Details

Subject(s)

• Caribbean Area—History [Browse]

Digitizer

• Adam Matthew Digital (Firm) [Browse]

Series

Colonial Caribbean: Module 2

Compiled/​Created

1836.

Summary note

• Despatches from Officer Administering the Government Robert Kennedy (items 1-3) and Governor Major General Sir Stephen Chapman (items 4-43) as well as letters from various offices ( government departments) and individuals. Despatches are described at item level: CO 37/97/1. Reports the arrival of two ships with emigrants who had run out of supplies on a passage from Liverpool to New York. Explains they were given three weeks provisions at public expense to be charged on the powder fund. Bermuda, No. 13, Folios 3-8. 19/01/1836. CO 37/97/2. The quarterly report of officers in execution of their duties from 1 October to 31 December 1835. Bermuda, No. 14, Folios 9-10. 19/01/1836. CO 37/97/3. Acknowledges the receipt of despatches. Reports the non-arrival of the November mail ship. Notes concern about its safety. Bermuda, No. 15, Folios 11-12. 19/01/1836. CO 37/97/4. Reports his return to Bermuda and assumption of the administration of the government. Bermuda, No. 1, Folio 15. 23/01/1836. CO 37/97/5. Forwards the Blue Book for 1835 [not included in volume]. Encloses the Blue Book report. Comments on the favourable results achieved during the nineteen months since the emancipation of slaves. Bermuda, No. 2, Folios 17-30. 07/03/1836. CO 37/97/6. Forwards a report on the discipline in gaols and prisons. Explains that there are two gaols. Notes that the one in Hamilton had been enlarged before the emancipation of the slaves and was capable of holding 70 prisoners. Adds that the average occupancy ranged between six and nine prisoners. No. 1, folios 31-40. 17/03/1836. CO 37/97/7. Requests instructions relative to the payment of expenses for certain slave prosecutions. Refers to his despatch No. 3, 2 March 1835. No. 3, folios 41-44. 17/03/1836. CO 37/97/8. Acknowledges the receipt of a circular of 22 December. Encloses a return of pensions. No. 4, folios 45-46. 17/03/1836. CO 37/97/9. Forwards a letter from Colonial Secretary Robert Kennedy concerning his claim for the allowance for administering the government during the period when Henry Hunt was Acting Governor. No. 6, folios 49-54. 19/04/1836. CO 37/97/10. Forwards the governor's salary certificate. No. 7, folio 55. 21/04/1836. CO 37/97/11. Forwards printed copies of the governor's speech given at the opening of the Legislature on 20 April and the responses to the speech from the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. No. 8, folios 57-62. 27/04/1836. CO 37/97/12. Reports the arrival of another emigrant ship, the Prussian barque William Frederick , and the necessity of providing food and other supplies for nineteen British emigrants headed for New York. No. 9, folios 63-66. 30/04/1836. CO 37/97/13. Requests £84 10s allowance for his passage to New York on board HMS Seylla. No. 10, folios 67-72. 05/05/1836. CO 37/97/14. Acknowledges the receipt of a despatch disapproving of Act No. 492 imposing an import duty of two and a half per century Refers to Secretary of State's despatch No. 10 of 24 October 1832 assenting to the duty. No. 11, folios 73-75. 18/05/1836. CO 37/97/15. Reports that the Crown Lands that were sold in the reign of George II were allocated for timber and not for cultivation. Adds that the revenue from Quit Rents amounted to $204 per annum. No. 12, folios 77-78. 19/05/1836. CO 37/97/16. Forwards petitions asking for St George's to be made a free warehousing portrait No. 13, folios 79-90. 16/06/1836. CO 37/97/17. Forwards a letter from John Walter complaining of a fine and costs awarded against him in a case of assault. Encloses a copy of 'a bill of costs in the Court of General Assize Easter Term'. No. 14, folios 91-100. 16/06/1836. CO 37/97/18. Forwards a report on colleges and endowed schools. In response to a circular of 25 March. No. 15, folios 102-107. 16/06/1836. CO 37/97/19. Acknowledges the receipt of a circular of 16 March concerning the winter clothing of convicts. No. 16, folios 108-109. 17/06/1836. CO 37/97/20. Acknowledges the receipt of a despatch of 15 March concerning the marriages of emancipated 'Negroes'. No. 17, folio 110. 