26 March 2014

 A forgotten diaspora: the children of enslaved, and ‘free coloured’, women and Highland Scotsmen in Guyana before emancipation

Talk by David Alston

Ross House, Dornoch

Organised by Kirsty Reid, UHI Centre for History. Further details on venue and times from kirsty.reid@uhi.ac.uk

Description:

In this seminar I will consider the particular importance to the Highlands of the colonies of Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice (today the Republic of Guyana) on the north coast of South America. At the end of the eighteenth century they were the most undeveloped colonies in the region, on the margins of empire, populated not only by enslaved Africans, and their descendants, but by mobile ‘free coloured’ people, and transient European speculators and adventurers, who were willing to take greater risks than in longer established colonies. Sexual abuse of enslaved women, and of enslaved female children, by owners, managers and overseers, was endemic but there were, too, some relatively stable and enduring relationships between Highland Scots and enslaved women. There were also relationships with ‘free coloured’ women, many of them individuals who showed a high degree of self reliance and ingenuity in advancing their own interest and that of their children. A number of the children, of both enslaved and ‘free coloured’ women, were sent to the Highlands for education. I will present a number of case studies of these relationships and explore the fate of these children.

26 March 2014

The Monster Canal – a journey along the Caledonian Canal investigating its wildlife and history with Stephen Wiseman from the Scottish Waterways Trust.  

 WEA Lunchtime talk. Perrins Centre, Alness, 12:30-1:30. Minimum donation £2. No need to book. Further information from WEA office 01463 710577; inverness@weascotland.org.uk

Description:

Over the past couple of years over 5000 people have been involved in simple activities such as canal walks and boat trips, to helping out by carrying out research and planting trees or perhaps learning new skills such as identifying bird song or navigation. Come along and find out more!