IN 2014 A NOW CONTROVERSIAL STATUE OF THE FORMER BAILIFF AND LT-GOVERNOR OF JERSEY, SIR GEROGE CARTERET WAS PROUDLY UNVEILED IN ST PETER. IT WAS SAID THAT SIR GEORGE CARTERET WAS A ROLE MODEL FOR YOUNGSTERS AND THAT HE SHOULD BE RECOGNISED LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.

HOWEVER, IT HAS RECENTLY COME TO LIGHT THAT CARTERET WAS ON OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE ‘COMPANY OF ROYAL ADVENTURES INTO AFRICA’. THIS COMPANY WAS SET UP TO TRADE IN IVORY, GOLD AND SLAVES, BUILDING 18 STONE FORTS AS TRADING BASES IN AFRICA. BY THE TIME HE HAD LEFT, IT IS SAID THAT HE HAD SOLD 155 MEN, 105 WOMEN AND 22 BOYS.

A FEW OF OUR RESIDENTS IN JERSEY HISTORICALLY OWNED SLAVES ALSO. BY 1833 THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE CAME INTO PLACE, FREEING OVER 800,000 SLAVES THAT WERE OWNED BY BRITISH PEOPLE. COMPENSATION WAS ODDLY PAID BY THE UK GOVERNMENT TO THE SLAVE TRADERS AND THERE ARE RECORDS TO SHOW THIS. BELOW ARE SOME RESIDENTS OF JERSEY WHO HAD SLAVES:

JOHN CAMERON (8 ST MARK’S TERRACE, ST MARK’S ROAD, ST HELIER) – AWARDED COMPENSATION OF £30,136 IN 1836 FOR HIS OWNING OF 574 SLAVES IN BRITISH GUIANA.

JOHN WILSON CARMICHAEL – AWARDED £981 IN COMPENSATION FOR 22 SLAVES IN TRINIDAD.

OLIVE MACKESON – AWRARDED £2,446 FOR THE OWNERSHIP OF 132 SLAVES.

THOMAS AND EMMA REIGNOLDS – AWARDED £2,660 FOR THE OWNERSHIP OF 147 SLAVES.

CAROLINE ATKINSON (SALVANDY TERRACE, ST SAVIOUR) – AWARDED £6,810 FOR THE OWNDERSHIP OF 360 SLAVES IN JAMAICA.

EDWARD WELCH EVRESLY (HAVRE DES PAS) – COMPENSATED £102 FOR THE OWNERSHIP OF 9 SLAVES.

THE LIST CONTINUES. THERE IS ALSO A TOTAL ESTIMATE OF £7,546,000 LINKED TO JERSEY THROUGH SLAVE TRADE COMPENSATION.