EAP093 A survey of the endangered court records of Nevis, West Indies

This project surveyed and assessed the condition of the records held in the Courthouse Vault and also, to some extent, in the Courthouse office. Important sets of documents in the Courthouse have been identified, in particular the Common Deed Record Books, Books of Wills and Land Title Register Books with their attached estate plans.

Other sources of records concerning Nevis have been identified, both on Nevis and on St Kitts, in the form of Government records at the Registrar General's Office (vault records surveyed), the National Archives on St Kitts and in the records of both the Anglican and Methodist Churches. There are also useful records in a privately run museum on St Kitts. It has become clear that there are almost no documentary records concerning the Colonial period in private hands on Nevis.

A Survey was produced, giving information on records held held at the following locations:

Supreme Court Registry (vault and office), Charlestown, Nevis Registrar General's Office (vault), Charlestown, Nevis Nevis Treasury (vault), Charlestown, Nevis Methodist Church Office, Charlestown, Nevis Anglican Parish Offices of St George Gingerland and St John Figtree, Nevis Edgar Challenger International House Museum, Basseterre, St Kitts

Further Information You can contact the EAP team at endangeredarchives@bl.uk

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British Library Endangered Archives Programme

EAP093

A SURVEY OF THE ENDANGERED COURT RECORDS OF NEVIS, WEST INDIES

A Pilot Project Report

David Small Department of Archaeology and Anthropology University of Bristol October 2008

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Contents

1. Background 2. Significance of the records to be found in Nevis 3. Endangered Archives Programme of the British Library 4. Aims of the Pilot Project 5. Destruction of records in the past 6. Previous surveys 7. Legislative background 8. Political and administrative issues as they affect records

8.1 The National Records and Archives Authority 8.2 Responsibility for the management of records 8.3 Issues of funding and lack of space

9. Nevis Historical and Conservation Society Archive 10. Possible sources of endangered records relating to Nevis 11. Parish records

11.1 Anglican parish records in Nevis 11.2 Methodist parish registers

12. Government records - overview 13. National Archives 14. Nevis Treasury 15. Departments of Physical Planning in Nevis and St Kitts 16. Registrar General’s Offices of St Kitts and Nevis 17. Supreme Court Registry – Nevis

17.1 Storage issues 17.2 General management issues 17.3 Schemes for improvement

18. Supreme Court Registry: Historic records by series – significance and condition 18.1 Common Deed Record Books 18.2 Probate Records 18.3 Land Title Register Books 18.4 Associated estate plans in the vault 18.5 Court Records

19. Recommendations – Supreme Court Registry 19.1 Current Records - Short-term recommendations 19.2 Historic Records – Short-term recommendations 19.3 Historic Records – Medium-term recommendations

20. Strategic recommendations - Government Records Acknowledgements

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Appendices

Appendix 1 Methodist Parish Registers – Condition Survey Appendix 2 Registrar General’s Office: Registers of Birth, Deaths and Marriages – Condition Survey Appendix 3 Common Deed Record Books – Condition Survey Appendix 4 Probate Records – Condition Survey Appendix 5 Land Title Register Books – Condition Survey Appendix 6 Court Records - Condition Survey Appendix 7 E. C. Baker – Inventory Appendix 8 Anglican and Methodist Parish Records, Nevis – Overview Appendix 9 Common Deed Record Books – Inventory 2004-2008 Appendix 10 EAP093 Survey Form

List of Plates

Plate 1 Nevis Courthouse Plate 2 Courtroom with Judge’s dais at far end Plate 3 Memoranda of Transfer and Common Deed Records under Judge’s dais Plate 4 Filing cabinets at the back of the Courtroom Plate 5 Courthouse vault door Plate 6 Vault floor – supermarket boxes with Memoranda of Transfer Plate 7 Vault right-hand side, Common Deed Record Books on top shelf Plate 8 Vault left-hand side, Common Deed Record Books on top shelf Plate 9 Common Deed Record Book 1750-1752, too fragile to open Plate 10 Plan of Pinney’s Estate from Common Deed Record Book 1877-1899 Plate 11 Common Deed Record Books 15 and 16 with repairs Plate 12 Common Deed Record Book 16, condition of spine Plate 13 Probate Records, Book of Wills 1763-1787, showing fraying at edges Plate 14 Probate Records, Wills Book 1903 - ca. 1969 Plate 15 Inventory of the effects of President John Richardson Herbert from Book of Wills 1787-1805 Plate 16 Plan of Old Manor Estate from Land Title Register Book 1 Plate 17 Land Title Register Book 1, state of covers Plate 18 Land Title Register Book 12 1971-1973 Plate 19 Plan of Ward’s Estate from Land Title Register Book 1, crumpled state Plate 20 Roll of estate plans from vault Plate 21 Additional estate plans from vault Plate 22 Record Book of the Court of King’s Bench and Common Pleas 1714-1716 Plate 23 Record Book of the Court of King’s Bench and Common Pleas 1785-1822

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Summary

• Important historical records are to be found in Nevis within the Supreme Court Registry, in the Registrar General’s Office, among the records of the various churches and in the Archive of the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society (NHCS). These records are, and will continue to be, vital for an understanding by the people of Nevis of their island’s unique history. They could play an important role in the education of future generations. The records are of international importance because of the island’s history.

• Federal legislation exists to provide for the management and preservation of current and non-current records.

• However, many of these records are being irreparably damaged by the conditions in which they are kept. This is particularly true in the case of the Supreme Court Registry records, the Anglican and Methodist Parish Registers and records in the vault of the Registrar General’s Office. The same may apply to records in other government departments.

• There appears to be little, or no, supervision of the management of government records and little financial provision made for such management.

• There have been previous condition surveys of government records in Nevis and recommendations have been made. However, there has been little improvement in the situation since the 1960s, particularly in the Supreme Court Registry.

Recommendations summarised

• The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) should seek to appoint a Nevis Island Archivist whose responsibilities should include an immediate review of the nature and condition of all archival material in government departments, advising government departments and the Supreme Court Registry on the management of current and non-current records and the drawing up of retention and disposal schedules.

• The NIA should seek to establish a Nevis Island Archive and Records Centre under the provisions of the relevant Federal legislation.

• In the interim, the NIA may wish to consult the NHCS and seek its assistance with the preservation of non-current government records of enduring quality by transferring them for a period to the NHCS Archive, conditional on adequate funding being provided for such a task.

• The NIA, in consultation with the Registrar of the Supreme Court, should seek funding from suitable external sources, such as the British Library or UNESCO, for the digitising of endangered material with a view to the preservation of it on microfilm, while at the same time preserving the originals.

• Finance should be provided by the NIA to allow the following immediate, practical steps, among others, to be taken in the Supreme Court Registry and, where relevant, in other government departments, after seeking advice from experienced archivists on the island:

o Clearing the Registry vault and other floors of material o Reviewing the safety, evacuation and cleaning procedures o Controlling the levels of temperature and humidity in storage areas o Creating an inventory of records o Providing archival-quality, and clearly labelled, boxes for the storage of

volumes o Providing sufficient office furniture and stationery o Training for staff

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Endangered Archives Programme Pilot Project EAP093 – Report A survey of the endangered court records of Nevis, West Indies 1. Background Since the 1980s, after a long period of relative inactivity, there has been an explosion of academic interest in the archaeology and history of Nevis. This has largely focussed on the sugar industry and its plantation structures. Every summer there have been teams of archaeologists and historians from both the UK (Bristol University and Southampton University) and the US (Boston University, University of Michigan, San Jose State University and Earthwatch). Among other areas of study they have investigated the surviving remains of seventeenth-century plantations, the location of slave villages, the biographies of enslaved people, the earliest Jewish Synagogue, industrial history and the formation of post-emancipation villages. Those interested in the history of Nevis have only a limited range of documentary records available to them.

• There are very few private collections relating to Nevis outside the Pinney Papers (Bristol University) and the Stapleton Papers (National Library of Wales and others). Occasionally, further collections come to light, such as the Mills Papers, recently acquired by the London Docklands Museum.

• Political and economic material concerning Nevis can be found in the UK National Archives.

• A valuable collection of government material dating from the mid-eighteenth century in the form of Nevis Council Minutes, Acts and Laws of Nevis and Blue Books can be found in the Archive at the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society (NHCS) at the Nelson Museum in Charlestown.

• Occasional material can be found in the US, particularly at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.

However, academics working in Nevis have depended, in particular, on the Common Deed Record Books surviving in the ‘vault’ of the Supreme Court Registry in Nevis. Indeed, the sheer volume of academic interest and the poor storage conditions have been among the contributory factors in the deteriorating condition of those records. This project has arisen out of that academic interest and a concern for the condition of the records. 2. Significance of the records to be found in Nevis Nevis played a very significant role in Atlantic history, being one of the earliest Caribbean islands settled by the British (1628). Thousands of enslaved West Africans were brought to Nevis, particularly in the late seventeenth century when Nevis was the location for the Royal African Company’s only ‘factory’ in the Leeward Islands. From Nevis there has been a continual process of emigration to other islands in the Caribbean and to North America. For these reasons documentary records in Nevis have an international significance. However, the collection is equally important to Nevisians. In the legal records can be found the wills of free black Nevisians, former slaves and planters, together with manumissions recording the freedom of individuals. There are mortgages of property and slaves, listing

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whole enslaved populations on particular estates, together with detailed histories of landownership. This 2008 survey has revealed that among the Land Title Certificate Books and the Common Deed Record Books are to be found a significant quantity of estate plans from the late nineteenth century whose existence had only been guessed at before. These have, until now, been rare for Nevis and provide clues for the location of slave villages, a process which has only just begun in Nevis, and for the location of further plantation remains and land boundaries. Also to be found are plans of individual house plots in newly-formed post-emancipation villages. Of particular importance to Nevisians, in the present climate of economic development, are the records of land-ownership. As indicated by anecdotal evidence, there is a small, but significant, cultural shift towards Nevisians, and those of Nevisian origin returning to the island, investigating their family histories. Because parish records are very patchy, most Nevisians can only do this for two or three generations, mostly through oral history. This trend has been noted across the Caribbean. The 2002 report of the Caribbean Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (CARBICA) on public demand on archives in the Caribbean noted that ‘the most frequently used sources are genealogical sources, governmental archives, maps and photographs’. It also noted an

‘accent on family history and history of the country. Also topics related to the social economic development of the respective society, slavery, migration and mixing of cultures, political history especially the resistance against colonialism are very popular.’

The report noted the responsibility of archival institutions in the Caribbean to ‘promote the knowledge of the history and culture of the country among the general public, thus to promote the new nations history’.1 It is fair to say that most Nevisians know relatively little about their island’s history further back than about 1900 – that is to say, they have a broad sweep of knowledge about Caribbean history in general and about slavery but are unable to localise that knowledge to the island or the parish or the estate. Indeed, an understanding of local history is somewhat diverted by an undue focus on American links through Alexander Hamilton and on British ‘heroes’ such as Nelson. Preservation of local records about local people is therefore vital. Careful analysis of records has allowed, and will in future allow, historians and archaeologists working in Nevis to compare social development before and after emancipation, investigate patterns of family life, examine the growth of an independent, small-scale economy, locate slave and post-emancipation villages and identify changing patterns of land ownership and use. The early twenty-first century is an important period for the post-colonial, economic development of the island. The present strategy largely rests on the continued development of high-end tourism and part of that package lies in tourist interest in the historic remains on the island. However, a real understanding of those remains is only in its infancy. To give an example, there is significant American interest in the early family history of Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the US Treasury, whose purported family home, ‘Hamilton House’, is now partly occupied by the NHCS. The question has never been fully investigated as to whether or not this was his family home. It will, in the near future, become important to clarify some of these, and similar, historical issues using the land and other records surviving on the island. 1 Romer-Kenepa, Nolda 2002: Public Demand in Caribbean Archival Institutions CARBICA report

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3. Endangered Archives Programme of the British Library The British Library’s ‘Endangered Archives Programme’ is supported by the charitable trust ‘Arcadia’.2

The principal objective of the programme is ‘to facilitate scholarship and research by identifying and preserving important archival material at risk of neglect, physical deterioration, destruction, or irresponsible care’. The main aim is to copy and relocate existing archival material to a suitable, established, local archive and thereby preserve it for the future. Where the particular, local situation does not indicate relocation of the material, the programme may support applications simply to copy the material. The principle method for copying material could be either microfilm or a digital platform. In the case of Nevis, which has no facility for microfilm, the British Library has indicated digital photography, carried out on the island, as a sensible way to proceed. From a digital format, preservation copies could be made on microfilm through outsourcing. An important principle of the programme is that copies of the material should be fully and costlessly accessible to scholars through the local archive/s as well as the British Library. One of the additional benefits of the availability of copies of material through the British Library is that there would be a copy of all the valuable material safely-stored off island in the event of a disaster. An important element of any major project supported by the Endangered Archives Programme is the enhancement of local capacity to manage and preserve archives. Thus the programme is keen to encourage the inclusion of training for local staff. The programme has two levels of grant – support for a pilot project to investigate the situation and support for a major programme of copying and relocation. This document is the report on a pilot project.3

4. Aims of the Pilot Project

• To survey and assess the condition of the records in the Supreme Court Registry vault • To identify key sets of documents • To investigate the potential for copying and relocating them, or simply copying them • To assess whether there is the political will to allow either of these outcomes • To investigate local capacity to carry out the work • To identify whether or not there are other potential sources of documentary evidence

on the island in private hands and government departments It has been understood that, should the results of the survey indicate it, and if there is an agreement among the parties, the results of the pilot project would be used to make an application to the Endangered Archives Programme for a Major Project Grant to carry out the work of copying and relocating the ‘archivable’ material. 2 For details of Arcadia see http://www.arcadiafund.org.uk/content 3 For further details of the Endangered Archives Programme see http://www.bl.uk/about/policies/endangeredarch/abouteap.html

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The pilot project deliberately limited the survey of documents to those covering the period from 1700 to 1920 in order to assuage fears that contemporary material would be investigated. 5. Destruction of records in the past 5.1 Man-made disasters In the Colonial period, before Independence in 1983, it appears that each department of government kept its own records. Thus, the Treasury kept its records in the old Treasury building and the Land Registry and Court Records were kept in the Supreme Court Registry vault. The following known events have, to a greater or lesser extent, affected the condition of government records as seen today:

• In 1706 the French, during their invasion of the island, are reported to have taken records out of the old courthouse and burned them in the street. This probably explains why there are no Common Deed Record Books prior to 1707.4

• The present Courthouse dates from 1837 and was built after the great fire in Charlestown of that year.5 V. L. Oliver thought that registers for the parish of St. James Windward for the period 1787 to 1837 may have been burnt in the fire.6

• In 1873 there was another fire, this time confined to the Courthouse.7 It is known that records were destroyed. Among documents in the UK National Archives, concerned with the sale of Clarke’s estate in 1874 as an Encumbered Estate, is a letter from a local Commissioner, Maquair, dated August 13 1873. He notes the confusion caused by the destruction of documents in a court house fire.8

• After St Kitts and Nevis were united in one presidency in 1882 ‘administrative records in Nevis were trans-shipped to St Christopher’9. In 1982 a catastrophic fire in the Courthouse in Basseterre destroyed records, perhaps including many from Nevis. David and Joan Robinson of the NHCS went to St Kitts and repatriated to Nevis many volumes of records which now form the collection of government records held by the NHCS.10

• In the 1990s, because of a shortage of space in the old Treasury building, older Treasury records were either burned or left outside. Some were rescued by Joan Robinson and the NHCS Archivist Ms Lornette Hanley.

