Mastery, Tyranny, and Desire : Thomas Thistlewood and His Slaves in the Anglo-Jamaican World

Eighteenth-century Jamaica, Britain's largest and most valuable slave-owning colony, relied on a brutal system of slave management to maintain its tenuous social order. Trevor Burnard provides unparalleled insight into Jamaica's vibrant but harsh African and European cultures with a comprehensive examination of the extraordinary diary of plantation owner Thomas Thistlewood. Thistlewood's diary, kept over the course of forty years, describes in graphic detail how white rule over slaves was predicated on the infliction of terror on the bodies and minds of slaves. Thistlewood treated his slaves cruelly even while he relied on them for his livelihood. Along with careful notes on sugar production, Thistlewood maintained detailed records of a sexual life that fully expressed the society's rampant sexual exploitation of slaves. In Burnard's hands, Thistlewood's diary reveals a great deal not only about the man and his slaves but also about the structure and enforcement of power, changing understandings of human rights and freedom, and connections among social class, race, and gender, as well as sex and sexuality, in the plantation system. Eighteenth-century Jamaica, Britain's Largest And Most Valuable Slave-owning Colony, Relied On A Brutal System Of Slave Management To Maintain Its Tenuous Social Order. Trevor Burnard Provides Insight Into Jamaica's Vibrant But Harsh African And European Cultures With The First Comprehensive Examination Of The Extraordinary Diaries Of Plantation Owner Thomas Thistlewood. In Burnard's Hands, Thistlewood's Diary Reveals A Great Deal Not Only About The Man And His Slaves But Also About The Structure And Enforcement Of Power, Changing Understandings Of Human Rights And Freedom, And Connections Among Social Class, Race, And Gender, As Well As Sex And Sexuality, In The Plantation System.--jacket. The Gray Zone: An Introduction To Thomas Thistlewood And His Diaries -- Mastery And Competency: Thistlewood Earns A Living -- Cowskin Heroes: Thistlewood, Slavery, And White Egalitarianism -- In The Scientific Manner: Thistlewood And The Practical Enlightenment In A Slavery Regime -- Weapons Of The Strong And Responses Of The Weak: Thistlewood's War With His Slaves -- Cooperation And Contestation, Intimacy And Distance: Thistlewood And His Male Slaves -- Adaptation, Accommodation, And Resistance: Thistlewood's Slave Women And Their Responses To Enslavement -- The Life And Times Of Thomas Thistlewood, Esquire--gardener And Slave Owner. Trevor Burnard. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [273]-312) And Index. Contents 6 Acknowledgments 10 1 The Gray Zone: An Introduction to Thomas Thistlewood and His Diaries 16 2 Mastery and Competency: Thistlewood Earns a Living 52 3 Cowskin Heroes: Thistlewood, Slavery, and White Egalitarianism 84 4 In the Scientific Manner: Thistlewood and the Practical Enlightenment in a Slavery Regime 116 5 Weapons of the Strong and Responses of the Weak: Thistlewood’s War with His Slaves 152 6 Cooperation and Contestation, Intimacy and Distance: Thistlewood and His Male Slaves 190 7 Adaptation, Accommodation, and Resistance: Thistlewood’s Slave Women and Their Responses to Enslavement 224 8 The Life and Times of Thomas Thistlewood, Esquire—Gardener and Slave Owner 256 Notes 288 Index 328 A 328 B 328 C 329 D 329 E 329 F 330 G 330 H 330 I 331 J 331 K 331 L 331 M 331 N 332 O 332 P 332 R 332 S 332 T 334 U 335 V 335 W 335 Y 335 9780807828564 Eighteenth-century Jamaica, Britain's largest and most valuable slave-owning colony, relied on a brutal system of slave management to maintain its tenuous social order. This work provides an insight into Jamaica's vibrant but harsh African and European cultures by examining the extraordinary diary of plantation owner Thomas Thistlewood. On 24 April 1750 at about noon, the Flying Flamborough docked at Kingston, Jamaica, after a long and troublesome voyage from London.