10 Feb 1826

Clare Hall Feby 10^th 1826

Sir,

  I am sorry to say the first part of this letter is the most pleasant part for me to communicate, which is that surplus ??? for this year are good and that I shall be enable to send you at least 250 Hhds ??? They have cut fifteen Acres plant canes with a ….

 

It is very difficult to read first page and mostly seems to be minor estate news of sugar production. I will continue with the next readable page.

 

Accounts with for this Estate and Barbuda were sent by the Topaz, I hope they are correct I have had a good deal of trouble to get them arranged they are voluminous from the number of debts due when I came here.  I have now given directions that a regular Receipt book shall be kept, and every transaction entered in it, which I can if you wish it send annually with the accounts which I hope will be more simple than they now are.

  Now comes the most unpleasant part of this Letter, Mr Osborn went with me to Barbuda with the Hope of inducing some of the Negroes to come to your Estates, I had ordered them to be mustered, it went on pretty well certainly with some murmuring till we got nearly through the Women when they all declared they would not leave the Island unless compelled by force.  However I have got all the Tradesmen such as Masons and Carpenters to come with me to assist in their trades, but with a promise that they may return when this work is done, on these conditions they will at any time come over, and I trust that some of the young People will occasionally do the same.  I have offered to send back a certain number as often as they are replaced by others; I cannot depend on them, but I think I shall succeed.  I have now thirteen men with me five others have promised to come over to raise stones; by degrees perhaps they may be induced to remain after they have formed connections here; The rapid increase on that Island is very great, at giving out the Xtmas allowance there were one hundred and ten children, under those whose employment was merely to pick grass for the stable we have many more since the first is that they have formed an idea as most other Island have that after a certain time the Island will be given up to the King, and that will be at liberty to do just as they please and they think I am deceiving them when I tell them to the contrary, at the same time they are extremely obedient to any orders I give, except that of quitting the Island.

  I am much hurt and mortified at not being able to send you the proceeds of the wrecked sugar, which I had flattered myself to do.  The Manager on this Estate sold them for me unfortunately when I was in Barbuda the payment became due, he received the money, appropriated a large proportion of it for the care of the Estate, part of it paying the last two years to the Doctor for his attendance.  He was not aware that you had forbid me making use of the monies of one place for the other.  He is a most active young man and a good planter, and I think has the interest of the Estate at Heart, a thing of this kind will never happen again and must be replaced by this Estate as soon as possible  I am sure he did it from the best of motives as a large sum has been due many years to the Doctors, it is the first thing he has done without my order I am sure will be the last he is a valuable man to this Estate and I should be sorry to part to part with him.  I have as yet received no accounts from St. Vincents.  I shall return to Barbuda in a few days to get the Corn in, We have had a good deal of rain there which has prevented me taking up as many cattle as I would with a great mortality has taken place in Cattle lately your Windward Estates after they have had a good many are much in want of some at this moment I feel extremely obliged by your informing me of the plan of Mr. Garland I certainly had been very unwell but never had an idea of leaving this Country rely on it that you will be the first to hear of such a thing and as I can give you satisfaction I shall be happy to remain here My health is now perfectly restored which was occasioned principally from fatigue, the statement of the decrease of the value of Barbuda will soon be sent you I am enabled to go back many years

I remain

Sir Your Most Obedient Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: Gloucestershire Records Office, Microfilm no.351, Section no.6, D1610 C24
Accessed through Simon Fraser University library

17 Feb 1823

Clare Hall Feby 17^th 1823

Sir.

Your favor of 19^th Dec^r reached me while I was at Barbuda, I have just returned in time to answer it as the eight day Boat is in sight, & her orders are not to anchor. Since my last we have been in want of rain, the cane on this Estate have improved but very little, yet I still think we shall make the number of Hogshead’s I wrote in my last, I have planted two pieces for the next Crop, & have the whole of the land intended for the next Crop ready to plant in succession; we shall now be preparing for provisions, you may rely that no expense that can possibly be avoided shall take place. I shall take a particular care to see that the seeds you mention are properly registered.  I find the answer to your Bill in Chancery against Blackburn has come out, but in an informal manner, I was apposite(?) to know if I would wave the informality which I decline doing, it is therefore sent back, & will I suppose return as soon as possible, I write to apply to your lawyer to know the particulars which I will send you, & shall be happy to know how I am to act in case it may be given against you by the Court.