• In the last few years there was a fire in the storeroom of the Department of Physical Planning in St Kitts which held a number of older maps and plans of both islands.

4 Hubbard, Vincent K 2002: Swords, Ships & Sugar - History of Nevis to 1900 5th ed, Corvallis, Oregon, Premiere Editions International pp115-116 5 Hubbard, Vincent K 2002 p176 6 Baker, Edward Cecil 1965: A Guide to the Records in the Leeward Islands Oxford, Blackwell p44 7 Hubbard, Vincent K 2002 p183 8 NA CO 441/11/1 9 Baker, Edward Cecil 1965 p41 10 Vincent Hubbard 2008 pers. comm.

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5. 2 Natural disasters The timing of this report is remarkable because, as it is being written, Hurricane Omar has just struck the island of Nevis from the west causing a storm surge. Historically hurricanes have come from the east and it tends to be the winds which cause the damage. However, at least three times since 1990 hurricanes have come from the direction of the Caribbean. In Hurricane Omar’s case, reports suggest that there has been flooding along the front of Charlestown, near which many of the government departments and their record vaults are situated. Also this month an earthquake of magnitude 4.5, in a ‘swarm’ of 54 seismic events, has occurred near the east coast of Nevis. These events are not unusual but they raise important questions for the management of historic records such as whether or not they are stored in ways which will protect them against floods and whether or not there are disaster and evacuation plans. 6. Previous surveys

6.1 V. L. Oliver ca. 1919 V. L. Oliver, commenting on the Nevis Registrar’s Office, noted that ‘Everything is in good order and proper cupboards have been provided’. He noted that some volumes of the Common Deed Record Books were decayed or perishing, although others were in good order. The records of the Court of King’s Bench and Common Pleas were in ‘several dilapidated volumes’ but were in better condition than the other records. He noted too that some of the old Council Books had been sent to the Administrator’s Office, later the office of the Governor General.11

6.2 Clinton V. Black 1962 Clinton V. Black, the Government Archivist of Jamaica, reported on the archives of the two islands and Anguilla in June 1962. No copy of his report is available to hand but he recommended, among other things, that the archives centralised in the Courthouse in St Kitts should be moved to specially constructed rooms in Government Headquarters.12 The two existing, fireproof vaults are essentially what house the National Archive in 2008. 6.3 E. C. Baker early 1960s E. C. Baker surveyed the archives of the Leeward Islands in the early 1960s under a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation13 and carried out a substantial amount of work in organising the records on both St Kitts and Nevis as well as producing several detailed, annotated inventories. (See Appendix 7) In the Supreme Court Registry in Charlestown he noted the following, among other volumes:

• 53 Common Deed Record Books 1707-1962 (unfortunately not inventoried in detail)

• 2 Indexes of Deeds from 1875 • 9 volumes of Wills from 1783 • 9 volumes of Land Title Certificates

11 Oliver, Vere Langford 1919: ‘Records of Barbados, Demerara and the Leeward Islands’ in Caribbeana vol. 3 pp358-362 12 Saunders, D. Gail 1979: St Kitts Nevis Archival Organisation Paris UNESCO Technical Report RP/1979-80/5/10.1/03 9. For an on-line copy see unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0003/000364/036474eo.pdf 13 Baker, Edward Cecil 1965

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• 38 volumes and several bundles of the Court of King’s/Queen’s Bench and Common Pleas

6.4 D. Gail Sunders 1974 Ms Gail Saunders - prior to 2005 the Chief Archivist at the National Archives of the Bahamas - produced a report on the organisation of government records in St Kitts and Nevis in July 197914, visiting many offices in St Kitts. In Nevis she visited the Treasury, Courthouse, the Public Libraries and St George Gingerland Rectory, among other sites. She divided records into three categories: Current, Non-Current and Archives. It is worth quoting her general comments concerning non-current records since many of them still apply, as do her recommendations. She regarded non-current records as a ‘much more serious problem’:

There was no evidence of any systematic programme for dealing with non-current records in any department. Apparently it was the practice when space needs required their removal from the active files, to bundle the non-current files or records into a storeroom (together with miscellaneous unconnected items), basement, attic or warehouse. No particular effort was made to provide proper containers, lists, labels, fire protection or custodial responsibility. Storage rooms tended to deteriorate into dumps if free access is permitted under these conditions…(para. 12).

She noted that fireproof vaults had been built in some offices:

Nevertheless, even when put into such vaults, the records are usually kept in no particular order and if a file is needed it cannot be easily found. Some non-current files and records have been lost through earthquakes, fires and neglect, and some had been purposely destroyed to provide additional space (para. 13).

Ms Saunders spent only one day in Nevis but did visit the Courthouse, pointing out that records such as Deed Books and Certificates of Title were stored in a vault which had little ventilation and was very hot. She noted the following:

• bound volumes were stored on wooden shelves • unbound and folded Certificates of Title were stored alphabetically in wooden

cubby holes • some documents such as Writs were stored in wooden and cardboard boxes • some land registration documents were lying on top of a cardboard box • most of the documents listed by Baker were located • much of the paper in the older records was in ‘very poor condition’ and most

records were ‘very brittle’ • documents had been wrapped in brown paper by Baker; this paper had shown

signs of insect damage since then • the Bailiff at the time recognised the importance of the records and treated them

with great respect. She recommended the following:

• that the records in the Supreme Court Registry remain in Nevis

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• that the vault be cleared of extraneous material such as Court exhibits, cleaned and ventilated

• that documents be fumigated, dusted and the fragile ones be wrapped and tied with cloth tape.

Ms Saunders made the following ‘Long Range’ recommendations:

• appointment of a Government Archivist • legislation to establish an Archives Department • provision of a separate, specially constructed building for a central archives and

records centre to include reference facilities, facilities for binding, repair and microfilming and exhibition space

• recruitment of a small staff to include a binding and repair technician and a microfilm and photographic technician

• training courses for staff in the various government departments and the nomination of responsible staff within departments

• a records management programme which would include retention and disposal schedules for the orderly transfer to the archives of records or provide for their destruction

• centralisation of all Government archives – (presumably she meant here that archives in St Kitts should be centralised in St Kitts and those in Nevis in Nevis).

The first two of these recommendations have been carried out. On the whole, after thirty years, the rest have not. 6.5 Ms Lornette Hanley ca. 1998 Ms Lornette Hanley, Archivist of the NHCS carried out a condition survey of records in the Supreme Court Registry ca. 1998 and produced a report. Unfortunately no copy of this could be found. However, she noted the condition of individual volumes, wrapped and tied a number of volumes, particularly from the collection of King’s/Queen’s Bench and Common Pleas and made a series of recommendations for the general management of records. Around this time she was involved, on behalf of the NHCS, in discussions with the NIA concerning the possibility of removing the older, non-current, Supreme Court records to the relative safety of the NHCS Archive, there to be kept under proper archival conditions. These discussions got as far as a draft Memo of Understanding between the parties which, unfortunately, the NIA declined to sign or act on. The Premier’s Private Secretary at the time, Ms Clara Walters, took the view that it was not possible for Government Records to be held by an NGO.15 6.6 Researchers 1990s-2006 Out of the work of historians and archaeologists has emerged a working inventory of the Common Deed Record Books, compiled from individual lists.16 (See Appendix 9) Concern has grown among these researchers about the condition of the records and the lack of clear labelling and organisation. In 2004, with the help of the Court Messenger, Mr Anthony Walters, all the Common Deed Record Books which could be found were wrapped, tied and clearly labelled and their storage on the shelves in the vault reorganised. A report was

15 Ms Clara Walters 2008 pers. comm. 16 The list was compiled from information supplied Dr Michelle Terrell, William Austin Pinney and Christine Eickelmann.

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subsequently produced and submitted to the NHCS to alert them to the need for further action.17

7. Legislative background The management of national records and archives within the Federation is covered by the ‘National Records and Archives Act, 2001’ of Saint Christopher and Nevis.18 This provides a clear framework which includes the following provisions, among others:

• It establishes the post of Director of the National Records and Archives Authority under the authority of the Minister responsible for the Civil Service.

• It provides for a Board which is to have oversight of the Authority and to advise and support the Director.

• The Director is to have oversight of the record-keeping practices within public offices relating to current records, to accept custody of semi-current records scheduled for further retention and to be responsible for the preservation of all public records of enduring value.

• These responsibilities include providing guidance and assistance on the establishment of filing and registry systems, making arrangements for necessary training and the drawing up of general and specific retention and disposal schedules for which the Act makes specific provision.

• The duties of the Director in relation to the National Archives are spelt out. In addition to these, the Director has the responsibility for establishing a network of branch offices of the Authority in St Kitts and Nevis. (para. 14.1) Clearly here the possibility of an archive in Nevis was envisaged. Any archives established in these branch offices are to be regarded as being under the control of the Director as also are the records therein (para. 14.4).

• The Act makes provision for the Minister, on the advice of the Board, to be able to designate a place other than the National Archives as a suitable repository for public archives, under certain conditions (para. 15).

• Finance for the activities of the Authority is to be considered a charge on the Consolidated Fund.

• The First Schedule of the Act identifies court records as public records. 8. Political and administrative issues as they affect records 8.1 The National Records and Archives Authority The Authority exists, has an archive in Government Headquarters in St Kitts and an active Director, Mrs Victoria Borg O’Flaherty. It has no Board to take responsibility for, and oversee, its activities and push for development. There is no purpose-built building to act as an Archive and Records Centre. The archive consists of two vaults and a very small office for the Director and is clearly inadequate for the purposes established by the Act. While the Director is very active in preserving the records entrusted to her, she has virtually no staff and no facilities. There is no search-room, repair and bindery section or facility for digital photography or microfilming of records as recommended in the 1979 report. 17 Small, D. 2004: Preserving Nevisian Heritage - Documentary Records in the Nevis Court House unpublished report submitted for file to the NHCS 18 The National Records and Archives Act, 2001 Saint Christopher and Nevis No. 22 of 2001, St Kitts, Government Printery

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No government archive or branch of the National Archive has been established in Nevis. 8.2 Responsibility for the management of records According to the Act, responsibility for the management of current records and the transfer of semi-current records is shared between the heads of public offices and the Director. Among the Director’s functions is the oversight of record-keeping within public offices and the drawing up of retention and disposal schedules. In practice, partly due to the amount of work, the Director feels unable to mount effective supervision of the management of records within public offices, even in St Kitts. It is worth noting that during this survey the Court Registrar noted poor practice in the management of records within the Court Registry in St Kitts. The Director has done some work on retention and disposal schedules and on handling policies with individual government offices on St Kitts by invitation but there is no cross-government organisation of this. Inter-island mistrust between St Kitts and Nevis has a long history, going back to the eighteenth century. It has been seen in political campaigns within Nevis for secession from the Federation. In that sort of climate the Director will give advice and assistance to government offices in Nevis, but only if invited to do so. She has not been asked. There is no government archivist in Nevis and, since the Director feels unable to intervene and is not asked for advice, responsibility for the effective management of records in Nevis lies with the heads of public offices who appear to be unsupervised, unassisted, under-resourced and are likely to be inexperienced in modern record management techniques. In the case of the Nevis Court Records overall responsibility, including the funding and management of the Supreme Court Registry office, lies with the Permanent Secretary to the NIA. De facto supervision of the office seems to lie with the Court Registrar who is a busy lawyer based in St Kitts. 8.3 Issues of funding and lack of space In general there appears to be a lack of funding for the management of records in government offices within the Federation - except in so far as individual offices can find the money within their own budgets. This lack of funding is evidenced in individual offices through a lack of office space and a shortage of filing cabinets and dedicated office furniture. Some offices, such as the Court Registry in Nevis, have had to resort to scrounging cardboard boxes from supermarkets for storing files. Plans have been drawn up for the building of a dedicated archive and record centre in St Kitts and a capital allocation was made in the last two budgets. However, the funds have then been used to underwrite already existing projects. I am unclear as to whether there has ever been a plan either to dedicate an existing building in Nevis as an island archive and record centre or to build one, but in practice none exists and archival material remains within individual offices. There appears to be no funding available in Nevis for training in the management of current records and archival material.

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9. Nevis Historical and Conservation Society Archive The NHCS has a substantial library and a generally well-organised and active archive. The material includes government records in the form of Nevis Council and Assembly Minutes from the 1740s through to the 1870s, Acts and Laws of Nevis, Leeward Island Legislative Records, Blue Books from 1891 through to 1938 and Leeward Island Gazettes from 1899 to 1953. The archive is presently based in the Nelson Museum at Bellevue. The records are stored in a climate-controlled environment, under the supervision of the Acting Curator for Collections and Museums, together with an Assistant Archivist. Items are stored in acid-free files, folders and boxes. The finding list has been digitised, although it would be helpful to have this directly accessible to bona fide and/or experienced researchers. Several recommendations are worth making in regard to the finding list based on past experience of searching for material in the archive:

• Further training for the archivists would be useful in modern cataloguing techniques in order to make bibliographic information clearer. This could then be used for the benefit of society members in the Society’s newsletter.

• It would be worthwhile reviewing the older material to see if it is accurately and fully catalogued, for instance maps and plans, material relating to plantations/estates and parish registers.

The previous archivist, Ms Lornette Hanley, who had the benefit of a substantial amount of training, including at the Smithsonian Institute and in neighbouring islands and who has an M.A. in Museum Studies, left to join government service in the Public Library system. Clearly, the Society would benefit from affording the present Acting Curator, Miss Gail Dore, and Assistant Archivist, Mrs Gennifer Stephen, access to further training. I understand that part of the salary of one of the archivists is funded by a grant from the NIA in return for NHCS management of government records stored in the archive. This is clearly an arrangement which could be expanded upon if further government records were moved there. At present the archive has insufficient space for the material it already holds. Although a temporary expansion of the space is planned, this would only allow the proper storage of existing material. Plans are under consideration for the purchase of another building and the reorganisation of the NHCS’s museum space. If these come to fruition there would then be adequate room for the absorption into a climate-controlled environment of a quantity of archival material from government offices in Nevis. It would also produce space in the existing Nelson Museum building for a workshop in which to carry out the digital photographing of newly acquired records. Such a plan is dependent on the Society raising a substantial amount of funding and realisation of it is unlikely for another two years, if at all. The Society has an existing link with a local company, Advantage Communications, run by Mr Almon Dasent. He produces videos for the Society and is involved on the recording side in the Society’s UNESCO-funded Oral History Project. Mr Dasent has had some experience of the digital scanning of records in a previous career and has indicated an interest in any plan to digitise historical records. The NHCS is exploring possible sources of funding, including UNESCO, for a programme to digitally record the archival material they already hold. This would present opportunities for

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the sharing of facilities, equipment, training and personnel with any planned activities under the Endangered Archives Programme. Mr John Guilbert, Executive Director of the NHCS, indicated that the Society would be pleased to absorb further government archival material relating to Nevis, provided there was space and that it was not at the expense of the Society’s own material. The NHCS does charge a small fee for access by non-members to the archive. Mr Guilbert stated that this was a necessary, but small, part of the Society’s funding. He did, however, indicate that it might be possible to waive this in the case of bona fide researchers. 10. Possible sources of endangered records relating to Nevis In the search for other possible sources of endangered archives relating to Nevis within the Federation a number of possible sources were investigated. These can be divided into three categories:

• Records held privately • Parish records • Government records

10.1 Privately held sources 10.1.1 Plantation inns A number of ex-sugar estates in Nevis have been turned into privately owned plantation inns. The owners of the following inns have been approached:

• Montpelier Plantation Inn • Golden Rock Hotel • The Hermitage • Old Manor Hotel (on a previous visit)

None of the owners held any significant collections of papers relating to the history of their estates. In several cases there is a small collection of photographs and these are both known about by researchers and in safe keeping. It was not possible to investigate one other possible source in Nevis, the Eva Wilkin Gallery at Clay Ghut Estate. It is not clear whether the NHCS has investigated the possibility that there might be early drawings and photographs concerning Nevis in the possession of the owners. 10.1.2 Private individuals: A number of individual Nevisians or families, of long standing within the community, were mentioned as possible sources of documentary material including

• the family of Dr Simeon Daniel, ex-Premier of Nevis and past leader of the Nevis

Reformation Party • the family of Mr Arthur Evelyn • the family of Mr Walwyn.

