Slaves for a time

Thorny legal issues unexpectedly emerged in British Guiana (BG) over the uncertain status of John Gladstone’s East Indian indentured labourers when the influential politician and wealthy merchant secretly transferred his Vreed-en-Hoop sugar estate to his sons in 1839 and they quietly sold it a year later. But Gladstone’s key connections protected him from any fallout.

Worried that Gladstone’s actions had invalidated the workers’ contracts and “having reason to believe that it would neither be advantageous to their health or comfort if this transfer were to be enforced without the consent of the Coolies,” Governor Henry Light hurriedly wrote to the colony’s Attorney General (AG) and Solicitor General (SG) in November 1840, before informing the British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, Lord John Russell. Light would repeatedly admit in separate despatches, “I fear I shall have some difficulty in the arrangements regarding the Coolies brought to this country by Mr. Gladstone.”

Light had requested careful examination of the indentures of the some 60 affected workers brought in by absentee owner, Gladstone as part of the 1838 introductory scheme, citing the “rumoured sale of the estate, by the importer of the Coolies, and a reserve of his (Gladstone’s) right to their services.” Light had heard Gladstone reportedly added ‎£4000 for the use of these “services” to the ‎£35 000 price for Vreed-en-Hoop paid by the buyers BG’s Colonial Surgeon, E. M. L. Smith and his brother, a London-based attorney.