Synopsis "The People of Barbados, 1625-1875"
Captain John Powell claimed Barbados for the Crown of England in 1625, and two years later the first shipload of settlers arrived from England. The island was ideal for the production of tobacco, sugar, and cotton; consequently, entrepreneurs soon arrived from England aiming to produce those crops and market them in England and, to some extent, in Europe. These planters and merchants brought with them skilled artisans, many of whom arrived as indentured servants, and--to a lesser extent--rebels and criminals shipped in chains to be sold there. White Europeans were unwilling to perform hard labor in tropical plantations, and before long slaves were brought from Africa. Most of the white population came from England and Wales, with a minority from Ireland and Scotland. [NB: Dr. Dobson treated the Scots in his book Barbados and Scotland, Links 1627-1877, ] In this book Dr. Dobson identifies numerous non-Scottish inhabitants, and for each we are given a full name, date, and the source. In many instances we also learn of the individual's religious affiliation, vessel, relatives, or other particulars. The book commences with a helpful historical introduction and concludes with a list of primary and secondary sources cited in the work