It was not possible in the time available to explore these leads. However, the NHCS might see this as a valuable opportunity in the context of the Nevis Oral History Project.

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10.1.3 The Edgar Challenger International House Museum in Basseterre, St Kitts Mr Edgar Challenger was the first President of the Trades and Labour Union, the first union formed in St Kitts in 1940 and played a significant political role in the history of St Kitts. He was also something of a polymath and interested in the history of the Leeward Islands. It is said that he used to examine bags of documentary material thrown out by government offices in Basseterre and rescue material he thought interesting. It seems that, in this way, he managed to rescue one of the original copies of the Act abolishing slavery. The museum holds his collection of artefacts and documentary material and is housed in one of his family’s houses in the centre of Basseterre. It is looked after by Mr Winston ‘Zack’ Nisbet, self-styled Doctor of Culture, Mr Challenger’s companion towards the end of his life. A visit to the museum revealed a great deal of documentary material stored somewhat haphazardly and un-catalogued in metal filing cabinets and wooden drawers. The material is very mixed in origin. Some of the material, which Mr Nisbet claimed was original manuscript material, turned out to be notes on island history, probably by Mr Challenger, but written in old leather-bound volumes which he had clearly rescued from somewhere. Other material was written in school exercise books and consisted of notes summarised from V.L. Oliver’s Caribbeana and History of Antigua. Unfortunately, Mr Nisbet is unable to distinguish between contemporary material and these notes. However the following points are worth noting:

• There are some contemporary manuscripts relating to Nevis (and St Kitts) in the form of deeds and other property related documents – no-one knows how many.

• There are property plans – possibly from Certificates of Title dating from the mid-twentieth century.

• There is an astonishing, and really valuable, collection of twentieth-century pamphlets concerned with trade unions, political parties, social, cultural and welfare groups. This collection must be unique in the Federation.

• Mr Nisbet is clearly devoted to the collection but is very suspicious of ‘the authorities’, including the Director of the National Archives.

• The collection is very likely to deteriorate because it is vulnerable to insects and rodents, is not in a climate-controlled environment and is not catalogued. The fact that he is unable to distinguish between contemporary manuscript material and notebooks also poses a risk.

• Mr Nisbet may be amenable to discussing a long-term project to catalogue and digitise the material, perhaps in conjunction with an island representative of the University of the West Indies

• Whoever approaches Mr Nisbet and the Challenger family will have to spend time getting to know the collection and gaining his and their trust; the process is likely to take some considerable time.

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11. Parish records For the purposes of this report, efforts to locate and survey records were concentrated on Anglican records, held both in the NHCS and in the individual parishes, and on Methodist records held in the Methodist Church office in Charlestown. In the time available it was not possible to pursue any information about the Roman Catholic and Wesleyan Holiness Church registers. The Moravian Church appears to have had little success in Nevis. Significance of parish records Parish registers and other records provide a significant point of contact for the parishes with parishioners and their families on the island and with returnees and visitors from abroad. For those who wish to investigate either their family’s history or their own, there are various possible sources on the island. Clearly there is potential in oral history. The Registrar General’s Office holds records of births, deaths and marriages which in some cases go back to the 1860s. But the extant parish registers generally start in the 1820s. Recent research has demonstrated that they can be tied up with the triennial slave registers which, for Nevis, start in 1817. The parish registers thus cover a crucial period in the island’s history, starting with the last days of slavery, the struggle for Emancipation, the first significant involvement of the black population in the various churches, the development of education on the island and the founding of free and independent village communities. General issues With one or two exceptions, parishes in both islands have traditionally wanted to retain their own records. This was noted by E. C. Baker in the 1960s for Nevis and in 1979 by Gail Saunders for St Kitts. In 2008 this appears still to be the case and there seem to be two reasons for this:

• Parish priests appear to mistrust government archives. They point to the various fires

which have happened over time to records under government control. • There is a regular stream of enquiries seeking information about entries in the parish

registers and, as a matter of practicality, the parishes need at least copies, if not the originals.

Gail Saunders made no specific mention of Nevis but noted generally that records were kept in vaults or cupboards in the church building or stored in wooden cupboards or on shelves in rectories. Overall she suggested that they were being ‘quite well preserved in view of the limited resources at the churches’ disposal’. Judging by anecdotal evidence and by direct observation of Methodist records, it seems that parish registers are at risk from the ways in which they are stored and handled within the parishes. She recommended that parishes be invited to deposit their records on long-loan after a proper archive had been established.

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11.1 Anglican parish records in Nevis (See Appendix 8 for details) In general, the Anglican parish registers for the eighteenth century are either missing or no longer exist, although there are isolated extracts to be found in V. L. Oliver’s Caribbeana or in the UK National Archives at Kew. Where they existed, the registers for some parishes have been donated to the NHCS Archive and are held in a climate-controlled environment, either in files or in boxes. This applies particularly to the parishes of St. Thomas Lowland and St. Paul. In many cases the originals are in a fragile condition, although there are transcriptions or photocopies in some cases. Where transcripts have been made of records now held in the NHCS Archive, they are not always accurate and where photocopies have been made they are not always complete. In other cases, the filing of either the originals or the copies has not always been accurate in the past. (See Appendix 8 for details) In the case of St. James Windward several of the original registers are to be found in the NHCS. There are transcriptions of additional volumes. This suggests that the originals still remain in the parish. Parochial responsibility for the two remaining parishes, St George Gingerland and St John Figtree, lies with Father Perceval and, so far, he has remained resolutely opposed to transferring the care of the registers to the NHCS Archive. A considerable number of volumes for the two parishes were listed by E.C. Baker. Unfortunately, despite many attempts, I was unable to contact anyone in either of the two parishes, including Father Perceval, over the space of two weeks. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many of the volumes are in a fragile state. It is clear that not all parishes know what records the NHCS holds and vice versa. Recommendations

• It is recommended that the NHCS make copies of the extracts in Caribbeana for filing in the archive and that the UK National Archives is contacted to acquire copies of records they hold.

• The NHCS Archive could usefully review the situation with all the parish registers it holds, including comparing the inventory against the information given in Appendix 8 and checking the filing and cataloguing of registers.

• It is recommended that all the original registers held by the NHCS be digitally photographed and preservation microfilm be produced.

• An urgent case can be made for producing preservation copies through digital photography and microfilm (to be held by an archive) for all original volumes still held by the individual parishes, particularly the parishes of St. George and St. John. It would be helpful if the parishes were approached again by the NHCS to discuss this. Funding for preservation copies could be sought through either the British Library Endangered Archives Programme or UNESCO.

• Additional funding should be sought for the production of hard copies to be held by those parishes which want them. It might then be possible to persuade Father Perceval of the benefit to be accrued from donating the original registers to the NHCS Archive on long-loan.

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• It would be helpful if the NHCS archivists undertook not only to collect and collate information relating to the Anglican (and Methodist) records but also to circulate it to the relevant parishes.

• Interest in Nevisian genealogy among those of Afro-Caribbean descent is demonstrable from even a cursory glance at genealogy websites. The NHCS might wish to consider producing a leaflet guiding people through the process of how to trace their ancestors from the records available in Nevis, both in the NHCS and in other deposits.

11.2 Methodist parish registers General Issues Discussions with the Reverend Franklin Roberts suggest that, with some exceptions, Methodist parish registers are at present centralised in the Church Office attached to the Methodist Manse in Charlestown. The NHCS Archive holds either a single volume or a number of volumes of baptismal records from 1825 to 1894. The originals for these are kept, disbound but having been repaired, in an archival box. The Archive also holds a number of transcriptions of registers together with the originals of other Methodist records. (See Appendix 8 for details) The volumes in the Church Office cover the churches in Charlestown (Parish of St Paul), Gingerland, Combermere, Fountain, Jessups and Clifton and are most complete for baptisms from the 1880s. Coverage of marriage is more patchy with the register for St Paul/Charlestown starting in 1886, while that for Gingerland only begins in 1914. There is only one Burial Register - for St Thomas Lowland beginning in 1887 and running to 1933 with additional entries. It is unclear why there are almost no burial registers. It is clear, from discussions with the Reverend Roberts and the Church Steward Mr Stedroy Pemberton, that the church is keen to improve the condition of the registers and has already sought some help from Ms Hanley. The church would be interested in having the registers digitally copied and would be prepared to deposit the originals on long loan with the NHCS Archive, provided they were able to find a source of funding for their own hard copies. Significance There is no doubt that Methodists and their missionaries in Nevis were a quarter of a century ahead of their Anglican colleagues in their thinking. By 1803 the Methodist Society had nearly 1200 members, almost 10% of the population. In 1833 they had 600 scholars on the island. To enslaved people, who were normally considered to be outside the boundaries of what Karen Fog Olwig terms ‘respectability’ within the white dominated social order, a route to social recognition was provided within, and through membership of, the Methodist Church. This key role continued throughout the nineteenth century.19 The registers form one of the links in the chain of this historical record. The early volumes held by the NHCS Archive can be linked with the Triennial Slave Registers to better understand the distribution of Methodists in the crucial period before, during and after Emancipation. In time, as further records come to light, it may be possible to fill in the gaps in this record.

19 For more information on the role of the Methodist Church see Olwig, Karen Fog 1993: Global Culture, Island Identity - Continuing Change in the Afro-Caribbean Community of Nevis Chur, Switzerland, Harwood Academic Publishers, particularly Chapters 3 and 4.

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As with other churches, the registers form an important point of contact between individual parishes, their parishioners and ‘returnees’. As interest in genealogy increases, particularly in the first instance among Nevisians living abroad, the Methodist parish registers will become even more significant. Condition Survey (See Appendix 1 for details) A condition survey was undertaken of all 26 volumes held in the Church Office amounting to some 3800 pages.

• The volumes are stored on wooden shelves haphazardly and flat, on top of each other, in such a way that the weight of those on top is likely to damage those underneath. Those for Gingerland are kept in a separate cardboard box on the floor.

• 19 of the volumes have (or have had in the past) some insect infestation. For 10 of these the infestation rates as moderate or severe. Several live silverfish were discovered in the course of the survey. It is likely that the insects have been encouraged by the lack of air circulation and the ambient temperature and humidity wherever they have been stored.

• The main damage to the registers is to the spines and to the covers. Roughly 70% show damage that is moderate or severe. This arises, presumably, from the way they have been stored and handled over the years with the spine covers gradually being pulled away. In addition the weight of volumes has begun to crush the spines and destroy the stitching. Pages have begun to come loose and in nearly one quarter of the volumes there is a moderate amount of tearing.

• In some of the marriage registers, documents, such as copies of previous divorce judgements, proofs of residence and copies of passports, are attached to individual entries with paperclips or staples which rust and damage the original entries.

• Either heavy tape or cello tape has been used in three cases to repair spines and this is unsightly and will cause further damage in future.

Recommendations

• The single most useful action to preserve the life of these volumes would be to box them individually (clearly labelled) in archival-quality, acid-free boxes and arrange for more suitable storage of the boxes. Advice on this could be taken from Ms Hanley and also on the matter of insect infestation.

• It is recommended that a search of the individual churches should be organised to see if any other volumes can be found.

• An overall inventory should be drawn up. • Paperclips should be removed. The attachments to the marriage registers present a

problem of confidentiality, if it is decided to digitally copy the registers. Consideration will need to be given to questions of access to these particular registers.

• Further repairs to the volumes, particularly to the spines, should be suspended until there has been an assessment of the best and least invasive options.

• It is suggested that the Methodist Church Registers be included in any application to UNESCO or the British Library for a grant for preservation copying and relocation. It is recommended that the disbound volumes of baptismal records, held by the NHCS and covering the period 1825–1894, be included in any preservation programme for the Methodist Registers generally.

• Funding could be sought, perhaps from the wider international Methodist Church, to use the digitised versions to provide hard copies of the registers for the Charlestown Church office or for the individual parishes.

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• The Methodist Church in Nevis might then usefully approach the NHCS with a view to offering the registers on long loan to the NHCS Archive for safekeeping.

• Ms Hanley might be approached to offer some general training in the storage and handling of church records.

12. Government records - overview General issues Each government department in Nevis seems to retain its own records. The following general points emerge from enquiries at various departments in Nevis:

• There has been no formal training in the management and handling of records. • There has been no drawing up of retention and disposal schedules. • There is no disaster and evacuation planning in relation to records within individual

departments. • There are no inventories of records. • It is unlikely that any one individual within each department is tasked with

responsibility for non-current records. • Storage, even for current records, is totally inadequate.

Visits and Surveys The following departments or organisations were visited:

• The National Archives in St Kitts • The Treasury in Nevis • The Department of Physical Planning in Nevis • The Department of Physical Planning in St Kitts • The Registrar General’s Office in Nevis • The Supreme Court Registry in the Nevis Courthouse

It was not possible in the time available to visit the following departments or organisations in Nevis: the Department of Health and the Alexandra Hospital, the Department of Agriculture and Charlestown Police Station. 13. National Archives The National Archives in St Kitts were visited partly to see what records concerning Nevis are held there. St Kitts and Nevis were historically separate islands, usually under the governorship of the Leeward Islands. As such, they held their own records. In 1882 St Kitts and Nevis were united in a single Presidency and many records were transferred to St Kitts. According to the Director, the National Archives hold records for Nevis only in so far as it was part of the joint presidency. Thus one finds, among other records, the following:

• St Kitts and Nevis Legislative Council Minutes from 1883 • St Kitts and Nevis Executive Council Minutes from 1883 • Blue Books for St Kitts, Nevis and (in some cases) Anguilla from 1883 • Treasury and Customs Department Accounting and Statistical Records for St Kitts

and Nevis for the period 1893 to 1895

However, it is worth noting that, because of the constant transfer of individuals and property ownership between the two islands from the very beginning of the colonial period, historical

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information about Nevis is to be found in sources such as the St Christopher Common Deed Record Books and the Vice-Admiralty Court records A summary of the present holdings in the National Archives can be found at www.nationalarchives.gov.kn together with a contact address. Further details can be found by consulting the paper catalogue in the National Archives in Basseterre. An electronic version is being produced and will eventually be available on-line. 14. Nevis Treasury It is likely that Treasury records for the Colonial period up to 1882 were either destroyed or transferred to London. Records from 1882 may have been shipped to St Kitts after the formation of the unified Presidency. In the 1960s E. C. Baker noted records in the old Nevis Treasury building, starting from 1926 with government warehouse records. The destruction of some old records in the 1990s has already been noted. Those rescued have been stored in a box in the NHCS Archive. They contain some interesting correspondence dating to around the time of the Second World War.

