Despite the recruitment of West Indian, African and Portuguese and other European labourers, this did not help very much to ease the labour shortage. After the West Indian islands placed restrictions on emigration, the sugar planters in Guyana began to look further afield to obtain a large labour force. One of them, John Gladstone, the father of the British statesman, applied for permission from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to recruit Indians to serve in Guyana for a five-year period of indenture. Gladstone himself owned a sugar plantation in West Demerara.
Gladstone's proposed venture was supported by a number of other sugar planters whose estates were expected to obtain some of the Indians to be recruited. By this time Indians were being taken to Mauritius to work on the sugar plantations and were proving to be very productive. Gladstone's request was granted and he, Davidson, Barclay and Company, Andrew Colville, John and Henry Moss, all owners of sugar plantations in Guyana, made arrangements to recruit 414 Indians. Of these 150 were "hill coolies" from Chota Nagpur, and the remainder were from Burdwan and Bancoorah near to Calcutta. (The word "coolie", a corruption of the Tamil word "kuli", referred to a porter or labourer).
To transport these Indians, two ships, the Whitby and Hesperus were chartered. The Whitby sailed from Calcutta on the 13 January 1838 with 249 immigrants, and after a voyage of 112 days, arrived in Guyana on the 5 May. Five Indians died on the voyage. The ship immediately sailed to Berbice and 164 immigrants, who were recruited by Highbury and Waterloo plantations, disembarked. The ship then returned to Demerara and between 14-16 May the remaining 80 immigrants landed and were taken to Belle Vue Estate.
Of the total of 244 Indians who arrived on the Whitby, there were 233 men, 5 women and 6 children.
The Hesperus left Calcutta on the 29 January 1838 with 165 passengers and arrived in Guyana late on the night of the 5 May, by which time 13 had already died. The remaining 135 men, 6 women and 11 children were distributed between the 8-10 May to the plantations Vreedestein, Vreed-en-hoop and Anna Regina.
On their arrival, the male adult Indians agreed with the estate owners to a contract, part of which (for Belle Vue plantation), stated:
1. We engage to perform willingly and diligently our duty as labourers, with the usual time allowed us for rest and food; and should we be, at any time during the period hereinafter named, unable to perform our duty, from sickness or other inevitable cause, we hereby agree to relinquish all claim upon our master for wages during the time we are absent, provided we are found in food and clothing while so absent from work.
2. As . . . the natives shall not be a burden to the colony in the event of their leaving their employment, one rupee per month shall be retained from the pay of each individual till there shall be sufficient sum to provide a passage for each to Calcutta, and should no such contingency take place, the money shall be restored at the end of five years.
Only the adult male immigrants - not the women and children - were bound by this five-year contract of indenture. Based on the contract, they received the following rate of pay:
Davidson, Barclay and Company, owners of Higbury and Waterloo estates in Berbice paid (per month) superintendents 24 guilders, headmen 10.10 guilders, labourers (men) 7.10 guilders, and boys 6 guilders. The other estates (in Demerara) paid superintendents 16 rupees, headmen 7 rupees, labourers (men) 5 rupees, and boys 4 rupees.
At that period the value of a guilder was 17 British pence when a British pound was made up of 240 pence. The value of a rupee was about 28 British pence.
The hours of work varied from estate to estate, but generally the working period was from 6.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. with a two-hour rest period around midday.
On the estates, each immigrant received a weekly allowance of food. Some estates gave the following: 13 lbs. rice, 1½ lbs. dried fish, ¾ lb. onions and a small quantity of pepper and ghee (or butter). Other estates gave daily allowances of 28 ounces of rice, 4 ounces of dal (yellow split peas), 1 ounce of ghee or oil, half an ounce of salt, 2 ounces of dried fish, 2 ounces of tumeric or tamarind, and 1 ounce of onion and pepper.
The allowance generally included 2 blankets, a jacket, 2 dhotis, 1 cup, 1 wooden bowl and 1 cup (to be shared by four persons).
Within six months of their arrival, reports reached Britain that the Indians were adapting to their new living situation, but by January 1839 agents of the Anti-Slavery Society accused some planters in Demerara of ill-treatment, including whipping, and expressed concerns over the high death rate of the Indians. The Society, which kept a close watch on the plantations to ensure that slavery in another form was not re-introduced, claimed that because of bad treatment which included flogging and imprisonment, some Indians had run away from the plantations. It also reported that each indenture was paid an equivalent of less than a third of what they should be getting.
