By: Tyreke

Thomas

Demerara rebellion

Demerara (1823) - The Rebellion

1820s, sugar prices were in decline and British

plantation owners started to push the enslaved
people even harder. In Demerara, they were
worked from 6.30 in the morning until 9 at
night, with very few breaks. In 1823, a
proposals were sent from the British Colonial
Secretary to the Governor of Demerara asking
that the conditions of the slaves be improved
(known as the amelioration proposals'). The
court postponed making a decision.

 under the belief that their masters were

concealing news of the slaves' emancipation, a
slave rebellion broke out under the leadership of
an enslaved person called Jack Gladstone. His
father, Quamina, was a deacon at the local
chapel who tried to persuade the enslaved
people not to resort to violence and to be
patient. 9000 enslaved people were involved in
the revolt. They were armed with knives and
pikes and, unlike in other revolts, they did not
hurt the British plantation owners or their
families.

 A one-sided battle took place at a

plantation named Bachelor's Adventure. It
left many enslaved people dead or
wounded. Quamina managed to escape
but three weeks later he was tracked
down and shot. His body was hung in
chains in front of one of Demerara's
plantations.

Demerara (1823) - Quamina and John

Smith

Quamina was an African-born enslaved carpenter

and a senior deacon at the small chapel where John
Smith was Reverend. Despite the fact that Quamina's
wife had fallen seriously ill, he was not allowed to
stay at home and look after his wife and was forced
to work all day. One evening, he returned to find his
wife had just died.

 On hearing the rumours that 'new laws' relating

to slavery were being supressed by the
authorities, Quamina attended a meeting with
other enslaved people who were planning an
uprising, including his son, Gladstone.
Quamina insisted the revolt should not involve
killing and suggested that the enslaved
people should go on strike. He went with some
others to Smith's home, where they insisted the
managers of the plantation should go to
Georgetown to "fetch up the New Law".

 Smith begged them to wait until the Governor told them

about the new regulations. Quamina promised to obey
Smith and he sent his two companions to urge
other enslaved people to wait a while longer. But despite
Quamina's efforts, the following evening (18th August,
1823) the enslaved people seized all the guns on the
plantations and locked up the British plantation
owners during the night. The idea was to send them to
the Governor on the following morning to bring back the
"New Law". Quamina urged them not to be violent in the
process. They followed his advice and there was very
little violence. On the 20th August, the rebels were
defeated by the colonial cavalry and the militia. Quamina
fled but was hunted down and killed.

John Smith
John Smith was a missionary, originally from Northamptonshire,
whose attempts to help enslaved people in Demerara cost him his
life at just 34 years of age.
He was born on June 27, 1790 and received his early education at
Sunday school. After training to be a baker, he applied to be a
missionary. He married Jane Godden and on the 12th December,
1816 was ordained at Tonbridge Chapel. The London Missionary
Society sent him to Demerara in 1817. He took charge of a little
chapel at Le Resouvenir in the midst of slave plantations near
Georgetown. He soon attracted large congregations and began
reading classes for former slaves (and some of those still enslaved).
Many enslaved people risked punishment to listen to his sermons in
the Chapel.

 Because he was close to the leaders of

the uprising that took place in 1823, he
was arrested for conspiracy and for not
informing the authorities about
the rebellion. He was condemned to death
in November of that year. The British
Government subsequently revoked the
death sentence. However, he died from
TB or pneumonia in his damp cell on
February 6th, 1824 - just three days
before instructions arrived for him to be
sent home.

 His treatment caused a storm in the

House of Commons and was an important
factor leading to the final abolition of
slavery.

Causes of demerara revolt in 1823?

on Monday august 18 1823 slaves in

Demerara revolted because they wanted
freedom,
governor Murray refused to publish the
information. the slaves believed that the
planters were withholding their freedom ,
this was because they overheard the
masters speaking very hotily about their
freedom. this furyed the slaves and so they
revolted