Will of Dr. Thomas Pollard:- To my wife Caroline Henrietta Pollard, all her jewels, plate wearing apparel that she was possessed of at the time of her marriage and since given to her. I have by deed granted to my son Walter Pollard my equal half part of two parcels of land in Virginia which were drawn in the lottery of Colonel Bird between John Tucker, Esq., of the Parish of St. Michael Barbados and myself. I hereby confirm the gift and also 20 pounds most sincerely regretting it is not in my power to make more ample provision for him, the very limited state of my fortune totally putting it out of my power.
My executrices named to sell any part of my residuary estate. And whereas I have received and used considerable sums of money the property of my said wife, I direct the money arising from such sale to be equally divided between my said wife and my daughter Ruth Pollard, and I appoint them executrices of my will. Dated 10th March 1786. Proved 10 April 1786. Allowed in Barbados 1 June 1786 and again recorded there in 1798.
Probate issuing out of Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 10 April 1786, of Will of Thomas Pollard of the City of Bath, Dr. of Physic granted to daughter Ruth, spinster, one of the executors.
Ruth Pollard of Bath, spinster, executrix and residuary devisee then appointed John
Tucker, Paul Bedford and Thomas Peerce all of Barbados with Powers of Attorney 17 April 1786.
On Ruth Gardiner's death 5 Feb 1797, Mrs. Caroline Henrietta Pollard of Bath widow and relict
of Thomas Pollard deceased, and surviving executrix, appointed Joseph Mayers, Paul Bedford
and Francis Workman 27 July 1797, with powers of Attorney.
A number of letters to his brother Walter are in the HArdwicke MSS. 35655 in the British
Museum and cover the period 27 May 1771 - 30 Jan 1774
The Governers sent the School home for a week and expelled the ringleaders altogether. among those mentioned above was Richard Wellesly, the future Governor General of India.
Walter Pollard then went to the Rev. Dr. Parr's School at Stanmore.
After the destruction of his father's estate he returned to London and practised at the Bar. In December 1783 he left for America and landed at Charlestown in February 1784. He first moved to Richmond, Virginia, where he attempted to obtain possession of some land which his father had won in a lottery. He also attempted to practise his profession at Caniden, South Carolina. In both these projects he seems to have been unsuccessful. The war of independence had left much ill feeling except in Philadelphia to which he moved later.
On the 12th April 1788 he sailed for Barbados, where he suffered recurring fevers and finally returned to England about June 1789, with his health broken and little or nothing achieved. His old friends rallied to his assistance and by their influence he obtained a post in Customs as second assistant to the Surveyor of the King's Warehouse in the Port of London from 16 Dec 1791. Again in July 1794, his friends Hardwicke and Abercorn came to his help and he was appointed to a better post as Controller of the Exchequer Bill Pay Office. He still held this post on 25 Aug 1812. In 1796 he resided at Bench Buildings, Inner Temple.
Walter Pollard left a vast corresponence which his friend Philip Yorke, afterwards 3rd Lord Hardwicke, preserved among the Hardwicke MSS., now at the British Museum. These are numbered 35655 and 35656 and cover the period 1771 - 1812.
In his last letter he mentions a daughter "threatened by most fatal consequences" and in his Will he mentions a son Edward and his wife Mary. His will ((Ellenbro' 36) is signed Walter Pollard, Chelsea, Kings Parade, dated 13 Feb 1818 and proved 20 Jan 1819.
Abstract from his will:-"I give to my said wife such of my furniture as she
may find convenient, the rest of my effects, my good books, are to be sold except such as may
serviceable to my son Edward for his education, and of that money arising from the sale and of
whatever I may be worth at my death, one third I leave to my wife and the remainder to my son
Edward Pollard." Proved at London by the oath of Mary Pollard, Widow.