Shortly after, a three-man team led by the Secretary of the Anti-Slavery Society, John Scoble, visited Guyana to investigate the conditions under which the Indians worked and lived. After observing the conditions first hand they reported their concerns to the Governor, Sir Henry Light. In response to these charges, the Governor appointed a commission of inquiry and several African plantation labourers, who bravely gave evidence, supported the Society's accusations against the offending planters. The commission found that the Indians were indeed being ill-treated and the Governor ordered the prosecution of those who had brutalised them.
When news of the ill-treatment of the Indians reached India, the British authorities there immediately placed a ban on emigration to Guyana. The sugar planters in Guyana were very upset over this development since they were hoping that, if they continued to obtain a sizable labour force, they would be able to make fairly large profits.
Despite the bad treatment on some estates, other Indians, especially on the Berbice estates, were generally well treated.
Nevertheless, the death rate was relatively high. Of the 396 Indians who arrived in May 1838, 48 had died by January 1839. By the end of the indenture period in 1843, an additional 50 died. It was clear that the immigrants did not acclimatise well and fell sick very quickly.
At the end of 1843 when their period of indenture came to an end, 236 Indians (206 men, 12 women, 14 boys and 4 girls) departed for India in two ships, the Louisa Baillie and Water Ditch. Sixty others opted to remain in Guyana.
This document provides a list of all vessels (and voyage year) which brought Indentured Laborers under contract from India to British Guiana.
PAGE ONE ..
1 Jason 1865 2 Apelles 1865 - 1866 3 Copenhagen 1865 - 1866 4 Clarence 1865 - 1866 5 Janet Cowan 1866 6 Atalanta 1866 7 India 1866 - 1867 8 Clarence 1866 - 1867 9 Assaye 1866 - 1867 10 Canning 1866 - 1867 11 British Trident 1866 - 1867 12 Indus 1866 - 1867 13 Belvidfra 1866 - 1867 14 Tincelles 1866 - 1867 Lincelles
15 Racehorse 1866 - 1867 16 Oasis 1867 17 Orient 1867 - 1868 18 Harkaway 1867 - 1868 19 Ganges 1867 - 1868 20 Clarence 1867 - 1868 21 Trevelyan 1867 - 1868 22 Jason 1867 - 1868 23 Winchester 1868
PAGE TWO
24 Bengal 1868 - 1869 25 Walmer Castle 1868 - 1869 26 India 1868 - 1869 27 Ganges 1868 - 1869 28 Howrah 1868 - 1869 29 Himalaya 1868 - 1869 30 Trevelyan 1868 - 1869 31 Syria 1868 - 1869 32 Salamanea 1868 - 1869 33 Adamant 1868 - 1869 34 Adamant 1869 35 Shand 1869 36 St. Kilda 1869 37 Sir Robert Sale 1869 38 Michael Angels 1869 39 Arima 1869 - 1870 40 Ganges 1869 - 1870 41 Far East 1869 - 1870 42 Howrah 1869 - 1870 43 Arcot 1869 - 1870 44 S. Joaquim 1869 - 1870 45 Devonshire 1869 - 1870 46 Clive 1869 - 1870
PAGE THREE
47 Medea 1869 - 1870 48 Colombo 1869 - 1870 49 British Monarch 1869 - 1870 50 Shand 1869 - 1870 51 India 1869 - 1870 52 Ganges 1870 53 Wellesley 1870 54 Medea 1870 - 1871 55 Philosopher 1870 - 1871 56 Clive 1870 - 1871 57 Adamant 1871 58 Trevelyan 1871- 1872 59 Neva 1871- 1872 60 Adamant 1871- 1872 61 Poonah 1871- 1872 62 Medea 1871- 1872 63 St. Kilda 1871- 1872 64 Golden Fleece 1872 65 Gainsborough 1872 66 Neva 1872 67 Enmore 1872 68 Sankar 1872 Soukar
