Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
Extracts
from the research of Mary Mill –
with particular reference to
Note – in my
extracts –The Royal Gazette,
Rev William Godfrey Pollard Burton, (c1791-1847),
was Rector of St Thomas in the Vale from 18 September 1816 until his death on 29
July 1847 –
www.familysearch.org – International Genealogical
Index – William Godfrey Pollard Burton baptized at Faccombe,
Rev W G P Burton’s parents –
www.theclergydatabase.org.uk – Rev William Burton, Curate, then
Rector of Faccombe with Tangley, Hampshire, from 1789 to 1792 – Patron Sylvanus
Bevan
www.theclergydatabase.org.uk – Rev William Burton, from 1791 to 1808, Vicar of Horsford,
‘The Gentleman’s
Magazine: and Historical Chronicle for the year 1809’ – Deaths – 1808 – Dec. 12. At Montego-bay, in
http://books.google.co.uk – ‘The Patrician’ edited by John Burke, Esq, author of the ‘The
Peerage’ – Vol. III, published 1847 – Deaths – 1847 – Burton, Mrs. Harriet, widow of the late Rev. William Burton,
formerly rector of Faccombe cum Tangley, Hants, and afterwards rector of Trelawney,
in the island of Jamaica, in the Cloisters, Windsor Castle, aged 78, 11th
Feb.
‘The Gentleman’s Magazine’
published 1847 – Deaths
– 1847 – July 29. At
Rev W G P
Burton was educated at Westminster School, London – http://books.google.co.uk
– ‘The record of old Westminsters: a
biographical list of all those who are known to have been educated at
Westminster School from the earliest times to 1927’, by Westminster School,
published 1928 – ……… William Godfrey
Pollard
http://books.google.co.uk
– Society for the Conversion and Religious Instruction and Education of the
Negro Slaves in the British West India Islands – Report…. for the year 1827
……’, published 1828 – page 18-23 – Rev W G P Burton’s
St Thomas in the Vale Report for the
year 1827 – includes – ………… since he
came to the Island, (18 years ago,) ……………………………….
In
Guildhall Library –
Diocese of London records of ordination – Ms 9531 – 24 – Part II – Page 4 –
1815 – At an
Ordination held in the Chapel Royal St James’s Palace on Sunday the 8th
day of January the twenty five following persons were admitted into Holy Orders
– 12 Deacons and 13 Priests – Deacons – include – William Godfrey Pollard
Burton a literate person
Guildhall Library – Diocese of London
records of ordination – Ms 9531 – 24 – Part II – Page 5 – 1815 – At an Ordination held in the
Chapel Royal St James’s Palace on Sunday the 11th day of June the
fourteen following person were admitted into Holy Orders – 7 Deacons and 7
Priests – Priests – include two for the West Indies – William Godfrey Pollard
Burton literate – John McCammon Trew literate – (Trew was also destined for
Jamaica)
By 20 January 1816, Rev W G P Burton was back in
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 27
Jan 1816 – Extra Ps, page 29 – St Ann’s, Jan 20, 1816 – Jamaica Free School – The Rev Wm
G Burton respectfully informs his Friends and the Public, that the above School
will be reopened on Thursday, 1st February next. The Rev W G Burton
is also prepared to receive such Private Scholars as his Friends may think fit
to entrust to his charge, upon the same terms as his predecessor. For particulars apply to the Headmaster at
the School.
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 18 May 1816 –
Ps, page 21 – Civil
Appointments – May 16 – Rev William G Burton to Rector of the parish of Vere
ROYAL
GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 28 Sept 1816 – Ps, page 19 – Died
– In St Thomas in the Vale on the 8th inst the Rev William
Williamson, many years Rector of that Parish – Ps, page 23 – Civil Appointments – Sept 18 – The Rev Wm G Burton to
be Rector of the Parish of St Thomas in the Vale
http://books.google.co.uk
–‘The Colonial Journal’, Vol. II, July to December, 1816 – page 559 –
On 19
December 1816, an act was passed in Jamaica entitled – ‘An act for providing curates
for the several parishes of this island and for promoting religious instruction
amongst the slaves – see – http://books.google.co.uk – The laws of Jamaica: comprehending all the acts in force, passed ...: Volume 6 – published 1817 –
page 493
In 1817
and until 1 August 1834, Rev W G P Burton owned slaves in St Thomas in the
Vale, and had slaves in his possession as Rector of St Thomas in the Vale – see
– National Archives, London – Jamaica Slave
Registers, 1817-1832, St Thomas in the Vale – and – Slave Owners’ Claims for Compensation, St Thomas in the Vale, 1834 – see also – www.ancestry.co.uk – Jamaica
Slave Registers – scans include some of Rev W G P Burton’s St Thomas in the
Vale returns of slaves as owner and as Rector
Note – scans of the Jamaica Slave Register on
www.ancestry.co.uk are incomplete – pages/sides omitted are
those on which no slave is mentioned by name
A debate in the House of Lords on 4 March 1819
included mentions of the 1816 Jamaica Curate Act.
ROYAL
GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 24 April 1819 – Sup, page 10 –
Imperial Parliament.
-------------
House of Lords,
Thursday, March 4, 1819.
State of the Slaves in the
Lord Holland,
in pursuance of the notice he had given, rose to call the attention of the
House to the measures which had been adopted by the Colonial Legislatures, in
consequence of the Address of that House, in June, 1816. Though he did not anticipate any objection to
the Motion he intended to make, he thought, from what had already passed
respecting the Colonial regulations, both in that House and elsewhere, to make
a few observations on that subject.
Their Lordships would recollect, that the Address of 1816 arose out of
the very unfortunate transactions which had occurred in the
Lord Bathurst applauded the moderation and
judgment with which the Noble Lord had brought forward his motion, and was,
like him, convinced that the important object he had in view would best be
obtained by giving time to the Colonial Legislatures to mature the measures
they were disposed to adopt. With
respect to the registering of slaves, the colonies had passed Acts. These Acts differed from each other, and that
very difference was a proof of a sincere disposition to attain the object which
had been recommended to them; and also that, when they did not accomplish all
that had been recommended, the deviation proceeded from no concerted design. In this last respect they all differed in one
point, from the recommendation to enact that slaves not found in the register
should be immediately declared free. No
clause to that effect was to be found in any of the Acts, but it was provided
that, after being detained one year, if not claimed, they should then be
free. A clause in the different Acts,
that a copy of every register should be sent to this country, was a most
desirable object. Since these
Registration Acts had been passed by the Colonial Assemblies; it was in the
contemplation of his Majesty’s Government to recommend other measures to be
adopted here. They would propose the
passing an Act making all sales of estates contracted for in this country void and
illegal, unless a description of the slaves on the estate accompanied the
sale. If there appeared to be any slaves
on the estate which were not included in the colonial register, such slaves
should be held not to be made over to the purchaser. As the value of estates depended chiefly on
the slaves, this would be a most important check; for, if correct registers
were not kept in the Colonies, it would be impossible to obtain money for
estates sold here. The proposing of this
measure had been delayed until the Colonial Assemblies had passed their
Register Acts, because it was wished not to do any thing which might at such a
time appear to interfere with the free exercise of the authority of these
Assemblies; but now he had no hesitation in stating, that a Bill for this
object would very soon be introduced into the other House of Parliament. In what the Noble Lord had said respecting
the appointment of Curates, he had done justice to the intentions of the
Legislature of Jamaica. The salary of
300l currency, which amounted to little more than 150l had been found insufficient; and,
besides, the duties which the Curates has to perform were not described. The objection as to salary had, however, been
removed, and he hoped that proper appointments would speedily take place. The Noble Lord thought that there was a
difficulty in procuring a proper supply of Clergymen of the Established Church,
and certainly considerable difficulty had been experienced in that respect,
though the Right Reverend Prelate who had been applied to had made every effort
to overcome it. Great difficulty arose
from this circumstance, that no person can be ordained by a Bishop, except for
some specific preferment or duty within the Diocese of the Prelate. The Bishop of London, usually made the
appointments, but in fact he had no legal authority over the
The Bishop of
London said, the
Noble Lord, who had in so able a manner brought forward this question, had done
him nothing but justice in attributing to him a sincere wish for the religious
and moral improvement of the negroes. He
could not, however, agree with the Noble Lord in the manner in which he had
proposed to communicate that religious instruction. The Noble Lord had been too ready in
concluding that recourse ought to be had to sectaries, and that temporal
inducements were necessary to induce Clergymen of the Church of England to
perform their duty. The Church of
England had as yet had very little opportunity of making efforts in the
Colonies. The Clergymen appointed for
Lord Holland explained, that in using the words
“temporal inducements,” he meant what was admitted, that the salary was thought
insufficient for persons educated for the Church of England; he had therefore
recommended the Moravian brethren as a means of removing that difficulty. The Noble Secretary of State was not-correct
in saying, that he thought a competent knowledge in the Christian religion
necessary to the admission of negroes to give evidence in Courts of
Justice. He wished it to be distinctly
understood, that he had given no opinion on that question. He has merely said that many persons were of
opinion, that a considerable degree of religious instruction must precede any
improvement in the condition of the slaves, and it was with a view of
conciliation that opinion he had suggested the plan which he had briefly
described.
The question was
then put, and carried, nem dis.
ROYAL
GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 2 Dec 1820 – page 6 –
Vestry-Office,
Any Person or Persons being in the
possession of a Building in the vicinity of Dover-Castle, Rio-Magno, or
Williamsfield Plantation, which might be converted into a suitable Place to
perform Divine Worship in, by the Curate of this Parish, will render in Proposals
to the Vestry, which will be held on the 9th day of December next, stating the
terms upon which they will rent the same.
By order,
Vestry-Office,
Whereas the undermentioned Work is
required to be done at the Church of this Parish, any Person willing to
undertake the same, will render in Proposals to the Vestry, which will be held
at the Bog-Walk Tavern, on Saturday the 9th day of December next, with the name
of a Surety for the due performance of the same.
By order,
Mason’s Estimate.
To fill in, and raise the floor of
the Church three inches,
and to cover the same with
flagstones or tiles.
Carpenter’s Estimate.
To repair the shingling of the roof where required
British Library – ‘Historic
remember
what the will of heaven ordains is good for all: and if good for all, then good
for thee. – to the memory of
At the bottom right
corner – ‘Richard Westmacott, RA,
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 27 Dec 1823 – Sup, page 9 –
Third Annual
Meeting
of the
Jamaica
District Committee
of the
Society for the Promoting of Christian
Knowledge.
-------------
Present.
The Hon Wm
Burge, Attorney-General, in the Chair.