Further collections of non-current Treasury records have been deposited in an outside ‘vault’ of the old Treasury building behind a locked door. Unfortunately, over a period of two weeks, the Treasury staff were unable to get the door unlocked and so it was not possible to survey either their content or condition. The vault is likely to be both hot and very humid and the records are probably vulnerable to insect infestation and rodent damage. It is recommended that the Treasury staff consult Ms Hanley at the Library about the best way forward. Among the possible measures are the drawing up of an inventory of semi and non-current records, the drawing up of a retention and disposal schedule, the tasking of an individual within the Treasury with responsibility for semi and non-current records and the negotiation of temporary sanctuary for archivable material with the NHCS Archive until such time as the NIA can set up its own archive. 15. Departments of Physical Planning in Nevis and St Kitts A visit to the Department of Physical Planning in Nevis was made in the hope that it might hold not only old maps of the island but also estate plans from the Colonial period. In the event it holds neither. However, it was suggested that its sister department in St Kitts might hold relevant material. A visit was made to the department in St. Kitts which is housed in temporary accommodation on the outskirts of Basseterre. From a discussion with Mr Graeme Browne, the officer responsible for GIS mapping, the following points emerged:

• Older maps of both islands have been held at a ‘vault’ or store in central Basseterre where there was recently a fire in which some of the material was damaged or lost. Mr Browne intends to produce an inventory.

• Funding has been sought to purchase a drum scanner with which to digitise their existing stock of maps and modern plans. It is clear that Mr Browne takes a personal interest in maps and plans, and while he is part of the department it is likely that they will be looked after.

It is unclear whether there are any procedures within either department for the management of semi and non-current material and certainly the department in Nevis might usefully seek advice on the management and handling of such material.

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16. Registrar General’s Offices of St Kitts and Nevis 16.1 St Kitts The Registrar General’s Office of St Kitts, based at the Health Centre in Basseterre, holds registers of births and deaths in St Kitts from 1859 and registers of marriages from 1881. It may, or may not, hold information for Nevis also. These registers have been microfilmed by the Mormon Church/International Genealogical Index and copies of the microfilms have been acquired by the National Archives. The Director intends to acquire the original registers over time 16.2 Nevis The Registrar General’s Office in Nevis is to be found in the new administrative complex on Main Street in Charlestown. An Act for the Registration of Births and Deaths in the Island of Nevis (No. 102, 24 Victoria) was passed on August 1st 1860. This stipulated that a registry was to be kept in each parish and that births were to be registered within 20 days and deaths within seven. The registers for births and deaths started in 1861 and those for marriages in 1885. Significance These records constitute the first formal, post-emancipation, Government record of the island population and must be considered a basic tool of the historical record of the island. As such, they tie in with the other government and legal records. From a genealogical point of view, they are complementary to the parish records held by individual churches. Storage conditions The most recent volumes and, perhaps, transcripts of the older volumes are kept on wooden shelves in the office/reception of the Registrar General’s Office for consultation by the staff when answering queries. It appears that sometimes the members of staff have to consult the counterpart office in St Kitts, although it is not quite clear why. It was not possible, in the time available, to survey the condition of the volumes stored in the office. Older, non-current volumes are kept on labelled, wooden shelves in a ‘vault’ next to the office/reception. The following points were noted about the vault:

• There is an air-conditioning unit but it appears to be inadequate for the purpose since the vault was extremely hot and humid.

• The roof leaks and there was some water on the floor which had run down the east wall. Given the leak, the volumes must be at risk in a hurricane and, possibly, even in a strong downpour.

• There was evidence of either rodent or roach droppings on the floor and in at least one of the boxes. Some of the pages stored loose in boxes appeared to have been chewed.

• The shelves were relatively empty and there was plenty of room for air to circulate.

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Condition survey of volumes in the vault (See Appendix 2 for details)

• In the time available I was able to examine 16 of the 22 volumes and 3 of the 5 boxes of loose papers, amounting to some 5000 pages in all. The registers covered each of the five parishes.

• The registers for the parish of St Paul, Charlestown, have clearly been transferred from the Supreme Court Registry vault where they were originally recorded by E. C. Baker in the 1960s. The five volumes examined were generally in very poor condition, with three of them having no spine or cover, with some tearing of the pages and one of them showed evidence of active mould in the past. This state probably reflects their earlier storage in the Courthouse vault.

• In roughly half of the volumes examined the spine and covers were either in very poor condition or did not exist. This must reflect the way they were stored and handled in the past. These volumes generally showed tearing of pages which had become loose.

• There was little evidence of insect damage. • Loose pages were stored haphazardly in five cardboard supermarket boxes. The lack

of order may simply have reflected the way in which pages were searched for and returned. In some cases, despite the evident room on the shelves, boxes were stored on top of some of the volumes.

• Although the shelving compartments were clearly labelled by parish, the volumes were not necessarily in the right compartment. This may reflect haste or a lack of care.

Recommendations

• The condition survey should be completed for the older volumes in the vault and extended to those in the office.

• The older registers should be included in any application for funding from UNESCO or the British Library for the production of preservation copies through digital photography and microfilm.

• If the volumes are to be kept in the vault, however temporarily, then the problems of temperature and humidity, rodents and leaky roof need to be solved.

• In the short-term the volumes should be boxed individually in acid-free, archival-quality, clearly labelled boxes and the loose papers, after careful sorting, in similar files or folders.

• In the short-term the older volumes should be relocated either temporarily to an existing archive, or, if required in the office, then to the office itself.

• The long-term future of the older volumes would have to be considered in conjunction with NIA decisions about the general management of its non-current records.

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17. The Supreme Court Registry – Nevis The Supreme Court Registry in Nevis is located in the Courthouse on Prince William Street on the South side of Memorial Square in Charlestown. This was built in 1837 after the fire which engulfed the town. The Court and office, together with a ‘vault’, occupy the ground floor. The Public Library is on the first floor, although one of the rooms on that floor is supposed to act as the Jury Room for the Court. The Registry is a functioning part of the legal system in Nevis (and within the Federation) and, as such, performs a number of roles. Court records connected with Bills of Sale, Divorce, Writs and Suits are all handled within the office. In addition, the office acts as both a Probate Registry and a Land Registry. In the current period of rapid economic development, involving frequent transfer of land, these last two functions are particularly important. The Federation has historically had two methods of recording the ownership of land through Common Deeds and Certificates of Title. Both of them require voluminous documentation which, in turn, requires careful management. The Registry is particularly busy at Christmas time and in July and August, around the time of ‘Culturama’, when Nevisians who live abroad traditionally visit Nevis. Consequently it is a time when land transactions are negotiated. A Cuban archivist spent a day in Nevis in 2008 and is reported to have been horrified by the conditions under which the Registry staff have to operate and by the state of the records. Categories The records can be divided into two categories:

• The ‘current’ records of all sorts, including the current Common Deed Record Books, Land Title Certificates and Probate Records are stored with great ingenuity wherever the staff can find the space to put them: in cupboards in the office, under the counter in the office, under the Judge’s dais in the courtroom and in filing cabinets at the back of the courtroom.

• There are roughly 7 linear metres of non-current, historic records – mostly those identified by E. C. Baker in the 1960s. Well over half of these (4.4 linear metres) are Common Deed Record Books dating between 1707 and 1900. Another 1.1 linear metres consist of records of the Court of King’s/Queen’s Bench and Common Pleas from 1705 to 1885. These are all stored in the vault next to the courtroom.

17.1 Storage issues

‘Current’ records

There is simply not enough storage space either in the office or in the courtroom for the volume of records being produced. The office is already crowded with desks for the staff and there is limited cupboard space. There is very little room in which to move around or manoeuvre heavy volumes, such as those kept under the counter. There are twelve filing cabinets at the back of the courtroom in which are kept a variety of records, mostly dating from the 1990s. They are completely full and members of staff are reduced to squeezing piles in each drawer to find more space. This results in papers at the front becoming twisted and torn.

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Plate 1: Nevis Courthouse

Plate 2: Courtroom with Judge’s dais at far end

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Plate 3: Memoranda of Transfer and Common Deed Records under Judge’s dais

Plate 4: Filing cabinets at the back of the Courtroom

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On the floor, under the Judge’s dais, are stored six supermarket boxes of Common Records dating from around 1999 and seven to ten boxes of Memoranda of Transfer associated with Land Title Certificates. (Further Memos of Transfer are to be found on the floor of the vault.) These are all at risk from fire or flood. The stationery associated with record keeping is ‘not fit for purpose’. Since there is no repair and bindery facility on the island, members of staff are reduced to repairing older volumes with heavy tape. They also have to create new file covers out of the sides of cardboard boxes, particularly for the Land Title Certificates. Historic records These records are stored in the Courthouse vault behind a heavy, fireproof, iron door. The vault measures 3.2 m x 2.3 m x 2.3 m (h). As measured on one particular morning in August the temperature was 86 degrees F and the humidity 74%. Such a level of humidity can cause adhesives in the volumes to loose their strength and will, in the long-run, cause biological attack. There is a fan wired into the vault but there is no air circulation because it is only switched on when staff work in there. It is unclear whether there is a circuit breaker for the fan and the lights and therefore whether wiring constitutes a hazard. The historic records consist of volumes of varying size and these are stored on wooden shelves which themselves can be a source of pest infestation. The bulk of the Common Deed Record Books consists of large, heavy volumes which, because of their size and the relative size of the shelving, have to be stored on the top shelves, making access very difficult. This has resulted in the spines and covers being damaged, in many cases severely weakening the whole volume. Heavy volumes are stored on their edges, not flat, thus weakening them. The general lack of space means that storage of these volumes is very tight and removing and replacing them involves shifting other volumes around. The volumes are not boxed. Until 2004 the Common Deed Record Books were both unwrapped and inadequately labelled. This led to the frequent moving of volumes to find the right one, damage to the spines and covers and in some cases to the staff being unable to produce a particular volume on request. The ordinary wrapping paper, which was put around the Common Deed Record Books in 2004, already shows signs of pest infestation, indicating that it is a continuing problem. The records of the Court of King’s/Queen’s Bench and Common Pleas were wrapped and clearly labelled in the late 1990s. They are largely stored flat but, in some cases, the volumes are fragile and have others resting on them. Because of the crowded nature of the vault, there is no safe storage space for fragile volumes which have been withdrawn from public use. Indeed, there is no process for doing this and, up to now, it has been done by researchers themselves. The floor of the vault, bar a small passage near the door, is completely covered in cardboard boxes full of Memos of Transfer from the 1980s and 1990s, there being no space in either the office or the courtroom. On much of the floor area these are piled two high. This makes access to further parts of the shelving impossible without standing, or kneeling, on these important documents. The back of the vault can hardly be reached at all.

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On the left-hand wall of the vault at floor level there are 14 ‘columns’ of pigeon holes which contain Memos of Transfer organised alphabetically. Some of these cannot be got at because of the boxes stored on the floor. The boxes on the floor also make the vault impossible to clean, increasing the probability of pests.

17.2 General management issues The office manager is largely unsupported. The Director of the National Archives is based in St Kitts and, in any case, feels unable to undertake a supervisory role, under the terms of the 2001 Act, because of inter-island politics. There is no government archivist on the island. Thus there is no ‘archival’ or records’ management supervision or support. While there are several individuals with archival experience on the island, it appears that their views or assistance have not been sought recently, and it is unclear whether their recommendations from the late 1990s were ever acted upon. No retention and disposal schedules have been drawn up. Finance for improvements to the records management system has to be sought from the NIA. While there has been investment in computers, the office lacks basics like metal storage cupboards, shelving, boxes of any sort, let alone of archival-quality, wrapping paper, suitable stationery and so on. Documents such as Land Title Certificates, and their attached plans, or Deeds are photocopied with some skill in response to individual requests. This process inevitably damages both the volumes and the plans. There is no repair or bindery on the island. There is no written evacuation or disaster plan. There is no space for carrying out scanning, digital photography or repair, except in the Courtroom when the Court is not in session. There is no overall inventory of the non-current volumes in the vault. Although there is one for the Common Deed Record Books, drawn up by researchers, it may be incomplete. (See Appendix 9) There appears not to have been any training of the staff in records’ management and the handling of archival material. This is apparent from the way in which the older volumes are handled by some staff. The lack of training also applies to new staff. For ten years, or more, the vault was managed by Mr Anthony Walters, the Court Messenger, who always showed great respect for the older records. Researchers have relied on his knowledge of the layout of the vault to access the records. Mr Walters has now been promoted and it seems that his replacement is not being given any training. It is likely that these challenges together have led to poor staff ‘morale’ which has not been countered by active management and supervision, particularly in relation to the vault. It is noticeable that the Common Deed Record Books were wrapped, tied and labelled in 2004 by researchers from abroad and the records of the Court of King’s Bench by the NHCS archivist in the late 1990s.

32

Plate 5: Courthouse vault door

Plate 6: Vault floor – supermarket boxes with Memoranda of Transfer

33

Plate 7: Vault right-hand side, Common Deed Record Books on top shelf

Plate 8: Vault left-hand side, Common Deed Record Books on top shelf

34

17.3 Schemes for improvement It seems the following schemes have been mooted for the improvement of office and storage space but it is unclear whether any of them have been given detailed consideration by the NIA:

• An application for funding has been made to erect a building in the courtyard at the back of the Courthouse. This was rejected by the NIA on the grounds of cost and possibly because of building heritage and conservation concerns raised by the NHCS.

• There has been some discussion about building a new Public Library and thus freeing up the first floor of the Courthouse. This would allow the return to the Court of its Jury Room but it would also make further space available for storage and offices.

• The possibility has been mooted of separating off the functions of the Land Registry into a distinct organisation with its own registry office.

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18. Supreme Court Registry: Historic records by series – significance and condition General significance As has been noted before, the non-current, historic records in the Supreme Court Registry constitute the most important source on the island for understanding the history of Nevis. Outside of the UK National Archives they are the largest source of historical information and can be studied in conjunction with the few collections of private papers to be found in Britain and the government records in the NHCS Archive. Private estate papers, such as the Pinney Papers in Bristol, are vital for providing detailed, individual case studies of plantation economics and organisation but they are very few in number and they cover only those ‘correspondents’ of the individual planters and merchants. Records in the UK National Archives generally provide a political and legal overview of the history of the island through the records of the island’s Council and Assembly and the dispatches of the governors of the Leeward Islands. The records in the Supreme Court Registry deal with the history of the island from after the French invasion of 1706 through to the present day. They cover the slow reconstruction after the invasion, the consolidation of small sugar estates into larger plantations, the economic booms and busts of the sugar industry, the ending of the British Atlantic Slave Trade in the period after 1807 and the struggle for Emancipation. They reveal the development of a small-scale economy and the emergence of a black middle class in the nineteenth century. They record all this through the transactions between individuals which were recorded in the Registry. There are the records of white planters, black planters and those of mixed race, free blacks, slaves and ex-slaves. In passing, it is worth noting that not all transactions were recorded or registered. Careful analysis of these records will allow historians and archaeologists to compare social development before and after Emancipation, investigate patterns of family life, examine the growth of an independent, small-scale economy, locate slave and post-emancipation villages and identify changing patterns of land ownership and use. Significant for the future is the potential for Nevisians to try and regain some of their family history. Condition Survey – Methodology 174 volumes of records and 9 bundles of manuscripts were listed in the Supreme Court Registry by E C Baker in the 1960s.20 87 of these, or almost half, were surveyed in 2008. This was done roughly on a cluster sample basis and an attempt was made to achieve a reasonable spread of dates. However, decisions on which volumes to survey were influenced partly by which volumes could be accessed, given the state of the Registry vault floor and the risk of damaging more recent documents. (See Appendix 10 for a survey form.)