69 Kate Kellock 1872 - 1873
PAGE FOUR
70 Syria 1872 - 1873 71 Trevelyan 1872 - 1873 72 North 1872 - 1873 73A Gainsborough 1873 73A Ganges 1873 74 Rohilla 1873 75 Poonah 1873 76 SS Enmore 1873 - 1874 77 Clyde 1873 - 1874 78 Hereford 1873 - 1874 79 Sir Henry Rawrence 1873 - 1874 Sir Henry Lawrence
80 Pandora 1873 - 1874 81 Buckinghamshire 1873 - 1874 82 Aisla 1873 - 1874 83 Surrey 1873 - 1874 84 Mofussilite 1873 - 1874 85 Hyderbad 1873 - 1874 86 Neva 1873 - 1874 87 Sussex 1873 - 1874 88 Golden Fleece 1873 - 1874 89 Dinapore 1873 - 1874 90 India 1873 - 1874 91 Rohilla 1873 - 1874
PAGE FIVE
92 Atalanta 1874 - 1875 93 Clarence 1874 - 1875 94 Ailsa 1874 - 1875 95 Forfarshire 1874 - 1875 96 Rohilla 1874 - 1875 97 Artist 1874 - 1875 98 Dacca 1874 - 1875 99 Syria 1874 - 1875 100 Berkshire 1874 - 1875 101 Atalanta 1874 - 1875 102 Syria 1874 - 1875 103 Rohilla 1875 - 1876 104 King Arthur 1875 - 1876 105 Ailsa 1875 - 1876 106 Tinguist 1875 - 1876 Linguist
107 Botanist 1875 - 1876 108 Pandora 1875 - 1876 109 Rohilla 1876 - 1877 110 Artist 1876 - 1877 111 Neva 1876 - 1877 112 King Arthur 1876 - 1877 113 Tinguist 1876 - 1877 Linguist
PAGE SIX
114 Ailsa 1876 -1877 115 Jura 1876 -1877 116 Jura 1877 - 1878 117 Hesperides 1877 - 1878 118 Pandora 1877 - 1878 119 Boyne 1877 - 1878 120 Ailsa 1877 - 1878 121 King Arthur 1877 - 1878 122 Howrah 1877 - 1878 123 Naturalist 1877 - 1878 124 Sheila 1877 - 1878 125 Neva 1877 - 1878 126 Senator 1877 - 1878 127 Artist 1877 - 1878 128 Ballochmyle 1877 - 1878 129 Sussex 1877 - 1878 130 Philosopher 1877 - 1878 131 Pandora 1877 - 1878 132 Rohilla 1878 - 1879 133 Lightning 1878 - 1879 134 Silhet 1878 - 1879 135 Suffolk 1878 - 1879 136 Tassa 1878 - 1879
PAGE SEVEN
137 Howrah 1878 - 1879 138 Malabar 1878 - 1879 139 Newcastle 1878 - 1879 140 Poonah 1878 - 1879 141 Berar 1878 - 1879 142 Ellora 1878 - 1879 143 Plassey 1878 - 1879 144 North 1878 - 1879 145 Berar 1878 - 1879 146 Newcastle 1879 - 1880 147 Tassa 1879 - 1880 148 Howrah 1879 - 1880 149 Malabar 1879 - 1880 150 North 1879 - 1880 151 Plassey 1879 - 1880 152 Poonah 1879 - 1880 153 Ellora 1879 - 1880 154 Rohilla 1880 - 1881 155 Poonah 1880 - 1881 156 Plassey 1880 - 1881 157 Ellora 1880 - 1881 158 Berar 1880 - 1881
PAGE EIGHT
159 Lightning 1880 - 1881 160 Newcastle 1880 - 1881 161 Bengollyun 1880 - 1881 162 North 1880 - 1881 163 Ellora 1881 - 1882 164 Newcastle 1881 - 1882 165 Howrah 1881 - 1882 166 Plassey 1881 - 1882 167 North 1881 - 1882 168 Bayard 1881 - 1882 169 Berar 1882 - 1883 170 Plassey 1882 - 1883 171 Rohilla 1882 - 1883 172 Silhet 1882 - 1883 173 North 1882 - 1883 174 Ellora 1882 - 1883 175 Ganges 1883 - 1884 176 Bann 1883 - 1884 177 Foyle 1883 - 1884 178 British Peer 1883 - 1884 179 Bruce 1883 - 1884 180 Foyle 1884 - 1885
PAGE NINE
181 John Davie 1884 -1885 182 Newnham 1884 -1885 183 Bruce 1884 -1885 184 Jorawur 1884 -1885 185 Bann 1884 -1885 186 Boyne 1884 -1885 187 British Peer 1884 -1885 188 Grecian 1884 -1885 189 Allanshaw 1884 -1885 190 Foyle 1885 -1886 191 Jorawur 1885 -1886 192 Allanshaw 1885 -1886 193 Hereford 1885 -1886 194 Ganges 1885 -1886 195 Shannon 1885 -1886 196 Main 1885 -1886 197 Bayard 1885 -1886 198 Bann 1885 -1886 199 Hereford 1886 - 1887 200 Allanshaw 1886 - 1887 201 British Peer 1886 - 1887 202 Main 1886 - 1887
