Adapted from The African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank.
A
division of the Institute of Jamaica.
THE MORANT BAY REBELLION (1865)
Prelude to the rebellion
With the British government’s passage of the Emancipation Act in 1834, the enslaved population
throughout the colonies was granted freedom from working on the sugar plantations and the right
to establish themselves as a peasantry in their own free villages. However, by the 1860s, the ex-
slaves felt that the British government’s interest in safeguarding their welfare in Jamaica was
waning.
At the beginning of the 1860s, economic conditions in Jamaica were grim as the cost of living
soared and unemployment increased. Wages paid to the ex-slaves were also on the decline,
dropping from 2s 6d (2 shillings and 6 pence) a day in 1840 to less than a shilling, coupled with
irregular payments and heavy taxation. Added to that, flour and salt fish, (food that the peasantry
relied on), imported from North America since the days of slavery, were scarce and expensive,
due to the American Civil War (1861 – 1865). Additionally, old problems persisted, such as the
small planters’ difficulty in getting land to cultivate. Added to this, the island was hit by a series
of droughts which devastated most of the provision crops.
Mounting discontent
Against this background, there was widespread, mounting discontent. The question of
colour came into play and many of the ex-slaves began to feel that their plight was being
neglected because of their race. They also held the view that the common man was
excluded from any share in government because he was black. The electoral registers
showed that from a population of almost 500,000, only 20,000 were qualified to vote,
which included very few Blacks.
In 1863, Dr. Edward Underhill, Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society of Great
Britain, the most active and militant missionary body in Jamaica, paid a visit to the
island to observe for himself the conditions that prevailed.
Based on his observations and first-hand knowledge of
the developments in the island, Dr. Underhill wrote a
letter to the Colonial Office in February 1865, outlining
the depressing conditions of the masses and criticising
the plantocracy. His letter was referred to Edward Eyre,
who was sent from England as acting Governor of
Jamaica and became Governor in 1864. Eyre widely
publicised the letter and contradicted its charges. This
spurred Underhill to call protest meetings in various
parts of the island, known as ‘Underhill Meetings’.
George William Gordon, a Native Baptist Minister, Justice of the Peace (and later
National Hero), agreed with Underhill’s letter and was very interested in the plight of the
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poor. Gordon held a huge meeting in Kingston in May 1865 and encouraged the masses
to co-operate to make their grievances known.
Meanwhile, a number of peasants in St. Ann drafted a petition to Queen Victoria, which
they sent to Eyre, complaining of their poverty (heightened by their unemployment, low
wages and the prevailing drought), and their desire to acquire some of the idle lands to
cultivate sugar, coffee and other crops for export. Eyre forwarded the petition, along with
his unsympathetic comments to the Colonial Office and received in reply the famous
‘Queen’s Advice’ which read as follows: “… the prosperity of the labouring classes…
depended… upon their working steadily and continuously at times when their labour is
wanted and for long as it is wanted.” It continued, “Add prudence to industry, lay by an
ample provision for seasons of drought and dearth … It [is] only from [your] own
industry … [that you] can look forward to an improvement in [your] condition.”
Eyre was pleased with this response. In this letter from the Queen, the labouring classes
were encouraged to engage in hard work to overcome their difficulties and look to
themselves to improve their conditions. Eyre had 50,000 copies of this advice printed
and distributed throughout the island.
The peasants were very hard hit and angered by the alleged ‘Queen’s response’ to their
situation. Some felt that she had deserted them; others feared that slavery would be re-
introduced. Gordon urged the people to air their grievances, as the truth would soon be
told.
With the widespread anger grew a spirit of unrest, especially in the parish of St. Thomas-
in-the-East, where it centred on Paul Bogle of Stony Gut, a deacon in the local Native
Baptist Church, a friend of Gordon and later, a National Hero. Bogle and other peasant
leaders in Stony Gut protested against the Queen’s reply. They were further vexed by the
administration of justice in the courts in Morant Bay and consequently abandoned the
official law courts to set up their own parallel court, appointing justices and constables.
Like the people of St. Ann, they were also worried about their economic future and
livelihood.
Gordon encouraged Bogle and his men to make a final report to Governor Eyre.
According to oral tradition, they walked 45 miles from Stony Gut to Spanish Town to
see him, but to no avail. The Governor refused to meet with them.
Bogle heard that the militia were preparing for a confrontation with the peasantry.
Consequently, he too began preparation for a potential struggle. He also held secret
meetings in Stony Gut, recruited and trained men and encouraged them to stick together
as Blacks.
