Have you ever heard of Dorothea Christina Thomas?
Born on the island of Grenada within the Caribbean in 1796, Dorothea was the youngest daughter of the extraordinary Dorothy ‘Doll’ Thomas.
Doll had established wealth and repute after being given her freedom from slavery. UCL information present that Doll’s enterprise concerned renting out enslaved individuals. She additionally spent greater than a decade securing the liberty of her kids and different relations.
Decided her personal kids and grandchildren would develop up properly educated, in 1810 Doll moved the household to Britain. Her sons have been enrolled in Greenback Academy, Clackmannanshire, whereas 14 12 months outdated Dorothea was despatched to ending faculty in London.
1883 engraving of Greenback Academy taken from ‘Reminiscences of Greenback, Tillycoultry and different districts adjoining the Ochils’ by William Gibson. © Courtesy of HES
A Proposal
At 17, Dorothea was again in Grenada and romantically concerned with a service provider’s son.
They wished a legally binding marriage, which might give him management of his spouse’s cash. In a sample that historical past would repeat, Doll wished to protect her daughter’s monetary independence.
A authorized settlement was drawn up. If the service provider’s son stayed till Dorothea reached the age of 21, they may marry. Regardless of the £2,000 bond, he returned to England, leaving Dorothea, their 18 month daughter and a string of different illegitimate kids.
A Transfer to Glasgow
Her coronary heart was quickly mended by Main John Gordon, a Scottish navy man.
They couple exchanged rings at a non-public ceremony. Underneath colonial regulation in Demerara, this was all that was legally required.
John was recalled to Scotland they usually moved to Glasgow. Their son, Huntly George Gordon, was born in Glasgow on 20 Aug 1821.
Glasgow’s Broomielaw Bridge was truly opened in 1836, some years after the couple relocated there. © Courtesy of HES
However marital bliss was brief lived. Although accounts state they have been very caring for one another, John’s revenue dropped and he started to resent Dorothea and her mom for his or her dependency on Doll’s wealth.
“You all the time inform me about your well-known mom. Do you actually suppose I’m afraid of her? I might quickly have her put in jail the place she would get her heels cooled.”
John determined he ought to formally marry Dorothea underneath Scottish regulation. He requested for a £10,000 dowry to take action.
Doll refused – in her eyes, her daughter was married. It appears Doll wished her daughter to be in a proper relationship, however free from authorized ties that might entitle John to Dorothea’s personal cash.
Fortunately Ever After?
Ultimately John appeared to just accept that his way of life was depending on his mother-in-law. The reconciled couple moved to Edinburgh.
Nonetheless, in 1826, John knowledgeable Dorothea that he had met one other girl – a widow with a £300 revenue.
In a letter held by the Nationwide Data of Scotland he confused they have been by no means formally married, begging “forgive and neglect a person who loves you and ever shall proceed to take action whereas in life”.
Heartbroken, Dorothea went to court docket to combat his declare that their son was illegitimate and show their marriage by “behavior and reputation”.
The case went to the Court docket of Session in Parliament Sq., Edinburgh. There, John’s household gave proof claiming they didn’t know him to be married.
Edinburgh Court docket of Session © Courtesy of HES (B C Clayton Assortment)
Sadly, a lot of Dorothea’s proof that they have been husband and spouse got here from servants and shopkeepers. Their phrase wasn’t thought-about as priceless as these in John’s social circle.
A Lasting Legacy
Following her failed court docket case, Dorothea returned to Doll’s aspect in Demerara.
However the case helped to outline the necessities of ‘marriage by cohabitation with behavior and reputation’ – a type of marriage recognised in Scots regulation till 2006.
As for Dorothea’s son, Huntly was raised as a part of the Scottish household by his step-mother. He went on to review at Edinburgh’s Royal Faculty of Surgeons and rose to the place of surgeon normal within the British Military.