Hon Geo
Cuthbert |
Rev J M
C Trew |
Hon W J
Stevenson |
Rev
John Stainsby |
Hon Wm
Rowe |
Rev E F
Hughes |
Hon
Joseph Barnes |
Rev W G
Burton |
Sir M B
Clare, Knt |
Rev J
Jefferson |
Richard
Barrett, Esq |
Rev
Thomas Alves |
William
Lambie, Esq |
Rev
Robert Dallas |
|
Rev
William T Leacock |
John
Lunnan, Esq |
Rev S H
Cooke |
Rev
Lewis Bowerbank |
Rev
George Heath |
Rev
Alex Campbell |
|
The minutes
of the last Quarterly Meeting, and a Report prepared by the Secretaries, by
order of the last Annual Meeting, being read,
Ordered.
That the Report now presented be received, and that the same be
forthwith printed under the direction of the Secretaries.
On motion of
the Hon George Cuthbert,
Resolved.
That his Grace the Governor be respectfully requested to become Patron
of the Institution.
The Hon
George Cuthbert and Richard Barrett, Esq being appointed a Deputation to wait
upon his Grace with this request, and his Grace being pleased to accede to the
wishes of the Institution.
Resolved.
That the Thanks of this Meeting be returned to his Grace the Duke of
Manchester for the countenance and support given to the Institution by his
acceptance of the office of Patron.
Ordered.
That the Report of the
Mr Bowerbank
being requested, on motion of Mr Stevenson, to permit his Sermon, preached this
day at the Annual Meeting of the Clergy, to be printed at the expense of the
District Committee, and Mr Bowerbank having consented.
Ordered.
That the Sermon be printed and stitched with the Report.
The Rectors
of St Thomas’ in the East and St Thomas’ in the Vale having strongly recommended
that grants should be made from the Funds of the Institution, in support of
Schools in those Parishes,
Resolved, That Mr Trew [Rector of St Thomas
in the East] and Mr Burton be permitted to retain two-thirds of the
Subscriptions in their respective Parishes, in aid of schools therein
established.
Adjourned
till the second Wednesday in April next.
------------------
It appeared,
from the Report laid before the above Meeting, that since the commencement of
the Institution there have been received from the Parent Society 1054 Bibles,
524 Testaments, 1042 Common Prayer Books, 1018 Psalters, and 14,194 School
Books, Religious Tracts, and other useful Publications, a great proportion of
which has already been disposed of throughout the Island, and the rest form
Depots in the different Parishes, at the disposal of the respective Incumbents.
http://books.google.co.uk
–‘The Christian Remembrancer: or The
Churchman’s Biblical, Ecclesiastical, & Literary Miscellany’ – Volume VI,
January to December, published 1824 –
Society
for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
Extracts from the Report of the
Jamaica District Committee, &c. &c. &c.
The
Jamaica District Committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge,
having now reached its second anniversary, it is due to those who have
contributed to its funds, to be informed of the manner in which those funds
have been appropriated, and the designs of the institution carried into effect.
At the
first quarterly meeting of the Jamaica District Committee, a special committee
was appointed for the purpose of selecting from the Society’s catalogue, such
books as should be deemed most proper for circulation in this community. In fulfilment of this duty, a list was
prepared and transmitted to the Parent Society, which promptly directed its
book-sellers to send all the books required.
This shipment, consisting of fifty-four Bibles, twenty-four Testaments,
forty-two Common Prayer Books, eighteen Psalters, and thirteen thousand six
hundred and forty-four other tracts and publications, together with two
complete sets of the Society’s books and tracts, in fifty volumes each, cost
the Society two hundred and eighty-five pounds sixteen shillings and four
pence, and was charged to the District Committee, including the cost of
shipment, at one hundred and fifty-nine pounds sixteen shillings and nine pence
sterling. The Society was subsequently
requested to send out one thousand Bibles, five hundred Testaments, one
thousand Common Prayer Books, and five hundred and fifty tracts, all of which
were likewise speedily sent, and were charged to the District Committee at two
hundred and thirty four pounds thirteen shillings sterling. In payment of these books, the treasurer has
as yet been enabled to remit only three hundred and fifty pounds sterling. Of these publications a general depot was
established at
The
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, in consequence of the rise of
kindred Societies having, for their special objects, the support of missions
and the establishment of schools, has of late years in a great measure confined
its operation to that branch of the general design which consists in the
publication and distribution of books and tracts. The Jamaica District Committee has hitherto
followed the example in this respect of the Parent Society, with the single
exception of a grant of forty-five pounds, to the school established at
……………………………………………………………..……………………………………..
From
“The
next to be mentioned is a private school in the neighbourhood of Guy’s Hill
consisting of ten scholars, whose education is similar to the proceeding, and
whose readiness, in replying to the questions both in Mann’s and Mant’s
Catechism, as well as their pertinent answers to several questions from myself,
did credit alike to their teacher and themselves. The last (but from what has been reported to
me,) by far the largest school is in an opposite part of the parish called
“Above Rocks.” As this is the most
populous district in the parish, and the population within a small compass, (I
have reason to believe) the number of scholars to be very considerable: it is
supported by dissenters and conducted on their principles, and as I have not
felt myself called upon to visit it. I
have, however, supplied it with the Society’s books, through the medium of a
member of your Society. The parish
school uses none other than the Society’s books, and the children are brought
up in the principles of the Established Church.
The other school is also supplied by me with the books.”
………………………………………………………..…………………………………………..
British Library – ‘A History of the Diocese
of
By Letters Patent in
1824 George IV established the Bishopric of Jamaica and included in it the
Writing to the
Bishop of London on the 18th February, he described his arrival in
He landed at Port
Henderson and was received by a Guard of Honour. The Governor’s carriages were sent to convey
him and his party to
http://books.google.co.uk
–‘The Christian Journal and Literary Register for the year of our Lord 1825’,
Volume IX, published 1825 – Report from the ‘Jamaica Gazette, Feb. 19’ – the arrival of the Bishop of
Jamaica – extract –
“Upon the conclusion
of the service [at Spanish Town Church], his lordship accompanied his grace the
governor to the King’s house, followed by the admiral and the other persons who
had formed the procession, where a levee was held, and they were severally
introduced to his lordship, together with the mayor and recorder of Kingston;
John Lunan, Esq. and the Hon. William R. Rennalls, the members for St
Catherine’s; Sir Michael B. Clare, and George William Hamilton, Esqrs. members
for St. Thomas in the Vale; L. Lynch, Esq. the member for Manchester; William
Heath, Esq. the member for St. James; the masters in chancery, and the clergy;
with the last the bishop withdrew, and held a long conference.
ROYAL
GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 12 March 1825 – PS, page 24 –
Addresses to the Lord Bishop
---------------
Of The Parish of
To the Right Rev Father in God
Christopher, by Divine permission Bishop of Jamaica.
May it please your Lordship,
The Magistrates, Vestrymen,
and other Inhabitants of the Parish of St Thomas in the Vale embrace the
earliest opportunity to congratulate your Lordship and family upon your safe
arrival in this island.
We hail your
Lordship’s appointment to the See of Jamaica as the beginning of a new and
auspicious period in our history and we feel grateful to his Majesty for this
eminent proof of his paternal care and anxious solicitude to promote the best
interests of his loyal and faithful subjects in this valuable Colony.
The selection, my
Lord, which his Majesty has been graciously pleased to make of a Gentleman, so
well qualified in every respect to discharge the sacred duties of his high
station, affords us the liveliest hopes that, while a more extended diffusion
of the principles of our Holy Religion shall be effected, the character of the
people of this island will be justly appreciated, and candidly made known.
We confidently
anticipate, my Lord, the greatest and most lasting benefits from the exercise
of your Lordship’s sacred functions, and we beg leave to assure you that we
will, to the utmost of our power, support and promote the great object of your
Lordship’s presence among us. And we
fervently pray to the Almighty Disposer of all human events to bless your
His Lordship’s Reply.
Gentlemen,
I beg to offer my
best thanks to the Magistrates, Vestrymen, and other Inhabitants of the Parish
of St Thomas in the Vale, for this gratifying proof of their respect for that
sacred office to which I have been called:
And, under a deep sense of its numerous difficulties and serious
responsibility, I cannot fail highly to appreciate the assurances, conveyed in
your Address, of your support and assistance in my arduous and important
duties.
--------------------
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 19 March 1825
– Ps, page 23 – Married
– At River Head Estate,
National
Archives,
Correspondence from the bishop of Jamaica, Christopher Lipscomb to
the Secretary of State for the Colonies relating to his appointment and work,
his visits to Grand Cayman, Honduras and the Bahamas, and to other mainly
ecclesiastical matters. Some of the correspondence relating to the religious
instruction of slaves was printed for Parliament, and extracts from the printed
version are also included in this volume.
The Correspondence includes –
‘Statement of the
parishes, clergy etc. of Jamaica, October 1825’ giving total slave populations;
names of clergy; numbers, locations and condition of churches and other places
of worship; and details of schools – Statement sent from Jamaica by Bishop
Christopher Lipscomb to the Colonial Office – and the version printed for
Parliament
Below – Statement of the parishes, clergy etc. of Jamaica, October
1825 – County of Middlesex – sent from Jamaica by Bishop Christopher Lipscomb to
the Secretary of State for the Colonies – columns 1 to 6 of 11 – followed by
columns 7 to 11 of 11 –
county |
Names
of parishes, and
extent in Square
Miles. |
Slave Population. |
clergy: |
church, where
situated, and
about the number
it will contain. |
|
||||
rector, and
about the Value of Living. |
island curate. |
Assistant curate. |
|
||||||
- -
- - -
- - -
- - m
i
d d l
e s
e
x -
- - -
- - -
- - -
|
1. 365. |
24,761 |
G. W. Bridges £996 – |
U. G. Rose |
Wm. Pinnock J. G. Rose John Smith |
500 Persons. in tolerable repair. |
|
||
2. Clarendon. 312 |
17,608 |
G. C. R. Fearon £802. 11. 3. |
J. Smith. |
None. |
Nearly Centre of Parish. 200 Persons. in pretty good
repair. |
|
|||
3. 238. |
17,416 |
R. W. Dallas. £1118. 2. 0. |
None. |
None. |
Mandeville. 400 Persons, new & in good
repair. |
|
|||
4. St. Mary. 184. |
25,402 |
W. Girod. £578. 2. 0. |
M. C. Bolton. |
D. McCaw. |
Port Maria. In tolerable repair 200 Persons. |
|
|||
5. in the Vale. 128. |
12,050 |
W. G. £739. 6. 8. |
None. |
P. Burton. |
One extremity of Parish. 60 Persons lately undergone a thorough repair.
|
|
|||
6. St. Catherine. 95 |
White 350. Free Coloured 1,600. Slaves 7,357. Total 9,507. |
L. Bowerbank. £1040. 0. 0. |
None. |
None. |
1050 Persons. |
|
|||
7. Vere 93. |
7,759 |
W. J. Utten. £608. 0. 0. |
None. |
None. |
2 miles from the Sea, at Southern extremity. 200 Persons. bad repair. |
|
|||
8. 83. |
6, 295 |
Jas. Dawson. £548. 0. 0. |
None. |
None. |
One extremity of Parish. 60 Persons. Church & Rectory very much out of repair |
|
|||
9. St. Dorothy. 51. |
4, 759 |
W. T. Leacock. £628. 0. 0. |
None. |
None. |
Nearly Centre of Parish in …… repair contains about 300 Persons. An Organ. No |
|
|||
chapels of ease, where
situated, and
about the numbers
they will contain. |
dissenting Places
of Worship. |
schools. |
remarks. |
||||||
One at Brown’s Town. 200 persons, in good repair. A room at chapel at |
One Wesleyan chapel at
Belmont, one at Guy’s Hill, and one at |
Free School at
Walton founded 1721. - 16 on the foundation, & 28 private. - Revd. U. G.
