direct all the debts which I shall or owe at the time of my decease also the duty charges and expenses of proving this my will to be paid out of my personal estate.

I give and bequeath to my dear wife Sabine Robarts the sum of five hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid out immediately after my death for her immediate use & expenditure and I do hereby in compliance with the engagement generally entered into by all the East India investors immediately after their having been elected give and bequeath to the treasurers for the time being of Poplar Hospital for the relief of decayed officers in the East India service the sum of one hundred, fifty pounds for the use & benefit of the said hospital to be paid out of my personal estate as soon as conveniently may be after my decease.

I give to the Right Honourable George Tierney brother of my said wife the sum of one thousand pounds and I give to Mrs Anna Maria Tierney the present wife of the said George Tierney brother of my said wife the sum of one thousand and I give to Mrs Anna Maria Tierney the present wife of the said George Tierney brother of my said wife the sum of one thousand pounds for her own separate use and benefit not to be not to be subject to the control or authority of her husband and nor exempt for that same to be a sufficient discharge and in the case of the death of either of them the said George Tierney or Anna Maria in my lifetime I give such said sums of one thousand pounds and one thousand pounds to the survivor of the said George Tierney or Anna Maria I give to each of the three children of the said George Tierney by his said present wife Mrs Anna Maria Tierney, Madeline Tierney and George Tierney the sum of five hundred pounds and in case any one or more of the said three children of the said George Tierney by his present wife shall die in my lifetime then I bequeath the legacy or legacies thereinbefore bequeathed to such child or children who shall die in my lifetime unto such of the same children as shall be living at my decease and if more than one equally to be divided between them and to be in addition to his her or their original legacy or legacies.

I give to Charlotte Ann Robarts wife of my son Abraham Wildey Robarts as a small testimony of the esteem and regard I entertain for her the sum of two hundred pounds for her separate use exclusive of her husband and for which her receipt shall be a sufficient discharge.

As a testimony of the respect which I bear to my long acquainted {?} friend & partner in the banking house Sir William Curtis Baronet I give him the sum of two hundred pounds.

I give to George Smalley now under the tuition of a clergyman the sum of fifty pounds.

I give to Mr John {illegible} second now partner with my son William Tierney Robarts the sum of one hundred pounds.

To Mr George Barrett now a clerk in their employ the sum of one hundred pounds.

To Mrs Ann Kell {?} servant to my wife she having lived for a long series of years and always committing herself us the most satisfactory manner the sum of two hundred pounds if she shall be living in my family at my death.

To Sarah Stenson female servant to my daughters who has lived in my family many years provided she shall be therein or in the family of any of my daughters at my death the sum of {illegible} hundred pounds.

To Samuel Hattersley {?} my coachman who has lived in that capacity several years the sum of one hundred pounds if he shall be in my service at my death.

To John Bushwell {?} my present butler the sum of one hundred pounds if he shall be in my service at my death.

To William {illegible} footman and Elizabeth Williams housemaid (if they shall respectively be in my service at my death) the sum of fifty pounds apiece .

To each of the servants whether male or female who shall have been in my service four years before and shall be therein at my death the sum of fifty pounds to all such other servants whether male or female who shall be in my service at my death but have lived with me less time than four years I give one years wages over and above what may appear due to them separately for wages.

I give to each of the clerks in the banking house in which I am a partner in Lombard Street the sum of ten pounds apiece for mourning to be paid immediately on my death.

I give Mrs Margaret Madocks of Bath the sum of one hundred pounds and to her sister Mary Madocks of the same place the sum of one hundred pounds and in case either of them shall die in my lifetime then both the said two last mentioned legacies of one hundred pounds and one hundred pounds to be paid to the survivor.

I do direct that all the legacies heretofore given for payment of which no time is fixed shall be paid within six calendar months next after my decease and I do will and direct that such of the before mentioned legacies as are given to servants or to the clerks in the banking house in Lombard Street and also that legacies hereinbefore by me bequeathed to Margaret Madocks and Mary Madocks shall be respectively paid in full without deduction & free from the legacy duty or any other duty attaching thereon or the or the expense of legacy stamps income duty & stamps shall be paid out of my personal estate.