20 Excluding the 10 St Paul’s registers which appear to have been moved to the Registrar General’s Office

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18.1 Common Deed Record Books Significance For those wishing to study the history and archaeology of the island as a whole, or of particular estates or individuals, the Common Deed Record Books, together with the Probate Records and Land Title Certificates, are vital records. They give details of the following:

• Sales, leases and mortgages of land, together with descriptions and boundaries and, in

some cases inventories, throughout two centuries • Similar transactions concerning the disposal of enslaved people, often with lists of

their names • Manumissions of slaves • Assignments of compensation money after Emancipation • Deeds of conveyance concerning small plots of land bought by free people after

Emancipation in the formation of independent villages, including plans. In the case of Cotton Ground, and possibly others, the records show a plan of the village and lot ownership in its early stage of development.

• Descriptions and inventories of indebted estates under the Encumbered Estates Commission in the 1870s and 1880s, together with some plans

One particularly crucial volume lists the deeds covering the period 1884 to 1956 allowing researchers access to the history of landed property in the island after the collapse of the sugar industry. As an example of the importance of the Common Deeds series, the case of one particular historic site in Nevis is worth noting. In the 1990s Dr Michelle Terrell of Boston University was asked to investigate a site in Charlestown identified by ‘lore’ as that of the early eighteenth-century synagogue. This turned out to be a water cistern. Dr Terrell solved the problem of the actual location of the building almost entirely by investigating property boundaries and ownership in the Common Deed Record Books and probate records.21 The Common Deeds series continues recording property transactions to the present day and thus continues to be relevant to the people of Nevis.

21 For details see Terrell, Michelle M 2005: The Jewish Community of Early Colonial Nevis - A Historical Archaeological Study University Press of Florida

37

Plate 9: Common Deed Record Book 1750-1752, too fragile to open

Plate 10: Plan of Pinney’s Estate from Common Deed Record Book 1877-1899

38

Plate 11: Common Deed Record Books 15 and 16 with repairs

Plate 12: Common Deed Record Book 16, condition of spine

39

Condition (See Appendix 3 for details) 24 volumes out of 52 (up to 1929) were surveyed, encompassing some 13,000 pages. A reasonable estimate of the total number of pages in the 52 books might be around 30,000. The ‘current’ book is Book 68.

• All the Common Deed Record Books which could be found were wrapped in ordinary brown paper and tied in 2004. In general, this wrapping paper shows signs of insect infestation, indicating that it has taken place in the last four years. Insect damage was found in half the volumes surveyed, sometimes only in the covers and the first few and last few pages.

• In general, among the volumes surveyed, there is almost no evidence of active mould or of stains or water damage, no evidence of fading and little evidence of twisting or wrinkling.

• From previous research it is known that six of the earliest volumes up to 1758 are too fragile to handle. One of these (1728-1746) was digitally photographed by Dr Leech of Southampton University Archaeology Department and hard copies produced for the Registry in 6 volumes. It is believed that the other five were also digitally photographed but, so far, no hard copies have been produced. All six volumes have been put aside and withdrawn from public use.

• It is known, again from previous research, that another seven of the 52 volumes are very brittle and/or too fragile to handle. Of the volumes surveyed in 2008 one third showed signs of moderate or severe brittleness.

• Except among the fragile volumes, there is little evidence of pages missing. Where it has happened, it is often the index which is missing, wholly or in part.

• Apart from the problem of brittleness, the most serious problem is of damage to the covers and spines. Almost all the volumes surveyed have suffered some damage to the spines and covers; in well over half this amounts to moderate or severe. This undoubtedly arises from the way they are stored – with heavy volumes stored upright on top shelves, difficult to access and inadequately labelled. As a consequence spine covers are pulled on and gradually removed and the spines and covers begin to disintegrate. Associated with this is the problem of pages coming loose and beginning to tear.

• Four of the most recent volumes surveyed (Books 15 – 18 covering the period 1905 – 1929) are kept in the office under the counter. The spines of Books 16 and 17 had been heavily damaged in the past and repaired with heavy tape.

40

18.2 Probate Records Significance E. C. Baker identified 9 Books of Wills covering the period from 1783 to the 1960s. Nine books were surveyed in 2008, covering the period 1763 to ca. 1987, but it is likely that at least two could not be found, possibly covering the years 1865 and 1880-1902. The books include wills, grants of probate, administrations, appraisements of property and inventories. In the wills of white planters there is a great deal of information about family relationships, often the only way of getting this information in the absence of family trees. This extends to relationships between enslaved women (and their children) and planters with whom they have had relationships, who have been freed as a result of the will or otherwise recorded in it. This provides important information about the growth of the mixed-race population and will also, increasingly, be of genealogical interest to the people of Nevis. For those planters who remained in Nevis and who did not have property in England the only copy of their will may be in Nevis. The same clearly applies to all free people on the island, white or black, including poorer white planters and skilled tradesmen, a group largely unrecorded so far. In the post-emancipation period, the wills record not only the development of a black middle class of property owners but also the condition of a poorer section of the population. Condition (See Appendix 4 for details) Nine volumes were surveyed, representing almost the complete series up to around 1987, with roughly 4,500 pages of material.

• The two most recent volumes, Probate Books 1 and 2 covering the period from 1903 to ca. 1987, are kept in the office. These volumes are in catastrophic disarray from frequent use. Many pages are torn or missing, the spines have disintegrated and the covers are damaged. It is very likely that early twentieth-century wills have been lost as a result.

• In the seven earlier volumes, kept in the vault, there are almost no problems with fading, brittleness, stains, ink damage (except in one case), tearing or twisting and wrinkling of paper.

• In roughly half the volumes there has been some insect infestation. • In six volumes there has been considerable damage to the spines and covers – mostly

in the form of the spine and covers together separating from the rest of the volume. • There are some Probate Records between 1941 and 1949 which are kept in filing

cabinets in the courtroom. These were not surveyed but they are likely to suffer from the same overcrowding common to other classes of records in those filing cabinets.

41

Plate 13: Probate Records, Book of Wills 1763-1787, showing fraying at edges

Plate 14: Probate Records, Wills Book 1903 - ca. 1969

42

Plate 15: Inventory of the effects of President John Richardson Herbert from Book of Wills 1787-1805

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18.3 Land Title Register Books Until 1886 the transfer of land or property had been recorded in the Common Deed Record Books. The ‘Title by Registration Act’ of 1886 introduced a second method by which ownership of land could be registered, namely by Certificates of Title. These are held in the Land Title Register Books and listed in a series of Indexes. Each Certificate of Title is required to show a survey of the land in question and is supported by a Memorandum of Transfer which holds the documentation. The Certificates of Title also note whether there is a previous mortgage or encumbrance on the land. At present this system is an alternative to registering the transfer of land by Deeds of Conveyance in the Common Deed Record Books. However there are plans to centralise the system on Certificates of Title. A scheme to scan the Certificates digitally is currently underway; this is being undertaken by Mr Simeon Hill of Hill Survey. Its purpose is to produce a cadastral map of the island. It is unclear whether this will cover all the Certificates and, therefore, all the survey plans. At present, the scheme starts from the most recent and is working back in time. Since it can only operate when the Court is not sitting, it is unclear when the work will be finished. Significance These Land Title Register Books are vital for anyone who owns property in Nevis, particularly in times of rapid development. Clearly they are also important to the governments of Nevis and the Federation. They are also vital to anyone interested in the history of an estate or parish. The surveys of property which accompany the certificates are almost the only plans of estates which exist for the island. Nevis is spectacularly short of pre-1834 sugar estate plans, although they must have existed. Pre-1834 plans of only two (possibly three) out of around 100 estates are known to exist. The most comprehensive post-emancipation mapping of individual estates took place in the 1870s and 1880s under the Court of the Commissioners for the Sale of Encumbered Estates in the West Indies (Nevis). The UK National Archives has only two of these. However, the Land Title Register Books hold many of the plans produced for this court, or copies of them used as surveys for the Certificates of Title from 1886. Since the late 1990s, it has been shown that archaeologists and historians can successfully use these to investigate the histories of pre-emancipation sugar estates. In the case of Pinney’s Estate they have been used to locate the ‘slave village’ and to help in negotiations about the preservation of other historic sites on the estate.

Condition (See Appendix 5 for details)

• The Register Books (currently up to Book 46) and accompanying Indexes (currently up to Index Book 7) are kept in the office. Each modern Register Book is broken down into separate ‘volumes’ which consist of homemade, cardboard files. Five of the older books from 1887 to 1973 were surveyed, along with two of the indexes.

• While it is possible to state that five Title Register Books held 545 Certificates of Title, it was not possible in the time to estimate the number of attachments, nor the numbers of pages, in the supporting Memoranda of Transfer. This is an issue which would need to be resolved before any large-scale programme of digital scanning or photography.

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• The Memoranda of Transfer are stored in a variety of places. Some MOT’s are kept in alphabetical order in pigeon holes in the vault. Others, from the 1980s and 1990s, are stored in supermarket boxes on the floor of the vault and are crawled over to get to the higher shelves. Yet others are stored in about ten boxes under the Judge’s dais in the courtroom. It was not possible in the time available to survey the condition of the MOTs, but they are clearly at risk.

• In most of the Register volumes examined there is a problem of fading and, in three cases out of five, ink damage, mostly associated with the surveyors’ plans.

• The greatest problem with the older volumes is that they are old, calf-bound volumes which were not designed for the quantity of plans and attachments stuffed into them attached to the Certificates of Title. This results in twisting and tearing of the attachments.

• The other issue is that people want photocopies of the certificates and plans and this is done with great ingenuity by the staff. However, it inevitably damages the plans and documents. Clearly the answer, in the first instance, is to digitally scan or photograph the complete set with attached plans.

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Plate 16: Plan of Old Manor Estate from Land Title Register Book 1

Plate 17: Land Title Register Book 1, state of covers

46

Plate 18: Land Title Register Book 12 1971-1973

Plate 19: Plan of Ward’s Estate from Land Title Register Book 1, crumpled state

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18.4 Associated estate plans in the vault In the vault there are two small, additional collections of estate plans.

• One is a rolled set of about seven to ten plans on some sort of cloth backing, probably dating from after 1886. These are gradually becoming brittle. They were too fragile to examine closely.

• The second collection is a larger group of plans, originally mounted in good order on sheets of brown ‘wrapping’ paper, each plan with homemade mounting corners. These are kept flat under quite inappropriately heavy and awkward boards which are likely to damage the plans. In addition the plans are gradually falling out of their mounts and becoming wrinkled and torn. In some cases they are copies, again dating from after 1886, of plans found in the Register of Title Books. In other cases, however, they appear to be the only copies and may have fallen out of those books and been stored away.

18.5 Court Records From E. C. Baker’s list of Court Records in the 1960s it seems that there were approximately 87 volumes of Court Records covering the period from 1705 to the 1950s. Almost half of these are records of the Court of King’s/Queen’s Bench and Common Pleas. There are also records of the Courts of Complaint, Summary Jurisdiction, Supreme Court and Encumbered Estates, together with Bond Books, Jurors Lists, Registrars records and Acts of Nevis. Significance Court of King’s/Queen’s Bench and Common Pleas: The record books cover most of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries from 1705 and consist of minute books, cause lists and judgements. In general, the records for the first half of the eighteenth century are clearly important because records for that period are inevitably less available than for later periods. As a whole class, these legal records will complement the plantation records and the Common Deed Record Books in the reconstruction of island life during these two centuries. The minute books concerning civil cases tend to list the plaintiff and the defendant and give some limited details of the case together with a record of outcomes. The minutes for criminal cases are very interesting. There are four volumes for the period 1831 to 1856, up to and after Emancipation, which was politically and economically a very difficult period for the island. The volume for 1831 to1844 includes a ‘Court of Criminal Slaves’ which has not been widely known about before and requires further examination. The volumes which list ‘Entries for Judgements’, particularly for the eighteenth century, are especially useful since they give some details of the cases and, where relevant, provide plantation names, acreages and slave lists. This information may not be available elsewhere. Other Courts: Court of Complaint – this minute book also covers the period of Emancipation and among the causes listed are those which demonstrate the difficulties emancipated labourers had with their erstwhile ‘masters’. This is particularly true after the end of apprenticeship when former owners pursued ex-slaves for small sums of money.

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Supreme Court and Court of Summary Jurisdiction – these records reveal, through small claims or actions, the economic situation of many Nevisians during the nineteenth century and up to the 1950s. A number of volumes deal with criminal cases, often assault or wounding.

Court of the Commissioners for the Sale of Encumbered Estates – there are several minute books relating to this. Only the 1872 -1889 book could be found. This is a vital document since it details what happened to the many sugar estates burdened by debt after 1815 when the price of sugar and the value of land collapsed. Other Court Records: Bond Books – among these are ships’ bond books which are a useful record of shipping, and therefore trade, entering Nevis in the mid-nineteenth century. Jurors’ Lists – these include information about residence and property qualifications. Thus, they can be used to identify who was living at, or managing, an estate from the 1870s through to the mid-1950s. They also reveal to what extent the black middle class were involved in the dispensing of justice on the island. As noted before the Parish Registers of St Paul, and possibly the Cemetery Registers, appear to have been moved to the Registrar General’s Office. The following from E. C. Baker’s list could not be found in the vault: Infirmary Prescription Book, Royal Warrants, Commissions and Assembly members’ election writs. Condition (See Appendix 6 for details)

• The records of the Court of King’s/Queen’s Bench and Common Pleas were wrapped and labelled in the late 1990s. The wrappings show signs of insect infestation since then. As is to be expected, the volumes for the first half of the eighteenth century are mostly too fragile to examine in any detail, but appear to be very brittle and they show a considerable amount of tearing.

• In general, the volumes from this particular court are stored in very tight spaces in the vault with no air circulation and they are likely to be damaged when moved.

• Nearly all the volumes of this court which were examined had damaged spines and covers, and over half had some level of tearing and ink damage. Three volumes had bad cases of fading and over a third of the volumes had some signs of insect infestation.

• Among the rest of the records, the smaller volumes are stood upright on shelves and are, to some extent, protected both by each other and by the fact that they are rarely consulted.

• Insect infestation has clearly been a problem, with some level of it in half the classes of records.

• Six volumes showed signs of active mould. • The greatest problem, as with all the other records, has been the damage done to

covers and spines by the way in which the records are stored, the lack of clear labelling and the difficulties in extracting and handling them, especially with the heavier volumes.