Rose master. - Boys grounded in classics leave at 14 years of age. Several
other minor schools not free |
This Parish ought to be subdivided into Ocho Rios, ) St. Anne’s Bay, )
District: with a chapel for Moneague,
) each. Pedros,
) |
||||||
One at Lime
Savanna capable of holding 200.
Billiard-room near it, opened on Sundays. |
Mr. Croft, a
Wesleyan, attends Halse Hall Estate every fortnight. |
Sunday School in
contemplation. |
This Parish ought to be subdivided into, at least, three
districts. It is in a sad state –
Black & Brown Preachers do much harm among the Slaves – Divine Service is
interrupted by the post which arrives on Sundays, & by many other
violations of ye Sabbath. |
||||||
Three ( chapels in
Mile-Gully are voted by Vestry. |
Two Moravian
chapels in Mile-Gully district |
Act for free
school passed house of Assembly, waiting King’s approbation 1824. |
The Moravians have been very active in this Parish, and
effected much good among the Slave Population. |
||||||
One at Highgate
good repair, injudiciously built, might be enlarged, 230 persons W. Pinnock
attends Prospect Pen every Sunday, D. McCaw at Decoy &c. - |
None. |
Free School at
Port Maria, 10 boys on foundation, Geo. Greenwood Master salary £100 per
annum. |
The Parish might be divided into Port Maria ) Bagnals )
Districts. Highgate ) |
||||||
One at
Williamsfield, built by subscription, 60 persons, just finished not yet
consecrated. |
One Wesleyan at
Above-Rocks Mr. Barry Minister. |
One free school
where 10 poor children of free condition are educated. |
This Parish is much infested with Black and Brown
Preachers who, in defiance of the law, inculcate the most dangerous
Doctrines, and levy exactions from the deluded Negroes. |
||||||
None. |
One Anabaptist
& one Wesleyan |
Beckford’s free School
founded 174.. then limited to 20 whites - but augmented in 1817 to 30 without
distinction of colour. Mr. Marcus Master, salary £140. Parish School same
Master & Salary, 20 children - & 13 private. |
The state of the free coloured People in |
||||||
None. |
None. |
A free school
founded 174.. Head master Revd. J. Utten, Visitor ye Bishop A Sunday school, above 20 free people. |
Church, School, and Rectory attached. Masters must be of Established Church,
& in Holy Orders. Number of scholars to be regulated by state of funds.
Trustees -Governor, President & Members of Council &c. - |
||||||
None. |
None. |
None. |
This parish is divided by a range of Mountains into the
Vallies Guanabo, & Luidas. It is proposed to rebuild Parish church &
Rectory in a more central situation in Guanabo - and to build a Chapel for
Island Curate in the vale of Luidas. Slaves in General in a very neglected
state. |
||||||
None |
Two Houses in well attended |
One School near
Old Harbour Market Mr. Fuller a free
person of colour is the Master. |
A Chapel is much wanted at The Revd Mr
Stainsby has offered to give Land at |
||||||
Note – in 1825 the
Below – ‘Statement of the
parishes, clergy etc. of Jamaica, October 1825’ – County of Middlesex – comparing
column 11 – Remarks – on the Statement sent by Bishop Lipscomb, with column 11 –
Remarks – on the version printed for Parliament by the Colonial Office –
Sent
by Bishop Lipscomb |
Printed
for Parliament |
Column
11 – REMARKS |
Column
11 – REMARKS |
Parish
1 – This Parish ought to be subdivided
into Ocho Rios, ) Moneague, ) Pedros ) |
Parish
1 – This Parish ought to be subdivided
into Ocho Rios, ) Moneague, ) Pedros ) |
Parish
2 – This Parish ought to be subdivided
into, at least, three districts. It is
in a sad state – Black & Brown Preachers do much harm among the Slaves –
Divine Service is interrupted by the post which arrived on Sundays, and by the
many other violations of ye Sabbath |
Parish
2 – This
Parish ought to be subdivided into at least three districts. |
Parish
3 – Clarendon The Moravians have been very active
in this Parish, and effected much good among the Slave Population |
Parish
3 – Clarendon The
Moravians have been very active in this Parish, and effected much good among
the Slave population |
Parish
4 – St Mary This Parish might be divided into Port Maria, ) Bagnals, )
Districts Highgate ) |
Parish
4 – St Mary This Parish might be divided into Port Maria, ) Bagnals, ) Districts Highgate ) |
Parish
5 – This Parish is much infested with
Black and Brown Preachers who, in defiance of the law, inculcate the most
dangerous Doctrines, and levy exactions from the deluded Negroes. |
Parish
5 – The
state of the free-coloured people in |
Parish
6 – St Catherine The state of the free coloured People
in |
Parish
6 – St Catherine Church,
School, and Rectory attached; Master must be of the Established Church, and
in Holy Orders; number of Scholars to be regulated by state of funds;
Trustees, Governor, President, and Members of Council, &c. |
Parish
7 – Vere Church, School, & Rectory
attached. Master must be of Established
church, & in Holy Orders. Numbers
of scholars to be regulated by state of funds. Trustees – Governor, President &
Members of Council &c. – |
Parish
7 – Vere This
Parish is divided by a range of Mountains into the Vallies Guanabo and
Luidas. It is proposed to rebuild |
Parish
8 – This parish is divided by a range of
Mountains into the Vallies Guanabo, & Luidas. It is proposed to rebuild Parish church
& Rectory in a more central situation in Guanabo – and to build a Chapel
for Island Curate in the vale of Luidas.
Slaves in Guanabo in a very neglected state. |
Parish
8 – A
Chapel is much wanted at |
Parish
9 – St Dorothy A Chapel is much wanted at The
Revd Mr. Stainsby has offered to give Land at |
Parish
9 – St Dorothy The
Rev. Mr. Stainsby has offered to give land at |
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 31 Dec 1825 – Ps, page 19 –
The following is the clause of the
new Clergy Act, which fixes the fees to the Rectors of each parish;
And
be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid:
That from and after the passing of this Act
the several Rectors shall be entitled to demand and receive the following
fees:
Funerals. Meeting
the corpse at the parochial ground and reading only the grave service - Meeting
and interring at any other place with grave service - - - - - - - - - - - -
-- - For the
full service of the Church, and afterwards attending the corpse to the
parochial burial-ground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - If from
the Church to any other place of interment than the parochial burial-ground,
then in addition - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For
each tablet or cenotaph erected in the Church - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -
- - - -- - For any
grave with brick work, and building a tomb over it - - - - -- - - - - - - - -
- For a
vault, not exceeding in dimensions 10 feet square, constructed with stone or
brick, or enclosed with railings - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - For
every tomb erected over a single grave - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - Marriages. In
Church on Sunday by Banns - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-- - - - - - - By
Licence - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - In any
other place, or on any other day - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - Christenings. Baptism
in Church on Sunday - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - In any
other place, or on any other day - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - For
travelling to perform any service, in addition to what is given above, for
every mile beyond the first mile from the Church, or his place of residence -
- - Extracts
from the Register, comparing and attesting each - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- |
£ s
d 1
6 8 2
13 4 2
13 4 2
13 4 16 0
0 8
0 0 16 0
0 5
6 8 1
6 8 2 13 4 5
6 8 5 0 1
0 0 1
0 0 0
5 0 |
ROYAL
GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 7 Jan 1826 – Ps, page 22 –
Clerical
Establishment.
------------------
Abstract of the
Act to consolidate and amend the several laws relating to the Clergy of this
island, and to invest the Bishop of Jamaica with Ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
1 |
The first clause repeals the several Acts
relating to the Clergy, and recites the letters patent of the Bishop of
Jamaica, and enacts that all such laws, ordinances, and canons
ecclesiastical, as are now used in England, as far as relates to the due
ordering and ecclesiastical regimen of, and jurisdiction over, the Clergy,
shall be in force within this island; but providing it shall not extend to
any judicial authority, spiritual or temporal, over the lay inhabitants, or
to abridge the jurisdiction of the Governor, as ordinary in probates of
wills, letters testamentary, of administration, or of guardianship, or induction
to the ……[? several] Churches, or other authority, juridical or otherwise,
usually exercised by the Governor. |
2 |
The second clause appoints a
Registrar with a salary of 300l and an apparitor, with a salary of 90l. |
3 |
The Judges of the Supreme Court
authorized to aid in enforcing and carrying on the provision of this Act. |
4, 5, & 6 |
Rectors’ salaries fixed at …l [? 600l] per annum,
subject to a deduction of … per annum, the interest of which to be
applied to the maintenance of Rectors’ widows and children, and trustees
appointed to manage it, under the Act passed the 1st Geo
IV. |
7 |
Rectors empowered to lease glebe
lands for 21 years. |
8 |
But not to grant any lease until
existing leases expire. |
9 |
Oaths to be taken on granting
leases, but not to lease the parsonage. |
10 |
Not to receive fees out of their
own parishes. |
11 |
Rectors declared freeholders,
and to vote at elections. |
12 |
Not to marry unless banns
published three times, or by license from the Governor, under penalty of 100l. |
13 |
Fixing the fees of Rectors as follow: (For which see the Postscript of our last
publication). |
14 |
Rectors to appropriate a portion
of time every Sunday to instruct free persons and slaves. |
15 |
They shall reside in their
parishes, and officiate every Sunday, and catechize one hour, at least once
in every week, on a day by them to be fixed.