I do hereby confirm the settlement made upon my marriage with my said dear wife in the year 1774 & every act matter & thing that has been included that has been made done or {illegible} or in pursuance thereof.

I also give and bequeath unto my said wife all my household furniture, plate, plated articles, silver, china, glass, wearing apparel, carriages and carriage and saddle horses of every sort with all the harness and other things belonging to them together with all my wines and liquors of every denomination& the glass and bottles in which such wines and liquors my be contained & all my books, clocks, watches, seals & trinkets and all my said wife's jewels & trinkets & the other ornaments of her person to and for her own absolute use & benefit.

Whereas by the will of the late George Lord Carbery I am entitled to a legacy of five hundred pounds {?} I do hereby give said legacy of five hundred pounds and all interest in respect thereof to my said wife to be applied for her own use & as she shall think proper.

I give and bequeath to my sons Abraham Wildey Robarts and William Tierney Robarts all that my leasehold house being No 49 situate in Lower Grosvenor Street in the County of Middlesex in which I now reside and the stables, buildings, yards, offices and other appoints thereunto belonging or occupied therewith. To hold the same unto the said Abraham Wildey Robarts and William Tierney Robarts their executors advisors & assigns for all the town {?} estate & interest which I shall have therein at the time of my death upon trust to permit and suffer my said wife to reside in and occupy the same during her life without paying or being accountable to my said trustees or to my execs or estate for any sum or sums of money by way of rent or for {illegible} amount thereof she my said wife paying the taxes as well as parliamentary or parochial and the ground rent payable in respect of the said house and keeping the same in repair and from and after the decease of my said wife upon trust for my said son Abraham Wildey Robarts his executors advisors & assigns for his & their own use & benefit during the then residue of my town {?} estate and interest therein.

I give and devise unto my eldest son the said Abraham Wildey Robarts and his sons my farm and lands called Bushollols in the parish of Wooburn in the County of Bucks also my farm and lands called Clemmens {?} in the said parish and the tythes arising from a farm called Pinkneys near Maidenhead in the County of Berks and a freehold field behind the houses on the right hand side of Stepney Causeway in the parish of St Dunstans Stepney in the County of Middlesex and the plot of land near or adjoining {illegible} whirls {?} I sometime ago purchased from the Commissioners of the Commercial Road and also my freehold estate at Lillingstone Dayrell in the County of Bucks purchased by me from Sir Francis Baring and all other my real estates whatsoever and wheresoever situate and the rents and profits thereof to aforesaid executor and from the quarter day next proceeding my decease together with such land tax as I have purchased on my said estates to hold that same unto my said son Abraham Wildey Robarts, his heirs and assigns absolutely forever.

Whereas I have already advanced and given to each of my sons several sums of money that is to say to each of my said sons Abraham Wildey Robarts and William Tierney Robarts the sum of twenty thousand pounds for his own use & benefit absolutely.

To my son Lieutenant Colonel George James Robarts the sum of six thousand one hundred and seven pounds & 10 shillings for his own use & benefit absolutely.

To my son James Thomas Robarts now one of the supercargoes in the service of the East India Company at Canton the sum of seven thousand and forty eight pounds fifteen shillings and eight for his own use & benefit absolutely.

I so hereby give and bequeath to my said sons in addition to the said sums of money so by me already advanced and given to them as aforesaid the following sums of money that is to say:

I give and bequeath to my said son Abraham Wildey Robarts the sum of ten thousand pounds of lawful money of Great Britain.

I give and bequeath to my said son George James Robarts the sum of thirty three thousand eight hundred and ninety two pounds ten shillings of like lawful money.

I give and bequeath to my said son James Thomas Robarts the sum of twenty two thousand five hundred and fifty pounds four shillings and four pence of like lawful money.

I give and bequeath to my said son William Tierney Robarts the sum of ten thousand pounds of like lawful money.

I give and bequeath to each of my four daughters {illegible} Sophia Charlotte Robarts, Louisa Catherine Robarts, Marianne Robarts and Sidney Robarts the sum of ten thousand pounds of like lawful money.

