Slavery and Revolution

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Category Archives: Sugar

Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 6 December 1787

By Admms |

At the end of 1787, Taylor commented on proposals by Matthew Boulton, the British entrepreneur and manufacture of steam engines, to adapt steam power to sugar mills in Jamaica. He was not fully convinced by them. […] Respecting Mr Bolton, untill he sends out modell, & letts people know the premium he expects for his […]

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Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 1 May 1787

By Admms |

Taylor’s discussion of breadfruit relates to the infamous 1787 expedition of the HMS Bounty, commanded by Captain William Bligh, to collect plants in Tahiti and introduce them to the West Indies, where it was anticipated that they would help provided food for the enslaved people on sugar estates and other properties. Taylor’s discussion on this […]

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Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 10 October 1783

By Admms |

By the end of 1783, Taylor expressed his satisfaction with work at Golden Grove, under the supervision of the overseer, Madden. Taylor described his plans for improving the cultivation and productivity of Golden Grove, which included the purchase of more enslaved workers and the avoidance of ‘jumping crops’, which were years of heightened productivity created […]

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Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 26 June 1783

By Admms |

Taylor, despite his loyalty to Britain before and during the American War, was disillusioned with British policy by 1783 and believed that the remaining American colonies, such as Jamaica, were over taxed and abused by the metropole. He assessed the island’s prospects of becoming more self-sufficient with regard to clothing and livestock as well as […]

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Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 30 March 1783

By Admms |

Taylor’s comments here illustrate how far the uncertainties of war hampered planning in plantation management. With the cessation of hostilities, much remained to be decided, but Taylor felt relieved and able to make plans for the future, which included the purchase of enslaved Africans for Golden Grove. I would upon the presumption of a peace, […]

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