Receiver-General not to pay stipend, without a certificate of such
residence and service from the Bishop; except during leave of absence from
the Governor, granted upon a certificate from the Bishop, or, in his absence,
the Archdeacon, or in absence of both, the Commissaries, or Rectors of St
Catherine’s, Kingston, and St Ann’s; but no leave of absence to be granted,
unless they provide Curates approved of by the Bishop, but such leave of
absence not to exceed eighteen months Domestic Chaplain to the Governor
excepted, as also the Chaplains to the Council and Assembly. |
16 |
Rectors or Curates absent for
three months together, without leave, or for that period, though at different
times, in one year, without the Bishop’s consent, and appointing a
substitute, to forfeit 200l, which Receiver-General is empowered to
deduct from his stipend, on a certificate of the absence from the
Bishop. If absent more than eighteen
months, the Bishop may declare the living vacant. |
17 |
No lapse of stipend to injure
the widows’ fund. |
18, 19 |
Rectors and Curates to visit estates,
workhouses, hospitals, and goals, as directed by the Bishop, and enter in a
book, at each place, the times of his attendance and duties performed. |
20 |
No fees to be taken from slaves. |
21 |
Justices and Vestry of parishes
empowered to lay a tax, to purchase land for burial grounds, and to build
Chapels and parsonages. |
22 |
Declares it is a neglect of duty
in Justices and Vestry not to keep Churches, Chapels, Church-yards, and
parsonages, in sufficient order and repair. |
22 |
Justices and Vestry to cause
lands, granted for use of Rectors, by private persons, to be run out, and
boundaries ascertained, and in cases of trespass to proceed for recovery. Note – 22 – appears twice in the |
23 |
Taxes under this Act to be
recovered in like manner as other taxes. |
24, 25 |
Rectors prohibited from
permitting burials in Churches, under penalty of 500l and compensation
to be granted in parishes, as follows: - St Catherine’s , 70l; Kingston, 110l; Port-Royal, 30l; St Andrew’s and St Thomas’ in the East, 50l
each; Portland, 20l; St Ann’s,
St James, Hanover and St Elizabeth’s, .0l each; Clarendon, 30l; St Dorothy’s, 20l; Vere and St Thomas’ in the Vale, 90l
each, and every other parish, 80l. |
26, 27 |
No Minister of the Established
Church to officiate in this island, other than Rectors or Curates, without a
licence from the Bishop, and paying one ……. … shillings and eight pence to
the Registrar, which shall remain in full force, in cases of death or
resignation, until revoked by his successor. |
28 |
Rectors unable to discharge duty
from age, infirmity, or other cause, Bishop may cause them to nominate a fit
person to perform the duties with a stipend to be approved by the Bishop; and
in case of refusal to nominate, after six weeks’ notice, the Bishop may
appoint, and fix the stipend, not exceeding 500l for a Rector, and 300l
for a Curate, to be deducted from the stipend of the person unable to do his
duties; notice to be given of the name of the person appointed to the Vestry. |
29 |
Rector empowered to appoint Clerks, but not
to be removed without consent of the Bishop. |
30 |
Curates allowed 500l
annually, to be paid quarterly, on certificate of Bishop, as to residence and
discharge of duties, except in cases of leave of absence, similar to Rector,
and their duties regulated in same manner – See clause 15. |
31 |
Priests or Deacons may solemnize
marriage. |
32 |
Curates may marry slaves on
estates or in Chapels, but banns to be published with consent of Owners,
Attornies, &c. |
33 |
Curates not otherwise to
interfere in duties of Rectors, nor receive fees for any duty, except by
authority of Rector, of forfeit to him 20l for each offence, to be
recovered before any Justice; in case of repeated offences, the Bishop may
punish even to suspension. |
34 |
Parishes may assist each other
in building Chapels, not exceeding 600l. |
35 |
Registers of baptisms,
marriages, and burials, to be kept by Rectors, in books provided by parishes,
in fourteen days after ceremony. |
36 |
When such ceremonies performed
by other persons, instead of Rector, a certificate to be transmitted to him
to be entered. |
37, 38 |
Registry to belong to parish,
but kept by the Rector; a book must also be kept registering christenings,
marriages, and burials of slaves. |
39 |
Copies of all registers,
heretofore in use, to be sent to the Registrar, to be deposited in his office
at St Jago de la Vega, to be called “The
Bishop’s Office of Registry.” |
40, 41, & 42 |
Curates to make a return every three months
to Rectors to be registered. Rectors,
on the 30th of June, every year, to send copies to Registrar,
attested on oath, as also a copy, by the 30th of June next, of all
registers hitherto kept. |
43 |
Report of such returns to be made
to the Bishop before the 31st of July next, who is to report such
as have been neglected. The Registrar
to cause alphabetical lists to be made, to be open to public search. |
44, 45 |
Registrar to cause books to be
secured and arranged within three months, under penalty of 100l and be
paid for recording at the same rate as the Secretary of the Island. |
46 |
Copies from register, certified by
Registrar, or if from parish books, by oath of person comparing with
register, to be admitted in all Courts. |
47, 48 |
Persons making false entries in
registers, or altering or destroying it, or copies transmitted to it, guilty
of felony. – Errors may, however, be corrected: Rectors still entitled to fees for copies
of registration. |
49 |
All proceedings exempted from
stamp duty. |
50 |
Penalties to be recovered in
Grand and assize Courts. |
51 |
In case of demise or absence of
the Bishop, Archdeacon empowered to act, and, in his absence the
Commissaries, and Rectors of St Catherine’s, |
52 |
Registrar’s office to be open on
all lawful days from seven in the morning until three in the afternoon, under
penalty of 50l for each neglect. |
53 |
This Act declared in force to
the 31st December, 1830. |
British Library – ‘An appeal to the Christian
Philanthropy of the people of Great Britain and Ireland on behalf of the
Religious Instruction and Conversion of Three Hundred Thousand Negro Slaves’,
by Rev John McCammon Trew, Rector of St Thomas in the East, Jamaica, published
1826 – extracts –
An Appeal,
&c.
=========
Prompted by the
voice of duty, and the calls of benevolence, an obscure individual presumes to
solicit most earnestly the attention of the British Public, to a subject which
has long and unhappily distracted the Colonies, and excited on both sides of the
Atlantic, a feeling, in no wise calculated to further the views of those who
are the real friends to the moral well-being and happiness of the human
race. From one end of the empire to the
other, Petitions for ameliorating the condition of the Slaves have been
presented to Parliament; some demanding an immediate extinction of slavery; and
all, urging the necessity of affording to that class of our fellow men,
privileges beyond what they at present possess.
Amidst this mass of
Petitions, however, we look in vain for one, attempting to arouse the attention
of Parliament to the slender provisions yet made, for the supplying their
spiritual wants; neither do we find amongst the advocates of freedom, one
individual attempting to lay hold of the popular feeling, in order to the
furtherance of the Gospel amongst them.
Animated, doubtless, with the most tender concern for their happiness,
thousands have united in that general expression of sympathy, which, to a
greater or less degree, has pervaded all ranks of the community; but few,
indeed, have, to individual pity, given that less equivocal proof of individual
sincerity, the pecuniary means of diffusing the blessings of Christianity more
extensively throughout the Colonies. The
cry of Negro emancipation has penetrated the heart of the kingdom, and numerous
pamphlets have issued from the press on both sides of the question; but we have
yet to learn, how far the professed friends of the measure are really disposed
to assist in teaching the Slave what is the value of the soul, and in what
man’s chief happiness should consist on this side of the grave.
In submitting this
appeal to the people of
I appeal not to the
British public to induce them to perpetuate a system of slavery, neither that
they should, regardless of consequences, turn loose in one common mass, the
savage and the civilized, the Slave, whom Christianity has elevated in the
scale of being, to rank, for fidelity and moral worth, with the peasant of any
country under heaven; with those whom ignorance had debased to the lowest
condition of man; but I appeal to the most enlightened. Liberal, and most
professedly Christian people on earth, that through their means, the Slave, who
now sits in “the region of the shadow of death,” may be brought to see the light of Divine
Truth rising “with healing on its wings,” to disperse from his benighted mind the
mist of error, and thence taught to live under the influence of practical
Christianity; and that the rising generation may be brought up in the “nurture
and admonition of the Lord,” and early impressed with those lessons of religion
and virtue, that may prove the means in after life, of qualifying them for the
discharge of their various relative duties.
Should any one
expect to find exhibited in these pages any recently discovered acts of
cruelty, whereby to swell the catalogue of inhumanity charged against the
Planter, or any theory advanced in proof of the position, that Christianity and
Slavery are incompatible with each other, and from which they may derive fresh
arguments for urging the immediate extinction of slavery, they may spare
themselves the trouble of further enquiry; but all who are sincerely desirous
of promoting peace on earth, and good will amongst mankind, – all who can look
beyond the narrow views of prejudice or of party, and advocate a religious
education, as the only secure basis of national and individual prosperity, I would
heartily and earnestly bespeak their most serious attention and candid inquiry
into the subject now before them.
…………………………………………………………….……………..…………………………….
The
of
the establishment, exclusive of the Lord Bishop and Arch Deacon - 41 Church of Scotland
------------------------------------------------------------ 2 Moravians ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Weslyan Methodists
----------------------------------------------------------- 11 Baptists
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 |
In
all, 63, |
Thereby leaving to
the spiritual care and superintendence of each individual, no fewer than 5000,
exclusively of the white and free-coloured inhabitants; which estimated at only
30,000, and added to the above, will assign to each minister the fearful
responsibility of 5,500 souls!
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Let it be fairly
stated to what extent the
There have been provided at her
expence –
21 Rectors at £600 per annum each. £12,600 21 |
Per Ann. £23,100 [sic]† |
*The House of
Assembly have provided means for the support of this number of Curates,
although owing to the want of chapels for their accommodation, twelve only have
yet been appointed.
†This
amount is rendered in the currency of the
………………………………………………………………………………………...….……………
No one who has witnessed the
mental imbecility so often apparent in the aged African, or the tardy
development of his faculties, to the reception of Divine Truth, would be bold
enough to recommend as practicable, his instruction by means of letters. Exceptions, it is true, will sometimes be
found to this rule, but they are rarely to be met with. On the other hand, few persons will be found
bold enough to assert, that a quickness of apprehension, a readiness, and
oftentimes an anxious desire, for learning, are a most striking characteristic
of the Creole mind. Those who have been
conversant with the instruction of Creole Negroes, will readily unite in the
truth of this position. This, then, is
the important object to which the writer would solicit the benevolent attention
of the British public, – the instruction of thousands of Negro children in the
way of life eternal: – …………………………………...……………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 1 July 1826 –
Ps, page 25-26 –
Tulloch, June 15, 1826.
My Dear Sir,
The piece of plate,
which the Inhabitants of our Parish empowered me to order, when in England last
year, having at length arrived, I am directed to forward the same to you, and
to request you will accept it as a proof of their esteem, and of the high sense
they entertain of your conduct, in the discharge of your professional duties,
more particularly as they relate to the religious instruction of the Slave
Population.
I need scarce assure
you that their nomination of me to this pleasing task affords me real
satisfaction, and I do most cordially join in their friendly sentiments towards
you.
I am my dear Sir, your’s most faithfully,
Geo W Hamilton.
Rev Mr W G Burton,
Lodge,
My Dear Sir,
It is difficult to
express the feelings I experienced on the receipt of the elegant gift of my
Parishioners, which accompanied your letter this morning. In the faithful discharge of my duties as a
Clergyman, I have studied, by friendly deportment, to conciliate their regard;
and I am truly happy to find that my conduct has obtained their approbation.
