Sir George Carteret was Bailiff of Jersey when King Charles I was executed. He had been a Naval officer and later served as treasurer of treasurer of the Navy. He was given large plots of land in the American colonies by Charles II, who named New Jersey in his honour. In the 17th century Sir George invested money in the Company of Royal Adventurers in Africa, which traded in slaves, gold and ivory.

Sir George’s son, James Carteret completed one of the early voyages of the company in 1663. Starting from London, he journeyed to port of Offra in the Bight of Benin where he picked up 302 slaves. 20 died on the journey to the to the West Indies. By March 1664 he had sold 155 men 105 women and 22 boys to the eager planters. The company dealt in slaves till 1731.

In 2014, the constable of St.Peter Mr John Refault revealed a statue of Sir George Carteret in the centre of his parish. He stated: Sir George represents a ‘role model for youngsters’ and he should be recognised ‘locally and nationally’.

There is currently a petition to have the statue removed. The statue was targeted by anti-racism protestors and vandalised, as it was covered with white paint. Deputy Montford Tadier said: ‘George de Carteret was somebody who made his profit off the back of dehumanising other human beings and trading them as slaves. So it’s quite right, in the modern day context, that we question why a statue was put up to him by the constable of St Peter in 2014.’

Josu Mauger

Josu Mauger was a sea captain, business man and politician. He was baptised in St John on April 25, 1725. He moved to Halifax in 1749 and is thought to have remained there until 1760. Mauger was a merchant and slave trader in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/joshua-mauger