BLOOD & MUD: THE NAVAL HOSPITAL AND UNDERWATER ARTIFACTS, ENGLISH HARBOUR, ANTIGUA Desmond V. Nicholson ABSTRACT This paper is intended to encourage developers of historic areas to carry out archaeological master plans to evaluate the potential of sites before development commences. As is well known to archaeologists, but not to many developers, buried remains can greatly enhance the interpretation of a site or park. Individual artifacts salvaged from developments at Antigua's unique Georgian Naval Dock­ yard of the late British Empire at English Harbour are discussed and interpreted. These artifacts are specifically from the c.1790 Naval Hospital and others were dredged from the mud of the har­ bour. It is hoped the paper will be of value to Caribbean archaeologists in reporting types of artifact found at a British 18th century naval yard and naval hospital. RESUMEN Esta ponencia tiene el propósito de estimular entre los desarrolladores de zonas históricas el interés de realizar planes maestros que incluyan la evaluación del potencial arqueológico de los sitios antes de comenzar la construcción. Es bien conocido para los arquólogos, pero no para los desarrolladores, la importancia que tienen los restos enterrados en la interpretación de un sitio o un parque. Se discuten e interpretan artefactos individuales rescatados de los desarrolladores en el Astille­ ro Naval Georgiano del Imperio Británico localizado en English Harbour, Antigua. Estos artefac­ tos provienen del Hospital Naval circa 1790, y otros fueron dragados del cieno de la bahía. Espera­ mos que la ponencia sea de valor para los arqueólogos caribeños en el informe de los tipos de artefactos que se encuentran en un astillero y un hospital naval inglés del siglo 18. RÉSUMÉ Ce mémoire est destiné à encourager les promoteurs immobiliers de lieux historiques à mettre sur pied un plan d'ensemble archéologique en vue d'évaluer la richesse des sites à l'encontre des 45 46 DESMOND V. NICHOLSON archeologistes, peu de promoteurs reconnaissent l'importance des vestiges enfouis et leur apport à la connaisance des lieux. Un certain nombre d'objects retrouvés durant le development du 18eme siècle "Naval Dockyard of English Harbour, Antigua" sont ici etudes et interprétés. Ces objects proviennent des excavations de l'hôpital naval essentiellement circa 1790 et du dragage du port. J espère que cette etude, en décrivant les différents types d'objects retrouvés dans un arsenal anglais actif entre 1725 et 1889 et sur Remplacement d'un ancien hôpital naval du 18eme siècle, soit de quelque intérêt pour les archeologistes des Antilles. KEYWORDS: Historical archaelogy, Historic sites, Naval History, Antigua. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MASTER PLANS Developers usually ignore the fact that buried archaeological remains can greatly enhance a development site through better historical interpretation. Few of the smaller islands of the Eastern Caribbean realize the value of their heritage sites, and have not drawn up master plans to protect their archaeological heritage. According to I. Noël Hume of Colonial Williamsburg: "One needs a master plan which first evaluates sites and then determines what one would like to do with them. Thereafter, one arrives at a more sober determination of what one can afford to accomplish and how doing so will benefit the nation ... If one has a master plan, then it is possible to see how other unrelated developments can be fitted into it or around it"... [Through not having a master plan] "I have seen the mutilation of potentially valuable tourist attractions and invariably, the belated cry has been: we wish we had not permitted this to happen; but at the time the economic advantages to be gained by giving licenses and contracts to private developers seemed more desirable than preserving old ruins [and archaeological sites]". (Personal Commu­ nication). This paper show that even artifacts salvaged during excavation for construction can be of some heritage value, but had there been an archaeological master plan and proper excavation, so much more information could have been obtained for better historical interpretation of the area. SALVAGE EXCAVATIONS AT ENGLISH HARBOUR (a) The Naval Hospital The naval hospital midden was discovered when a bulldozer was preparing a private house site overlooking English Harbour, under the brow of Hospital Hill. To clear the bush, a layer of approximately 20 cms of soil was removed exposing a few artifacts and faunal remains. Unfor­ tunately there are no antiquity laws in Antigua, so the site was destroyed next day, without proper scientific investigation. (b) The Tank Bay Shoreline HEAPS OF MUD At about the same time, a minor dredging operation was being carried out approximately 100 m. along the shore of an inner arm of English Harbour