Despatches; Apprentices. Miscellaneous correspondence and papers concerning the transitional...

Despatches; Apprentices. Miscellaneous correspondence and papers concerning the transitional scheme of compulsory labour known as 'apprenticeship' introduced by the 1834 Emancipation Act, and the termination of that scheme on 1 August 1838. Papers include:

• reports from the special magistrates, rural police officers and others relating to 'conduct' of the apprentices and emancipated labourers and related matters;
• return of numbers of child apprentices;
• extracts from debates and statements in the Assembly and Council;
• comments on draft legislation to terminate the apprenticeship scheme;
• printed proclamations;
• copy of the Barbados Mercury and Bridge-Town Gazette of 2 June 1838 with copies of proclamations, statutes and proceedings of the legislature;
• extract from the Barbados Globe and Colonial Advocate [no date] giving details of Council debates;
• discussion and drafts of new legislation to regulate working conditions and the hiring of 'servants', to prevent distubances, 'for the better ordering of the Poor ... and the prevention of Bastardy', to control vagrancy, to limit costs in actions of trespass and slander, to improve policing, to appoint an Assistant Court of Appeal, and for the better government of prisons;
• military assistance in case of civil disturbances;
• printed copy of an 'Address from the Governor to the Apprenticed Laborers' dated 27 July 1838;
• printed 'rules and regulations for the government of the Rural Station Prisons';
• printed reports on the state of the rural districts in August and September 1838;
• statistics of cases of breach of contract, vagancy, trespass, petty theft, etc, and of appeals;
• miscellaneous newspaper cuttings.

Topics

International

Litigation

Labour

Caribbean

Policing

Children

Poverty

Crime

Operations, battles and campaigns

Prisons