Brownes & Faceys‹SLAVERY, Class and Colour
Maurice & Valerie Facey
This message was apparently not properly sent so here it goes again in hope
that it is now readable. Also hope the chart can be understood.
Dear Edward, Leonora et al,
The evolution of the BROWNE and FACEY families of Jamaica are perfect
examples of the class/colour system that emerged with regard to slavery
which was most likely similar throughout the Caribbean -- at least in the
English-speaking territories. Without looking up references (so there may be
irregularities) the following is given in the spirit of trying, for the lay
person, to simplify the complex problem of the early Jamaican class/colour
system.
The British thinking of the time made it incumbent on white persons (men) to
'improve' the race by 'raising' the colour by means of miscegenation
(interbreeding of black and white). They were also anxious to increase the
population with persons who could withstand the unaccustomed climate,
illnesses and other tropical hardships in order to be able to further the
cause of colonization and reap the rich benefits thereof for the mother
country.
In the case of the thus-far-traced English forebear, SAMPSON FACEY, he came
to Jamaica in 1744 at the age of 14/15 as a well educated apprentice
(indentureship) from Christ's Hospital in the City of London, one of over
150 such apprentices sent to Jamaica between approximately 1680 and 1760.
This was a sort of 'Old Boys' society and as each apprentice finished
serving his designated 5-7 years and became prosperous as a result o fhis
hard work and superior ingenuity, he invariably sent for a 'brother'
Christ's Hospital apprentice and thus the cycle was perpetuated.
It was the norm for these young men to buy a slave woman or take unto
themselves a 'free Negro woman' as their common-law wife [as in the case of
SAMPSON FACEY] and raise a family (or two or three). They were not permitted
to marry these persons. The products of their unions were Mulattos. These
'persons of colour' by law were not allowed to own property or inherit as
they were not 'lawfully begotten'. The girls especially were in turn
expected to produce children begotten by a white man and their union would
produce a Quadroon. In a few generations it soon became difficult to
establish who was who in the class/colour arena.
B. W. Higman in his seminal book Slave Population and Economy in Jamaica
1807-1834 [University of the West Indies Press ISBN 976-640-008-3 (1995)]
has provided a chart to describe the possible different black/white
combinations:
Negro給給給妓hite
|
Negro給給給給給貴ulatto給給給給給妓hite
| |
Negro給給給給Sambo Quadroon給給給給給White
| |
Negro Mustee給給給給妓hite
|
Musteephino給給給給妓hite
|
White
In the case of the distinguished families such as the Irish BROWNE family,
no doubt the practice of Premogeniture in Britain (the eldest son only
always inherits everything) was the cause for many of the cadets (younger
brothers) to travel to places like America, Australia and the West Indies in
order to try to seek their fortunes while using their family credentials for
clout.
Some of the gentry, who were involved in miscegenation, genuinely sought the
upliftment of their 'mongrel' progeny in spite of the fact that marriage was
a no-no. Once they had become sufficiently wealthy and powerful, they were
able to prevail on the government authorities of the time (between circa
1760s and 1810) to create certain 'Acts' giving many who applied for them
the same rights and privileges as British citizens -- with the exception of
not being able to vote or hold office. In 1830 all coloured persons were
given all rights and privileges, including free Blacks and Jews. Jamaica's
full Emancipation of the Slaves was finalized on the 1st day of August,
1838. Howe Peter BROWNE -- 2nd Marquess of Sligo and Governor of Jamaica
between 1834-36 -- was himself considered to have been one of the
emancipators.
The first three generations descending from SAMPSON FACEY of Jamaica
(1729-69) never married, but, by circuitous route and by means of the Acts,
were able to connive to exchange deeds, inherit and become both land and
slave-owners. The prolific third generation GEORGE SAMUEL FACEY of Jamaica
(1788-1838), though not married, sired three established families and had
already become a prominent member of an elite coloured class. The latter and
his non-white mother and other coloured members of the family were by then
considered suitable candidates to be buried at the Spanish Town Cathedral
cemetery.
SAMPSON FACEY's common-law-wife, Phillis SMITH (1743-1846) -- who in his
will was referred to as a "free Negro woman" and with whom he had seven
children -- outlived Sampson by 77 years, eventually added the name 'Facey'
to her own and became a respectable Lodging House Keeper. This occupation
was later assumed by her daughter Phillis Facey. The elder Phillis is also
documented to have been buried at the Spanish Town Cathedral.
In the USA, recent revelations regarding America's 'golden boy' and third
president, Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) and his liaisons with his slaves,
has raised many an eyebrow. It should be understood that his actions were
all committed in the same mind-set of his day as has been described above.
N.B. To confuse matters the name Browne is frequently spelled 'Brown'.
Valerie Facey
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- Maurice & Valerie Facey
- The Mill Press
- Jamaica
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Robin Downie
I know this is a long shot but I'll give it a go...
Do you know anything about a Lucy Facey?
She is mentioned in the will of Alexander Sinclair of Manchester (Jamaica),
proved 16 Aug 1822, as his "housekeeper". Their 8 children are also mentioned;
Thomas, Joseph, James, Alexander, Sarah, Susannah, Priscilla, Elizabeth. (One
daughter, Judith, died previously.) Also a couple of grandchildren are
mentioned as well as a couple of nephews.
Thanks,
Robin
Edward Crawford
attitudes in the 18th early 19th century - there is still of course!
One thing we have to remember trying to understand the mindset of people in
the past, is that there was an immense class difference in Britain too. If
you were a "gentleman" you just did not marry certain people, colour was
only one aspect of this - if an important one. So if your servant girl
became pregnant, if you were a decent sort (and rich enough) you looked
after her financially but marry her - good gracious no! You might even be
fond of your "natural" child but legal, lawful marriage would not even be
considered, it would be regarded as irresponsible, a gross dereliction of
duty to your family, to marry someone so beneath you. It was thought "wrong"
to do so if not immoral.
My g-g-g grandfather was almost certainly the bastard son of the local
Crawford laird near Perth in Scotland. He was even given the same name as
the "lawful" or legitimate son Henry Crawford born at a very similar date
but with a mother from the "noble/gentle" family of Elphinstone. He was then
bought a writership in the East India Company and came back to England (But
NOT Scotland) a very rich man. And I have found lots of cases (never
admitted in that country) of children of Catholic servant girls by
Protestant landowning familes in Ireland when the child if a boy was given a
tenancy and bore the same surname as his father. That is inevitable if there
are huge class differences in power and wealth - multiplied to an extreme in
the West Indies.
So these attitudes were carried over to the West Indies and someone who had
been a slave or one of whose parents or even grandparents had been a slave
was also beneath consideration as a marriage partner. But what was
disgraceful in their own terms was the law that forbade anyone leaving more
that ｣2,000 to someone of African or part-African descent. (Mind you ｣2,000
was a lot of money then, a middle class fortune.) This rule ran straight
against the thoroughly reactionary principle of English law that a man could
leave his money to anyone, a cats' home, his illegitimate children, a total
stranger. Even if all the money had originally come from his wife who now,
as a widow, was left to starve. That law gives the game away - it was far
more than a mere class difference though that was important. The race thing
betrayed the fact that you were of part slave descent - something that did
not happen in Europe.
Edward Crawford