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Plate 20: Roll of estate plans from vault

Plate 21: Additional estate plans from vault

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Plate 22: Record Book of the Court of King’s Bench and Common Pleas 1714-1716

Plate 23: Record Book of the Court of King’s Bench and Common Pleas 1785-1822

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19. Recommendations – Supreme Court Registry 19.1 Current records - Short-term recommendations

• The NIA is urged to make available to the Supreme Court Registry sufficient funds to implement measures which will ameliorate the state of the current records.

• The Supreme Court Registry Office Manager, in conjunction with the Registrar of the Supreme Court, could usefully seek advice from Ms Hanley, of the Public Library Service, on methods to improve the present system of management for current records, both in practical terms and in the drawing up of a retention and disposal schedule.

• The Supreme Court Registry Office Manager and the Registrar of the Supreme Court are urged to draw-up a projection of the likely increase in documentation over a ten year period for presentation to the NIA and the Supreme Court.

• The NIA is urged to provide sufficient finance for the purchase of adequate quantities of filing cabinets, metal storage cabinets and stationery – such as proper files for Land Title Certificates. Adequate office furniture would avoid the necessity of storing files in supermarket boxes in inappropriate locations.

• The Office Manager, in conjunction with the Registrar, should draw-up a Disaster and Emergency Evacuation Plan for both current and non-current records. The plan should include provision for back-up copies of manually accessed catalogues and catalogue information in digital formats.

• The NIA and the Court Registrar should seek to speed-up the process of digitally recording the Land Title Certificates by providing sufficient space within the Courthouse building for the work to be carried on full-time, not just in periods when the Court is not sitting.

• Methods should be sought for producing digital copies (and from these, hard copies) of documents requested by clients of the Supreme Court Registry. The practice of photocopying from volumes should be phased out.

• Repairs to records should be halted until advice has been sought on the best and least invasive conservation methods.

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19.2 Historic records – Short-term recommendations

• The Office Manager could usefully seek the advice, once again, of Ms Hanley on measures to ameliorate the condition of the historic records.

• The Memoranda of Transfer should be removed from the floor of the vault together with any other material, to improve access to, and space for, the remaining records.

• Removal of material from the vault should provide sufficient space for an improvement in air circulation.

• The vault should be examined for signs of rodent or roach activity and then cleaned and monitored on a regular basis.

• Given that fire has presented such a hazard over time, there should be an electrical inspection of the vault by a suitably qualified electrician to report on the risks of an electrical fire.

• Steps should be taken to monitor and control the levels of temperature and humidity in the vault. The provision of a portable dehumidifier should be explored.

• All the volumes in the vault should be boxed in acid-free, archival-quality boxes and clearly labelled. In addition, they should be monitored for signs of fresh insect infestation.

• Depending on the long-term future of the records in the vault, finance should be provided for replacing the wooden shelving with more appropriate steel shelves.

• An inventory of records in the vault should be drawn up and checked against known lists, including E. C. Baker’s 1960s list.

• The Registrar should request from Dr Leech, of Southampton University Department of Archaeology, digital copies of the Common Deed Record Books and other records which he has digitally photographed.

• Training should be initiated for the Registry and Court staff in the handling of current and non-current records.

• Repairs to records should be halted until advice has been sought on the best and least invasive conservation methods.

19.3 Historic records – Medium-term recommendations

• The NIA and the Supreme Court Registrar are strongly urged to seek funding from, or support applications to, suitable NGO projects, such as UNESCO or the British Library Endangered Archives Programme, for the digitising of historic records in the Supreme Court Registry and other government deposits, such as the Registrar General’s Office. The aim of this would be to produce digital copies and, from these, preservation copies on microfilm. In the event of support for an application to the British Library, the question of charging for scholarly access to records would need to be resolved.

• The NIA and the Supreme Court Registrar may wish to consult the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society on the question of transferring to the care of the NHCS Archive all archival material of enduring value within government departments on interim, medium-term loan. This transfer would have to be conditional on a proportionate increase in government funding for the NHCS to enable them to absorb and effectively manage such material. It would also be dependent on the realisation of the NHCS’s plans for expansion of its office and archive facilities.

• The NIA is urged to review the current situation within government departments as to whether or not staff are designated with responsibility for the management of records and are given appropriate training.

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20. Strategic Recommendations - Government Records

• The NIA should review the provisions of the ‘National Records and Archives Act,

2001’ and its management of records within the provisions of that Act. • The NIA is strongly urged to appoint, or second from within the ranks of government

service, a suitably qualified and experienced Island Archivist whose terms of reference should include the following:

o An immediate review of the nature, quantity, storage and condition of

archival material in all NIA government departments and in the wider community

o Co-ordination of the work of staff with responsibility for the maintenance of records in all government offices and the provision of advice to all government departments on the handling and management of records, both current and non-current

o Assistance to all government departments in drawing up retention and disposal schedules

o Responsibility for an Archive and Records Centre in Nevis • In consultation with the Director of the National Archives, and under paragraph 14.1

of the National Archives Act, the NIA is strongly urged to seek funding for the building and development of a Nevis Island Archive and Records Centre to act, in the first instance, as a secure central repository for all non-current records of enduring value and semi-current records from within the island’s government departments. It should also act as a centre for public access to records. The centre should include offices for staff, reference facilities, a repair and bindery facility and facilities for the digital recording of records.

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Acknowledgements Funding for this pilot project has been provided by the Arcadia Trust through the British Library’s ‘Endangered Archives Programme’. I am extremely grateful to the Trust and the programme’s administrator, Catherine Collins, for their support and patience in getting the work off the ground. Mr Ashley Farrell, of the Nevis Island Administration, and Ms Claudette Jenkins, Registrar of the High Court, were extremely helpful in arranging for the necessary permissions to carry out the work. I am very grateful to Arpad and Judith Kovacsy, Suzanne Gordon, Shirley Howe and Bill Pinney, all of whom helped personally in a number of different ways. I was given a lot of useful advice by Bernard Lane, Professor Mark Horton, Michael Richardson and Hannah Lowery of the University of Bristol and by David Emeny of Bristol Record Office. Dr Michelle Terrell of Two Pines Resource Group and Professor Mary Beaudry of Boston University were crucial sources of support at the beginning. Vincent Hubbard of the NHCS, George Tyson of St Croix and Professor David Hancock of the University of Michigan were very helpful with background information. As always, organisations on Nevis and St Kitts have provided vital support. On St Kitts, the Director of the National Archives, Mrs Victoria Borg O’Flaherty, was particularly helpful as was Mr Graeme Brown of the St Kitts Department of Physical Planning. On Nevis, the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society and its Director, John Guilbert, and staff, Gail Dore and Paul Diamond, together with their President, Ms Clara Walters, all provided time from their busy schedules for discussion, as did Ms Lornette Hanley of the Public Library Service. The Reverend Franklin Roberts of the Methodist Church was very helpful with their records, as were the staff at the Registrar General’s Office, the Treasury and Ms Angela Delpeche, the Director of the Nevis Department of Physical Planning respectively. The staff at the Supreme Court Registry bravely put up with yet more researchers at a trying time and Mrs Mova Daniel, Mr Anthony Walters and Mr John Arthurton are to be thanked. In particular, Ms Olinda Walters was extremely patient in taking time to answer questions about the system and in providing vital clues as to where to look next. Lastly, I would like to thank Christine Eickelmann who has given much help with the survey and the drafting of the report and has contributed a section to it. David Small Research Associate Department of Archaeology and Anthropology University of Bristol David.Small@Bristol.ac.uk smallde@hotmail.com November 2008

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Appendix 1 Methodist Parish Registers – Condition Survey Collection: Methodist Church, Nevis Collection No.: EAP093/001 Series No.: 001 Series Title: Methodist Parish Registers Record Creators: Methodist Ministers Table Notes: Location: Methodist Church Office, Charlestown, Nevis. All volumes are kept on wooden shelves, except the Gingerland registers which are kept in a box on the floor of the office. Columns from ‘Insect damage’ to ‘Cover damage’: 0 = None, 1 = Mild, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Severe No Rusting fasteners, Fading, Brittleness, Damp or wetness, Stains or water damage, Ink damage, Twisting or wrinkling, Dirt, dust or debris or Pages missing, unless noted in the ‘Comment’ column Item No.

Item Title Date range

Size in cm

No. of pages

Mould

Inse

ct d

amag

e

Rod

ent d

amag

e

Tea

ring

Spin

e da

mag

e

Cov

er d

amag

e

Comment

01 Charlestown Register of Baptisms

1883-1900

ca. 21 x 30

106 Inactive 2 0 0 0 2 1882-1900, then back to 1884

02 Charlestown Register of Baptisms Brown Hill Chapel

1884-1917

ca. 21 x 30

162 Inactive 3 1 2 1 3 Brittle. Those labelled ‘Copy’ transcribed from ‘Register of Baptisms Brown Hill 1884’

03 Charlestown Register of Baptisms 1900-1908

ca. 21 x 30

104 None 1 0 1 1 1

04 Charlestown Baptisms 1918-1941

ca. 21 x 30

104 None 2 0 0 3 2 Covers damaged by insects

05 Register of Baptisms (Charlestown)

1941-1946

ca. 21 x 30

104 Inactive 1 0 1 2 2 Pages loose inside and pages missing? Includes, for some years, totals for ‘Legitimate’ and ‘Illegitimate’

06 Register of Baptisms Charlestown 1956-1966

ca. 21 x 30

104 Inactive 1 0 0 1 2

07 Register of Baptisms, Charlestown,

1966-1977

ca. 21 x 30

104 Inactive 0 0 0 2 1 Includes sponsors

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Item No.

Item Title Date range

Size in cm

No. of pages

Mould

Inse

ct d

amag

e

Rod

ent d

amag

e

Tea

ring

Spin

e da

mag

e

Cov

er d

amag

e

Comment

Jessups, Combermere, Fountain 08 Register of Baptisms, Charlestown

and Jessups 1977-2008

ca. 21 x 30

104 None 3 0 0 2 3 Spine repaired with heavy tape

09 Register of Baptisms Gingerland 1887-1906

ca. 21 x 30

ca. 300 None 0 0 0 3 0 Binding undone, some loose pages

10 Register of Baptisms Gingerland 1906-1918

ca. 21 x 30

ca. 100 None 1 0 0 3 0 Some fading, rusting fasteners, spine undone and repaired with cello tape

11 Register of Baptisms Gingerland 1918-1934

ca. 21 x 30

104 None 2 0 2 3 2 Calendar page with further baptisms at back

12 Register of Baptisms Gingerland 1934-1946

ca. 21 x 30

ca. 100 None 0 3 0 3 3 Spine broken, pages loose, some twisting

13 Register of Baptisms Gingerland 1946-1955

ca. 21 x 30

104 None 0 2 0 3 2 Spine broken but pages still in place. Calendar with further baptisms at back

14 Register of Baptisms Gingerland 1955-1965

ca. 21 x 30

104 None 1 0 0 2 1 Spine repaired with cello tape

15 Register of Baptisms Gingerland 1965-1976

ca. 21 x 30

104 None 1 0 1 0 2

16 Register of Baptisms Gingerland 1976-2001

ca. 21 x 30

104 None 2 0 0 1 3 Includes sponsors

17 Combermere Baptisms 1885-1949

? ? None 0 0 2 2 1 Strong spine but pages loose in sections; rusting paper clips

18 Register of Baptisms, Combermere and Fountain

1950-1974

ca. 21 x 30

104 None 1 0 0 3 3 Both covers loose and repaired with brown luggage tape

19 Register of Baptisms, Combermere

1977-2008

? 104 None 2 0 0 3 3 Combermere and Fountain. Front cover about to come off

20 Register of Baptisms Clifton, Parish of St Thomas

1884-2006

ca. 21 x 30

ca. 300 ?active 2 ? 2 3 3 Some fading. Includes Jessups, Cotton Ground and Barnes Ghaut. 1189 baptisms – a whole history of a parish for 120 years

21 Marriage Register 1885-1966 Combermere, Clifton

1885-1966

? ca. 200 None 1 0 0 0 3 Contains loose papers and affidavits

22 (Marriage Register) Jessups, Charlestown, Fountain,

1945-2008

? ca. 300 None 0 0 0 3 1 Some twisting; many attachments

57

Item No.

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No. of pages

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Combermere 23 Marriages 1886-1945

(St Paul) 1886-1945

? ca. 200 None 1 0 1 2 3 Loose pages

24 Marriage Register 1914-1957 Gingerland

1914-1957

? ca. 300 None 2 0 2 3 2 Attachments, affidavits, parents’ consent for under-age children

25 Register of Marriages, Gingerland 1958-2008

? ca. 300-400

None 0 0 2 0 1 Includes proof of residence, whether by Banns or License, copies of previous divorce judgements and photocopies of passports

26 ‘Burials in Clifton..’ 1887-1961

? ? Active 3 0 0 3 3 Only burial register. First 16 pages missing, first entry No. 67 (1887); runs to 1948; 1934-195 copied from certificates found in the study; some entries for 1949-1961

58

Appendix 2 Registrar General’s Office: Registers of Birth, Deaths and Marriages – Condition Survey Collection: Registrar General’s Office, Nevis Collection No.: EAP093/002 Series No.: 001 Series Title: Registers of Births, Deaths and Marriages Record Creators: Registrar General Table Notes: Location: Registrar General’s Office vault. Volumes identified with * were recorded in E C Baker as being in the Supreme Court Registry in the 1960s. Columns from ‘Mould’ to ‘Cover damage’: 0 = None, 1 = Mild, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Severe No Rusting fasteners, Fading, Brittleness, Damp or wetness, Stains or water damage, Twisting or wrinkling, Dirt, dust or debris or Pages missing, unless noted in the ‘Comment’ column Item No.

Item Title Date Range

No. of pages

Mould Insect damage

Rodent damage

Ink damage

Tearing Spine damage

Cover damage

Comment

01 St James Births 1861-1886

300 0 0 0 0 2 0 0

02 St James Marriages

1885-1904

200 0 0 0 2 0 0 0

03 St James Marriages – Wesleyan Methodist

1909-1937

ca. 300 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 No spine or covers

04 St James Deaths 1861-1904

ca. 400 ? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Some darkening of the paper

05 St James Deaths 1904-1985

400 0 0 0 0 2 3 2 Spine and cover detached and consequent tearing

06 St Thomas (Lowland) Deaths

ca. 1884 ca. 40 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 Loose pages, no covers, very torn

07 St Thomas (Lowland) Deaths

1889-1940

300 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

59

Item No.

