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In two letters dated June 1832 and January 1833 George Richards, a medical student in Edinburgh, writes to his sister Mary Richards (“Mames”) in Barbados. The letters contain information about happenings in Edinburgh, including demonstrations in support of the passage of the Great Reform Bill at the most critical juncture in May 1832 when Earl Grey’s government resigned after defeat in the House of Lords only to be recalled when the Duke of Wellington was unable to form a government. Richards also notes that he has added his signature to a petition in support of the Anatomy Bill of 1832 which permitted teachers of anatomy and medical students to dissect bodies made available by donation. The medical education available in Edinburgh at this time was almost certainly the best in Britain.
George Richards
introduces a cast of characters many of whom are or are related to doctors
practicing in Barbados. Those doctors and their families appear in
the University College London database of compensated slave owners but their
holdings are generally small because their slaves worked in the house rather
than on plantations. In these letters written just before the abolition of
slavery, the writer twice asks to be remembered to the “servants” which could
mean that they are either manumitted slaves or legally enslaved but treated as
one might servants. The doctors gained their living from working for the sugar
estates, treating both the owners but also overwhelmingly those enslaved. A man who
I take to be George Richards’ father and who is now deceased - the letters send
love to Mother but Father is never mentioned - gave evidence to an enquiry, the
evidence summarised by Richard B. Sheridan in his Doctors and Slaves (1985):
Doctors and other persons concerned with
the slaves gave evidence before committees of the legislature of Barbados in
1818 and 1824. Though all the evidence favors the plantocracy and cannot be
evaluated in the light of counterevidence, it may nevertheless reveal certain
experiences of the individuals concerned. George Richards, M.D., testified that
he practiced for about eight estates and other properties with a total
population of about 2,500. He also had a general practice as physician and
surgeon and visited many estates in that capacity. (p. 301)
Among those
mentioned in the letters, “Dr Hay” now residing in Edinburgh may be related to
the Dr Hay whose life was spared during Fédon’s Grenada rebellion of 1795. “Mrs
Collymore” is the Scottish widow of a Barbados doctor, Samuel James Collymore
(1786- 1820s). On the death of her husband Mrs Collymore returned to Scotland
with her daughter and the widow is listed in street directories as “Mrs Dr
Collymore”. Her pretty daughter of the second letter was Agnes (born 1817); she
did not return to Barbados but the Collymore name is still common there thanks
to the very extensive slave holdings of Robert Collymore and his wife Amaryllis
Collymore, a free woman of colour who in an 1826 will left 67 slaves to family
members. Other doctors and their families are referred to in the
letters and perhaps their most interesting feature is the extensive network of
families to which George Richards in Edinburgh is connected and to whom he
feels attached; the letters suggest homesickness.
The writer
records mail received and sent, a common feature of letters written when mail
was slow and unreliable. But he is also making planned use of the Royal Mail
Packet Boat service to the West Indies, receiving and sending goods as well as
letters. The sailing schedules could be found at post offices or in the
newspapers.
It appears that
George Richards has a romantic attachment in Barbados to “M a Misson” which I
read as brother to sister shorthand for Emma Misson but could be Mary Ann but either
way cannot be found online though Misson is a known family name.
Both letters are
tropicalised, fragile and in the case of the second letter with sections
missing; damage to the first letter also prevents some words from being read. I
have indicated longer missing sections by straight lines, shorter omissions
with ellipses; my own comments in brackets as usual. My guess is that they were
brought back to Britain at some later date by a member of the family quitting
Barbados permanently.
After my labours
over these fragile documents, Dr Richard Forty discovered why it was that I
could find nothing about George Richards’ later life. There was none; the
burial register of the parish
of South Leith confirms it. I note that Richards died of small pox in Edinburgh in 1833; in an 1819 letter also on this site the Suriname slave owner Alexander Cameron writes of having had his slaves vaccinated against smallpox.
Date
of burial: 20 March 1833
Name: "Richards, George, Student of Medicine of Barbadoes, from 45
Frederick Street, is buried in the New Ground, above his Brother's remains…
Age: 21
Disease: Small Pox
And
“above his Brother’s remains”?
