Dr Rita Pemberton

THE YEAR 1770 is of significance in the history of Tobago as it relates to two major points of achievement as seen by two different sectors of the society. What was a point of celebration for one group was a bitter pill for the other.

The British claims to possession of Tobago succeeded over French claims in 1763, but this was not an agreement to which the French willingly submitted; this treaty was no signal that France had given up on possessing Tobago.

The British, in an attempt to shore up their defences with an increased population of Englishmen, proceeded with extreme haste to make the island visibly British, with strong evidence of an active resident population, in the hope that population size might deter the French from attacking.

This led to an attempt to establish plantations across the island as quickly as possible. Land commissioners were sent out to survey it and demarcate lots of up to 500 acres to be sold to people with the labour required to establish sugar plantations, to be made operative within two years of purchase.

This, however, did not dissuade the French, who remained determined to wrest control of the island from the British.

However, in 1770 the first shipment of sugar was sent to Britain. This was considered a great achievement and stimulated great expectations of plantation agriculture. Tobago seemed poised for a sugar boom, and it was expected that this would encourage investors and increase land sales.

However, the positive vibes of the planters ran contrary to the feelings and mood of the enslaved Africans, who constituted the unwilling work force.

The effort to produce sugar fell on the recently imported Africans, who were made to undertake the back-breaking work required for clearing the forests, preparing the ground, which attained very high elevations in some parts of the island and planting and reaping canes, in addition to coping

ad nauseam with the brutality and subhuman living conditions under which they were forced to work and live.

However, they refused to accept enslavement and demonstrated their intolerance by fighting to free themselves. The first half of the 1770s witnessed the first confrontational liberation efforts of the enslaved population under British rule.

On November 11, 1770, Sandy, an enslaved worker on the Courland Estate, and six others led an attack on their oppressors in a bid for freedom. They first attacked the military post to acquire weapons, but having failed, they attacked the estate, killing Samuel Hall, one of its owners.

A day later, 33 others joined the rebellion, which spread to Mt Irvine, Riseland and other estates.

The revolt inflicted six weeks of terror, resulting in 20 whites being killed before the rebels were subdued. Five were killed in fighting, and two were caught and executed as examples of the fate that would befall those who dared oppose their owners.

Sandy was never captured and the authorities were unhappy with his disappearance, which deprived them of the opportunity to punish him.