Slavery and Revolution

Category Archives: Famine

Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 14 December 1786

By Admms |

Here Taylor discusses the quality of sugar shipped to England from Chaloner Arcedeckneā€™s estate, Golden Grove, and discusses the poor health of enslaved people, particularly in western Jamaican parishes, linking this to the unusually bad weather and restrictions on trading with the United States. Taylor provides some detail on his strategies for providing sustenance for […]

Also posted in Disease/health, Drought, Enslaved people, Food/provisions, Kingston, Natural disasters, North America/USA, Plantation management, The Letters | Comments Off on Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 14 December 1786


Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 28 August 1781

By Admms |

Taylorā€™s callous disregard for enslaved people as anything other than commodities and units of labour is evident in his reaction to the effects of the storm at Arcedeckneā€™s Golden Grove estate, which he managed as Arcedeckneā€™s attorney. The shocking human cost of the hurricane is nevertheless apparent, although Taylor conflates this with a diatribe about […]

Also posted in Disease/health, Enslaved people, Food/provisions, Kingston, Navy, Plantation management, Spain, Taxes/duties, The Letters, Trade, War | Tagged , | Comments Off on Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 28 August 1781


Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 8 April 1781

By Admms |

Jamaica was prone to natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and droughts. The 1780s witnessed a succession of hurricanes. These, mixed with other factors, such as the scarcity of food provisions as a result of the American Revolutionary War, led to ill-health and starvation among enslaved people in Jamaica. Here, Taylor recounts to Chaloner Arcedeckne […]

Also posted in Disease/health, Drought, Food/provisions, Hurricanes, Kingston, The Letters | Tagged , | Comments Off on Simon Taylor to Chaloner Arcedeckne, 8 April 1781