The
same register:
Date:
31 December 1831
Name: Richards, Robert Bruce, of Barbadoes from No. 45 Frederick Street, is
buried in the New Ground, the feet close to the N. pannel of Macallum &
Browns Tomb
Age: 18
Disease: Typhus Fever
*
Transcription
First
Letter 1832
Addressed to: Miss
M Richards Bridge Town Barbados
Endorsed: per
packet
Datelined: June 2d
Edinburgh 45 Frederick Street
My
dear Mames
I
promised in my letter to Sale which Miss Duguid took the charge of that this
packet [HMS Frolic, sailed from Falmouth 14th June 1832]
should bring you a letter from me. I have heard from you twice lately and you
must consider this an answer to both of your letters. I have also received
letters from … M a Misson, Sale and Pearn [all three members of slave-owning
families]. Tell the latter for me that he may count on hearing from me by
the next opportunity. I shall also at the same time write to Mr Maynard [slave owning
family]. I am glad to see you have done as I begged
you would in mentioning the Children, continue to do so whenever you write as
nothing gives me greater pleasure than hearing of them. I received the
sweetmeats and arrowroot safe and have divided them between Miss Mackenzie and
Dr Hay. They both of them seemed pleased and the Doctor called on me next day
to thank me for those sent him. Whoever prepared the pine jam has destroyed its
flavour by spicing it with cloves and cinnamon, the other preserves are well put
up.
I
wish I had been with you to lend my assistance during your moving but I was
glad as I was not that my place had been so well supplied. Tell Mother [Ann Richards
formerly Hind] I fancy I stand on the same ground in M a
Misson’s affections to fear being rivaled by Mr Thomas [slave-owning
family]. I am glad to find he is so great a favourite amongst you
all. Keep him to his promise and make him bring Jane to pay me the visit which
I am looking forward to with so much pleasure. I saw Miss Maria Jones when
I was in London, she was a pretty interesting looking girl but even then seemed
to be very delicate. I have not heard of Mrs F Cobham’s arrival in Edinburgh [Mary Harvey
Cobham widow of Francis Cobham M.D. of Barbados, slave owner. She moved back to
Scotland following the 1831 death of her husband] but when I do I shall call on
her. I know her Mother is residing in some street to the South of the Town and
I shall some time next week try and find her out.
You
will be happy to hear that this town is free from Cholera just now or very
nearly so. There were not more than four or five cases this week and I hope
there will be none during the next week. I mentioned in one of my former
letters that Earl Grey and Brougham had resigned and for some days there was a
report that the Duke of Wellington was prime minister. Had it been so I should
not have been surprised to have seen England and Scotland in open rebellion.
Earl Grey has again accepted office and it is expected that the bill [The Great
Reform Bill] will go through the House of Lords about
the middle of next week. When it has passed the people of England, Scotland and
Ireland intend expressing their joy by processions, feasts and illuminations.
As soon as it was known in Scotland that Earl Grey had resigned and the Reform
Act in danger meetings were held to express their sorrow and petitions sent to
the House of Commons telling them to refuse supply. There was also a general
run on all the banks for gold and a determination to pay no taxes. In a procession
of the trades in the town coloured flags were displayed and black flags with
inscriptions such as Reform or Death, Better die in a good cause than die in
slavery. They had also a flag with a skull and bones painted on it and a motto
under it which I do not recollect, at the end of the meeting they sang “Scots
wha hae with Wallace bled” and then quietly dispersed.
By
my not saying anything of my state of health you may conclude I am quite well.
I think rising early and walking to the Botanical Garden every morning before
…. tends to keep me in health. I have also to rise twice a week in
order to be at college by six. Dr Reid [probably Dr John Reid 1809-1849]
has examinations at that hour on what we have been doing the week previous. I
must now conclude with love to M a Misson, Mother, Dear Mary, Aunty, Cousins
Brothers Sisters the Hinds and all at home and believe me my dear Mames your
affectionate Brother G
Richards.
[Cross-written] I
shall be glad of anything you can send me in the way of curiosities provided I
have to pay no freight …. no expense for them …. will be a good opportunity to
send them by them or anyone coming direct to Edinburgh. Excuse this hurried
letter. I am glad to hear both Rob and Tom have got …. and more so as Rob will
be near you now. Give my love to him. Remember me kindly to Dr Cutting and his
family [slave owning family] and to Mr Maynard and his …. And also to Mr
Hinds & I hope Bessy is well again. We have now fine summer weather
daylight from half past two in the morning to nine at night. Remember me to the
servants.
