{"id":3827,"date":"2023-10-06T08:30:27","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T08:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/?p=3827"},"modified":"2023-10-06T08:37:53","modified_gmt":"2023-10-06T08:37:53","slug":"say-my-name","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/2023\/10\/06\/say-my-name\/","title":{"rendered":"Say My Name (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As a researcher every so often you unfold an old and dirty parchment and go \u2018wow\u2019 as the potential importance of the document leaps off the page at you. But in some cases, before you rush to share your excitement with the archive staff, the gravitas and implications of the document demand a moment of respect and reflection which allows the document to be shared with the quiet solemnity and dignity due to those individuals named.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3829\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3829\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3829\" src=\"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/D_PIT_T_855-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/D_PIT_T_855-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/D_PIT_T_855-300x249.jpg 300w, https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/D_PIT_T_855-1024x849.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/D_PIT_T_855-768x637.jpg 768w, https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/D_PIT_T_855-1536x1274.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/D_PIT_T_855-2048x1698.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3829\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/archive-catalogue.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/records\/D-PIT\/T\/855\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>D-PIT\/T\/855<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This was the range of emotions experienced when faced with a <a href=\"https:\/\/archive-catalogue.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/records\/D-PIT\/T\/855\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">schedule accompanying the sale of the Mount Carmel plantation<\/a>, Jamaica from Mary Ann BLAKE and Horace William BECKFORD in 1815. The schedule listed 115 enslaved individuals who formed the most valuable asset of the plantation. The plantation was valued at \u00a310 653 16s 2\u00bcd of lawful British money or \u00a314 915 6s 8d Jamaican currency. This amount comprised:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Enslaved individuals\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a311 120 0s 0d<\/p>\n<p>Stock (cattle and horses)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 730 0s 0d<\/p>\n<p>Land and buildings (402 acres)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a3\u00a0\u00a0 3 065 6s 8d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Horace William BECKFORD, later the 3<sup>rd<\/sup> Baron Rivers, had three key connections with Dorset:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>His grandfather, Julines BECKFORD purchased land in Shillingstone and Steepleton Iwerne.<\/li>\n<li>Julines\u2019 wife, Elizabeth ASHLEY, was the daughter of Solomon ASHLEY (MP for Bridport 1734-41). Solomon\u2019s granddaughter, Mary, the wife of Humphrey STURT of the Critchel estate was Horace\u2019s first cousin once removed.<\/li>\n<li>Horace\u2019s mother was Louisa PITT. Louisa\u2019s father, George 1<sup>st<\/sup> Baron Rivers, was returned as MP for Shaftsbury (1742-1747) and Dorset (1747-1774), serving as the Colonel of the Dorset Militia and the Lord Lieutenant of Dorset. Louisa\u2019s brother, George 2<sup>nd<\/sup> Baron Rivers, was elected as MP for Dorset in 1774 and in about 1819 bought an estate at Tollard Royal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Mount Carmel plantation was combined with the Shrewsbury plantation which had passed through the BECKFORD family from Peter BECKFORD (Horace\u2019s great grandfather) to Horace. All of this helps explain how a document now catalogued as <a href=\"https:\/\/archive-catalogue.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/records\/D-PIT\/T\/855\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>D-PIT\/T\/855<\/strong><\/a> is one of the many important historic documents held at Dorset History Centre.<\/p>\n<p>The schedule of enslaved individuals includes a name, age, occupation, condition, a value and some notes including ethnicity. It is this level of detail which makes the schedule more than just a list of names, giving a snap shot of who these individuals were and how the overseer and valuators viewed them.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3830\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3830\" style=\"width: 925px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3830\" src=\"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/Picture-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"925\" height=\"619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/Picture-2.png 925w, https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/Picture-2-300x201.png 300w, https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/files\/2023\/06\/Picture-2-768x514.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 925px) 100vw, 925px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3830\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/archive-catalogue.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/records\/D-PIT\/T\/855\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>D-PIT\/T\/855<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Descriptions in the document also include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>William Blake valued at \u00a3200, a 30-year-old head driver or supervisor, who was able, of good character and listed as \u2018Creole\u2019 (born in Jamaica and possibly of mixed heritage)<\/li>\n<li>Samuel Stewart valued at \u00a3160, a 22-year-old who worked in the house, who was healthy and listed as \u2018mulatto\u2019 (first generation mixed race)<\/li>\n<li>Polly Brodie valued at \u00a380, a 45-year-old midwife, who was \u2018weakly\u2019, of very good character and \u2018mulatto\u2019 (first generation mixed race)<\/li>\n<li>Robert Williams valued at \u00a35 a healthy 3-month-old listed as \u2018Quadroon\u2019 (3 white and 1 black grandparent)<\/li>\n<li>Beck with no value or occupation, an invalid, \u2018supposed dirt eater\u2019 and Eboe (from the southeast of Nigeria, a first generation slave)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It should be noted that the names of enslaved individuals as recorded can be original or ascribed by an \u2018owner\u2019 or merchant.<\/p>\n<p>The table below gives a breakdown of the ascribed ethnicities, at a time of multiple and complex systems of categorising race. Only 60 (52%) of the entries have a relevant entry:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"453\"><strong>Ethnicity<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"85\"><strong>Number<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"63\"><strong>%<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"453\">Creole (born in Jamaica)<\/td>\n<td width=\"85\">20<\/td>\n<td width=\"63\">17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"453\">Congo (from the Congo area of central Africa &#8211; today the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo \u2013 first generation enslaved)<\/td>\n<td width=\"85\">8<\/td>\n<td width=\"63\">7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"453\">Eboe (from the southeast of Nigeria \u2013 first generation enslaved)<\/td>\n<td width=\"85\">15<\/td>\n<td width=\"63\">13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"453\">Mondengo (from or near the upper Niger valley, Western Africa \u2013 first generation enslaved)<\/td>\n<td width=\"85\">5<\/td>\n<td width=\"63\">4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"453\">Mulatto (first generation mixed race)<\/td>\n<td width=\"85\">6<\/td>\n<td width=\"63\">5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"453\">Quadroon (3 white and 1 black grandparent)<\/td>\n<td width=\"85\">3<\/td>\n<td width=\"63\">3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"453\">Sambo (3 black and 1 white grandparent)<\/td>\n<td width=\"85\">3<\/td>\n<td width=\"63\">3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>It is reasonable to assume that the total born in Jamaica should include the 12 (11%) mixed race individuals giving a total for Creole of 32 (28%).<\/p>\n<p>Part 2 of this blog will be published on Monday, and will use documents not held by DHC to show how research into families and individuals can be developed from these starting points.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a researcher every so often you unfold an old and dirty parchment and go \u2018wow\u2019 as the potential importance of the document leaps off the page at you. But in some cases, before you rush to share your excitement with the archive staff, the gravitas and implications of the document demand a moment of&hellip; <span class=\"kuorinka-read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/2023\/10\/06\/say-my-name\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read more <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Say My Name (Part 1)<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1892,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[82,226,109,350],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3827"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1892"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3827"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3969,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3827\/revisions\/3969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}