The Glasgow Sugar Aristocracy: Scotland and Caribbean Slavery, 1775-1838 (New Historical Perspectives)

The wealth generated both directly and indirectly by Caribbean slavery had a major impact on the city of Glasgow, and on Scotland as a whole. Glasgows Sugar Aristocracy is the first book to directly assess the size, nature, and effects of slaverys economic impact in Scotland. Many West Indian merchants and plantation owners based in Glasgow made nationally significant fortunes, some of which boosted the Scottish economy, as did the fortunes of the temporary Scottish economic migrants who traveled to some of the wealthiest of the Caribbean islands. Revealing methods of repatriating wealth from the Caribbean as well as mercantile investments in industry, banking, land, and philanthropic initiatives, Glasgows Sugar Aristocracy adds much needed nuance to this subject in a Scottish context. The wealth generated both directly and indirectly by Caribbean slavery had a major impact on Glasgow and Scotland. Glasgow's Sugar Aristocracy is the first book to directly assess the size, nature and effects of this. West India merchants and plantation owners based in Glasgow made nationally significant fortunes, some of which boosted Scottish capitalism, as well as the temporary Scottish economic migrants who travelled to some of the wealthiest of the Caribbean islands. This book adds much needed nuance to the argument in a Scottish context; revealing methods of repatriating wealth from the Caribbean as well as mercantile investments in industry, banking and land and philanthropic initiatives. Cover 1 Halftitle 2 Titlepage 4 Copyright 5 Contents 8 List of illustrations 10 List of tables 12 List of abbreviations 14 Maps 16 Acknowledgements 20 Introduction 24 1. Emergence 52 2. Trade and commerce 80 3. A Glasgow-West India house 112 4. ‘Wanted, to serve in the West Indies’1 142 5. Jamaica 170 6. Grenada and Carriacou 206 7. Trinidad 234 8. Glasgow-West India ‘spheres of influence’:embedding the profits of Caribbean slavery 276 Conclusion 316 Appendix 326 Bibliography and manuscript sources 336 Index 370