Item Title Date Range

No. of pages

Mould Insect damage

Rodent damage

Ink damage

Tearing Spine damage

Cover damage

Comment

08 St Paul Births (bundle)*

ca. 1877-1888

? 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 Loose, no covers or spine

09 St Paul Marriages*

1885-1909

200 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Spine and cover good but pages loose and some brittleness

10 St Paul Marriages*

1909-1953

? 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 No spine or covers, pages in sections

11 St Paul Deaths* 1861-1901

ca. 400 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pages darkening, evidence of past mould; last entries 1903

12 St Paul Deaths* 1903-ca. 1935

ca. 400 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 No spine or covers

13 St John Births 1907 ca. 100

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Excellent vol. but 1 page used only

14 St John Births 1919-1931

ca. 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Transcribed, but from back to front

15 St John Births 1930s ca. 350 0 0 0 3 3 - - Loose pages in a box – labelled St Mary’s (St. Kitts) but appears to be St John, Nevis

16 St George Births 1887-1888

32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Soft cover, ink fading; may have been transcribed to replace missing pages from vol. 1888-1898

17 St George Births 1888-1898

ca. 400 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 No front cover, pages 1-32 missing

18 St George Births ca. 1940s

? 0 0 3 0 0 - - Box, loose pages, evidence of rodents in box

19 Register of Burials in Bath Plain Cemetery*

1939-1961

ca. 230 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

60

Appendix 3 Common Deed Record Books – Condition Survey Collection: Supreme Court Registry, Nevis Collection No.: EAP093/003 Series No.: 001 Series Title: Common Deed Record Books Record Creators: ‘Supreme Court’ Table Notes: Location: All items kept in the Supreme Court Registry vault, unless otherwise noted in the ‘Comment’ column Columns from ‘Fading’ to ‘Cover damage’: 0 = None, 1 = Mild, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Severe No Rusting fasteners, Damp or wetness, Rodent damage, Dirt, dust or debris, unless noted in the ‘Comment’ column

Item

No.

Item Title Date Range

Size in cm

No. of pages

Pages missing

Mould

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01 Common Records

1728-1746

30 x 42

?600 ? ? 2 3 1 2 1 2 0 2 3 Too fragile to handle; has been put aside, digitally photographed in 2004 and reproduced in hard copy

02 Common Records

1750-1752

30 x 42

? ? ? ? 3 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Too fragile to handle; wrapped and pieces falling out; has been digitally photographed in 2004 and put aside

03 Common Records

1754-1758

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Too fragile to handle; wrapped and pieces falling out; has been digitally photographed in 2004 and put aside

04 Common Records

1767-1769

35 x 46

735 ca. 25 Active 0 0 2 0 0 3 1 3 Pages very torn at back; index missing; no covers

05 Common Records

1775-1776

35 x 46

347 + No Active 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 Index

06 Common Records

1776-1777

28 x 42

625 + No None 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1

07 Common Records

1777-1778

28 x 47

553 Yes None 0 2 1 1 0 2 0 0 3 Both covers very heavy board and loose; pages missing at front and index from I - X

08 Common 1778- 37 x 738 + No None 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 2 2 Index; back cover coming off; some tearing to pages

61

Item

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Size in cm

No. of pages

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Records 1783 54 sticking out; 09 ‘W’ Common

Records 1 1783-1785

27 x 42

742 No None 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 Index but torn

10 Common Records Book X

1785-1787

28 x 47

540 + No None 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 Index; both covers detached; spine fraying

11 Common Records

1794-1797

34 x 47

720 + No None 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 3 Insect damage to covers

12 Common Records

1799-1801

29 x 42

ca. 400 Yes None 0 2 1 2 0 2 0 3 2 Partial index; spine much repaired with cello tape

13 Common Records

1803-1805

? ca. 500-600

? None 0 3 0 1 3 3 0 1 1 Very brittle and too damaged to examine for content; rusting fasteners; possible rodent damage

14 Common Records

1814-1817

29 x 42

849 + No None 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Complete index

15 Common Records

1831-1835

33 x 47

420 + ? None 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 3 3 Incomplete index; front cover and spine detaching; pages in loose batches and edges breaking

16 Common Records

1838-1847

37 x 53

787 No No 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 Dates may range from 1836-1845; no spine cover; heavy metal corners on cover tearing front cover from spine

17 Record of Deeds

1858-1859

20 x 32

350 No None 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Index

18 Common Records

1870-1879

30 x 41

ca. 500 ? ? ? 3 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Wrapped but too fragile too open

19 Common Records

1877-1899

29 x 47

776 No None 0 3 0 0 3 3 3 2 2 Heavy board covers damaging bindings; contains loose plans, twisted and damaged; volume with crucial ‘encumbered estates’ information

20 ‘Entry Book of Deeds’

1884-1956

33 x 48

ca. 400 No None 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 Volume an ordinal index; rusting fasteners; front cover coming off, back cover does not belong; crucial volume for accessing Common Deeds with history of estates to 1956

62

Item

No.

Item Title Date Range

Size in cm

No. of pages

Pages missing

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Comment

21 Common Records Book 15

1905-1912

21 x 32

571 No None 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 Index partly detached; rusting fasteners; located in the office under counter

22 Common Records Book 16

1911-1917

21 x 32

564 pp 1-2 None 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 3 Spine patched with heavy tape; located in the office under counter

23 Common Records Book 17

1917-1922

21 x 32

517 ? None 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 3 Spine patched with heavy tape; located in the office under counter; mostly conveyances

24 Common Records Book 18

1922-1929

21 x 32

416 No None 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 Indexed; includes at least two plans

63

Appendix 4 Probate Records – Condition Survey Collection: Supreme Court Registry, Nevis Collection No.: EAP093/003 Series No.: 002 Series Title: Probate Records Record Creators: ‘Supreme Court’ Table Notes: Location: All items kept in the Supreme Court Registry vault, unless otherwise noted in the ‘Comment’ column Columns from ‘Fading’ to ‘Cover damage’: 0 = None, 1 = Mild, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Severe No Rusting fasteners, Damp or wetness, Rodent damage, Dirt, dust or debris, unless noted in the ‘Comment’ column

Item

No.

Item Title Date Range Size in cm

No. of pages

Pages missing

Mould

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Comment

01 Book of Wills 1763-1787 34 x 47 729 + ? None 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 3 2 Index disintegrating; binding poor; pages in batches

02 Book of Wills 1787-1805 31 x 47 487 + No None 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 Index complete; spine and covers detached 03 Book of Wills 1805-1818 25 x 37 404 + No None 0 1 ? 0 2 0 1 3 2 Index; ink turned silver in some places; spine

and covers off 04 Book of Wills 1819-1830 20 x 32 425 + No None 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 Index 05 Book of Wills 1830-1837 20 x 32 334 + No None 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 Index 06 Book of Wills 1837-1864 27 x 39 515 No None 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 Ink damage to index 07 Book of Wills 1866-1880 21 x 31 330 No None 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 Index; 50 wills plus administrations 08 Probate/Wills

Book 1 1903-1969? 29 x 47 ca. 600 ? None 0 2 0 0 0 3 2 3 3 Kept in office, used regularly; pages in total

disarray; probably many missing 09 Probate/Wills

Book 2 ca. 1972-ca. 1987

29 x 47 ca. 600 ? None 0 2 0 0 0 3 2 3 3 Kept in office, used regularly; pages in total disarray; probably many missing

64

Appendix 5 Land Title Register Books – Condition Survey Collection: Supreme Court Registry, Nevis Collection No.: EAP093/003 Series No.: 003 Series Title: Land Title Register Books Record Creators: ‘Supreme Court’ Table Notes: Location: All items kept in the Registry office, although Memoranda of Transfer are kept in a variety of locations Columns from ‘Fading’ to ‘Cover damage’: 0 = None, 1 = Mild, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Severe No Rusting fasteners, Brittleness, Damp or wetness, Stains or water damage, Insect damage, Rodent damage, Dirt, dust or debris, unless noted in the ‘Comment’ column

Item

No.

Item Title Date Range

Size in cm

No. of pages

Pages missing

Mould

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Comment

01 Land Title Register Book 1

1887-1904

34 x 22

160 + ? None 2 2 3 3 3 3 160 folios plus attachments; was an old leather-bound volume, too small for the quantity of additional, much larger, plans inserted; covers bound on by cloth ‘straps’; very significant damage to plans of estates and land; ink damage on some plans

02 Land Title Register Book 2

1905-1912

28 x 43

44 + ? None 2 0 2 2 3 1 44 folios plus attachments; some tearing away of much larger plans from certificates; ink damage on some plans

03 Land Title Register Book 3

1912-1922

28 x 43

81 + ? None 2 2 3 3 3 3 Old volume, too small for the quantity of additional, much larger, plans inserted; no spine; held together by treasury tags; 81 folios plus attachments; significant damage to plans of estates and land; ink damage on some plans

04 Land Title Register Book 4

1923-1935

28 x 43

110 + ? None 2 2 3 3 3 3 Old volume, too small for the quantity of additional, much larger, plans inserted; no spine; held together by treasury tags; 110 folios plus attachments; significant damage to plans of estates and land; ink damage on some plans

05 Land Title Register 1971- 28 x 150 + ? None 0 0 3 2 3 1 Rusting fasteners; whole volume loose, tied with treasury tags; twisting and

65

Item

No.

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Size in cm

No. of pages

Pages missing

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Book 12 1973 43 tearing to plans and attachments 06 Nominal Index St

Christopher – Title Index 1

1889-1975

21 x 33

? Yes None 1 0 3 3 3 3 Crucial ‘Nominal Index’ to LTCs, handwritten; information copied into a clearer, handwritten version which is used first (Books 1 and 2 1892-1990); spine collapsed

07 Nominal Index 1892-1990?

? 300 No None 0 0 0 2 3 3 Handwritten ‘biro version’ nominal index; spine and covers bound by heavy tape

66

Appendix 6 Court Records - Condition Survey Collection: Supreme Court Registry, Nevis Collection No.: EAP093/003 Series No.: 004 Series Title: Court Records Record Creators: ‘Supreme Court’ Table Notes: Location: All items kept in the Registry vault, unless otherwise noted in the ‘Comment’ column Columns from ‘Fading’ to ‘Cover damage’: 0 = None, 1 = Mild, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Severe No Rusting fasteners, Damp or wetness, Rodent damage, Dirt, dust or debris, unless noted in the ‘Comment’ column Item Titles: KB/QBCP refers to the Court of King’s/Queen’s Bench and Common Pleas

Item

No.

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Size in cm

No. of pages

Pages missing

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01 KBCP 1705-1716

31 x 48

? ? ? 3 ? ? ? 3 3 3 Wrapped; too fragile to open

02 KBCP Vol. 1 Court Book 33 1710 27 x 42

213 No None 0 2 1 1 2 2 0 1 3 Index mostly intact

03 KBCP 1712-1716

? 301 ? Active 3 3 2 2 1 3 0 3 3 Cause Lists and Minute Book; wrapped but too fragile to examine closely; very damaged

04 KBCP 1714-1716 + 1745

? ? ? ? ? 3 ? ? ? 3 ? 3 3 2 bundles in one packet; too fragile to examine

05 KBCP 1760-1762

27 x 42

325 Yes None 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 3 3 Part index only; insect damage on wrapper showing infestation since ca. 1998; covers torn and frayed

67

Item

No.

Item Title Date Range

Size in cm

No. of pages

Pages missing

Mould

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06 KBCP 1764-1766

30 x 42

469 pp 201-213

None 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 3 3 Minutes; held together by 2 threads; wrapping infested

07 KBCP 1771-1774

30 x 47

450-460

? Inactive 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 3 3 Entries for Judgements; notes added after 1774; covers poor quality cardboard

08 KBCP Cause List vol. 16 1776-1779

28 x 45

ca. 600 pp 198-199

None 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 3 2 Index; lists

09 KBCP 1779-1792

39 x 55

367 ? Inactive 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 3 3 Entries for Judgement; only 1 cover; pp274-367 at front; no index

10 KBCP 1785-1822

20 x 31

ca. 400 ? None 1 3 0 3 1 3 0 3 3 Lists of Judgements

11 KBCP Cause List vol. 20 1805-1813

18 x 46

540 pp 148-151 +

None 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 3 Cause lists; no front cover, back cover very frayed

12 KBCP 1814-1827

20 x 31

ca. 400 No Inactive 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 Entries for Judgement; index; calf coming off spine and covers

13 KBCP vol. 21 1827-1836

25 x 37

348 No Active 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 3 3 Minutes; index

14 KBCP Judgements vol. 27 1822-1841

20 x 31

155 + No None 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 Index; loose pages

15 KBCP No. 28 1831-1844

20 x 31

ca. 90 No None 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 2 2 Minutes – Criminal; some pages removed, bottoms of some pages lost

16 QBCP 1841-1885

21 x 33

? ?Yes None 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 3 3 ca. 11 bundles of misc. papers of different quality paper and states of preservation

17 QBCP No. 23 1843-1851

? 324 No ?Active 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 2 Minutes – Criminal; index; front cover almost detached

18 QBCP 1854-1858

21 x 33

ca. 90 No None 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 Judgements

19 QBCP Minutes vol. 24 1861-1866

21 x 33

ca. 90 No None 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 3 Minutes – Criminal

20 QBCP Judgements 1869-1874

20 x 32

ca. 230 No None 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 No back cover; no spine; loose pages

68

Item

No.

Item Title Date Range

Size in cm

No. of pages

Pages missing

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21 Court of Complaint 1830-

1846 20 x 31

ca. 400 No Inactive 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 Lists of Complaints – mostly small sums; spine and front cover come away

22 Court of Summary

Jurisdiction 1888-1896

21 x 32

400 No None 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 2 Minutes and Cause Lists; back cover loose

23 Court of Summary Jurisdiction Minute and Cause List

1914-1943

21 x 32

ca. 500 No None 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 2 No index

24 Court of Summary Jurisdiction List of Cases Pending

1896-1914

21 x 31

ca. 500 No None 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 3

25 (?Court of Summary Jurisdiction) Execution Book Nevis 1904

1904-?1972

21 x 31

202 No None 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 Execution of Judgements; pages removed to send to England ‘as a pattern’ 1934

26 Supreme (Circuit) Court 1874-

1955 24 x 37

487 No None 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 2 Judgements; index damaged; spine coming loose

27 Supreme Court St Christopher and Nevis

1886-1904

20 x 31

ca. 400 No None 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 Includes Supreme Court of Leeward Islands and Court of Summary Jurisdiction; only 76 pages used

28 Supreme Court Minute Book and Cause List Nevis

1891-1910

23 x 35

ca. 400 No None 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 Mostly criminal

29 Supreme Court Book and Cause List

1911-1938

23 x 36

430 No None 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Criminal; index

30 Court of the Commissioners

for the Sale of Encumbered Estates…

1872-1889

30 x 47

700 No None 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 Crucial volume re disposal of sugar estates in debt; no index

31 ‘In the Bankruptcy of J T Thibou – Nevis’

1879-1881

20 x 31

200 No None 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0

69

Item

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32 Bond Book 1847-1849

20 x 31

ca. 300 ? None 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 2 3 Shipping Bonds – masters and agents

33 Bond Book 1853-1855

20 x 31

ca. 300 No Active 0 2 3 0 1 1 0 2 2 Shipping Bonds – masters and agents; includes seals

34 Bond Book 1855-1856

20 x 31

ca. 300 No ? 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 3 Shipping Bonds – masters and agents; covers bent from damp

35 Jury Panel Book 1877-

1887 20 x 31

ca. 70 No None 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 Lists of jurors summoned to attend the Circuit Court; soft covers; tied

36 Special Jurors List – Nevis Circuit

1903-1904

20 x 31

ca. 50 No None 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 Only 4 pages used

37 Jurors List – Nevis Circuit 1899-1904

20 x 31

ca. 200 No None 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Alphabetical; only 70 pages used

38 The Jurors Book Nevis 1905-1924

20 x 31

ca. 200 No None 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1

39 Nevis Circuit Panel of Array 1915-1929

21 x 31

102 No None 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 Different courts

40 Nevis Circuit Preliminary Panel

1915-1947

23 x 33

202 No None 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 Annual

41 Registrar’s Office (Provost)

Marshal’s Sales Book 1837-1943

20 x 31

ca. 280 No None 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 3 Loose covers; most pages loose; good indication of an ordinary person’s goods and chattels

42 Register of Motions and

Other Applications 1904-1939

21 x 32

? ? None 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 2 Index

43 Registrar’s Letterbook 1893-

1894 20 x 31

ca. 400 No None 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Letters dealing with prison matters, also Gingerland cemetery

44 Nevis Acts 1813-

1819 20 x 31

150 No Inactive 0 0 0 3 2 2 3 3 3 Spine collapsed; poorly stored

70

Item

No.

