Plantation Day Book, Barbados, 1722

Plantation Day Book Barbados, 1722 AR146 This Day Book originates from the plantation in Barbados which belonged to William Holburne’s great-grandfather, Guy Ball. Ledgers like this were used to document imports and exports, and often included the names of enslaved people who were born, bought, sold, or died on the plantation. In contemporary research, archival materials like this can assist in unearthing the agency and lived experiences of enslaved people, and are significant for black Barbadians wishing to research family histories, as very little documentation exists elsewhere. An unusual feature of this book is that the majority of its pages have been cut out. When, why, and by whom remain unanswered questions. Only one page with legible content remains and denotes a delivery of ‘provisions’ of candles, beef and cocoa; the name ‘Warrener’ is seen as the receiver of these goods. Records show that Guy Ball sold 25 acres of land to William Warrener, another planter in Christ Church, Barbados, in 1720. The first record of Ball’s plantation site was in 1671 in the will of Captain John Williams. By 1680 it was 469 acres and it was later acquired by the Ball family. Dated 1722, the Plantation Book features the name Williams on the cover, along with additional inscriptions, most likely of others connected to the estate at one time or another. ‘Guy Ball’ appears twice, ‘Thomas’ appears several times, and the name ‘John Breedy’ can be seen upside-down. The book highlights the transactional treatment of people of colour through the colonial practices of the British Empire, and the origins of the consumption and luxury in this gallery, which warrants acknowledgement and remembrance. Since the names that might once have been recorded inside this book are lost, as a memorial tribute the plinth features names of people enslaved on the Ball Estate from a century later, alongside a newly composed epitaph by the Barbadian and Glasgow-based artist, Alberta Whittle.