PAGE TEN
203 Foyle 1886 - 1887 204 Bruce 1886 - 1887 205 Avoca 1886 - 1887 206 Bruce 1887 - 1888 207 Allanshaw 1887 - 1888 208 Ganges 1887 - 1888 209 Rhine 1887 - 1888 210 Foyle 1887 - 1888 211 Allanshaw 1888 - 1889 212 Foyle 1888 - 1889 213 Main 1888 - 1889 214 Sheila 1888 - 1889 215 Volga 1888 - 1889 216 Brenda 1889 - 1890 217 Sheila 1889 - 1890 218 Foyle 1889 - 1890 219 The Bruce 1889 - 1890 220 Allanshaw 1889 - 1890 221 Rhine 1889 - 1890 222 Brenda 1889 - 1890 223 Brenda 1890 224 Avoca 1890 - 1891 225 Sheila 1890 - 1891
PAGE ELEVEN
226 Bann 1890 - 1891 227 Elbe 1890 - 1891 228 Rhone 1890 - 1891 229 Main 1890 - 1891 230 Jura 1890 - 1891 231 Foyle 1890 - 1891 232 Grecian 1891 - 1892 233 Sheila 1891 - 1892 234 Jura 1891 - 1892 235 Elbe 1891 - 1892 236 Ganges 1891 - 1892 237 Bann 1891 - 1892 238 Brenda 1891 - 1892 239 Allanshaw 1891 - 1892 240 Foyle 1891 - 1892 241 Grecian 1892 - 1893 242 Main 1892 - 1893 243 Volga 1892 - 1893 244 Jura 1892 - 1893 245 Brenda 1892 - 1893 246 Elbe 1892 - 1893 247 Avon 1892 - 1893 248 Sheila 1892 - 1893
PAGE TWELVE
249 Sheila 1893 - 1894 250 Avon 1893 - 1894 251 Elbe 1893 - 1894 252 Brenda 1893 - 1894 253 Jura 1893 - 1894 254 Ganges 1893 - 1894 255 Main 1893 - 1894 256 Avoca 1893 - 1894 257 Bann 1893 - 1894 258 Lena 1893 - 1894 259 Lena 1894 - 1895 260 Brenda 1894 - 1895 261 Grecian 1894 - 1895 262 Avoca 1894 - 1895 263 Bann 1894 - 1895 264 Mercey 1894 - 1895 265 Jura 1894 - 1895 266 Rhine 1894 - 1895 267 Avon 1894 - 1895 268 Sheila 1894 - 1895 269 Elbe 1894 - 1895 270 Jura 1895 - 1896 271 Lena 1895 -1896
PAGE THIRTEEN
272 Ems 1895 -1896 273 Lena 1896 - 1897 274 Brenda 1896 - 1897 275 Ems 1896 - 1897 276 Lena 1896 -1897 277 Sheila 1896 -1897 278 Jura 1897 - 1898 279 Mercey 1898 280 Brenda 1898 281 Jura 1898 - 1899 282 Lena 1899 - 1900 283 Avon 1899 - 1900 284 Erne 1899 - 1900 285 Forth 1899 - 1900 286 Mercey 1899 - 1900 287 Moy 1899 - 1900 288 Clyde 1899 - 1900 289 Forth 1899 - 1900 290 Ems 1900 291 Main 1900 292 Lena 1900 - 1901 293 Forth 1900 - 1901 294 Mercey 1900 - 1901
PAGE FOURTEEN
295 Elbe 1900 - 1901 296 Forth 1901 - 1902 297 Ems 1901 - 1902 298 SS Fazilka 1901 - 1902 299 Rhone 1901 - 1902 300 Main 1901 - 1902 301 Warda 1901 - 1902 302A Arno 1902 - 1903 302B Moy 1902 - 1903 303 Forth 1902 - 1903 304 Moy 1903 - 1904 305 Elbe 1903 - 1904 306 Mercey 1903 - 1904 307 Erne 1903 - 1904 308 Clyde 1903 - 1904 309 Mercey 1903 - 1904 310 Moy 1904 - 1905 311 Lena 1904 - 1905 312 Clyde 1904 - 1905 313 Elbe 1905 -1906 314 Forth 1905 -1906 315 Arno 1905 -1906 316 Rhone 1905 -1906 317 Clyde 1905 -1906
PAGE FIFTEEN
318 Ganges 1906 -1907 319 Erne 1906 -1907 320 Forth 1906 -1907 321 Mercey 1906 -1907 322 Ems 1907 -1908 323 Mercey 1907 -1908 324 SS Ganges 1907 -1908 325 Mutlah 1908 - 1909 326 Ganges 1908 - 1909 327 Sutlej 1908 - 1909 328 Ems 1908 - 1909 329 Sutlej 1909 330 Ganges 1909 - 1910 331 SS Indus 1909 - 1910 332 Sutlej 1910 - 1911 333 Sutlej 1910 - 1911 2nd Voyage 334A Indus 1910 - 1911 334B SS Ganges 1911 335 SS Chenab 1911 - 1912 336 SS Chenab 1911 - 1912 2nd Voyage 337 SS Indus 1911 - 1912 338 SS Indus 1911 - 1912 2nd Voyage 339 SS Indus 1911 - 1912 3rd Voyage 340 SS Sutlej 1911 - 1912
PAGE SIXTEEN
