Castara

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Steve

Thanks for all that. You beat me to it. My copy arrived earlier this week, but I've yet to find an opportunity to read it. However, Jill and I have been pondering and wondering about the title and I had scanned the back cover, acknowlegements and forward trying to find where 'La Magdalena' came from.

As a matter of interest, David Phillips sadly passed away last year - otherwise I would have written and asked him if he knew more about the origins of the name Parlatuvier.

Also as a matter of interest, David was Chairman of the Tobago branch of the TTSPCA animal shelter at Bacolet for 9 years. His wife, Pamela, still runs the shelter. It is an organisation very close to my heart and who I sponsor through provision and hosting of their website - http://www.ttspca.com

[Steve Pitts]

Hi Steve

That's sad news about David Phillips.
La Magdalena is certainly a labour of love, taking nearly 30 years to compile all of the historic detail and then write it up into some form of book which isn't just a list of dates and occurances.

I've found the appendices fascinating and a vivid partrayal of life on the plantation estates. Life was certainly hard for the settlers and brutal for the slave labour e.g. from the Slave Act of 1768 -

Clause 1.
That slaves maiming, wounding or striking white persons on any grounds, except in defence of their owners' or employers' person or goods. shall suffer death or punishment proportionate to the crime (elsewhere in the book, it sites public flogging and branding as common methods of punishment)

The same fate was promised for slaves who -

Set fire to canes, works or dwelling houses
Ran away and were absent for 6 weeks
Were over 16 and ran away in gangs of 10 or more and were absent for 10 days or more
Carried firearms, unless authoried in writing by a properly authorised white or free person
Stole property worth more than 6 pounds (Tobago currency)
Attempted to leave the island or encouraged others to do so

The lesser offence of ''carrying a cutlass or sharp edged or sharp pointed weapon, unless whilst in pursuit of a runaway slave or slaves under the direction of an authorised person, or in attendance of a white employee of the plantation to which the slave belongs, or has a ticket from owner or manager. The penalty for carrying such a weapon shall be public whipping or other punishment at the discretion of a justice of the peace''.

Whilst the punishment regime for slaves was clearly severe, Clause 14. protects the slave owner from financial, loss if the slave was to suffer capital punishment - ''The owner shall receive from the public treasury of the island the value of the slave - determined by the freeholders who have tried him or her - not exceeding £50''.

These examples of Tobago's harsh legal history put the great estates, the plantation houses and now-ruined sugar mills and derelict buildings into a context of great suffering by the slave forbears of today's Tobagonians.

A sobering read.

Cheers
Steve

[David Watkins]

Got mine this am...started but realised it is very serious reading,so I am setting aside some time to do it justice.
David

[Steve Pitts]

started but realised it is very serious reading,so I am setting aside some time to do it justice.
David

It's certainly not light reading material David

I'm about half-way through now and have found it best to read in bite-sized sessions. There are far too many dates and names for me to absorb and then place into context during a marathon read.

What is clear, is that Tobago was a hell-hole for the settlers and the military who came to defend the island, with most dying of disease, poor nutrition, skirmishes with the Caribs or invading nations. One commanding officer put the number of deaths amoungst his men, due to the excess drinking of rum, as high as 50% .

Quite a contrast to today's paradise isle and the rum is much safer now too.

Cheers
Steve