I direct that the said bequests {?} to my said sons & daughters shall be paid out before the end of twelve calendar months next after my death or earlier at the discretion of execs with interest thereon at and after the rate of four percent per annum respectively from the day of my death until payment provided always and I do hereby declare it to be my will that in case I shall cut any of these or times {?} after this the date of my will give or advance any sum or sums of money for or towards the preferment or advancement of all or any said four sons or for the preferment or advancement in marriage of all or any of my four unmarried daughters then and in such case if such money or sums of money so to be given or advanced shall be equal to {illegible} that legacy or legacies hereinbefore bequeathed to such survivor {illegible} daughter or daughters such advanced sum or {illegible} shall be accounted{illegible} full for the legacy or legacies hereinbefore given to such son or sons daughter or daughters respectively but if such advance or sum or sums shall be less than their legacy or legacies hereinbefore by this my will given to such son or sons daughter or daughters then such advanced sum or sums shell be accounted as part of the legacy or legacies hereinbefore by me given or intended for such to such son or sons daughter or daughters respectively.

I give and bequeath unto the said Abraham Wildey Robarts & William Tierney Robarts herein executors and administrators the sum of eight thousand pounds of like lawful money of Great Britain to be paid to them at the end of six months next after my decease upon trust to lay out and invest the amount in their names or in the name of the survivor of them in the public stocks or funds of Great Britain or on real security in England and to alter vary or transpose such stocks funds or securities from time to time as they or he shall in their or his discretion think proper and to stand professed of and interested in the said sum of eight thousand pounds and the stocks funds or securities in or upon which they believe shall be invested or laid out. The trust for the four children hereinafter named of my late daughter Sabine Thelluson deceased late the wife of Charles Thelluson Esquire also deceased that is to say Charles Thelluson, Alexander Thelluson, Adeline Thelluson & Thomas Robarts Thelluson or such of them as shall be living at my decease equally to be divided between or among them share and share alike and if there shall be but one of said four children living at my decease then in trust for such one of them and the shares of each of them the said Charles Thelluson, Alexander Thelluson and Thomas Robarts Thelluson who shall be living at my decease shall be all interest {?} vested in him at the age of twenty one years and the share of the said Adeline Thelluson if living at my decease shall be an in trust {illegible} at her age of twenty one years or on the day of her marriage which shall first happen and in case any of them the said Charles Thelluson, Alexander Thelluson, Thomas Robarts Thelluson shall die under the age of twenty one years or in case the said Adeline Thelluson shall die under that age without having been married then the share or shares of him her or them so dying aforesaid in the said eight thousand pounds stocks funds or securities shall go and contract to the survivors or survivor and others or other of them equally to be divided between them and the share or shares so surviving or {illegible} shall rest in such surviving child or children at that same time as I have hereinbefore provided {illegible} whatever for that original share or shares and such benefit of survivorship and actual shall extend as well {illegible} as to the original share or shares and in case at the time of my decease there shall living any of the said four children of deceased daughter whose share or respective shares of and in the said sum of eight thousand pounds or the stocks funds & wherein the sum or any part or parts thereof shall be invested shall not be then vested in him her or them respectively upon trust that they the said trustees or trustee for the case being such & do direct meantime from after my decease until the presumptive share of each of such children for that sum being of and in the said sum of eight thousand pounds stocks shares & securities shall become interest vested in his or her accumulate the income or interest dividends & annual product of the presumptive share for the time being cash both {?} child to the interest that the accumulations to be acquired by or produced from each such presumptive share may be added to & become part & go along with the original share from which the same shall be produced and belong to the person or persons who under this my will shall become ultimately become entitled to such original share or shares but in case there {last line on page illegible}.

