DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY The Irish in Jamaica during the long eighteenth century (1698-1836) de Jong, Karst Award date: 2017 Awarding institution: Queen's University Belfast Link to publication Terms of use All those accessing thesis content in Queen’s University Belfast Research Portal are subject to the following terms and conditions of use • Copyright is subject to the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988, or as modified by any successor legislation • Copyright and moral rights for thesis content are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners • A copy of a thesis may be downloaded for personal non-commercial research/study without the need for permission or charge • Distribution or reproduction of thesis content in any format is not permitted without the permission of the copyright holder • When citing this work, full bibliographic details should be supplied, including the author, title, awarding institution and date of thesis Take down policy A thesis can be removed from the Research Portal if there has been a breach of copyright, or a similarly robust reason. 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Sep. 2021 THE IRISH IN JAMAICA DURING THE LONG EIGHTEENTH CENTURY (1698-1836) Karst de Jong Ba (Hons.), M.A. A thesis submitted to the School of History and Anthropology of the Queen's University of Belfast in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy February 2017 Contents Preface........................................................................................................................................ 3 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................. 5 1 Themes and Approaches ......................................................................................................... 7 2 Religion ................................................................................................................................. 29 3 Empire ................................................................................................................................... 42 4 Irish Catholics and white settler society in Jamaica ............................................................. 58 5 Protestant Irish lawyers and lawmakers in early eighteenth century Jamaica ...................... 74 6 Irish planters in colonial Jamaica .......................................................................................... 95 7 The Irish in Jamaica and the impact of Empire .................................................................. 118 8 The Irish in Jamaica and the Haitian Revolution ................................................................ 148 9 The Irish in Jamaica and slavery ......................................................................................... 175 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 202 Bibliography .......................................................................................................................... 210 2 Preface In 2007 Nini Rodgers published Ireland, slavery and anti-slavery (1645-1865), a book that brought together a vast range of new research, which encompassed the entire Atlantic basin.1 Her study covered an extended chronological period, starting as far back as the sixteenth century and concluding with the abolition of slavery in the middle of the nineteenth century. This was a groundbreaking work in many respects and was described as ‘an invaluable platform for future studies of Ireland and the black Atlantic’.2 For the first time, an academic work on Irish history explored the aspects of Ireland’s involvement in slavery, with a particular focus on the Caribbean. The book considered the first forays the Irish made into West Africa and Latin America, before moving on to the West Indies, North America and Ireland. Rodgers’ focus was mainly on the Irish involvement in slavery, but she also chronicled the connections that were developed with other European settlers and their networks. Her study outlined the unique position of the Irish in the West Indies, specifically those of the Catholic religion, who were able to move between the various islands with relative ease. She also emphasised the restrictions imposed on them. In many ways, Rodgers’ research was the catalyst for the thematic approach taken in this dissertation. While there is less emphasis here on slavery, the focus on the Caribbean made her book an important point of reference from which to develop the context of the Irish connections with Jamaica, an unexplored aspect of her work. The research has taken place in London, Dublin, Belfast and Jamaica. Due to the fragmented nature of the primary source material, the dissertation has been divided into two sections. The first will provide the historical context, while the second will present the primary source material in specifically themed case studies. The School of History and Anthropology assisted with a travel grant for a visit to the National Archives in London. The Royal Historical Society part financed a two-week research trip to Jamaica to consult the 1 Nini Rodgers, Ireland, slavery and anti-slavery (1645-1865) (Basingstoke, 2007). 2 Daíre Keogh, ‘Hibernia and human traffic’ in Irish Times, 20 Oct. 2007. 3 government archives in Spanish Town. The University of the West Indies assisted with accommodation. The dissertation has been presented in accordance with the rules set out by the Irish Historical Society and the spelling has been modernised. My thanks to the School of History and Anthropology at Queen’s University of Belfast for their support during the course of study. I would especially like to thank my supervisors Professor David H. Hayton and Professor SJ Connolly. Dr. Nini Rodgers was very gracious with her time and feedback. Thanks to Dr. Steve Flanders, Dr. Paul Huddie, Dr. Tim Watt, Dr. Stuart Aveyard, Grace McGragh, Dr. Brian Kelly, Dr. Chris Marsh, Professor Catherine Clinton and Dr. Daniel Kowalski for their advice and encouragement. Special thanks to Professor Mary O’Dowd and Dr. Christer Petley for their patience, suggestions and thoughtful comments. This dissertation is dedicated to my family. 4 Abbreviations JARD: Jamaica Archives and Records Department CSP: W. Noel Sainsbury (ed.), Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies (NB the entry number is given in the citation). EAP British Library, Endangered Archives Project 148 (Jamaica) IRO: Island Record Office (Twickenham Park, Jamaica) JAJ: Alexander Aikman, Journals of the Assembly of Jamaica NLI: National Library of Ireland (Dublin) NLJ: National Library of Jamaica (Kingston) RIA: Royal Irish Academy (Dublin) PRONI: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (Belfast) UCL Website Legacies of British Slave-ownership, University College London 5 I 6 1 Themes and Approaches The main subject of this dissertation is the Irish presence in Jamaica during the long eighteenth century. It will focus on the period 1692 to 1834, the years between the Port Royal earthquake and the enactment of the abolition of slavery. This period was chosen to survey the changing character of the Irish presence in colonial Jamaica. The dissertation will examine three aspects; firstly, it will outline the Irish presence, differentiating between Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter.1 Secondly, it will study the Irish as part of Jamaican society, especially in relation to the other white settlers. Thirdly, it will place the Irish presence in Jamaica in the context of the British Empire. This chapter will contextualise the Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter Irish presence in Jamaica during the long eighteenth century. It will focus on discussions around the Irish and the British Empire, Atlantic history and Jamaican historiography. The themes of religion and Empire will be further surveyed in chapters 2 and 3.2 The historiographical context presented in this first section will inform the case studies that feature in the second part. In this chapter, the research aspects are discussed in the context of Ireland and Empire, Atlantic studies and Jamaican history. In order to explore these themes, the chapter has been divided into five sections. The first section will position this study within the discussion of the Irish, the Caribbean and the British Empire. A second section places the dissertation in the context of Atlantic studies. The third section will engage with Jamaican historiography. The fourth section will estimate the number of Irish in Jamaica, while the last section presents details on the sources used and the organisation of the dissertation. The rationale behind this structure is to provide a historiographical framework that can be applied to the individual case studies in section two. 1 Ian McBride, Eighteenth-century