17/06/1836. CO 37/97/21. Forwards the governor's salary certificate [not included in volume]. Unnumbered, folio 112. 01/07/1836. CO 37/97/22. Acknowledges the receipt of despatches. No. 18, folio 116. 01/07/1836. CO 37/97/23. Forwards a return of the Members of Council showing their various offices and dates of appointment. Listed are Thomas Butterfield, Robert Kennedy, Augustus William Harvey, Richard Tucker, Francis Albouy, Samuel A Smith, and William B Smith. No. 19, folios 118-120. 01/07/1836. CO 37/97/24. Forwards a letter from Archdeacon Spencer complaining of losses sustained due to the way in which his salary, which was taken from the Powder Fund, was paid. No. 20, folios 122-125. 22/07/1836. CO 37/97/25. Forwards a report by the Law Officers, Attorney General John Harvey Darrell and Solicitor General Duncan Stewart, on the proposed convention with Austria. In response to a circular of 15 April. No. 21, folios 127-128. 17/08/1836. CO 37/97/26. Reports having paid the £12 19s 10d charged by the Admiralty for the conveyance of convicts to their destinations. No. 22, folio 131. 23/08/1836. CO 37/97/27. Forwards a copy of the governor's speech given at the closing of the Legislature. No. 23, folios 133-137. 24/08/1836. CO 37/97/28. Responds to an enquiry concerning convict soldier John Keating. No. 24, folio 138. 25/08/1836. CO 37/97/29. Requests a supply of blank copies of the Blue Book. No. 25, folio 140. 26/08/1836. CO 37/97/30. Reports that Act No. 492 1835, imposing a duty of two and a half percent on British manufactures, expired on 5 July and was renewed before the arrival of the Order in Council for its disallowance. Encloses the opinion of the Law Officers that the Order in Council does not operate on the renewed Act. No. 26, folios 142-147. 31/08/1836. CO 37/97/31. Forwards the twenty Acts passed during the last Legislative session with the attorney general's report [acts not included in volume]. Listed are: No. 1 'An Act to continue an Act entitled an act to prevent masters of vessels from discharging and leaving on shore any sick or disabled seamen' -- No. 2 'An Act to continue an act entitled an Act to revive the act entitled an Act for the ascertaining the rate of interest of money' -- No. 3 'An Act to continue an Act entitled an Act repealing all the acts of the Legislature of these Islands relating to or providing for the payment of persons attending as jurors and constables' -- No. 4 'An Act to continue and amend an Act entitled an Act to make certain additions and alterations to the Act entitled an Act to prevent damages form the straying of cattle and for the erection of pounds [?] in these Islands' -- No. 5 'An Act for the encouragement of ship building' -- No. 6 'An Act for raising a public revenue' -- No. 7 'An Act for regulating punishments on tread-wheels' -- No. 8 'An Act to provide for payment of witnesses attending the courts in criminal cases' -- No. 9 'An Act for vesting in the Crown an additional lot of land for the use of the Naval Commander in Chief on this station' -- No. 10 'An Act to continue an act entitled an Act for attaining the monies goods chattels and debts of absent debtors' -- No. 11 'An Act for improving the administration of the Criminal Justice in these Islands' -- No. 12 'An Act to establish certain regulations for the performance of quarantine' -- No. 13 'An Act for consolidating and amending the statue law relative to offences against the person' -- No. 14 'An Act for the summary punishment of common assaults and batteries' -- No. 15 'An Act relating to appeals from the Court of Chancery unto His Majesty in Council' -- No. 16 'An Act to encourage the education of the poor white children of these Islands' -- No. 17 'Fixing the rates of fees' -- No. 18 'An Act in addition to the Acts for erecting a building in the town of Hamilton for certain public purposes' -- No. 19 'An Act to repeal the various Acts form time to time passed for the protection of Palmetto tops' -- No. 20 'An Act for the protection of Palmetto tops'. No. 27, folios 148-169. 15/09/1836. CO 37/97/32. Forwards the minutes of the proceedings of the Privy Council between 21 December 1835 and 28 July 1836 [not included in volume]. No. 28, folio 161. 15/09/1836. CO 37/97/33. Forwards the minutes of the proceedings of the Legislative Council between 20 April and 12 August 1836 [not included in volume]. No.