I direct that the surplus of the income of the presumptive share of cash such child for the time being from that time to time be accumulated to the intent that the accumulations to be acquired or produced from such presumptive share may be added to and become part of and go along with the original share from which the same shall be produced and belong to the person or persons who by virtue of or under this my will shall become ultimately entitled to such original share or shares but in case any of my said four heirs shall die in the lifetime of my said wife without having had a child lawfully begotten or having had any such child or children of such son or respective sons so dying in the lifetime of my said wife as aforesaid shall die without having acquired a vested interest in the parts or shares of his her or their deceased parent or parents then I direct that my said trustees and the survivor and the survivor of them and the exeqs and advisors of such survivor shall and do after the decease of my said wife stand professed of the part or share parts or shares of each such son dying in the lifetime of my said wife as aforesaid and of whom there shall be no child who shall live to attain a vested interest as aforesaid of and in as well the said one hundred and twenty five thousand pounds or as the case may be the whole residue of my personal estate not exceeding that sum as also the ultimate surplus of the residue of my personal estate beyond the said one hundred and twenty five thousand pounds in trust for the sons or advance of such son as part of the personal estate.

I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said wife & my said sons Abraham Wildey Robarts & William Tierney Robarts executrix and execs of this my will provided always and I do hereby declare my will and mind to be that if the said trustees nominated and appointed by this my will respectively as aforesaid or either of them or any future trustee or trustees to be appointed in the place or stead of them or any of them as in hereafter mentioned shall happen to die or be desirous of being discharged of and from or refuse or decline or become incapable to act in the trusts hereby in them respectively reposed as aforesaid before the said trusts shall be fully executed performed or discharged then and in such case and when and so often as the same shall happen it shall and may be lawful to and for the surviving or continuing or other trustees or trustee of the trust premises the trustee or trustees of which shall so die or be desirous of being discharged or decline or become incapable to act as aforesaid by any writing or writings under their his or hers hands and seals or hand and seal to be attested by two or more credible witnesses from time to time to nominate substitute and appoint any other person or persons to be a trustee or trustees in the stead or place of the trustee or trustees so dying or desiring to be discharged or refusing declining or becoming incapable to act as aforesaid and that when and so after as any new trustee or trustees shall be nominated and appointed as aforesaid all the trust estates monies and premises the trustee or trustees of which die or desire to be discharged or refuse decline or become incapable to act as aforesaid with all convenient speed conveyed assigned and transferred in such sort and manner and so that same shall and may be legally and effectively vested in the surviving or continuing trustee or trustees of the same trust estates monies and premises and such new and other trustee or trustees or if there shall be no continuing trustee or trustees of the same trust premises then in such new trustee or trustees only and his her or their execs admins and assigns upon the same trusts as are hereinbefore declared of and concerning the same trust estates monies and premises respectively the trustee or trustees whereof shall so die or be desirous of being discharged or refuse decline or become incapable to act as aforesaid or of {last two to four lines illegible} or trustee for the time being shall in their or his discretion think proper for or towards the maintenance support & education of such child until such his or her share shall become vested or he or she shall previously die and I direct that the surplus of the interest of the presumptive share of each such child for the time being shall from time to time be accumulated to the intent that the accumulations to be acquired by or produced from each such presumptive share may be added to and become part of and go along with the original share from which the same shall be produced and belong to the person or persons who by virtue of or under this my will shall become ultimately entitled to such original share or shares but in case any of my said four daughters should die in the lifetime of my said wife without having had a child or children lawfully begotten or having had any such child or children in case the child or children of such daughter or respective daughters so dying in the lifetime of my said wife shall die without having acquired vested interest in the parts or shares to which his her or their parent or respective parents would have become entitled if living at the decease of my said wife then I direct that the three twenty fifth parts or shares to which each such daughter so dying and of whom there shall be no child entitled to a vested interest as aforesaid would have become entitled in case she had survived my said wife and the accumulations thereof, if any, shall sink into and become part of the ultimate surplus of the residue of my personal estate.

