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Wealth

Activity 2: Martha's Motives

Here is a letter from Martha Jenkins, the mother of a sailor who had sailed on a slave ship belonging to James Rogers in 1788.

'….worthy sire I hope you will excuse me for troublelling you bot my distressd mind obliges me to it first I beg to know is thear one John Jenkins gon out in the swift my reason for inqureng is because I am his mother and he my onley child as my other son was lost when the aurorarao was cast a way going to tortola…This was my only child and was not at sea before and I beg to know how long you thnk the ship will be out what (wages) he have agreed for a month I beg tyou please order answer to be rote to your humbell servant martha jenkins direct for me in cay (quay) street

Martha Jenkins had two sons.
What can we tell about them from this? Choose whether the following sentences are true or false and click your answer to check whether it is correct.

John Jenkins was Martha Jenkins's son
Martha Jenkins is not worried about her son.
John Jenkins sailed in the Swift
John Jenkins had been to sea many times.
Another son of Martha Jenkins was lost as he was sailing to Tortola
Martha Jenkins wants to know her son's wages
Martha Jenkins is worried about the Africans on board the ship.

Task 2. Why was Martha writing to James Rogers?

You will find some of the reasons written in the letter.
i. On a piece of paper, sort the reasons under the headings below.
ii. Add some of your own reasons.

• Reasons Martha gives for writing to James Rogers:
• Other possible reasons for writing to James Rogers:
  

Here are some possible reasons why Martha was writing to James Rogers.

• Martha wants to claim John's wages
• Martha wants to know if John has died
• Martha is frightened that John might not come back
• Martha wants to know how much John is going to be paid
• Martha loves her son John very much
• John is Martha's only surviving son, and she is worried
• Martha wants to know how much longer John is going to be away
• Martha does not know where her son John is at the moment.
• Martha misses her son, John Jenkins
• Martha is concerned that her son is helping to enslave other human beings.