Item Title Date Range

Size in cm

No. of pages

Pages missing

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45 Laws of Nevis 1819-1825

20 x 31

240 No Active 2 0 ?3 2 0 3 0 2 3 Possible active mould; paper soft; spine intact but no cover; front cover off

46 Acts - Nevis 1854-1858

20 x 31

400 No Inactive 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 Hand-copied; board covers sound but leather covering coming off; active mould in past, purple colouring

47 An Act subsidiary to the Import and Export Tax…plus Other Acts

1859-1869

20 x 32

89 used No None 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 Only one cover

71

Appendix 7 E. C. Baker – Inventory Source: Baker, E. C. A Guide to Records in the Leeward Islands Oxford, Blackwell, 1965

72

73

74

Appendix 8 Anglican and Methodist Parish Records, Nevis - Overview Parish (Anglican except where noted)

V. L. Oliver’s survey 1913

E. C. Baker’s survey of registers held in individual parishes 1965

NHCS Archive survey 2008

Other

St George the Martyr’s Church, Gingerland

Transcripts 1716-1724 in V. L. Oliver Caribbeana vol. 2; also 1730-1822 Caribbeana vol. 3

Baptisms 1828-1838 (2 vols) Baptisms 1839-1852 (leaves wanting) Baptisms 1852-1955 (7 vols) cont’d Marriages 1828-1951 (4 vols) cont’d Burials 1828-1886 (2 vols) Burials 1887-1895 (1 page missing, 1891) Burials 1896-1951 (3 vols) Burials 1951 cont’d Register of Services 1930-1957 (4 vols) St John and St George Vestry Minutes 1894-1938 (after 1923 St George only)

Baptisms May 1828-Dec 1833 (RG 16.9, original book) Baptisms May 1828- May 1838 (RG 16.7, photocopy. Catalogued as 1833-1838 – or is this RG 16.12: Baptisms 1828-1838?) Baptisms 1828-1886 (RG 16.8, photocopies 1871-1886. Catalogued as 1886-1873) Baptisms Oct 1852-April 1859 (RG 16.11, only one side photocopied. Catalogued as Baptisms 1852-1856) Other Church records (RG 16.1 – 16.6 and 16.13 – 16.14)

UK National Archives (NA) CO 152/21 f164 Baptisms and Burials 1733-1734 From NHCS Archive RG 16.13: “The Naval Museum Portsmouth have a photocopy of Lady Nelson’s baptism, St George’s Gingerland in the 1750s, but the book no longer exists.”

75

Parish (Anglican except where noted)

V. L. Oliver’s survey 1913

E. C. Baker’s survey of registers held in individual parishes 1965

NHCS Archive survey 2008

Other

St James Windward

Registers from 1839 Vestry minutes from 1785 E. C Baker: R. Pemberton, a few years before Oliver’s note, said records began in 1787. Oliver thought that earlier registers may have been burnt in the great fire of 1837 Charlestown. Oliver noted registers from 1839 and Vestry Minutes from 1785

Registers 1849-1860, at St Thomas Lowland

Baptisms ca 1839-1893 (RG 15.1, includes some deaths) Baptisms 1832 (RG 15.2, copied by hand) Baptisms 1839-1871 (RG 15.3, original) Baptisms 1879-1893 (RG 15.4, copied by hand and photocopied) Baptisms 1877-1893 (RG 15.5, original, ff70-109 ‘copy of the oldest register, that from 10 Oct 1830 to 11 April 1839) Baptisms 1900, 1912 (RG 15.6, some, copied by hand) Baptisms 1914-1917 (RG 15.7, some, copied by hand) Baptisms 1893-1911 (RG 15.8, copied by hand) Baptisms 1917-1938 (RG 15.9, copied by hand) Baptisms April 1939 (RG 15.10, original, part of a book) Baptisms 1942-1957 (RG 15.17, photocopy, sealed from public) Marriages 1907-1964, 1965-1976, 1974, 1989 (RG 15.11, fragile) Deaths 1843-1913 (RG 15.12, originals, unbound)

NA CO 152/25 ff 114-115 Baptisms and Burials 1740-1745

76

Parish (Anglican except where noted)

V. L. Oliver’s survey 1913

E. C. Baker’s survey of registers held in individual parishes 1965

NHCS Archive survey 2008

Other

Other church records (RG 15.13 – 15.16)

St John Figtree

Births, Baptisms, Marriages, Burials? 1728-1825 (on display in church?) Baptisms 1826-1961 (4 volumes) Marriages 1826-1904, 1904 cont. Burials 1826-1908, 1908 cont’d St John and St George Vestry Minutes 1894-1938 (after 1923 St George only)

Births, Baptisms, Marriages, Burials 1729-1825 (RG 16.10, photocopy, pages out of order, some pages missing; located with St George Gingerland material)

NA CO 152/21 f 163: Baptisms and Burials 1733-1734

St Paul

Registers for 1812-1823 ‘in very brittle condition’

Baptisms 1824-1834 Baptisms 1835-1873 (leaves wanting) Baptisms 1874-1953, 1953 cont’d Marriages 1824-1842 Marriages 1843 continued

The following records were given by the church to the NHCS: Baptisms 1824-1835 (RG 13.19, original book, fair condition) Baptisms 1835-1873 (RG 13.3, photocopy of register. Also original but not for public use) Catalogued but not in St Paul’s folder: Baptisms 1874-1953 (RG 13.7) Marriages 1826-1842 (RG 13.1, original book, ends at p65, rest empty) Marriages 1843-1962 (RG 13.2)

NA CO 152/16 f 341: Baptisms and Burials 1726-1727

77

Parish (Anglican except where noted)

V. L. Oliver’s survey 1913

E. C. Baker’s survey of registers held in individual parishes 1965

NHCS Archive survey 2008

Other

Burials 1824-1837 Burials 1838-1840 p1-20 and 25-28 wanting, 1844 cont’d Burials 1844 cont’d Parish Books 1833-1842 (leaves wanting); Parish Books 1847-1863 Parish Books 1863-1869 Service Register 1936-1952 (2 vols )

Burials 1825-1837 (RG 13.20, original, very fragile) Burials 1837-1840/1 (RG 13.5) Burials 1838-1965 (RG 13.6, original big book, starts from 20 Feb 1844 and indexed as such. Pages after p92 are bound in the wrong order. Catalogued as 1844-1965.) Parish Books (vestry records) 1863-1869 (RG 13.8, catalogued but not in St Paul’s folder) Other Church records (RG 13.11 – 13.18)

78

Parish (Anglican except where noted)

V. L. Oliver’s survey 1913

E. C. Baker’s survey of registers held in individual parishes 1965

NHCS Archive survey 2008

Other

St Thomas Lowland

Fragmented vol. for 1740-1827. Transcript of register 1733-1734 printed in Caribbeana vol. 1 (from UK NA)

Baptisms 1827-1920 (2 vols) Baptisms 1920- Marriages 1828 continued Burials 1827-1957

The following records were given by the church to the NHCS: Baptisms 1827-1873 (RG 14.19, original, broken spine) Baptisms 1831-1833 (RG 14.1, computer-printout, actually goes to 1850s) Baptisms 1833-1838 (RG 14.2) Baptisms 1838-1845 (RG 14.3) Baptisms 1845-1852 (RG 14.4) Baptisms 1852-1858 (RG 14.5) Baptisms 1858-1863 (RG 14.6) Baptisms 1863-1868 (RG 14.7) Baptisms 1868-1871 (RG 14.8) Baptisms 1871-1873 (RG 14.9) Baptisms 1874-1920 (RG 14.10) Baptisms 1920-1972 (RG 14.16) Marriages 1828-1965 (RG 14.18, original, good condition) Burials 1827-1957 or 1954 (RG 14.11 ,

NA CO 152/21 f 163-164 Baptisms and Burials 1733-1734 A St Thomas Parish register existed pre-1827: George Juxon Huggins’s 1821 baptism was extracted in 1841. 22 Wm Coker’s marriage in June 1763 was copied by Thomas Worthington, Keeper of the Register, in ? (Gloucester RO, D1571/F835).

22 Bristol University Library Special Collections (BULSC), West Indies Catalogue 1 DM 41/15/16

79

Parish (Anglican except where noted)

V. L. Oliver’s survey 1913

E. C. Baker’s survey of registers held in individual parishes 1965

NHCS Archive survey 2008

Other

original, catalogued as 1827-1954) Other Church records (RG 14.12 – 14.15) Church Records 1838 St Thomas and St John’s (RG 20.3)

80

Parish (Anglican except where noted)

V. L. Oliver’s survey 1913

E. C. Baker’s survey of registers held in individual parishes 1965

NHCS Archive survey 2008

Other

Methodist

Baptismal Records 1825-1835 Baptismal Records 1835-1873 Baptismal Records 1850-1856

Baptismal Records 1825-1835 ((RG 17.2, transcribed) Baptismal Records 1835-1873 (RG 17.3) (transcribed, often wrong) Baptismal Records 1850-1856/1885 (RG 17.5, original, ‘not for public use’; photocopied, but only right-hand side) Baptisms 1874-1894 (RG 17.6, catalogued but not in the Methodist folder) Baptisms 1825-1894 (either a single volume or a number of volumes, disbound as single pages but repaired, in an archival box) Mount Lily 1850-1885 (RG 17.4) Other Church records (RG 17.7 – RG 17.11, including accounts and class books)

In the Methodist Church Office, Charlestown, Aug 2008: Baptisms, Charlestown 1883-1900 Baptisms, Charlestown 1884-1917 Baptisms, Charlestown 1900-1908 Baptisms, Charlestown 1918-1941 Baptisms, Charlestown 1941-1956 Baptisms, Charlestown 1956-1966 Baptisms, Charlestown and Jessups 1977-2008 Baptisms, Combermere (parish of St James) 1885-1949 Baptisms, Combermere and Fountain (possible dates 1950-1969, 1971-1974) Baptisms, Combermere and Fountain 1950-1974 Baptisms, Charlestown, Jessups, Combermere, Fountain 1966-1977 Baptisms, Combermere 1977-2008 (includes Fountain) Baptisms, Gingerland 1887-1906 Baptisms, Gingerland 1906-1918

81

Parish (Anglican except where noted)

V. L. Oliver’s survey 1913

E. C. Baker’s survey of registers held in individual parishes 1965

NHCS Archive survey 2008

Other

Baptisms, Gingerland 1918-1934 Baptisms, Gingerland 1934-1946 Baptisms, Gingerland 1946-1955 Baptisms, Gingerland 1955-1965 Baptisms, Gingerland 1965-1976 Baptisms, Gingerland 1976-to date Baptisms, Clifton (parish of St Thomas) 1884-2006 Marriages, Combermere and Clifton 1885-1966 Marriages, Jessups, Charlestown, Fountain and Combermere Marriages, St Paul’s 1886-1945 Marriages, Gingerland 1914-1957 Marriages, Gingerland 1958-to date Burials, Clifton 1887-1961

Compiled by Christine Eickelmann, October 2008

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Appendix 9 Common Deed Record Books – Inventory 2004-2008 Nevis Supreme Court Registry Vault 1707-1728 (very fragile, digitally recorded) 1728-1746 (very fragile, digitally recorded; hard copy in 6 volumes) 1741-1749 (very fragile, digitally recorded) 1750-1752 (very fragile, digitally recorded) 1752-1754 (very fragile, digitally recorded; previously noted as 1753-1754) 1753-1754 (see above; W A Pinney: Missing from Vault) 1754-1758 (very fragile, digitally recorded) 1757-1762 1763-1764 1764-1769 (W A Pinney: 1764-1767) 1767-1769 1769-1771 1771-1773 (very brittle) 1773-1774 1773-1775 1775-1776 1776-1777 1777-1778 (previously noted as 1776-1778) 1778-1783 1783-1785 1785-1787 1788-1789 (very brittle) 1789-1790 (no index) 1790-1792 (very brittle index, no index N-U) 1792-1794 (too fragile to handle) 1794-1797 1797-1799 1799-1801 1801-1803 1803-1805 (too fragile to handle) 1805-1808 1808-1810 1810-1814 1814-1817 1817-1819 (W A Pinney: Missing from vault. Found in 2004) 1819-1823 (in 2004 recorded as 1819-1823 vol. 2) 1823-1829 vol. 2 (re-numbered in 2004, previously noted as 1823-1828; ends p684, although further pages are indexed) 1825-1828 (not recorded in 2004) 1829-1830a 1829-1830b 1831-1835 (very brittle and incomplete index) 1835-1838 1838-1847 (added in 2004. W A Pinney: 1838-1840) (not recorded in 2004 and not on W A Pinney’s list: 1838-1905) (not recorded in 2004: 1840-1846) 1847-1858 1859-1866 1870-1879 (too fragile to handle) 1877-1899 (found in 2004, not recorded by W A Pinney) 1884-1956 (‘Entry Book of Deeds’, added in 2008)

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1900-1905 (not found in 2004 or in 2008, recorded by W A Pinney) Nevis Supreme Court Registry Office 1905-1912 (Book 15, added in 2008) 1911-1917 (Book 16, added in 2008) 1917-1922 (Book 17, added in 2008) 1922-1929 (Book 18, added in 2008) Current Book (2008) Book 68 Sources: Dr Michelle Terrell, William Austin Pinney, Christine Eickelmann and David Small 1998-2008. This list may be incomplete and requires checking. September 2008

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Appendix 10 EAP093 Survey Form

BRITISH LIBRARY EAP093

NEVIS: SURVEY OF RECORDS JULY/AUGUST 2008 Temp EAP Refs: Collection No: Series No: File/Container/Bundle No. Reference Accession No: Series Title: File/Container/Bundle Title: File/Container/Bundle No: Location: Office Vault Other Shelf No: L M R Floor Pile: Physical Description Volume: MSS: Other: Size: Damage/Decay (0 = None 1 = Mild 2 = Moderate 3 = Severe)

Rusting Fasteners: Yes / No

Mould None / Active / Inactive

Fading

Brittleness

Damp or Wetness

Stains or Water Damage

Insect Damage

Rodent Damage

Ink Damage

Tearing

Twisting/Wrinkling

Dirt/Dust/Debris

Damage to Spine

85

Damage to Covers

Pages Missing: Yes / No

Content

Record Creator:

Subject/Topic:

Date or Date Range:

No. of Pages:

Pages Missing: (Numbers)

Summary of Contents:

Assessment of Historical Importance and Potential Uses

Surveyed by: Sm/CEi