Gale-Morant Papers (1731-1925)

Title: Gale-Morant Papers (1731-1925)

Description: The Gale-Morant Papers (1731-1925) relate to the papers of two inter-related families with estates in Jamaica. The Gales and the Morants have some importance in the history of the island and the papers are of particular interest for the light they cast on slavery and the life and work of Jamaican sugar estates. They include other interesting items, e.g. letters about property in America during the American War of Independence and a couple of letters about William Backford and his estates in Jamaica. The collection falls into the following main sections:

• General correspondences of William Gale, papers concerning his property (1752-99)
• Documents relating to William Gale's will (1755-99)
• Papers relating to York plantation and Gale's Valley plantations (1761-1845)
• Papers relating to Mount Hindmost Estate, St. Iago, Paisley, Pens (1810-1914)
• Jamaican estates of E. Morant Gale, including details of sales of sugar (1798-1824)
• Gale and Morant families and miscellany (1731-1925)

The University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica, possesses a microfilm copy of all these papers.

The following guide to the collection is available in the library: Minchinton, W.E. (1977) The Gale-Morant papers, 1731-1925 in the Library, University of Exeter. Wakefield, EP Microform Limited. Further details about the collection are also available online at http://www.ex.ac.uk/library/guides/G.

Strengths: Information on 18th century Jamaican sugar estates.

Size: 6 boxes

Catalogue: INNOPAC

Catalogue URL: http://lib.ex.ac.uk/

Main URL: http://www.ex.ac.uk/library

Access: Intending readers who are not members of the University of Exeter should contact the Special Collections Librarian in writing in the first instance. All readers should be prepared to show proof of identity (in the case of University members, a valid Mondex or library card) on arrival, and to sign a register. Non-members of the University will be asked to sign a declaration. For access to certain collections the permission of the University Librarian is required, and some categories of material may be consulted only under the supervision of the Special Collections Librarian. Readers should note that special access conditions apply in some cases, especially where collections are not the property of the University, and photocopying and other restrictions may also apply.
Under the terms of the SCONUL Vacation Access Scheme students from other higher education institutions in the UK and Ireland whose libraries are members of the Standing Conference of National and University Libraries (SCONUL) may have access to the University of Exeter Libraries during the University's vacations. The scheme provides for reference access to books and journals on open shelves. Further details about the library's access conditions are available at: http://www.ex.ac.uk/library/services/.

Acquisition dates:

Note: This special collection of archival materials is located in the Old Library Strong Room

Interest: Caribbean

Complete: Complete

Subjects

Trade

Sugar

Slavery

Land tenure

Personal/Corporate names

Gale-Morant Papers, 1731-1925

Gale, William

Backford, William

Places

Jamaica