Life for barbadians in 1816

• In 1816 Barbados had:

  • Approximately 77,000 enslaved persons
  • 3,000 freed persons
  • 16,000 whites living in the area
• Most of the enslaved population in Barbados worked on sugar cane plantations
• The majority of the slaves in Barbados were creole rather than African born
• Planters in Barbados cut the rations given to their slaves due to a fall in sugar prices, leading to overworked slaves and limited access to food
• Slaves in Barbados were placed in jobbing gangs on some plantations, forced to work far from their homes and provision grounds
• Social activities of the enslaved in Barbados included congregating at funerals and dances, which were held on most weekends and holidays
• Funerals for the enslaved in Barbados were performed at special slave burial grounds without the supervision of whites
• Many planters in Barbados believed that the enslaved population was content and happy