THE GOLDEN GROVE CHAPEL
To the editor: “Daily Chronicle” Sir, - it having been reported to me that letters of sympathy are been written concerning the non-completion of the Golden Grove Wesleyan Chapel, I shall feel obliged, if you will kindly allow me to intimate to our friends, that these letters should be addressed to Rev. J. Grimshaw at Friendship or myself at the above place. And that there being accompanied with subscriptions in aid of the building fund will render them most welcome to
Yours truly,
Chas. L. Tabraham
Golden Grove
Demerara
May 8th, 1882
Source: Correspondence -The Demerara Daily Chronicle, Tuesday, May 9, 1882: page 3
REV. C. L. TABRAHAM
To the editor: “Daily Chronicle” (NO TYRANNY) Sir, - perhaps it will be well that the rev. Chas. L. Tabraham of Golden Grove should know at once, that the people of this colony are not still slaves, and can sympathize with whom they think proper. It seems to me, he requires to be reminded of the fact that slavery was abolished in the West Indies long since. If he wants sympathy or money, he can beg for either, and if it gratifies his vanity to see his name figuring in the papers, he can write it as often as he pleases appended to vapid effusions, if he thinks this course creditable. But let him not presume to dictate to a people as free born and as good as himself.
Yours & etc
NO TYRANNY
Source: Correspondence -The Demerara Daily Chronicle, Thursday, May 11, 1882: page 3
The Demerara Daily Chronicle, Thursday May 11, 1882
To the editor: “Daily Chronicle” Sir, - in your issue of the 8th instant, I have noticed a letter from the pen of the above named reverend gentleman, which I think requires better punctuation and grammatical construction. I look upon that letter as an indirect attack or reflection on the Rev. J. A. Campbell, whom Mr. TAbraham succeeded. There are hundreds in this city and colony who know the worth of Mr. Campbell and of his building and past oral abilities, and he has friends on the very station where Mr. TAbraham is now labouring. I am sure these friends of Mr. Campbell, at Golden Grove do not appreciate Mr. Tabraham’s letter, nor his reflection upon the unfinished condition of the new and strongly built chapel in the village. The members and friends at Golden Grove, Victoria, and Ann’s Grove villages did what they could to aid Mr. Campbell to erect the edifice, and if he could not succeed in obtaining all the money he wanted to complete it to the satisfaction of Mr. TAbraham, it was no fault of his. There is only a small, a very small, portion of the tower of the New and substantial Chapel that is left unfinished, which Mr. TAbraham, without having recourse to newspapers, must try and finish ere long. It is not right, not charitable, for a successor to throw any reflection, directly or indirectly, upon the efforts and labours of his predecessor. The tenor of the letter referred to by me and published in your valuable journal on the 8th inst. remind me of the following story; one day a large bull was grazing in the field, when a conceited fly came and sat on one side of his horns. The fly began to say in her own mind, “I am very heavy, and if I remain here, assuredly, the bull will not be able to lift his head from the ground”. Then the fly said a loud, “O bull, I am afraid I am giving you great inconvenience; if so it be, then speak out, and I will immediately depart.” The bull answered, “O fly, be not uneasy on my account, for I was not in the least aware of your being there till you spoke to me,” Mr. TAbraham knows the moral. I would advise him to gain the hearts and affection of the people among whom he is called to labour and then he will soon be able to complete the tower of the chapel he is complaining of.
Yours & etc
A Friend To Both
May 10th 1882
Source: Correspondence -The Demerara Daily Chronicle, Thursday, May 11, 1882: page 3.
DISTRESS AT NABACLIS AND GOLDEN GROVE
To the editor: “Daily Chronicle”
Sir, - permit me through the medium of your valuable columns to state the extent of losses sustained by myself and other persons who owned provision lands at the above villages for a number of years.
I was employed at Pln. Cove and John and all my hard-earned wages was spent on my provision ground, in the hope of getting a reward.
But alas! Bad times have come. In consequence of a breach in one of the dams at the back of Golden Grove Village, all my crops, which would have yielded a return of two or three hundred dollars, are now damaged, In consequence of the water covering them over for days.
Who is to blame for this state of affairs? What redress have I got? The two villages are still submerged, and no one knows when the water will abate.
I am & c,
Adonis Isaac Campbell
Source: Correspondence -The Demerara Daily Chronicle, Tuesday, June 27, 1882: page 3.
WANT OF COHESION: GOLDEN GROVE, EAST COAST
To the editor: “Daily Chronicle”
Sir, - I would feel obliged if you will kindly give publicity to the following; - the cane growers of Golden Grove and Nabaclis estates, where the are two small wind Mills, one being on each estate, erect with the primary understanding of manufacturing sugar on the “metayer system” as is now carried on throughout the West India islands, and even by the Sugar King here – an arrangement which I know to be fair and fully remunerates the labour of the cultivation. Indeed, in the islands I know of a great many men of the peasant class that have, through this mode of industry risen to independence. But the same class of men in this colony seems to form a far different estimate of labour and economy that is in no way profitable to themselves. Hence the truth of what I state is demonstrated by the fact that the villagers withdraw or rather swerve from this arrangement, and chose for themselves as they term it) the more profitable way of disposing of their crops, by conveying and selling their canes to the neighbouring estates.
