EAP1013/1/1

Deed Books for the island dating between 1774 through to the mid 19th century. The Deed books, compiled in the offices of the island’s Colonial Secretary and the Registrar, proved a comprehensive record of all land and property transactions carried out during the 175 years when slave plantations were the main type of investment and employment on the island. The Deed books are large bound volumes that are available for every year in the period from 1763 to 1839. Such a continuous series of these records is only replicated sporadically for other islands that were once British possessions in the Caribbean. The land and property details recorded in these records provide the names of investors, along with their occupation and residence, and precise financial details, either in sterling or in the island’s currency. The information on investors includes whites and free blacks, men and women, and absentee residents (in other West Indian Islands or in Britain) as well as those living in Saint Vincent. The financial information is wide-ranging. Credit transactions are included. Mortgages, annuities, loans and bonds are all specified, with the names of the parties involved. The Deed books also contain much material on slave sales between individuals connected with Saint Vincent; they also have information on slave manumissions. Where sugar plantations are identified in these records, the numbers, and sometimes the valuations, of slaves are given.

Extent: 20 bound volumes.

Condition of original material: Variable - see detail at file level.

This series contains the following 20 volumes:

• EAP1013/1/1/1: Deed Book 1774-1775
• EAP1013/1/1/2: Deed Book 1783-1784
• EAP1013/1/1/3: Deed Book 1785
• EAP1013/1/1/4: Deed Book 1789-1790
• EAP1013/1/1/5: Deed Book 1796-1797
• EAP1013/1/1/6: Deed Book 1798
• EAP1013/1/1/7: Deed Book 1806
• EAP1013/1/1/8: Deed Book 1807-1808
• EAP1013/1/1/9: Deed Book 1813-1814
• EAP1013/1/1/10: Deed Book 1839-1840
• EAP1013/1/1/11: Deed Book 1840-1841
• EAP1013/1/1/12: Deed Book 1841-1843
• EAP1013/1/1/13: Deed Book 1842-1843
• EAP1013/1/1/14: Deed Book 1842-1843
• EAP1013/1/1/15: Deed Book 1843-1844
• EAP1013/1/1/16: Deed Book 1844-1845
• EAP1013/1/1/17: Deed Book 1845-1846
• EAP1013/1/1/18: Deed Book 1846-1849
• EAP1013/1/1/19: Deed Book 1856-1857
• EAP1013/1/1/20: Deed Book 1857-1858.