I am too conscious
how much their friendship has suffered them to overrate my services, and I
should feel distressed, that they had deemed it necessary to give so splendid a
proof of their esteem, were it not as honorary to themselves as it is
gratifying to me. – For it is an undeniable argument of their interest in the
welfare and happiness of the Slaves, and of their anxiety for their religious
instruction. It is to me a pledge of
their sanction and support of my future endeavours to promote the moral improvement
of those under my care, and the greatest encouragement to persevere in them.
Accept, my dear Sir,
yourself, and tender to the rest of my Parishioners, my grateful
acknowledgement of the honour they have this day done me.
Believe me, your’s very
respectfully,
W G
G
We understand that
the Piece of Plate is a massy and richly embossed cup, with the Rector’s Crest
on the one side, and on the other the following inscription:
Presented
To the Rev Mr W G Burton,
Rector of the Parish of
by his Parishioners,
In token of their personal esteem
and of his
zealous exertions for the
religious
and moral improvement of the
Negroes under his charge.
On 4 July
1826 Bishop Lipscomb consecrated Harewood Chapel – the Church of England chapel
of ease on Williamsfield estate in
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 15 July 1826 – page 5 – report from the St Jago de la
Vega Gazette, week ending Sat, 8 July 1826 –
On Tuesday last [4 July], agreeably
to public notice, the consecration of Harewood Chapel, in
At an early hour the Right Rev the Lord Bishop left Tulloch estate, and, accompanied by G W Hamilton, Esq, His Honour the Custos of Kingston, the Registrar of the Diocese, the Rev W Patterson, and the Rev Mr Bolton, his Lordships Chaplains, proceeded to Williamsfield estate, where his Lordship was met by the senior Magistrate of the parish, and a numerous and respectable body of the parishioners.
At the door of the Chapel his Lordship was met by the Rector, the Churchwardens, the officiating Minister, the Registrar of the Diocese, his Honour the Custos of the precinct, and a considerable proportion of the Magistrates, Vestrymen, and other inhabitants of the parish. The doors were then opened, and his Lordship, having retired to the Vestry-Room, and put on his Episcopal robes, proceeded to consecrate the Chapel according to the established form. The service of the day was read by the Rev David McCaw, and the sermon preached by the Rector. This being ended, his Lordship left the Chapel, and walked to a tent pitched in front of the building, and consecrated the burial-ground.
Although the Chapel was much crowded, no accident happened, no confusion took place, nothing occurred to disturb the procession, or the solemn rites that were performed.
The Slaves appeared to view the whole with much interest and respect, and, notwithstanding the general anxiety, evident among them, to see as much as they could, such was their decorum and good behaviour that not the slightest inconvenience or interruption took place, although the number that attended was very great. Neither civil nor military authority was thought necessary to preserve order, and the confidence of the Gentlemen who managed on the occasion, that neither were wanting to ensure their good behaviour, was well repaid by the gratifying spectacle of so many thousands of well dressed Slaves, conducting themselves with as much propriety and decency as ever were witnessed in the Mother-Country. The Lord Bishop, we understand, was much struck by the interesting scene, and repeatedly expressed his high satisfaction at their appearance and demeanour, as far beyond anything he could have expected.
An elegant second breakfast was provided by the Vestry at Williamsfield, to which his Lordship and a very large party sat down. No toasts were given, but all present seemed highly gratified, and his Lordship returned in the afternoon to Tulloch estate.
The Chapel is a solid substantial building, and very neatly fitted up, and will contain about four hundred persons. We congratulate the inhabitants of St Thomas’ in the Vale upon the final success of their undertaking, and we have no doubt that his Lordship, on his next visitation, will have reason to be satisfied with the improvement of the Slaves who shall be instructed within its walls.
Above – Rev David McCaw –
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending
Sat, 16 April 1825 – PS, page 19 – Mr David McCaw
ordained Deacon…Spanish-Town …by Lord Bishop of Jamaica – week ending Sat, 29 July 1826 – PS, page 23 – Civil Appointments – July
10 – Rev David McCaw to be Island Curate for the parish of St Thomas in the
Vale.
British Library – ‘A History of the Diocese
of
…………… On the 4th July, 1826 he consecrated Harewood Chapel,
Williamsfield, on Lord Harewood’s property in
Harewood
Chapel, later
‘The Diocese of
The first church to
be built [completed] and consecrated after the Bishop’s arrival was that of
Harewood, which he dedicated on July 4, 1826.
Is there any reason for reflecting on the service of consecration which
was held in this little chapel lovingly called “THE LITTLE CATHEDRAL IN THE
CORNER?” There is reason to think so.
From 1820
until his death in 1841, Williamsfield estate in
West
Yorkshire Archive Services, Leeds, England – Harewood West India papers – 1826 Abstract of the Produce of the Estates & other Property in
the West Indies belonging to the Earl of
Harewood – Jamaica – Abstract includes – Deed of Gift of land to erect a Church
upon – £7 0s 6d – (Church = Harewood Chapel)
National
Archives,
Correspondence from the bishop of
The Correspondence includes – letter from Bishop Lipscomb to the
Earl of Bathurst, Secretary of State for the Colonies –
My Lord,
I have much satisfaction in announcing to your Lordship that three new chapels, built by voluntary contributions of money, labour, and materials, have been already consecrated. One called Harewood Chapel, in the parish of St Thomas in the Vale, on the property of the Earl of Harewood, who has most liberally promoted the work, and two, St David’s and St George’s Chapels, in the districts of Carpenter’s Mountains and Mile End Gulley in the parish of Manchester; another called Providence Chapel, in the Carpenter’s Mountains District, is nearly finished and ready for consecration. All these buildings are neat and substantial, well situated for the accommodation of the Slave population, and capable of containing from four hundred to five hundred persons. The proportions of Harewood Chapel are sixty feet by thirty: of the others, about fifty five feet by twenty-six, thirteen feet high.
I enclose the Report of the Committee appointed by the Corporate Body of Kingston, with reference to the additional place of worship in that city, and to which I alluded in my last communication, and,
I have, &c.
Christopher Lipscomb
The Right Hon
Earl of
&c. &c. &c.
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 14 July 1827,
Ps, page .. – Civil
Appointments – July 11 – Rev William Godfrey Burton to be domestic Chaplain to
his Honour the Lieutenant Governor.
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 20 October 1827 –
Ps, page 17 –
Subscriptions
towards erecting a Place of Worship on Guy’s Hill
…………………………………………..…………………………………………………………..
The
above mentioned subscribers are requested to meet at Bently’s Tavern, on Guy’s
Hill on the 12th day of November next, at eleven o’clock, for the
purpose of appointing a committee to carry their wishes into execution; and
those who are desirous to subscribe, but who have not yet had the opportunity
of doing so, are requested to forward their names to the Rev D McCaw, Rodney
Hall Post Office, St Thomas in the Vale.
British
Library – Society for the Conversion and Religious Instruction and Education of
the Negro Slaves in the British West India Islands – Report for the year 1827, published 1828- Jamaica
– County of Middlesex – extract – page 18 to 23 –
parish of
Rev. W. G. P. Burton, Rector.
Rev. David McCaw,
Mr. Jeremiah Heber, Master of the
The
Population of this Parish is 12,800 persons; namely, 200 Whites, 600 Free
Coloured Persons, and 12,000 Slaves.
The Parish
Church, in which there is a Gallery, will accommodate from 2 to 300 persons;
and the Chapel on Lord Harewood’s Estate
at Williamsfield which has been built by Subscription, and was
consecrated by the Bishop in 1827 [1826] is of the same dimensions; but in the latter a gallery is now
erecting which will extend its accommodation to 400.
The
Established Service is performed once at each Place of Worship, every Sunday,
with a Sermon and Catechetical Instruction afterwards. The Services are well attended, there being
sometimes many more in attendance than the Church will hold.
There are
two Schools in the Parish. One a
There are
other Schools, not indeed within the District, but on the boarders of the
Parish, at which many children belonging to it are educated. The children of more opulent parents are sent
to
There are
two Schools without the lines of the Parish, which are chiefly attended by
children belonging to it. In the one
there are 20 Boarders and Day-scholars, all Free and of Colour. In the other, which was lately under the
charge of Mr Pinnock, a Catechist appointed by the Lord Bishop, there
are about 40: thirty Free of Colour, and ten Slaves. This is now under the particular care of Mr McCaw,
the Island Curate, who has a Master to assist him; and it is open to all who
are willing that their sons, daughters, or slaves should receive the
instruction it affords.
The Rector
attends at the Church every Wednesday to instruct such persons as may be
present. The same duty is also performed
after Services on Sundays; and the number catechized varies from 10 to 50, the
major part being Slaves. Most of the children
on the neighbouring Estates can now repeat the Church Catechism; and on one
property, the Proprietor of which, Mr Robert W Harris, resides in the
country, upwards of 100 have a perfect knowledge of it.
Steps have
been taken by Mr McCaw towards erecting a Chapel (St
Faith’s) on Guy’s Hill, which
has met with liberal encouragement from the Bishop and others; and a meeting of
the Subscribers was to be held on the 12th of November 1827, for the
purpose of appointing a Committee to carry the object into execution.
It is stated
upon unquestionable authority that Secret Meetings take place in parts of this
Parish, at which are black and brown Preachers, both Free Persons and Slaves,
of the greatest ignorance and the lowest description. Money is exacted; penance, (such as passing
the night in lonely and unfrequented places,) and fasts, enjoined. It is difficult to ascertain the real
persuasion of those who attend them: they denominate themselves Baptists;
although the Ministers in town disclaim all connexion whatever with them, or
even any knowledge of them. The usual
practice of these people is to assemble at night, once or twice a week; but as
they disperse immediately on the approach of any White Person, it is not easy
to speak with accuracy of their proceedings.
It is stated however that they baptize, marry, and administer the Sacrament:
but there is reason to believe that many of their doctrines are grossly
repugnant to the spirit of Christianity.
In the altered countenance and emaciated appearance of the deluded
creatures who attend these nocturnal meetings, there is ample proof of the
injury sustained by their health; as also by their habits of fasting, exposure
to the night air, and loss of rest. The
evil arising from total abstinence from any food during the day, or a longer
period, is further increased by their afterwards eating such a quantity of
victual as has in some cases caused almost immediate death; and always brings
on an unhealthy habit of body. There are
farther evils, which have a most pernicious effect upon health and morals,
prevalent among the females; who, through the fear of disgrace consequent upon
public expulsion from the Religious Society which they have joined, are induced
to take measures to prevent frailties being discovered.
The Rector
states, that, on the part of the Proprietors and Attorneys, he has always
experienced a readiness and anxiety to afford their Slaves reasonable time and
opportunity for Religious Instruction by the Established Clergy. On one Estate, where he has officiated for
nearly two years, a portion of the Saturday afternoon during crop time is
allowed them to visit their provision-grounds, that there may be no excuse for
absence from Service on the following day; and most probably a similar
indulgence under like circumstances would be granted on other properties.