And, besides almost giving them away, incurring those enormous expenses incidental to transportation here. The issue, therefore, is that selling canes after this manner, at the rate of $3 per ton, is, I emphatically say, worse than laying out $6 to make $3. Mr. Wilson, the practical engineer of Plantation Enmore is about to confer a great boon on these villagers, through the fact, that he has recently purchased in Georgetown, a suitable steam cane mill, to be erected on a spot of ground, his own property, in Golden Grove Village, and has made the most fair and reasonable proposals to the Villagers for temporary assistance only. But the most of them have bluntly rejected his offers, and altogether treated his laudable actions with indifference.
Therefore I cannot reasonably see where, and in what manner they require the help they sought, and still are seeking in this direction, except it must be; that each man would have a Mill of his own, but I as a proprietor, will not agree in any further arrangement that might entail a mortgage on the estate.
Thanking you for the space so kindly allowed.
I am & c,
AN OBSERVANT PROPRIETOR
Golden Grove, East Coast,
1st September 1882
Source: Correspondence -The Demerara Daily Chronicle, Tuesday, September 5, 1882: page 3.
RESPONSE - J. HORATIO REYNOLDS OF VICTORIA, EAST COAST.
To the editor: “Daily Chronicle” Sir, - For some time past I have noticed several letters inserted in your valuable columns, dating from Golden Grove Village, East Coast, relative to various matters, and amongst these is one headed “Want of Cohesion” and signed “An Observant Proprietor,” in you issue of the 5th instant; to which I particularly desire to draw the attention to the public. I might state at the outset that the whole tone of that letter is entirely antagonistic to the Creole peasantry; and would show that the statements of “An Observant Proprietor,” are entirely unfounded. The whole sum and substance of his letter, as I understand it, goes to show that he considers there is want of cohesion on the part of the villagers, because they would not agree to come to certain terms for Mr. Wilson’s engine. When a certain class of industrious persons are charged with want of cohesion, it becomes the duty of some one, who has been resident amongst them for a long period, to step in without fear, and show by uncontroversial testimony, the contrary. Now nearly the whole of the back lands of Golden Grove, Nabaclis and Victoria are in cane cultivation, and this is owing to the united efforts of the villagers.
These canes are found either on mills driven by wind, or on the neighbouring sugar estates, but from the increased cultivation of the canes by the black people, which the wind mills are unable to take off, and a certain dissatisfaction with regard to the amount charged by the planters to grind the canes; they have come to the conclusion to purchase steam machinery, and several meetings have been held, largely attended, for the purpose of discussing the advisability of approaching the Government for a loan to assist them, offering properties as security. The Creole peasantry are generally charged with want of unanimity, and want of industry, and where there are signs of improvement and reformation on their part, a paternal Government ought to take their case into consideration and show its mark of approval. I contend, that if there were no cohesive action on the part of the villagers of Victoria village, one of the largest and the finest villages on the East Coast, would have gone into the hands of the Government long ago. Apologising for taking up so much of your space.
I am & c,
J. Horatio Reynolds
Victoria Village
Sept. 18th
Source: Correspondence -The Demerara Daily Chronicle, Tuesday, September 21, 1882: page 4.
The Villagers’ Grievances to the Editor; “Daily Chronicle”
Sir, - In looking over the Inspector of Villages’ recent Annual Report, I find the following twelve village Ordinances have been passed between 1845 and 1873:- No. 18 of 1845, No. 10 of 1849, No. 11 of 1849, No. 4 of 1851, No. 10 of 1852, No. 33 of 1856, No. 4 of 1858, No. 10 of 1862, No. 10 of 1863, No. 26 of 1864, No. 1 of 1866, No. 10 of 1873.
Is it not appalling, to reflect on this array of Village Laws? And looking at, without reading them, will any one deny that the village legislators of the colony is its bete noir? If some of the ablest, astutest, and most accomplished administrators of the affairs of the colony tried, but failed to grapple with, and settle our village administration.
Now that a lamentable breakdown has occurred, is it fair, is it just, to make the Inspector of Villages the scape-goat for the sins of the former governors, who had as Councilors such able men as the Messrs. Porter of Enmore, the Late John Brumell, who published “The Hand-Book of Village Laws”, the present Inspector General of Police, and others, who took great interest in our Village affairs? On whose shoulders is the break-down to rest? Let us be just; let us eschew-denunciation, abusive language; let us unite as reasonable intelligent and respectable Village proprietors, and represent our grievances in respectful terms to the representative of our gracious queen; and let the executive take the Village question in hand, sweep off the Statute Books all the Ordinances above enumerated, and enact a simple consolidated Village Ordinance.
Don’t you think that there ought to be an assistant or sub- Inspector of Villages while the Ordinance No. 10 of 1873 is in force? The Inspector of Villages has to travel all over the colony. This very often causes a dead-lock in the Village office in town. Were Mr. Daly in town on Saturday, instead of having to go to the Arabian Coast, we might not be in the plight we are now. He would have been within speaking distance, and almost direct personal communication, but being at a distance delay resulted, the down-pour of rain continuing meanwhile, then, as a consequence, the misfortune which we all deplored. Let the Financial Representatives consider this.
I am, &.,
A Village proprietor
1 month ago
