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

7 September 1824

  Extract of letter dated 7 September 1824.


  This extract was quoted in a newspaper article (Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Feb 10 1825).  It was included as part of an argument agaist the emancipation of British held slaves in the Caribbean.  Included are the written notes in Sir Christopher Bethell Codrington's own hand and the newspaper aricle.  It seems that the original of this letter was, for many years, framed on the wall in the Codrington's country house at Dodington Park, Gloucestershire and likely has stayed with the family after the other items were auctioned off.  There are some slight differences between Codrington's notes and the newspaper article.  I have followed the article in the transcription but have added the extra lines from the notes in brackets.



  "The negroes have more than doubled themselves since I have been on the island (twenty years.) There are a good many negroes on the property who would do anything I ordered, and would run  into any danger with me, which I have often experienced in saving lives and property from wrecks. <<I have swam off to vessels surrounded by them when no Boat could live and had never an occasion to order one, but more to restrain those I could not depend on for firmness.  The negroes, generally speaking, if left to themselve, I could rely on.>> About 100 good negroes, with their families, would be as many as Barbuda would require.  Should you relinquish it, no other person could settle in it, when it would become a complete resort for every idle person from the neighboring islands, and would then be a complete place for pirates.  I am now obliged to forbid any strange boats from landing, unless they come directly to me.  The negroes, generally speaking, if left to themselves, I could depend on.  Many a night have I, surrounded by from 100 to 150, slept by the side of my horse in the woods.  There are but two white men with myself on the island, and I frequently leave my wife and daughters there without a fastening to the house.  There are some good head men on whom I can depend: with these I have only to give an order, which is never disobeyed.  Corporal punishment I never allow, if it can be avoided; but a little solitary confinement, which has a much better effect, as they more dislike it.  For any crime, such as killing cattle and sheep, I send to your Antigua estates.  Generally speaking, I think, should an immediate emancipation take place, one half of the negroes in the colonies would be dead in a very few few years; they have been so long in the habit of being provided for, they would have no idea of taking care of themselves when they came to feel it.  Some of the best and able might work occasionally, but could not always be depended upon; the others would of course starve.  There are a great number of the latter description in all the old settlements.  All this estate there are many superannuated people, which must be the case in other estates, who must be fed, clothed, houses found them, and doctors charges paid.  The best method of treating negroes is with firmness and kindness: they know as well as any people when that is done, and they are happy.  The greater part of the negroes on Barbuda would lay down their lives to serve me, when I am with them.  Here we give no salt fish, but in lieu, haul the seine as often as they like, that is, when convenient, sometimes three or four days together, when fish are plenty, at other times once in two or three weeks.  They have occasionally wild hog and goat meat; many of them have also their own nets; and scarcely do any of your vessels come to this island <<go to Antigua>> without a quantity of fowls, and many salt fish to sell, and in a good season, an immense quantity of potatoes.  They have regularly, throughout the year, Saturday afternoon to attend to the grounds, and Wednesday afternoon, when they assist themselves; and such is occasionally the quantity of potatoes, that they will rather relinquish their allowance of corn than their Wednesday; many of them have ten or eleven acres of land in cultivation, the produce of which, of course, is their own property. <<They are the most athletic people I ever saw>>  The negroes on this estate, with few exceptions, are well behaved and contented; they get ten pints of corn or meal per week, with salt-fish; it is given Tuesdays and Fridays - may say the same of the island generally.  To free them <<the negroes on your Clare Hall property>>would be ruin to the country <<property>>, and doing them a serious injury.  We have examples enough in the African apprentices of insubordination; they are most disorderly, idle set of people, under little or no control; they have an idea that they are King's men, and must be provided for, work or not, and I know they are a great charge to Government, which will increase every day."

 

 



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

Accessed through Simon Fraser University library

British Newspaper Archives (1607-2013) https://newspaperarchive.com/browse/uk/

Accessed March ‎6, ‎2014

07 Aug 1820

The entire first page is missing

  With regard to the Negroes I must again say this Island would do much better with only one half the present number now on it, than with the whole and I should be happy to part with them, but it will be impossible for me to do so without some assistance. The Droughers are also a great burthen to this Island is although Expense, & trouble fall on Barbuda; and their services almost exclusively to the benefit of your Antigua Estates; without any trouble or expense. As it is your desire to hear frequently I shall make a point of writing the first day of every month when it will be sure to meet the Packet at Antigua.

  Enclosed you have the second of M^r Otto Baijers draft on Mess^rs Davidson Berkly Inc(?) for £259.19:11 the first was sent by Mr Lemon with the Island Accounts. I am

Sir

Your Most The the Obed^t Humble

                                                                                Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: JJ268 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.