A decided
change has taken place in the Negro Character since he came to the Island, (18
years ago,) which may be observed in the absence of the greater crimes, and in
the abandonment of many superstitious opinions and practices. Their habits are more social and religious,
their manners are more decent, and their behaviour among themselves more
peaceable.
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 24 Oct 1829 – Ps, page 23 – Died – In St Thomas in the Vale on the 16th inst the Rev David McCaw, Island Curate for that Parish.
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 7 Nov
1829 – Ps, page 23 – Civil Appointments – Nov 2 – Rev Sommersall [or
Sommersale] Richard Mackenzie [Mackechnie or McKechnie] to be Island Curate for
the Parish of St Thomas in the Vale
British
Library – Society for the Conversion and Religious Instruction and Education of
the Negro Slaves in the British West India Islands – Report for the year 1829 (30, 33) – Diocese
of Jamaica – Report for the year 1829
– extracts –
Page 2-3 –
Diocese of
The Bishop has subdivided the whole Island into three
Deaneries, and has appointed the Rev. Lewis Bowerbank, Rural Dean of Middlesex;
Rev. Alexander Campbell, of Surrey; and Rev. John McIntyre, of
*Report of Rev. A Campbell.
Page 14-15 –
parish of
The difficulty of procuring proper persons as catechists is
much felt in a country where the white population is so rapidly decreasing, and
a strong prejudice exists against the admission of coloured teachers on the
estates – in fact, few are qualified for the office. To obviate these difficulties in some
measure, a book-keeper has been selected on almost all the estates in this
parish to instruct all the children and such adults as will attend, in the
catechism and other elementary books, under the superintendence of the clergy
who visit these properties periodically.
Whatever objections may be made to this mode of instruction, the
advancement has been more rapid than in any other part of the Diocese, under
the peculiar circumstances of a large and scattered population, and the
prejudices existing against coloured teachers.
The only means of affording religious instruction on one general plan,
in a district favourable to education under the established clergy, has been adopted. The exertions of the Rev. Mr Barton [Burton],
and the late Rev. David McCab [McCaw], the Curate, who has been prematurely
taken off by fever, have been unremitting; and the Bishop considers it his duty
to bear testimony to the zeal and diligence of the catechists, who receive a
small annual remuneration from the proprietors of the estates.* During his Lordship’s last visitation, he
examined the children on many of these estates, and was particularly struck with
their improved orderly demeanour and the proficiency they made. If he were to single out any, it would be
Hopewell, where Mr White, the overseer, had adopted this plan for some time
previous to its general adoption in the parish, and whose conduct and character
as a kind and humane overseer is evinced by the attachment of the negroes under
his care. Since the death of Rev. David
McCab [McCaw], Mr McKecknie has been appointed to the Island Curacy of this
parish, and officiates at the chapel at Williamsfield, the property of Earl
Harewood. Service is performed at the Work-house
regularly very early on Sunday morning.
There is a Parochial School for the education of free children of all
colours in reading, writing, and arithmetic, but at present only one scholar,
though many have availed themselves of this charity.
* “Every facility is afforded to the rector and curate for
visiting the estates under this system of instruction. It was introduced in April, and is now
generally prevalent. At first, a portion
of two days in each week was allotted for instruction, but, subsequently, the
teachers have devoted their evenings also to the same object, and the rapid
progress made by the slaves on some of the estates is highly creditable to the
teachers. There are upward of 1200
adults and children under regular instruction.” – Rev. Mr. Barton’s [
Page 42-44 – Appendix No. III –
state of catechetical instruction, december
31, 1829.
----------------------
DEANERY
OF MIDDLESEX
Middlesex, 1829
WILLIAMSFIELD ESTATE Robert
Smith, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
40 |
Ad. 18 |
TULLOCH
ESTATE Edward
Kent Staines, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
79 |
57 |
HYDE
ESTATE Henry
Graves, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
--- |
39 |
BYNDLOSS
ESTATE James
Guthrie, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
25 |
13 |
WALLENS ESTATE Alexander
Durward, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
50 |
3 |
NEW WORKS ESTATE William
Cozens, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
39 |
24 |
PALM
ESTATE Henry
Coates, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
35 |
13 |
ROSE
HALL ESTATE Farrell
Hogg, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
39 |
6 |
DOVE
HALL ESTATE John
Parke, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
41 |
16 |
BERWICK
ESTATE William
Bryan, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
25 |
5 |
HOG HOLE ESTATE Archibald
Howson, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
24 |
5 |
SHENTON
ESTATE ---
Sotham, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
27 |
7 |
CHARLTON
ESTATE William
Baldwin, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
40 |
--- |
RIVER
HEAD ESTATE ---
Walcom, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
29 |
2 |
MOUNT
OLIVE ESTATE ---
Kerr, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
33 |
9 |
HARKER’S
HALL ESTATE James
Falconer, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
38 |
29 |
PROSPECT
ESTATE Thomas
Lewett, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
15 |
20 |
KNOLLIS
ESTATE William
McDowall, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
40 |
--- |
TREDWAYS
ESTATE James
Wiley, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
40 |
--- |
STERLING
CASTLE ESTATE ---
Twyford, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
12 |
--- |
BYBROOK
ESTATE ---
King, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
50 |
--- |
---
---, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
20 |
--- |
Total
number under Instruction – |
20 |
--- |
Total
number under Instruction – |
20 |
--- |
Richard
M White, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
--- |
108 |
CAREW
CASTLE William
Palmer, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
38 |
--- |
PLEASANT FARM PEN ---
Davis, Teacher Total
number under Instruction – |
17 |
10 |
RAZA
Total
number under Instruction – |
20 |
--- |
GINGER
HALL Total
number under Instruction – |
20 |
--- |
Total
number of Slaves under Instruction in |
233
[sic] |
Below
– Return of Properties upon which Catechetical Instruction has been introduced
in
|
||||||||||
No. |
Estate |
Proprietors |
Attornies |
Overseers |
Cate- chists |
Instruct Book- keepers |
||||
1 |
Tulloch |
G G Munro |
G |
R D Clunie |
|
E K |
||||
2 |
Mount-Olive |
General
Nedham |
Edward
Clouston |
|
|
- Kerr, sen |
||||
3 |
Williamsfield |
Lord Harewood |
Hon G Cuthbert & G |
|
|
- Binger |
||||
4 |
Hog-Hole |
Heirs of Bourdieu |
Edward
Clouston |
W G Clarke |
|
- Kerr, jun |
||||
5 |
Berwick |
Sir A Grant |
J Gordon |
C Gordon |
|
|
||||
6 |
Prospect |
Blair |
A Bayley |
R Hobbes |
|
A Dawes |
||||
7 |
Hyde |
Welch |
G |
Wm Duncan |
|
R Smith |
||||
8 |
|
R W Harris |
[R] Page & [F] Batty |
- Dunn |
|
- Walcom |
||||
9 |
Byndloss |
Daud [Dand] |
Hon A Hodgson & G |
R Allen |
|
- Fraser |
||||
10 |
New Works |
J |
[G W] Hamilton & [H] Lowndes |
- Rees |
|
J B Burnett |
||||
11 |
Wallen’s |
J |
[G W] Hamilton & [H] Lowndes |
- Milne |
|
A Durward |
||||
12 |
Dover-Castle |
S Da Silva |
A J Lindo |
T Dowle |
|
- Osborn |
||||
13 |
Berkshire-Hall |
J Hayman |
|
- Hooper |
|
- Wells |
||||
14 |
|
[Hervey] |
|
- Falconer |
|
- Trewant |
||||
15 |
Rose-Hall |
R Lee et al |
|
- Armstrong |
|
J Brookes |
||||
16 |
Palm |
M Gutteres |
G |
C McClymont |
|
- Coates |
||||
17 |
Pleasant
Farm |
|
& P
Garrigues |
- |
|
- |
||||
18 |
Treadways |
J Dawkins |
Wm Hewitt
& |
- Russel |
|
- Wyley |
||||
19 |
Charlton |
Heirs of Inglis |
J M Whyte |
- Ricord |
|
|
||||
20 |
River-Head |
C |
|
- |
|
|
||||
21 |
Dove-Hall |
B Edwards |
Hon T L Yates & A Hunter |
A Hunter |
|
- Wybrants |
||||
22 |
Harker’s
Hall |
F Stevens |
|
R L
Montcrieffe |
|
- Guthrie |
||||
23 |
Shenton |
J G Vidal |
J Gordon |
W P Hinshelwood |
|
J |
||||
24 |
|
Sir A Grant |
J Gordon |
- Worger |
|
|
||||
25 |
|
- Burnett |
A Bayley |
- White |
|
R M White |
||||
26 |
|
|
|
- Mignot |
|
- Mignot |
||||
27 |
Goff [Glengoff] |
|
|
|
|
|
||||
28 |
Carew-Castle |
- Palmer |
Wm Palmer |
|
|
W Palmer |
||||
|
||||||||||
Estate |
Popu- lation |
No.
under Instruc- tion |
No.
