Christmas in Jamaica in the 18th century
An American writer describing Christmas in the British colonies in North America writes - 'Eighteenth-century customs don't take long to recount: church, dinner, dancing, some evergreens, visiting - and more and better of these very same for those who could afford more.' It is likely that that description is largely true of Christmas in Jamaica in the 1700s; our modern ideas of Christmas developed in the next century. Apart from descriptions of 'John Canoe' celebrations, I have so far found little else specifically on Christmas at that period. In his book In Miserable Slavery Professor Douglas Hall surveys the diaries of Thomas Thistlewood, an Englishman who operated properties in Jamaica from 1750 to 1786. Some of the diary entries deal with Christmas. The main references are to Thistlewood's visits and visitors and to his special provisions for the slaves for the holiday. There is one description of a Christmas meal, which is quite interesting! (Stewed mudfish?!)
From the diaries of Thomas Thistlewood . . .
1751:
December
Tuesday 24th: Received home 5 canoe loads of copperwood.
Shot a diver in the great pond. A very hard shower this afternoon.
Employed raising the trash and weeding the plant-cane sprouts in the Stoop See
piece. Also weeded our peas.
Had Yule cake tonight. Brought home at 4 cart loads about 8 bundles of scotch
grass for to serve the cattle in the holidays.
Two draughts heading wood from the trench side to the stoke-hole.
Cruddon and Frank assisting the carpenters. Ambo and Cudjoe lopping fences.
Old Tom brought home his five fathoms of rope as usual.
Lent Robert two pistoles, and gave him leave to go to Mr Williams’s Savannah
and see his wife.
Wednesday 25th:In the morning a pretty strong north, and coolish pleasant day at times
cloudy with some drizzling rain.
Served a barrel of mackerel (384) amongst the Negroes. Also gave a pint of rum
and some sugar to each Negro (the children excepted).
Thursday 26th: The Negroes drumming and dancing all night along.
A very fine morning. Went and dined at Salt River. In the evening came home.
Mr Richard Pirot and his wife there, who are going to set up a school at
Savanna Ia Mar, to be opened the 16th of January next.
At dinner had gooseberry tart. Today one of Mr Dorrill’s sloops came in with 42
mules.
In the news is a long account of the flying engine, in shape of a bird, performed
by quicksilver and wheels, managed by a person with a large tail fastened to his
thighs, by a Jesuit 20 years in India.’
1756
Sunday, 26th December: Gave Mirtilla’s Sukey, for a Christmas box, 3 bitts. In the
morning served our Negroes 6 herrings each, drivers 12 each, children some
two some three each ...
In the morning Mr Crookshanks rode over here (gave him a glass tumbler) then
he prevailed with me to go to Paradise with him.
Called at Mr Mordiner’s going, dined at Paradise, Mr Win. Maddin, Mr John
Bell, Mr Blanch, Mr Samuel Mordiner, his wife [Quasheba] & children also dined
there.
1760
Wednesday, 24th December: Driver Johnie drumming at the Negro house last night.
Flogged him for it.
Thursday, 25th December: Being Christmas Day, gave it to the Negroes. Gave strict
charge to the Negroes to make no noise, &c’
1768
Sunday, 18th December: Gave my Negroes tickets as it is near Christmas.’
Sunday 25th: Mr Hayward, Mr Morris, Capt. Cheeseman, and Mr John Hartnole dined with me. Had stewed mudfish, and pickled crabs, stewed hog’s head. Fried liver, &c.
quarter of roast pork with paw paw sauce and Irish potatoes, bread, roast yam
and plantains. A boiled pudding, very good. Cheese, musk melon, water melon,
oranges, French brandy said to be right Cognac, punch and porter. We walked
into the New Ground, upon the hills, &c.
Sent to Egypt for Mr Hartnole, a fine loin of pork. This morning I gave Lincoln a
bottle of rum. Abba ditto, Dick and Solon a bottle between them, Cudjoe and
Johnie ditto, the girls a bottle among them, Pompey, Chub, and Caesar each a
drink. Also about 9 herrings each Negro, and above a pint of dry salt to
everyone.
p.m. Gave Kirkpatrick Old Quashe a bottle of rum.
For mudfish, a bitt. Mr Hartnole sent me some mudfish; I sent them to Mrs
Bennett.
Monday 26th: Gave my Negroes today.
1769
Monday, 25th December. Served my Negroes this morning 4 herrings and 4 mackerels
each, gave Lincoln and Abba each a bottle of rum; Cudjoe and Johnie a bottle;
Dick and Solon a bottle; girls a bottle; Pompey. Chub and Caesar each a dram,
&c.
1774
Sunday, 25th December: Served my Negroes 18 herrings each, likewise gave Lincoln,
Dick & Abba each a bottle of rum, Cudjoe & Solon a bottle between them,
Caesar & Pompey do, Chub & SStrap do, Fanny, Damsel & Bes do. Rest of the
women 2 bottles among them. Phib 5.
Gave Abba 4 bitts for Christmas.
Gave my Negroes tickets.’
1781
Monday, 24th December: People terribly alarmed, for fear of an invasion.
Tuesday, 25th December: It is said Governor Dalling is returned to Town; could not get
tthe Windward Passage for French men of war cruising in the way.
Thistlewood's diaries are extremely difficult to read, especially in the duplicated
version (which is the one I once tried to use) because of the old style writing and the ravages of time. We must be grateful that they have survived and that determined scholars are mining this virtually unique source.
and from Edward Long, History of Jamaica, 1774
In the towns, during Christmas holidays, they have several tall robust fellows dressed up in grotesque habits, and a pair of ox-horns on their head, sprouting from the top of a horrid sort of vizor, or mask, which about the mouth is rendered very terrific with large boar-tusks. The masquerader, carrying a wooden sword in his hand, is followed with a numerous crowd of drunken women, who refresh him frequently with a sup of aniseed-water, whilst he dances at every door, bellowing out John Connu! with great vehemence; so that, what with the liquor and the exercise, most of them are thrown into dangerous fevers; and some examples have happened of their dying. This dance is probably an honourable memorial of John Conny, a celebrated cabocero at Tres Puntas, in Axim, on the Guiney coast; who flourished about the year 1720. He bore great authority among the Negros of that district.
. . . In 1769 several new masks appeared, the Ebos, the Papaws, etc. having their respective Connus, male and female, who were dressed in a very laughable style.
Christmas in Jamaica
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the worthy frog
joy lumsden 2006.