As for and concerning the ultimate surplus of the residue of my personal estate I do hereby direct that they, my said trustees, their execs and advisors shall and do from and after the decease of my said wife stand professed of and interested in the same upon two trusts following that is to say in trust for my said four sons the said Abraham Wildey Robarts, George James Robarts, James Thomas Robarts and William Tierney Robarts equally to be divided between them share and share alike provided always and I do hereby will and direct that in case any of them my said four sons shall depart this life in the lifetime of my said wife then they my said trustees and the survivor of them and the execs and advisors of such survivor shall and do after the decease of my said wife stand proposed of and interested in the part of share, parts or shares of each such son so dying in the lifetime of my said wife as well of and in the said one hundred and twenty five thousand pounds or as the case may be the whole residue of my personal estate not exceeding that sum as also of and in the ultimate surplus of my personal estate beyond the {illegible} sum of one hundred and twenty five thousand pounds in trust for all and every the child or children lawfully begotten living at my decease or born afterwards of each such son dying in the lifetime of my said wife as aforesaid who being a son or sons shall live to attain the age of twenty one years or being a daughter or daughters shall live to attain that age or be married equally to be divided between or amongst them. If more than one share and share alike and if there shall be but one such child who being a son shall live to attain the age of twenty one years or being a daughter shall live to attain that age or be married then in trust for such one child and in trust in the meantime after the decease of my said wife to apply the income of the presumptive share of each such child of each of my said sons during the lifetime of my said wife as aforesaid or so much thereof as my said trustees or trustee for the time being shall in their or his discretion think proper for or towards maintenance support and education of such child until such his of her share shall become vested or he or she shall previously die.

I {line missing at bottom of the page}…..such of them as shall or may be subsisting and capable of taking effect and that every such new trustee and trustees shall and my in all things act and assist in the management carrying on and execution of the trusts to which he or they shall be so appointed in conjunction with the others them surviving or continuing trustee or trustees of the same trust estates monies and premises if there shall be any such continuing trustee of if not then by himself herself or themselves as fully and effectively and with the same power & powers authority and authorities whatsoever as if he or they had been by this my will nominated a trustee or trustees for the purposes for which such new trustee or trustees respectively shall be appointed trustee or trustees any thing heretofore contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

I direct and declare that the receipt or receipts of the said Abraham Wildey Robarts and William Tierney Robarts or the survivor of them or of the trustee or trustees for the time being for any sum or sums of money to be received from or on account of my personal estate or otherwise to come to their or his hands by virtue of or under this my will shall be a good and sufficient discharges to any person or persons paying the same his her and their heirs execs or advisors for such money as in such receipt or receipts shall be expected to be received and that he she or they shall not afterwards be obliged to see to the application thereof or be answerable or accountable for any loss or misapplication of the same or any part thereof.

I direct that my said trustees and executors shall not be answerable or accountable for the acts deeds receipts or defaults of cash other but each of them for his own acts deeds receipts or defaults only and that they or either of them shall no be answerable or accountable for any loss which my happen to the said trust estate and premises unless the same shall happen by their wilful urges {?} and default respectively and that each of them shall and may reimburse himself and allow to his co-trustee or co-trustees or executor all such costs charges and expenses as they respectively shall or may incur in or about the execution of the trusts of this my will.

I hereby revoke all wills by me at any time heretofore made and declare this only to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I the said testator Abraham Robarts have to this my last will and testament contained in sixteen sheets of paper set my name and affixed my seal that is to say my name to the fifteen my name to the fifteen proceeding sheets and my name and seal to this sixteenth and last sheet thereof the nineteenth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixteen. Signed sealed published and delivered by the said testator Abraham Robarts as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses Mr Dennett of Lincoln Inn Fields, Meaburn Tatham, Mr Charles Kelly clerks to Mr Dennett.

Proved at London 14th December 1816

Total bequests and legacies £308,897

In 2002, £308897 0s 0d from 1830 is worth:

£19,242,225.91using the retail price index
£24,115,892.67using the GDP deflator
£204,159,785.99using average earnings
£269,239,223.35using per capita GDP
£669,361,608.09using the GDP

  Noted events in his life were:

• Address: Finsbury Square, London.

• Address: North End, Hampstead.

• Founding of Bank: 1791. Robarts(& Partners)Bank founded with(Sir)William Curtis at 15 Lombard Street, the site of the old Lloyd's Coffee House

• He worked as a MP for Worcester from 1796 to 1816.

Abraham married Sabine Tierney, daughter of Thomas Tierney and Sabine, on 16 Jun 1774.¹³ (Sabine Tierney was born in 1752 and died on 23 Sep 1833 in Russell Farm, Watford, Herts.)