examined by
the Rural Dean, Sept. and
Oct. 1830 |
Days
and Hours of Instruction |
||||||
Tulloch |
390 |
89 |
89 |
Daily at shell-blow, and at evening |
||||||
Mount-Olive |
209 |
50 |
32 |
Tuesday and
Friday, one hour at evening |
||||||
Williamsfield |
264 |
54 |
54 |
Daily at twelve o’clock, for three
quarters of an hour |
||||||
Hog-Hole |
164 |
28 |
26 |
Daily in
the evening, for three quarters of an hour |
||||||
Berwick |
168 |
26 |
24 |
Tuesday and Friday |
||||||
Prospect |
143 |
40 |
18 |
Thrice weekly, for two hours |
||||||
Hyde |
157 |
49 |
39 |
Twice weekly, for one and a half
hour, and frequently for one hour at
evening |
||||||
|
183 |
130 |
106 |
Thrice a-week, for one and a half
hour |
||||||
Byndloss |
145 |
25 |
21 |
Tuesday and Friday |
||||||
New Works |
290 |
66 |
46 |
Daily one hour at noon, and two hours
in the evening |
||||||
Wallens |
293 |
62 |
62 |
Twice weekly, for one hour |
||||||
Dover-Castle |
149 |
21 |
21 |
Twice in the week |
||||||
Berkshire-Hall |
160 |
28 |
28 |
Twice in
the week |
||||||
|
|
|
13 |
Thrice in
the week |
||||||
Rose-Hall |
214 |
44 |
36 |
Daily for
an hour at noon, and one hour at evening |
||||||
Palm |
207 |
31 |
28 |
Twice weekly, for one and a half hour |
||||||
Pleasant
Farm |
71 |
27 |
12 |
Tuesday and
Friday |
||||||
Treadways |
241 |
54 |
42 |
Daily for
half and hour |
||||||
Charlton |
199 |
46 |
38 |
Daily for one a half hour at evening |
||||||
River-Head |
170 |
35 |
25 |
Omitted in the return |
||||||
Dove-Hall |
184 |
53 |
40 |
Daily for one and a quarter hour |
||||||
Harker’s
Hall |
259 |
57 |
45 |
Five times
weekly for two hours |
||||||
Shenton |
176 |
22 |
21 |
Daily for one hour |
||||||
|
164 |
no
return |
- |
No return |
||||||
|
132 |
no
return |
- |
No return |
||||||
|
121 |
87 |
- |
Omitted |
||||||
Goff [Glengoff] |
137 |
45 |
- |
Omitted |
||||||
Carew-Castle |
- |
- |
- |
- |
||||||
Below – my summaries –
Parishes in the Deanery of Middlesex
|
Nos. of Properties upon which Catechetical Instruction had been introduced in or by October 1830 |
|
28 |
Vere |
14 |
Clarendon |
8 |
St Mary |
8 |
|
6 |
St
Catherine |
3 |
St Dorothy |
3 |
|
2 |
|
1 |
Attorneys of Properties in the Deanery of Middlesex
upon which Catechetical Instruction had been introduced in or by October 1830,
and the number of Properties represented solely or in part by each attorney –
Attorneys |
No. of Properties |
Attorneys |
No. of Properties |
A
Bayley |
12 |
[R]
Page |
1 |
Edward
Clouston |
9 |
[F]
Batty |
1 |
G |
8 |
Hon
A Hodgson |
1 |
J
Gordon |
6 |
A J
Lindo |
1 |
Wm
Hewitt |
4 |
P
Garrigues |
1 |
R
Fairweather |
3 |
J M
Whyte |
1 |
F
Smith |
3 |
Hon
T L Yates |
1 |
[Henry]
Lowndes |
2 |
A
Hunter |
1 |
Wm
Taylor |
2 |
Wm
Palmer |
1 |
J
Blair |
2 |
|
1 |
C
Sconce |
2 |
J
Melmoth |
1 |
Wm W
Fearon |
2 |
W
Lewis |
1 |
W
Ramsay |
2 |
Hon
W Cox |
1 |
J
Turner |
1 |
William
Lambie |
1 |
J W
Turner |
1 |
J
Brown |
1 |
Hon
G Cuthbert |
1 |
|
|
National
Archives,
Name of the Parish - in what County or District - and extent in square
miles -
Population of each Parish - Whites - 200 - Free - 6 to 700 - Slaves -
11,000
Name of the Rector and value of the Living - W G P Burton - £946 - 15 –
currency – S R Mackechnie
Parsonage - Glebe - House - £350 in lieu of Parsonage House and Glebe
which are in the possession of the Vestry
Church - where situated and the number it will contain - South West extremity of the Parish
- 500.
Number of Persons generally attending - Generally 50 to 100, occasionally 4 to 500.
Chapel where situated and the Number of Persons it will contain - About 8 miles from the
Whether Protestant or Roman Catholic - Protestant
Parsonage House to Chapel - none
Dissenting places of Worship - One Wesleyan
Remarks - [no remarks]
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 18 Dec 1830 – Ps, page 23 – Died – In St Thomas in the Vale on
the 1st inst Eliza the wife of the Rev Somersale McKechnie, the
Island Curate of that Parish, leaving a disconsolate husband and three helpless
children to mourn their irreparable loss.
ROYAL
GAZETTE, week ending 16 June 1832 – Ps, page 24 –
Civil Appointments – June 13 – The Rev W G P Burton to be Domestic Chaplain to
his Honour the President of the Council, administering the Government.
ROYAL GAZETTE, week ending Sat, 14 July 1832
– Ps, page 18 –
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
In the Appendix to this Report we find a Report of the Jamaica Diocesan Committee [of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge] of the same year, from which we have pleasure in making several extracts, premising that the general remarks which those extracts contain on the progress of religious instruction, were accompanied with tabular statements of the means used for the instruction of the slave population, the names of estates under religious instruction, the nature and extent of the instruction given to the several properties, and various other particulars; and as there can be no doubt the Bishop transmitted similar details to the Colonial Office, there is reason to hope that the statements on this point, which will be laid before the Commission of Enquiry, will not be unsatisfactory.
Extracts from the Report.
While the leading object of the Diocesan Committee has been the dissemination of the Society’s sound and salutary publications, still it has ever been kept in view that the general design of the Institution is to promote Christian knowledge by all such means as are consistent with the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England. The attention and enquiries of the Committee have, therefore, been anxiously directed to all the measures proposed or adopted for Christian instruction, whether by the personal labours of the Clergy, or by schoolmasters and oral catechists under their superintendence. Prompted by solicitude with respect to the extent and success of such means of instruction, the following Resolution was passed at a Quarterly Meting held on the 14th of July, 1830. “That the Secretaries be requested to lay before the Anniversary Meeting, in each year, a return of the estates under instruction in the respective Deaneries whether by the Clergy, visiting catechists, or resident book-keepers employed as catechists; with such other information relative to the success of such instruction as they may deem proper.”
In compliance with the desire expressed in this Resolution, a return for Middlesex was presented by Mr Bowerbank, at the Meeting of the 29th November, 1830. The returns for the other Deaneries were not then ready, but they now accompany this report.
Middlesex.
By the return from this Deanery it will be seen that oral instruction in the Catechism, by the young men employed in the capacity of book-keepers on the estates, and receiving from the properties a small increase of salary for this additional service, had been carried to great extent; especially in the parish of St Thomas in the Vale, under the active superintendence and encouragement of the Rev Mr Burton, the Rector. – This mode of instruction has been introduced on nearly all the larger properties in that parish; and the Rural Dean, having recently visited, and carefully examined the catechetical school on each estate, reported most favourably of their proficiency. A great proportion of the children on many of the estates could repeat correctly and fluently the whole of the Church Catechism, and the rest were rapidly advancing. Sir Michael Clare, who was present at the Meeting of the 25th November, stated, that after a few years’ absence from Jamaica, he also had lately visited some of the these estates, and that, being well acquainted with their former condition, he was much struck with the improved and more orderly appearance of the children, which he ascribed to the establishment of the catechetical schools; and he likewise strongly expressed his conviction that these schools would have an influence not less beneficial on the class of young persons employed as teachers. The thanks of the Meeting were on this occasion given to the proprietors and attornies, through whose support and encouragement these schools were established.
From this County, Mr McIntyre, the Rural Dean, states, “The reports which I receive from the Clergy assume daily a more pleasing character indicating an improving state of public feeling in their respective parishes, and giving evidence of a more hearty desire among the resident proprietors to improve the spiritual condition of their slaves, and to promote generally a more perfect knowledge of the sound and wholesome doctrines of the Established Church.
“In the parish of Hanover a spacious chapel, erected at Green-Island, will, it is expected be ready for consecration in the course of a few months; and the Vestry have further voted a considerable sum for another chapel, to be built at a convenient place in the interior or mountain district.
“In Westmorland the parish church is being enlarged at
a very great expense, and a neat chapel erected in the
“In St Elizabeth’s, a chapel lately contracted for by the Vestry, to be built at Lacovia, has just been commenced; and subscriptions to a considerable amount have been entered into by the inhabitants generally for another chapel in the district of Pedro.
In St James’s, it has again become necessary to increase the accommodations at the parish church; and 600l have just been voted by the Vestry, making, with 500l voted in 1829, the sum of 1100l applied to this particular purpose during the last three years.
“With reference more especially to the slave
population, much important good has been experienced in several parishes of
this Deanery from the system of catechetical instruction pursued at the Sunday
Schools; and much more might be effected through these excellent institutions,
were the necessary means in our power.
It was, therefore, with no ordinary satisfaction that I received by the
last post a communication from the Bishop, acquainting me that his Lordship
will appropriate the sum of 200l per annum for the promotion of this
specific object in the deanery of
In this Deanery the following chapels have been opened for Divine Service since our Committee’s last report, namely, St George’s in Kingston, St James in the parish of St Andrew, St Michael’s in the mountain district of Port-Royal, and the commodious private chapel erected by Mr Archdeckne on his estate, Golden Grove, in the parish of St Thomas in the East; which being situated in the centre of a dense slave population, and open to slaves and others from the surrounding estates, is, in the strictest sense, a public benefit. A chapel, erected at Hope-Bay, St George’s, from the contributions of the inhabitants, aided by a grant from the House of Assembly, will be ready for consecration in a few weeks; and a parochial chapel for the Island Curates is to be built at Annotto-Bay, in the same parish, in the course of the present year, There are some other populous districts in this Deanery, in which the want of the public services of Religion has been much felt, and in which the inhabitants would find means of providing chapels, could provision be made for the support of officiating Clergymen.
In this Deanery the elementary religious instruction of the slaves has chiefly been conducted by licensed catechists visiting the estates. The instruction in this way has not, however, increased much during the last two years. Sunday Schools, in which reading is taught, have likewise been employed for the same purpose in most of the parishes, and these have of late increased considerably both in number and efficiency. – There is evidently an increasing willingness among the laity to encourage such institutions, which requires only to be cherished and judiciously directed by the Clergy to produce, through Divine blessing, the most beneficial results. A Sunday School was opened at the chapel of Manchioneal, in January last, by the Rev G D Hill, Stipendiary Minister, lately appointed to that district by the Bishop, at which there has been an average attendance of 300 scholars ever since, a success to be ascribed to the cordial spirit in which the gentlemen of the district have co-operated with Mr Hill. The establishment of reading schools on estates, on week-days, has also of late received much encouragement from some leading men in the parishes of St Thomas in the East, Portland, St George, and St Andrew; a fact which, whether considered as an indication of a liberal tone of feeling on the part of the higher classes, or as a new step gained towards the religious improvements of the lower classes is alike gratifying. Much good has likewise been done in several parishes in this county by the personal labours of the Clergy, in catechising, instructing, and exhorting the slaves on the plantations, as has been clearly proved by the increasing attendance of the slaves on the public ordinances of religion in those districts where this practice has been carried to the greatest extent.
While the means resorted to for the instruction of the slave population have thus varied considerably in different parts of the diocese, according to local circumstances, and the views of individuals, enough it is hoped, has been laid before the Committee to warrant the general conclusion, that throughout the island there has been, within the period embraced in this report, a steady progressive increase and enlargement of the means and institutions for religious instruction.
