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Wealth

Activity 1: Sickness on the Slave Ships

The Merchant Venturers built their Almshouse in King Street because it was needed!
There was little medical care, no unemployment allowance, no pensions and no council housing before the twentieth century! Sailors who were ill, injured, old, or unemployed were in serious trouble and had to depend on private charity or poor relief, when they could get it.

Even sailors who signed onto a voyage as fit, healthy young men were at risk
The voyage to West Africa was dangerous. Prisoners and crew were often poorly fed and became ill from malaria, yellow fever and dysentery in the overcrowded and dirty ships. There were no toilets on the ships and the slaves, were kept chained below deck suffered especially from the filth in which they were forced to lie.

Captain W. Black wrote to James Rogers, the owner of his ship, The Jupiter to tell him about the illness on board on August 20th 1790.

"..(I) am sorry to acquaint you that we have been very sickly for Six weeks past have buried 13 woman and girels 56 men and bouys, sixteen white People --- our docter is not aquainted with the Country Disorders. Hope you will never be Deceived by another. I have been sick for 5 or 6 week, sometime on Shore, had it not been for a Captain Jolly I never should have seen the Ship Pearl again. Am not well yet cannot get …strong..have purchased hundred or so slaves and afraid shall not be able to send her off full slaved on account of buing so man…. Excuse this whriting for I can scarcely hold a pen…"

Conditions On Board Ship.

Task 1. Fill in the missing words to complete Captain Black's letter.

'We have been very sickly for the last six weeks and have buried _____ women and girls; ______ men and boys and ______ white people during the last 6 weeks.

I have been ill for ______ or _____ weeks and am still very weak. I have bought about a _____ slaves, but the ship is not full. Please excuse my writing, but I can hardly hold a __________.'

Task 2. Captain Black wrote:
'our docter is not acquainted with the Country disorders.'
What do you think he means?

Task 3. What reasons can you give to explain why lots of people on the voyage got sick and died?

Task 4. Captain Black's Motives

Here are some reasons why Captain Black might have written his letter.
Some reasons may be more important than others.
Click and drag the reasons to organise in order of importance.
Begin with the reason which you think is the most important. You can add other reasons for writing the letter on a sheet of paper.

Captain Black wants James Rogers to know:

Task 5. Do you think the ship owner, James Rogers was pleased to receive this letter?
Explain your answer.

Task 6: How do you think the slaves saw Captain Black?