Governor Eyre George William Gordon Paul Bogle Queen Victoria
Events leading to the rebellion on October 11, 1865
On October 7, Bogle arrived at the Morant Bay courthouse to watch the trial of one of
his followers. A man interrupted the court proceedings and the police tried to arrest him,
but some of Bogle’s men prevented the police from doing so and carried him away.
Back in Stony Gut, Bogle learnt that warrants were issued for his arrest and 21 of his
men for rioting and resisting and assaulting the police. Three days later, the police
arrived to arrest Bogle, but he protested and 250 persons came to his rescue. They tied up
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the police and threatened them with death. When released, the police went back to
Morant Bay and reported what happened to the Custos, who asked the Governor for
military aid.
On October 11, the Vestry held a meeting with all the local magistrates and planters to
discuss the matter. The militia was also invited in case of further trouble. Word had
spread that the people of Stony Gut were planning to air their grievances forcibly and the
Bath Volunteers were called out for reinforcement.
The rebellion
Morant Bay courthouse Parishes of Jamaica (19th century)
Around midday on October 11, Bogle and upwards of 200 of his men headed for Morant
Bay, along with some followers from neighbouring districts. Armed with sticks and
cutlasses, they raided the police station at Church Corner, took some muskets and
bayonets and poured into the square before the courthouse at about 2:30 p.m. Meanwhile,
there was a terrible uproar, the blowing of horns, conch shells, fifes and the beating of
drums.
The Custos and other Vestrymen came out onto the porch of the building to placate the
angry mob. The Custos cried for peace and the magistrates urged him to read the Riot Act
as the crowds approached.
Someone threw a stone at the Volunteer Captain which cut his head. As a result, on order
was given and the Volunteers outside the courthouse opened fire. Seven rioters died in
the gunfire, and in retaliation the mob killed and wounded many of the Volunteers, while
others retreated.
The crowds then attacked the courthouse and neighbouring buildings and set them on
fire. The Custos and 15 other persons (including Vestrymen and Volunteers) lost their
lives in the attack.
The situation escalated. Pandemonium broke loose and Morant Bay was overtaken by
rioters and looters; the jail was broken open and the prisoners freed.
Meanwhile, Bogle went back to Stony Gut and held a prayer meeting, giving thanks to
God for his new-found victory, then began planning for the future.
War was at hand as disorder spread to the other areas of St. Thomas-in-the-East. On
October 13, martial law was declared in the county of Surrey, except in Kingston. The
Maroons assisted the government to counteract the situation and the rioters were either
defeated or scattered.
Suppression of the rebellion
The Governor felt Gordon’s agitation caused the riots and he issued a warrant for his
arrest. When Gordon heard about this, he went to Headquarters House on Duke Street
and handed himself over to the Governor. Governor Eyre decided that he should be tried
in St. Thomas as martial law was in force there and turned Gordon over to Captain
Ramsay, the Provost Marshal, to try him for treason, sedition and his affiliation with
persons in the rebellion.
On Saturday, October 21, Gordon was tried, found guilty and sentenced to hang. The
following Monday, he was hanged outside the ruined courthouse.
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On the day of Gordon’s hanging, Bogle was caught by a band of Maroons as he emerged
from a sugarcane cultivation near to Stony Gut. On October 23, Bogle was tried by court
martial and hanged, also outside the burnt-out courthouse.
The rebellion came to a halt within a week; however, martial law was extended to the end
of November, long after the revolt was suppressed. Meanwhile, Governor Eyre set about
organising a reign of terror in Morant Bay, with atrocities unleashed against the
peasantry. Prisoners arrested in connection with the uprising were hanged or flogged for
the slightest reasons and without much evidence.
By the end of the year, over 430 men and women were shot or executed, 600 men and
women flogged and over 1,000 cottages and houses destroyed.
References
Black, C.V. (1965). History of Jamaica. Glasgow, United Kingdom: Press of the Publishers
Brathwaite, E. & Phillips, A. (1977). The people who came (Bk, 3). Hong Kong, China: Sheck
Wah Tong Printing Press
Dixon, M. (1978). The Morant Bay Rebellion. Kingston, Jamaica: JAMAL Foundation.
Hall, D. (1982). The Caribbean experience: An historical survey 1450 – 1960. Surrey, United
Kingdom: Biddles Ltd.
Parry, J.H., Sherlock, P., Maingot, A.P. (1987). A short history of the West Indies (4th ed.). Hong
Kong, China: MacMillan Publishers.