• 29, folio 163. 15/09/1836. CO 37/97/34.
• Forwards the minutes of the proceedings of the House of Assembly between 20 April and 12 August 1836 [not included in volume]. No. 30, folio 165. 15/09/1836. CO 37/97/35. Reports on the petition of Deputy Post Master General James Taylor for mitigation of a fine imposed on him for an assault in 1830. Encloses the petition, court notes, and witness statements. No. 31, folios 167-184. 16/09/1836. CO 37/97/36. Replies to an enquiry concerning the education of the 'coloured' population.
• Explains that the numbers of 'whites' and 'blacks' are nearly equal. Reports that the education of four times as many 'blacks' as 'whites' is provided for by the charitable societies. Also notes that an act was passed during the last Legislative session for establishing a school in each parish for the education of 'white' children. No. 32, folios 185-192. 16/09/1836. CO 37/97/37. States the opinion that the Legislature would not repeal the clause, imposing an import duty on British goods -- and has, as a consequence, thought it not beneficial to assemble the Chambers. No. 33, folios 193-194. 16/09/1836. CO 37/97/38. Reports being in execution of duty as governor for the quarter ending 1 October 1836. Unnumbered, folio 195. 01/10/1836. CO 37/97/39. Quarterly report of officers in execution of their duties from 1 July to 1 October 1836. No. 34, folios 197. 01/10/1836. CO 37/97/40. Reports that the expenses for slave prosecutions was £44 2s. No. 35, folio 199. 08/10/1836. CO 37/97/41. Requests to be informed when the salary of the Secretary to the Slave Compensation Commission should be discontinued. No. 36, folios 201-204. 19/11/1836. CO 37/97/42. Forwards a return of pensions and retired allowances (nil). No. 37, folios 206-207. 04/12/1836. CO 37/97/43. Asks how convicts under sentence of transportation are to be sent to England, as ships of war are not allowed to take them. No. 38, folios 210-214. 16/12/1836. Correspondents and subjects covered in 'offices' and 'individuals' are as follows: Offices: Admiralty (lieutenant governor's passage from Bermuda to New York, expenses of transporting convicts to England) -- Board of Trade (opinion to disallow the Revenue Act) -- Board of Ordnance (application by Lieutenant Colonel Crawford to act in the absence of the governor) -- Treasury (governor's repayment of passage to New York, form used for returns of imports and exports, expenses of Vice Admiralty Court due to the seizure of certain slaves, discontinuance of the salary of the Secretary to the Slave Compensation Commission, question of making St. George's a free warehousing port) -- War Office (Lieutenant Mitchell's emoluments) -- Post Office (no objection to allowance of the Post Office Act). Individuals: H Cale (enquiry regarding Robert Kenndy's salary claim) -- John N Harvey (his services, requests an appointment for his son in British Guiana) -- Thomas Hill (enquiry regarding convict John Keating) -- J F Lightbourn (asks for more to be done for 'coloured' people) -- Suzette H Lloyd (supports Mrs Spencer's application for leave of absence for her husband) -- James Rothwell (enquiry respecting Edward Rothwell) -- Aubrey G Spencer, Archdeacon of Bermuda (requests to be removed from the archdeaconry, reports he will not take his leave of absence at present, comments on the instruction of the 'labouring classes both white and coloured') -- Mrs Elvia Spencer (requests leave of absence for her husband) -- Henry Tucker (recommends that the ports of Hamilton and St. George be made free ports, refers to Merchant Charles Grey as someone able to comment on the trade and commerce of Bermuda) -- James Taylor, Deputy Post Master General (requests salary increase).

Notes

• AMDigital Reference:CO 37/97.
• CO 37.

Original version

Reproduction of: Bermuda, 1836, Despatches, Offices and Individuals, 1836.

Location of originals

The National Archives, UK

Copyright note

Images including crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, England. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Language note

English

Statement on language in description

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