British
Library – Society for the Conversion and Religious Instruction and Education of
the Negro Slaves in the British West India Islands – Report for the year 1829 (30, 33) – Report
for the year 1832, published 1833 – Jamaica
– extract – Appendix No. II – page 6 -7 –
Note
– below – Williamsfield – in 1832 George Cuthbert and George William Hamilton
were the attorneys of the 2nd Earl of Harewood – not – H
[Henry] Lowndes
|
||||||||||
No. |
Properties |
Proprietors
and Attorneys |
Catechists
|
Instructing
Bookkeepers |
||||||
1 |
Shurton [Shenton] |
J G Vidal – Joseph Gordon, Att. |
|
Pacifico |
||||||
2 |
Hyde |
Richard Welsh [Welch] – H Lowndes and
M McLeod, Atts. |
|
Vacant |
||||||
3 |
Hoghole |
Heirs of Bourdieu – |
|
Alexander Kerr |
||||||
4 |
Berwick |
Sir A Grant – Joseph Gordon Att. |
|
George Bassett |
||||||
5 |
|
Major-General A Geddes and C McKenzie, Atts. |
|
William Hylton |
||||||
6 |
Williamsfield |
Earl of Harewood – Hon G Cuthbert and H Lowndes, Atts. |
|
Robert Henry |
||||||
7 |
|
Heirs of Harris – R Page and F Batty,
Atts. |
|
J Robertson |
||||||
8 |
Glingoff [Glengoff] |
S C Rennalls – R H Sharpe, Att. |
|
J Guthrie |
||||||
9 |
|
In Chancery – |
|
R White |
||||||
10 |
Honker’s [Harker’s] Hall |
F Stephens [Steevens] – |
|
J Gordon |
||||||
11 |
Dove Hall |
B Edwards – Proprietor resident |
|
Vacant |
||||||
12 |
Tulloh [Tulloch] |
Major Munro – G and C McKenzie, Atts. |
|
Edward Hamilton |
||||||
13 |
West Prospect |
Charles Blair – Alex McWilliam, Att. |
C Bromfield (slave) |
…………. |
||||||
14 |
Byndloss |
John Dand – Hon Henry Cox, Att. |
|
Vacant |
||||||
15 |
Rose Hall |
R Lee – |
|
William Hobbins |
||||||
16 |
New Works |
J |
|
John Ferrier |
||||||
17 |
Wallens |
J |
|
A Mattur |
||||||
18 |
|
S Da Silva – Resident |
|
J Osborne |
||||||
19 |
|
W Harvey [Hervey] – |
|
G McKenzie |
||||||
20 |
|
Heirs of Burnett – Hon B Maddan, Att. |
|
Vacant |
||||||
21 |
|
Sir A Grant – J Gordon, Att. |
|
John Fraser |
||||||
22 |
Palno [Palm] |
M Gutteres – G |
|
C Lowes |
||||||
23 |
Treddways [Treadways] |
J Dawkins – T J Bernard and W G Stewart, Atts. |
|
R Hazard |
||||||
24 |
Charlton |
Heirs of Inglis – J M White, Att. |
|
Vacant |
||||||
25 |
River Head |
C Anderson – Resident |
|
C Gruber |
||||||
26 |
|
Henry Palmer – William Palmer, Att. |
The Family |
………… |
||||||
27 |
Berkshire Hall |
J Hayman – T Hooper, Att. |
|
Thomas Evitt |
||||||
28 |
Cottage |
Heirs of Lobbau |
The Family |
……….. |
||||||
29 |
|
Miss Poulton |
Miss Poulton |
……… |
||||||
|
||||||||||
Properties
|
Total
Population
|
Number
of Males |
Number
of Females |
Total
under Instruction
|
Days
of Instruction |
School when
formed
|
||||
Shurton [Shenton] |
174 |
90 |
84 |
47 |
Daily, or rather about four times a
week |
Apr.
1829 |
||||
Hyde |
154 |
68 |
86 |
39 |
Tuesday and Friday |
Sep.
1829 |
||||
Hoghole |
172 |
84 |
88 |
37 |
Tuesday and Friday |
Nov.
1829 |
||||
Berwick |
151 |
73 |
78 |
34 |
Daily |
June
1829 |
||||
|
202 |
97 |
105 |
53 |
Tuesday and Friday |
May
1829 |
||||
Williamsfield |
241 |
114 |
127 |
71 |
………………… |
May
1829 |
||||
|
180 |
83 |
97 |
59 |
Tuesday and Friday |
July
1829 |
||||
Glingoff [Glengoff] |
136 |
63 |
73 |
39 |
Tuesday and Friday |
July
1829 |
||||
|
114 |
48 |
66 |
35 |
Tuesday and Wednesday |
July
1829 |
||||
Honker’s [Harker’s] Hall |
248 |
129 |
119 |
57 |
Tuesday and Friday |
Apr.
1829 |
||||
Dove Hall |
176 |
83 |
93 |
42 |
Tuesday and Friday |
Apr.
1829 |
||||
Tulloh [Tulloch] |
382 |
174 |
208 |
74 |
Tuesday and Friday |
Mar.
1829 |
||||
West Prospect |
138 |
64 |
74 |
52 |
Daily in the Evening |
May
1829 |
||||
Byndloss |
156 |
86 |
70 |
35 |
……………………... |
Apr.
1829 |
||||
Rose Hall |
210 |
101 |
109 |
46 |
Tuesday and Friday |
Apr.
1829 |
||||
New Works |
296 |
133 |
163 |
61 |
Tuesday and Friday |
Apr.
1829 |
||||
Wallens |
286 |
125 |
161 |
74 |
Tuesday and Friday |
Apr.
1829 |
||||
|
148 |
71 |
77 |
19 |
………………….. |
Nov.
1829 |
||||
|
95 |
51 |
44 |
18 |
…………………. |
Nov.
1829 |
||||
|
136 |
74 |
62 |
55 |
…………………. |
Nov.
1829 |
||||
|
153 |
80 |
73 |
33 |
Daily |
Nov.
1829 |
||||
Palno [Palm] |
198 |
109 |
89 |
41 |
Tuesday and Friday |
Apr.
1829 |
||||
Treddways [Treadways] |
238 |
110 |
128 |
42 |
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday |
Nov.
1829 |
||||
Charlton |
202 |
102 |
100 |
29 |
…………………. |
May,
1831 |
||||
River Head |
154 |
81 |
73 |
32 |
Two days |
Nov.
1829 |
||||
|
110 |
49 |
61 |
35 |
Three days |
1831 |
||||
Berkshire Hall |
154 |
74 |
80 |
21 |
Four times a week |
|
||||
Cottage |
111 |
…. |
…. |
111 |
Daily |
|
||||
|
20 |
10 |
10 |
15 |
Three times a week |
1831 |
||||
|
4135 |
2426 |
2598 |
1306 |
|
|
||||
At
Byebrook and New Hall the Overseers had received order from the Attorneys to
commence instruction under Bookkeepers, but it had not begun when I was in
the Vale. |
||||||||||
-----------------------------------
In 1869 the Church of England in
West
Yorkshire Archives Services,
The Case of the The Church of England in Her revenues have always been derived from the public taxes, and (till within the last thirty years) from fees such as those paid in many parts of England; but in the year 1840 an annual commutation for these fees was by law assigned to every rector, and every inhabitant of the Colony had the right to demand the services of a Clergyman of the Established Church on any occasion whatsoever for a religious service. By the laws of The Colonial grant to the Church of England has varied continually, having been always given by Acts for a limited period. As these periods elapsed, the details of the system were revised and a fresh Act was passed. The only change made in the number of Clergy recognised by these Acts was, on certain occasions, considerably to increase it. In 1864 the Colonial grant for Church purposes was £37.956. In 1865 the rebellion broke out in In the year before the rebellion, a Bill for the prospective
Disendowment of the Church of England in In 1866 a despatch from the Colonial Minister was transmitted to
the clergy, stating that in consequence of the financial difficulties of the
Colony they must expect, after the expiration of the current “Clergy Act” in
1869, to have their salaries paid on a
reduced scale. Neither the Bishop
nor any of the Clergy could obtain any further information whatever from the
Colonial Office in England or from the Governor of Jamaica, as to the future
of their Ecclesiastical Establishment, until the 7th of December,
1869, when they were informed that their Clergy Act, which would expire on
the 31st of December, 1869, would not be re-enacted; and so the Church, which had been
established for more than 200 years, was cast off with three weeks notice! In 1866 the Governor began to reduce the amounts paid to the Church by refusing to fill up vacancies, except by appointing temporary catechists. The Church was led to understand that at the end of 1869 the whole Establishment would be reorganised and reformed; no hint whatever was given to disestablishment. In consequence of this rule, the Clergy, who in 1866 numbered ninety-two, have been reduced to fifty-five; and twenty-four Churches and Congregations have been thrown suddenly on the Voluntary system; though the life-interest of existing Incumbents have been preserved. Every effort has been made by the Clergy and Church-laity to meet
the crisis. Two synods have been held,
the first in January and the second in September of the past year. A Constitution has been framed, particulars
of which will be gladly furnished, if desired. Every adult not dependent on others for
support, and registering himself, or herself, under the pastoral care of the
Clergy, is called upon to pay a regular – though not absolutely compulsory –
rate for the Sustentation Fund; and where – as for a short time was the case
at two stations – congregations refuse to recognise their full
responsibilities, the Clergyman had been removed to another sphere of work,
where the people are willing to do their duty. There is no reason however to suppose that
such a case will occur again. The
present Clergy, having life-interest preserved, have resolved to give 2 per
cent of their income to the general Sustentation Fund, besides subscribing to
the accumulating funds of their own particular districts. In these ways every energy of both Clergy
and Laity has been taxed to the utmost, and yet there seems no hope of more
than £19,000 a year being raised in the Colony. With all practicable economy, with every
possible reform and re-administration, with the use of catechists in some
districts where Clergymen were stationed before, it will yet be impossible to
afford the ordinary means of grace to the regular congregations at a smaller
expense than £24,000 per annum. It
will be seen therefore that unless a sum of £5,000 per annum, or a capital
sum to represent that amount, be obtained from The reason for dis-establishment and dis-endowment was stated by
Earl Granville, in a despatch dated 1st March, 1869, (but not
referred to in public until December 18th, 1869), to be that Her
Majesty’s Government had determined to establish “Religious Equality” in The attention of English Churchmen is especially invited to the
foregoing, and to the answer given by Earl Granville in his despatch dated 18th
November, 1869. “In The population of The Governor states, moreover, “that the class for whose religious instruction no practical provision is made, could not be assumed much less than two fifths of the whole population.” The Church of England in
I.
All the negroes, now living,
or, their immediate progenitors, were slaves of Englishmen. II.
No other III.
In no other IV.
The great English Missionary
Societies (Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and Church Missionary
Society) used to spend £12.000 per annum in V.
An imprimatur has been given by the prominent religious societies
and individuals of every party in the Church, who, on examination of the
claims of the Church in VI.
The VII.
It is only for the poorest
congregations that this appeal is made.
In the towns and larger villages it is believed that the Church will
be able, though with difficulty, to hold her own. The extended outlying districts, which are
too poor to support any Dissenting teachers, will also be unable to secure
Church teaching, unless very largely assisted by English Christians. In some congregations, amounting to 700
negroes, on the average every Sunday, all, except about fifty, are too poor
to afford to wear shoes and stockings.
This is no great privation in Subscriptions will be thankfully received for the W. E. PIERCE, B.A.,
Member of Deputation from
(32, Cheapside, |
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