We have been dry at Barbuda, have gotten the yams and Hay, and shall next week I hope get the Corn Harvested(?) the latter will I trust be a tolerable crop, but from being obliged to supply the greater part of it four times it is rather thin there is a good deal of land planted I have not yet been able to secede in disposing of Oxen.  I have bought ten fine ones to this Estate they were much wanted, we shall want as many more as the Estate is close to the Town two principal roads running through it, if they do well it may induce people to purchase but such is the times anything is bought like the very last extremity in haste. I remain

Sir

Your Most Obedient

Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: Gloucestershire Records Office, Microfilm no.351, Section no.6, D1610 C24

Accessed through Simon Fraser University library

19 Feb 1817

Barbuda Feby 19^th 1817

Sir

  I am sorry to say that after remaining at Antigua for nearly a Week I have been obliged to return without being able to procure a single Bill, have therefore been under the necessity of bringing back my Doubloons.  218 per cent was last week offered for Bills and could not be procured at that rate, it is expected that Bills will be more plenty a month or two hence, as a good deal of provisions have been bought payable in Bills when sugars are shipped.  I have left directions with my Agent in Antigua to get any good ones that may be offered for sale, there are no government Bills now drawn, and a good deal of money have been brought over by the merchants from the French Islands.

  I have made arrangements for the sale of about seventy oxen which are to be paid for in Bills as soon as I can deliver them which I hope will be before the end of next month; we are now getting dry, and shall therefore be able to catch them at the watering Pens.  I this morning began to take in my Corn it will be a tolerable crop.  I shall have some to spare, Corn is now at four Dollars per Bushel and yams at thirty shillings per hundred weight, I shall be able to send off from sixty to seventy thousand pounds of the latter which shall be done as soon as I can get the vessel to carry them, Mr Ick has already had one load of twenty thousand.      I am

Sir

your most Obed^t. humble

Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: Gloucestershire Records Office, Microfilm no.351, Section no.6, D1610 C24

Accessed through Simon Fraser University library

17 Feb 1815

Antigua Feby 17^th 1815

Sir

                Yours of the 15^th Nov^r I have just received, the November Packet having had passage of above sixty days; with respect to M^cKays protest Bill, you are certainly entitled to 10 per Cent damages, and also to 6 per cent per annum interest; together £16: 17:6 Sterling and which you will have credit for in the Wreck Accounts; my reason for sending the Bill for £132: 7 was, that I happened to have received it just before four an old debt; & not being able to get M^cKay’s to go by the Packet I forwarded that in its place.

                As soon as the Law Courts are open I shall go to St Kitts respecting Rawlins’s Bill, that Protest, & Bill have been there some time; but the latter not arriving here till Courts of last year were shut, I thought it useless to go there at that time, but I trust now to be able to settle it.

                I am sorry to inform you that the dry weather continued so long at Barbuda that the Crop’s of Corn & Cotton have entirely failed; one piece of Corn of nearly 200 Acres has given no more than 340 Bushels, another of above 70 Acres about 45 Bushels, and one of about 30 Acres of grain, the whole of which in October last promised an abundant Crop, the Negros grounds from the same cause have next to nothing in them, in fact we have not had the least rain since the latter end of October, till the 3^rd & 4^th Ins^t when we had pretty good showers but the ground being so extremely dry before, it has not had much effect; I am taking every precaution if we have rain to plant something to help the short Crop of Corn.

                By the fleet which left this in Nov^r last I forwarded the first set of seven Bills for £1250 Sterling, the seconds by the Packet which sailed from this in December, which I trust you have received, they were for the salvage of the stores of the Woolwich sent to the Naval Yard in this Island, her ordnance stores are still to be received for.

                Inclosed you have Rich & Musgrave’s Bill on S, S & C Turner for £230: 11:9 Sterling. I am promised some more Bills by the Sailing of the Boat which follows the Packet, which will be some time next week; but as there have fallen some good showers and this Island, the last 24 Hours, I am anxious to return to Barbuda; to take advantage of any rain which may have fallen there, I shall therefore leave this upon with my agent here, to inclose them if got.

I am

Sir Your Most Obedient

Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: Gloucestershire Records Office, Microfilm no.351, Section no.6, D1610 C24
Accessed through Simon Fraser University library