known as Tank Bay, so named because of a 1732 water cistern at its head. A pier was being built for a new 47 48 DESMOND V. NICHOLSON police station and dredging with a grab crane was in progress. In the mounds of mud deposited ashore many interesting artifacts were recovered and together with those found at the hospital, help enhance the historical sources concerning the history of English Harbour. BACKGROUND HISTORY (a) The Naval Yard (Fig. 1) English Harbour was used as a safe harbour for careening and carrying out general mainte­ nance work on warships of the British Navy from the last quarter of the 17th century. However, the first buildings were not erected until about 1725, when the harbour became a Royal Dock­ yard. About 1745, the Naval Yard was expanded to the west side of the harbour and other ancilliary facilities were built, (Fig. 1). The Yard's growth and importance climaxed about 1775 and lasted until around 1810, the height of the Napoleonic Wars. From 1815, the Yard was gradually cut down in size, and the Navy finally left in 1889. (b) The Naval Hospital The hospital was built about 1745, when the Yard was being greatly expanded, (Fig. 2). The earliest reference to the hospital was in 1745, when 17 injured men from the warship COMET, were taken to the St. John's Hospital, because the Lascelles Hospital at English Harbour was too far (Crewe 1978). OPERATED BY CONTRACT The following quote shows that the hospital was operated under civilian contract as this order was made to an Agent-Victualler: "When Rear-Admiral Rodney, then naval Commander-in-Chief of the Leeward Islands Naval Station (1761-1763), visited English Harbour in 1762, all his sympathies were aroused by the sick seamen whom he saw tottering and sometimes crawling up the hill to the hospital in the hot sun, the Agent- Victualler was ordered to keep a carriage with a cover in constant readiness for their convey­ ance" (Spinney 1969:27). The first person to hold the Agent-Victualler contract was a Mr. Lascelles, as can be seen from the previous 1745 mention of men being moved to the Lascelles Hospital at English Har­ bour. During the War of American Independence, English Harbour was not much used because the fleet was active elsewhere. A very poor opinion was held of it's hospital at this period; it was known as a "grave of Englishmen". "[English Harbour] was little better than Port Royal, Jamai­ ca, because there was no shade, too much drink and too many women: these temporary wives not only debilitated and diseased the men, but too often procured them rum in exchange for their provisions, bedding and clothes" (Lloyd & Coulter 1960:135). Orders for permanent hospital buildings at Antigua and Barbados were issued in 1780, as the original ones had been demolished in a hurricane of 1772. Not much progress seems to have occurred until 1789, when plans were drawn for the hospital (Admiralty Records [ADM] 140-1220/8), and estimates made. The midden disturbed by recent bulldozing appears to have commenced about the time of the new hospital, according to calculations using the formula developed by Stanley South (South 1972:71, South 1977:201 ), (see Fig. 3) and tested by the author for Caribbean sites (Journ. of the V.I. Arch.Soc. 1979 #7:32-74). Fig. 3. 1,046 sherds were collected from 27 types, (see Table 1). THE PATIENTS - During the War of American Independence the hospital took in 6,099 patients of which 914 died, about 1 in 6, an average ratio compared with New York 1 in 9 and Barbados 1 in 4, (Lloyd & Coulter 1960:136). ACTAS DEL XV CONGRESO INTERNACIONAL DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DEL CARIBE 49 TYPE*CERAMIC TYPE RANGE MED.DATE COUNT 6 Mocha c.1796-1890 1843 2 11 Transfer Printed Pearlware c.1795-1840 1818 173 10 Willow Pattern Transfer Pearlware c.1796-1840 1818 16 9 Embossed feathers, fish scales c. 1800-1830 1810 6 8 Finger-painted Pearlware c. 1790-1820 1805 5 12 Underglaze Polychrome Pearlware c.1797-1815 1805 38 19 Blue & Green Shell-edge Pearlware c.1780-1830 1805 47 20 Undecorated Pearlware c.1780-1830 1805 42 17 Underglazed Blue Hand-painted Pearlware c.1780-1820 1800 38 14 Annular Wares, Cream & Pearlware c.1780-1815 1798 39 15 Lighter Yellow Creamware c.1775-1820 1798' 202 18 Overglaze Enamelled Creamware c.1765-1819 1788 1 21 Defaced Rouen Faience c.1775-1800 1788 2 27 Black Basalt Stoneware c.1750-1820 1785 1 32 Pedestal Footed Plain Delft Ointment Pot c.1730-1830 1780 4 24 Debased Scratched Blue White Saltglazed c.1765-1795 1780 44 25 Deeper Yellow Creamware c.1762-1780 1771 16 40 White Saltglazed Stoneware c. 1720-1805 1763 33 43 White Saltglazed Stoneware Plates c.1740-1775 1758 3 49 Decorated delft c.1700-1800 1750 2 47 Buckley ware c.1720-1775 1748 13 56 Lead glazed Slipware c.1670-1795 1733 2 26 Overglazed Enamelled Chinese Porcelain c.