Halifax Estate

Estate Details

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Associated People (7)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
1818 [SY] - → Overseer

In 1839, Benjamin M'Mahon described the treatment of one group of enslaved people on Halifax estate by overseer Nicholas Gyles: "In 1818, Mr. Nicholas Gyles was overseer of Halifax estate, in [St Mary’s] parish. His disposition was cruel in the extreme. No man ever made larger crops of sugar: but, to effect this, he nearly destroyed the whole of the estate labourers by his tyrannical and oppressive conduct. Many of them were chained together while at work; and at night remained in the dungeon, with irons upon their necks and feet. Their food was either raw corn, or plantains, which was greedily devoured, without any kind of cooking. After six hours' rest, they were again taken out of the dungeon, and driven by the whip until the following night. From fifteen to twenty of them were worked by Mr. Gyles the whole year round, Sundays not excepted, in the manner I have described. The dungeon was underground, and had the most loathsome appearance. I have heard effective labourers say, that they did not think they could survive in it for one day. Mr. Gyles at this time had a savage African, who was in the habit of visiting the dungeon in which these poor creatures were lodged, and of carrying with him a pair of pincers, with which he pulled the hair from their heads. As an additional torture, he would sometimes employ this fearful instrument to flay their skin from their flesh. This driver was not only esteemed by Mr. Gyles for his cruelties, but was rewarded with innumerable little indulgences. After some years, however, Mr. Gyles himself was discharged; when it was found that the estate labourers were not only in a state of the most wretched debility, but, with a very few exceptions, were actually without any children to supply their place. Such are the fearful consequences of the cruelty which is resorted to for the forcing of crops, and the necessary results is the destruction of the estates capital by death of the labourers and stock."

1783 [EA] - 1786 [LA] → Owner
1794 [EA] - 1803 [LA] → Joint owner
1794 [EA] - → Joint owner
1803 [EA] - 1834 [LA] → Joint owner
1817 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Receiver
1839 [EA] - → Not known

Associated Claims (2)

£2,726 2S 5D
£638 4S 0D

Estate Information (33)

What is this?

1783
[Name] Halifax  
[Crop] sugar and rum  
 

The property of Bryan Bentley Esq. Account filed by John Ramsay as overseer.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/11 200-1
1783
[Name] Halifax  
[Crop] sugar and rum  
 

The property of Brian Bentley Esq. Account filed by Joseph Dixon as overseer.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/9 8
1786
[Name] Halifax Plantation  
[Crop] sugar, rum  
 

Property of Bryan Bentley Esq; account filed by John Ramsay, planter.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/12 191
1794
[Name] Hallifax Estate  
[Crop] sugar, rum  
 

Property of John Hodgson and Henry Williams Esq. s. Account filed by Richard Dickson for the period 01/01/1794 to 31/12/1794.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/20 162-163
1795
[Name] Hallifax Estate  
[Crop] sugar, rum, one cow  
 

Property of John Hodgson and Henry Williams Esq.s. Account filed by said Henry Williams for the period 01/01/1795 to 31/12/1795.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/21 182-183
1796
[Name] Hallifax Estate  
[Crop] sugar, rum  
 

Belonging to John Hodgson and Henry Williams. Account filed by Henry Williams.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/23
1798
[Name] Halifax  
[Crop] Sugar  
 

Plotted in St Mary as a sugar estate with a watermill in James Robertson's 1804 map of Jamaica.

 
To the King's most excellent Majesty, this map of the island of Jamaica, constructed from actual surveys. . . (London, J. Robertson, 1804), based on Robertson's survey of the county of Middlesex which he compeleted in 1798.
1800
[Name] Halifax Estate  
[Crop] sugar (?)  
 

