An ignored Bermudian freedom narrative – Repeating Islands


Having researched The Historical past of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave exhaustively, amongst different nineteenth century first-person narratives throughout my grad faculty days, that is thrilling information for me. [Many thanks to Peter Jordens for bringing this item to our attention.] Bernews stories on A Narrative of the Lifetime of Benjamin Benson, Who Was Born a Slave on the Island of Bermuda… (1847).

The Nationwide Museum of Bermuda [NMB] has revealed an article entitled ‘Benjamin Benson: An Ignored Bermudian Freedom Narrative‘, which gives particulars concerning the narrative of the lifetime of Mr Benson — who was born enslaved in 1818 — noting that the “version exposes features of slavery in Bermuda which can be little documented” like “mass sale to People on the eve of Emancipation.”

The NMB web site mentioned, “The Historical past of Mary Prince has lengthy occupied a outstanding place within the historical past of Abolitionist literature within the Atlantic World as probably the most influential autobiographies written by a previously enslaved lady.

“Mary Prince’s roots in Bermuda are well-known. There’s one other printed freedom narrative not beforehand related to Bermuda, nevertheless, that illustrates a person’s perspective on slavery within the island and within the maritime financial system. This account languished in obscurity, self-published in London in 1847 by an English doctor named Andrew Welch.

“Benson gives just a few biographical particulars about his youth, however a lot stays nonetheless unknown, together with the origins of his surname. He “inhaled his first breath of life as a slave”, born 16 December, 1818, at St. George’s, too early to seem in surviving parish registers.

“He didn’t know if his dad and mom have been “lawfully married”, a vexing topic in Bermuda through the years following Emancipation. He recalled that his father was African-born, trafficked to the Caribbean earlier than Bermuda.

“His mom was born in Lengthy Island, New York, and offered at age 12 to a person named Davenport in Bermuda, virtually definitely St. George’s service provider John Davenport or his father Robert. Maybe she was the lady named Judy, Lilly, Philippa, or much less seemingly the younger Nancy, listed in John’s possession within the 1821 Slave Register.

“If his mom remained in Davenport’s management, Benjamin could have been born in Esten Home on King’s Sq. in St. George’s, purchased earlier in 1818. His dad and mom had 21 youngsters collectively, together with twins, “one or two” dying as infants however most surviving to maturity.”

“His reminiscence of childhood was punctuated by the traumatic sale of his father, a brother George, and sister Judith, offered away to Georgia when Benjamin was simply eight. One brother, Robert, was offered away to Wilmington, North Carolina, from the place he escaped to New York earlier than shifting to Trinidad below an assumed title. One other, Anthony, was freed by the bequest of “Miss Davenport” upon her demise at age 18.”

You’ll be able to learn the complete story — which could be very in-depth – right here on Nationwide Museum of Bermuda‘s web site.

Supply: https://bernews.com/2022/07/benson-overlooked-freedom-narrative

[Shown above: The cover of the 1847 edition.]



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