20 March 1807

Barbuda March 20^th 1807

Sir

                By the last mail I had the pleasure of receiving your letter of the 7^th January, and have to return you my most sincere thanks for the one hundred pounds, which you have been good enough to give me on account of the last wreck;  I have also received great pleasure by your approbation of my exertions on that occasion.  I am extremely happy to hear you have some Bull Dogs coming out, as we are in the greatest want of them, we are so badly off for Dogs at this time that it is impossible to catch a large Cattle where the woods are at all thick, where it is more open, & it is possible to ride, we are enabled to get them by tiring them out with horses but this is a work of great labour; & but seldom practicable, therefore hope the Dogs will arrive soon.  The ploughs I much fear it will not be in my power to use this season, the demand from the Estates for cattle having been large, has taken off the greater part of those I intended to have put to that use; however I shall attempt it if possible; the sloop if the wind is fair will sail tomorrow morning with ten Oxen which will make fifty five sent this season; out of which number I am sorry to say we have had the misfortune to lose three at landing, and four others within a few days after they were on the Estates, at the times they were lost, the vessel had very long & bad passages by which means they must have got bruised.  With respect to the balance of £1756 : 12 : 9 ¾ in the Christmas quarter, I made a tender for some Government Bills by the last Packet but did not get them, altho’ I then offered 198 per cent(?) which was three pounds more than had ever been given, they sold for 200 ¼.  Mr. Besouth has now offered 202 ½, and was when I heard from him in hopes of getting them, which I trust will be the case; good Bills are at Antigua from the late regulations with respect to the payment of the troops becomes  very scarce, and are consequently risen to the present price – I last Monday finished getting in my Corn, which considering the bad season has proved a pretty good crop, about one fifth more than last year, which added to a very large crop of yams, will I hope be much more than I shall want for the supply of the Island, unless the Negroes provisions should fail them much more than they have done for the last two or three years, the weather at this time is severely dry much more as than I have ever seen it.  I have not had a Man of War here since I last wrote you, and have consequently made little or no sales, the fat cattle I shall invariably keep for them if possible – You may rely that I shall be extremely jealous of granting liberty to any parties to visit this Island, Mr. Harman’s was the first request of this kind ever made me, I had no knowledge of him at that time, but Mrs. Harman’s recovery being represented to me depending on a trip to this Island, was the reason for my granting it.  Inclosed is a duplicate of the general statement of the last years accounts, together with the supplies to the Estates; the statement of the Negroes I sent you in my last, but in which there is a mistake of one birth, (a boy) which was born at the time I was in Antigua, making the births of Males eight instead of seven.  The Negroes are very healthy.  I have the Honour to be

Sir

                Your most Obedt. Servt.

(signed) John James 

Reference: JJ254 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection. 

24 January 1807

Barbuda Jany 24th, 1807

Sir

Herewith you will receive the Barbuda accounts from the 1st October to 31st December last, also a general statement of the last year.  Mr Hodge has been paid this quarter fifteen hundred pounds sterling, I am extremely sorry bills could not be secured for the remaining £1756: 12: 9 3/4, the whole has been offered Mr Hodge several times, but as bills could not be got he declined receiving the cash; of which, he assured me, he had informed you by the last packet stop I have been at Antigua myself and has done everything profitable to probe cure bills but could not get more than what has been paid, but as Mr Hodge has promised to assist Mr Besouth in brokering all he can, I hope the whole will be sent to you by the next packet. There is a charge of £9:19:6 in the disbursements of the Island for the expenses of two passengers that were wrecked on board the Drey Schwestern, they came on the shore without a farthing and the sum was expended during the time they were at Antigua waiting for a passage to St Thomas’s; it was given them with the promise of its being repaid, but as it has not yet been done; I hope you can have no objection to its being charged as it is, should they repay it, you will have credit for it.

The island is now in pretty good condition altho we are now suffering a little from the very violent winds which have been blowing for some days, our crops both of grass and corn are rather backward owing to the dry weather we had in the beginning of the season, the former I shall begin to cut on Monday next, it will be rather a small crop but I hope I shall have a very fair crop of corn, much more than a at first expected; I have also a good many fat cattle fit for sale, but as the man of war is the best market, I shall reserve them for their coming, unless the grass should fall off as much as to oblige me to dispose of them else where.  Since I last wrote you Circe has been here under the command of Capt Pigot, I am in expectation of soon seeing the Cerberus, Capt Selby and also some sloops of war.

I have added a statement of the Negroes to the end of December, the deaths are one man from an accident, No. 35, in the list sent you in September 1805, one man and one woman from old age Nos. 160 & 167, and two children under 10 days old.

I have the honour to be

 Sir

 your most obedt servant

 (signed) John James

	Males	Females
Negroes on the island of Barbuda Jany 14, 1806:	168	168
Births to December 31, 1806:	7	6
	175	174
Deaths to same time	4	1
	171	173
Removed to Antigua	2	2
Remaining on the Island	169	171	340

                                                                                                                               

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