Belonging to John Hodgson Esq and Henry Williams Esq deceased. Account filed by Rus Williames Jones.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/28 105-106
1801
[Name] Halifax Estate  
[Crop] sugar and rum  
 

The properties of John Hodgson Esq and the Heirs of Henry Williams Esq deceased. Account filed by Rees Williams Jones and Wiliam Carmachan as overseers. Halifax Estate and Penn filed together.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/28 215
1803
[Name] Halifax Estate  
[Crop] sugar, rum  
 

Property of Abraham Hodgson Esq and the heirs of Henry Williams Esq deceased. Account filed by William Carnochan as overseer for the period 01/01/1803 to 31/12/1803. Halifax Estate and Penn filed together.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/31 229
1807
[Name] Halifax  
[Crop] sugar, rum, old copper and cattle  
 

Belonging to Abraham Hodgson Esq. and the heirs of Henry Williams Esq. deceased. Account filed by William Carnochan as overseer. The estates of Halifax and Halifax Pen were filed together.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/37 129
1808
[Name] Halifax  
[Crop] sugar, rum and livestock  
 

Belonging to Abraham Hodgson Esq. and the heirs of Henry Williams Esq. deceased. Account filed by William Carneshaw as overseer.

 
Accounts Produce, Jamaica Archives 1B/11/4/38 193-194
1810
[Number of enslaved people] 155(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 160  
 

Registered to Abraham Hodgson and H. Williams, deceased.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1811) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/AL11Mary.htm. The 1811 almanac was based on the givings-in of the March Quarter for 1810, hence the earlier evolution date.
1815
[Number of enslaved people] 146(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 176  
 

Registered to Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1816) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/AL15mary.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1817
[Number of enslaved people] 165(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 169  
 

Registered to Hon. Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1818) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/1818al05.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1817
[Number of enslaved people] 134(Tot) 74(F) 60(M)  
[Name] Halifax Estate  
 

Abraham Hodgson, owner of one moiety and as receiver in Chancery of the other moiety.

 
T 71/33 977-981
1819
[Number of enslaved people] 168(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 62  
 

Registered to Honorable Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1820) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/Al20p06.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1820
[Number of enslaved people] 165(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 180  
 

Registered to Honorable Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1821) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/al1821_04.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1820
[Number of enslaved people] 134(Tot) 76(F) 58(M)  
[Name] Halifax Estate  
 

Abraham Hodgson, owner of one moiety and as receiver in Chancery of the other moiety.

 
T 71/34 146-146v
1821
[Number of enslaved people] 164(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 162  
 

Registered to Honorable Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1822) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/Al22p06.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1823
[Number of enslaved people] 161(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 146  
 

Registered to Hon. Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1824) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/AL24mary.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1823
[Number of enslaved people] 132(Tot) 76(F) 56(M)  
[Name] Halifax Estate  
 

Abraham Hodgson, owner of one moiety and as receiver in Chancery of the other moiety.

 
T 71/35 234-235
1825
[Number of enslaved people] 165(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 117  
 

Registered to Hon. Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1826) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/1826al06.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1826
[Number of enslaved people] 160(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 90  
 

Registered to Hon. Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1827) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/a1827al03.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1826
[Number of enslaved people] 130(Tot) 73(F) 57(M)  
[Name] Halifax Estate  
 

Abraham Hodgson, owner of one moiety and as receiver in Chancery of the other moiety.

 
T 71/36 490-491
1827
[Number of enslaved people] 164(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 20  
 

Registered to Hon. Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1828) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/1828al07.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1828
[Number of enslaved people] 162(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 67  
 

Registered to Hon. Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1829) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/al29mary.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1829
[Number of enslaved people] 132(Tot) 72(F) 60(M)  
[Name] Halifax Estate  
 

Abraham Hodgson, owner.

 
T 71/38 [unpaginated]
1830
[Number of enslaved people] 162(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 18  
 

Registered to Hon. Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1831) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/1831mary.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1831
[Number of enslaved people] 168(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 12  
 

Registered to Hon. Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1832) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/al32mary.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1832
[Number of enslaved people] 170(Tot)  
[Name] Halifax  
[Stock] 2  
 

Registered to Hon. Abraham Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1833) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/AL33Mary.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.
1832
[Number of enslaved people] 136(Tot) 73(F) 63(M)  
[Name] Halifax Estate  
 

Henry Cox, attorney to the Honble. A Hodgson, owner.

 
T 71/41 108
1839
[Name] Halifax  
[Size] 900  
 

Registered to Isaac Scott Hodgson.

 
Jamaica Almanac (1840) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Samples/AL40Mary.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter, hence the earlier evolution date.