Second letter 1833
Addressed to: Miss
Mary Richards Bridge Town Barbados
Endorsed: per
packet
Datelined: Edinburgh January 12th 1833 45 Frederick Street
My
dear Mames
Your
letter of the thirtieth of November I received only a few minutes ago and I
must make haste and answer it immediately as I wish to put this in the Post
Office before I go to bed. It is now past eight o’clock. I am glad to see you
have written to me again and not taken offence because I neglected answering
your former letter. I however scarcely received one from you as this is I
believe the third I have received without giving you one in return. Tell Jane I
was not aware that the nickel was sent to me by her but to show her that I do
not disregard the present I will have it converted to a seal, in the meantime
give her a kiss for me and my best thanks. I have _________the flower seeds. I
think _____me if they grow and _____desires and once ______heard from me. On
the ____Mr Jamieson the ________ after at the Doctors, and Wednesday evening I
spent at Mrs Collymore, at this last place we had dancing. The party consisted
of about eighteen or twenty young ladies and gentlemen and I passed a very
pleasant evening. Miss Collymore is a very nice girl rather pretty about your
own age or a little younger and to sum up the whole a Barbadian although she
has been from Barbados since she was an infant. The father married in Scotland
but died three or four years after his return to Barbados. I have received a
good deal of attention both from this family and from the Jamiesons. I have an
invitation for nine o’clock on Wednesday next, so I suppose it is to be a
dance. It is from a family I have occasionally met with at the Miss Mackenzies [with whom he
lodges in Frederick Street]. I have not accepted it yet but I think I
shall.
On
New Year’s morning I went out with two or three others to see if the old custom
was still kept up. There were a great many people in the streets but not many
females. The privilege of saluting those you meet is still the same, but I
think the custom _________________. We have for the three ___________ yesterday
and today ____________the ice strong enough to ________ [succeed]ed
in reaching the op[opposite]______ I went again today but
__________not venture on. Only one __________. The ice broke and a boy narrowly
escaped being drowned.
You
have told me how you like Miss Jane Duguid but now I must ask you to tell me
how she likes Barbados and its inhabitants. I am sorry to hear Prescod Williams
[slave
owning family] is forced to marry against her will. I
hope if it is the case that ways and means will yet be found to break off the
match, I am glad to hear Mr Maynard intends writing to me. I have not by the
Packet received a letter from him but I hope I may by the next. You do not
mention when you are to remove to Warrens [ the name of or named for an
Estate just outside Bridge Town] when you do write and tell me ____ you like
a country life. You will have company enough ___ and those friends who care
about you and have a gig will not mind the short distance of three miles.
Tell
Hal I approve of his good taste for I think little Malvina Trotman [slave owning
family] the prettiest girl of her age I now recollect of in
Barbados. Remember me kindly to Dr Cutting and Mrs Cutting and Mrs Williams. I
must write soon to the Doctor when you see Golding and Pilgrim [slave owning
family] tell me what you think of them. Dr Jones I believe
merely went out for his health and not to remain.
I
had when I sat down a good many questions to ask but I have forgotten them all
and I have now only room left to give my love to Mother, M a Misson, Dear Mary,
Brothers, Sisters, Aunts, Cousins and friends ever believe me my dear Mames
your affectionate Brother George Richards
Cross
written postscript: When the Higginsons arrive [slave owning
family] let me know if the book I sent by her have been of use to Sam
and if I have any more he may require. I have nothing new to tell you about the
college and the classes. The Modie [? local term for club or union?] of
Students here have sent a petition to the Lord Provost and the graduates
praying them to enforce the late Anatomy Bill. I signed it yesterday & hope
it may have some effect but I fear not. I am
__________________about
her will not enquire her
__________________
free from the Cholera year to now
___________________ this
week you mention Sale
_________________
her but you say nothing of Mr
__________________
by the same opportunity tell me
___________________
got his. Remember me kindly to
_________________
servants and once more believe me your affect brother GR
Acknowledgment and Reference
Dr Richard
Forty uncovered the fates of George Richards and his brother.
Sheridan, Richard B. Doctors and Slaves (1985)
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