Lord John Russell: Papers

IDENTITY STATEMENT AREA

Reference code(s): PRO 30/22/16E

Title: Lord John Russell: Papers

Date(s): c1800 - 1913

Level of description: File

Extent and medium of the unit of description: 118 boxes and volumes

CONTEXT AREA

Name of creator(s): John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, 1792-1878

Administrative/Biographical history: In 1865 the court house at Morant Bay was the scene of an event in Jamaican history known as the Morant Bay Rebellion. Paul Bogle (c.1825-1865) was the leader of the Morant Bay Rebellion of 1865 against white colonial rule in Jamaica. The government reacted with maximum force, declaring martial law. The combined forces of the British military, Jamaican militiamen, and the maroons executed nearly 500 individuals, including Paul Bogle.

Public outcry in Britain against the brutal repression of the rebellion prompted the British government to order a formal inquiry into the causes of the rebellion and the measures used in its suppression. Britain then abolished the representative system of government and introduced the crown colony government (a system of imperial trusteeship) in 1866. This system increased the power of the British-appointed governor. The old Legislative Council and House of Assembly were replaced by a single Legislative Council, whose members were appointed by the British crown. (Reforms in 1884 and 1895 provided for the election of some council members.) By ending elected representation in government, however, direct rule from Britain actually aborted the political ascendancy of the indigenous community and further reinforced institutionalized racism.

the history of Jamaica

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Scope and content: These records consist mainly of the private and semi-official correspondence and papers of Lord John, later Earl, Russell. The first 112 pieces consist of a series of correspondence and papers in date order bound into volumes; but owing to gaps in the coverage the biographical and historical narrative, particularly that of the early years, is a somewhat broken one. The bulk of the papers consists of letters written to Lord John Russell, including many from Lord Palmerston.

Contained within the series PRO 30/22: Lord John Russell: Papers, in the subseries: Correspondence and Papers, are a number of records relating to the so-called Morant Bay Rebellion, 11th October 1865, and the role of Governor Eyre (acting governor of Jamaica in 1861 and governor from 1864-1866).

See PRO Online Catalogue (PROCAT) PRO 30/22/16E for: VOL. 16E Summary of Contents. Mainly political correspondence. (Note: throughout the year both W. E. Gladstone and Lord Clarendon were in continuous correspondence and consultation with J.R. and kept him in close touch with events and decisions). Politics and government. 1868 Jan. 1-Dec. 31 ....... Colonial affairs: Jamaica commission: Charles Buxton advocates clemency and non-prosecution of Governor Eyre and seeks J.R's support.

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Language/scripts of material: English

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DESCRIPTION CONTROL AREA

Recorder's note:

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: January 2002

Interest: Caribbean

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Subjects

Morant Bay Rebellion, 1865

Personal/Corporate names

Bogle, Paul, 1822-1865

Eyre, Governor

Places

Morant Bay, Jamaica