Antigua 354 (Fitch's Creek)

Parliamentary Papers p. 309.

T71/877: Francis Shand and William Shand were the claimants. Counterclaims from: Martin William Byam devisee under the will of his father Martin [sic] Byam deceased; the Byam family, in England, comprising: Martha Byam of Cheltenham; Richard Burgh Byam clerk of Kew; Maria Sarah Byam of Cheltenham; William Leeves and his wife Alicia Juliana Leeves of London and Edward Samuel Byam of Cheltenham, by virtue of an indenture of 07/12/1815 charging said estate with £16000 for portions of younger children of William Byam. Amount due £20,000; and from Charles Frederick Muller and Elizabeth his wife residing at Boulogne for arrears of annuity of £200 p.a. under will of Martin Byam.

T71/1609 unnumbered bundle: letter, dated 28/08/1835, from Jas. Coverton [sic], Chapel House, Wargrave nr. Maidenhead, stating: here is my father's counterclaim on Martin Byam's estate in Antigua. Letter, dated 26/08/1835, from Cover[n]ton, complaining that in attending in person on several days at the counterclaim office he had not obtained the details of the claim he needed to file a counterclaim. T71/1592 p. 217: letter, dated 27/08/1835, to Jas. Covernton junior, apologising, and (p. 221, dated 29/08/1835) acknowledging the counterclaim.

James A. Thome and Joseph H. Kimball, Emancipation in the West Indies: A six months' tour in Antigua, Barbadoes, and Jamaica in the year 1837 (New York, American Anti-slavery Society, 1838): Fitch's Creek visited by Thome & Kimball 1836-7, when 'the proprietor of the estate rode up...The proprietor resides in St John's, is a gentleman of large fortune, and a member of the assembly.'  Thome & Kimball spent a day with the manager, Mr H. Armstrong, at Fitch's. Armstrong spoke of 3 obstacles to success of full emancipation: 1) lack of concert among planters 2) keeping on the estate people who took no part in regular labour of cultivation 3) 'the absence of the most influential proprietors'. 'The consequences of absenteeism were very serious.  The proprietors were of all men the most deeply interested in the soil; and no attorneys, agents or managers, whom they could employ, would feel an equal interest in it, nor make the same efforts to secure the prosperous workings of the new system.' [p 125]. 'In the year 1833, when the abolition excitement was at its height in England, and the people were thundering on the doors of Parlt for emancipation, Mr A. visited that country for his health.  to use his own expressive words, he "got a terrible scraping wherever he went" . He said he could not travel in a stage-coach, or go into a party, or attend a religious meeting, without being attacked. No one the most remotely connected with the system could have peace there.  He said it was astonishing to see what a feeling was abroad, how mightily the mind of the whole country, peer and priest and peasant, was wrought up.  The national heart seemed on fire.' [p 125].