341 SS Sutlej 1912 -1913 342 SS Sutlej 1912 -1913 343 Chenab 1912 -1913 344 Mutlah 1912 -1913 345 Indus 1913 346 Indus 1913 Second Voyage Records Missing 347 SS Mutlah 1913 - 1914 348 Dewa 1913 - 1914 349 Dewa 1915 350 Sutlej 1914 - 1915 351 SS Chenab 1914 - 1915 352 SS Chenab 1915 - 1916 353 SS Dewa 1915 - 1916 354 Ganges 1915 - 1916 355 Sutlej 1915 - 1916 356 Mutlah 1916 - 1917 357 Chenab 1916 - 1917 358 Ganges 1916 - 1917
I was looking for a map of Br. Guiana circa 1951 and found this web site:
Guyana
1616 - 27 Feb 1781;
1784 - 22 Apr 1796;
27 Mar 1802 - 20 Sep 1803
27 Feb 1781 - Feb 1782;
1796 - 27 Mar 1802;20 Sep 1803 - 1875
1875 - 1906
1906 - 8 Dec 1954
8 Dec 1954 - 26 May 1966
Adopted 26 May 1966
Map of Guyana
Hear National Anthem
"Dear Land of Guyana,
of Rivers and Plains"
Text of National Anthem
Adopted 1966
Constitution
(6 Oct 1980)
Capital: Georgetown
(Stabroek 1784 - 5 May 1812)
Currency: Guyanese Dollar
(GYD)
National Holiday: 23 Feb (1970)
Republic Day Population: 770,794 (2008) GDP: $3.01 billion (2008)
Exports: $736 million (2008)
Imports: $1.62 billion (2008) Ethnic groups: East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%, Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (2002)
Total Active Armed Forces: 1,100 (2006)
Merchant marine: 8 ships (2008)
Religions: Hindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%,
other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002) International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, ACS, ACTO, AOSIS, APM, BTWC (signatory), C, Caricom, CDB, CTBT, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISA, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, KP, LAES, MIGA, NAM, NPT, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Guyana Index <p>Chronology</p> <p> </p>
1499 Discovered by Alonzo de Ojeda and Amerigo
Vespucci.
1595 Explored by English under Sir Walter Raleigh.
1598 First known Dutch expedition to coast of Guyana
by Capt. A. Cabeliau.
1620 - 1620 English settlement at Oyapock.
1616 Dutch settlement of Essequibo.
1657 Dutch settlement at Pomeroon.
1666 Dutch settlement at Berbice.
1750 Dutch settlement of Demerara (subordinate
to Essequibo).
27 Feb 1781 - Feb 1782 British occupation of Demerara, Essequibo, and
Berbice (subordinated to Barbados).
Feb 1782 - 1784 French occupation.
1784 Restored to Netherlands.
22 Apr 1796 - 27 Mar 1802 British occupation
27 Mar 1802 Restored to Batavian Republic (Netherlands).
20 Sep 1803 - 13 Aug 1814 British occupation.
13 Aug 1814 British colonies of Berbice and
Demerara-Essequibo.
20 Nov 1815 Officially ceded to Britain by the Netherlands.
21 Jul 1831 Demerara-Essequibo, and Berbice united as
British Guiana.
26 Aug 1961 Self-rule achieved.
26 May 1966 Independence from Britain (Guyana).
23 Feb 1970 Republic of Guyana (in occasional official, but
not constitutional, use: Co-operative Republic
of Guyana).
6 Oct 1980 Co-operative Republic of Guyana
<p>Guyana</p> <p>(from 1831)</p> Oyapock (1620) Berbice (1666-1831) <p>Demerara-</p> Essequibo (1624-1831) Pomeroon (1657-1689)
Oyapock
1620 - 1620 English settlement at Oyapock (on Wiapica River in Guyana).
Governor
1620 Roger North (b. 1585 - d. 1652)
Berbice
1666 Dutch settlement of Berbice.
15 Nov 1712 Briefly occupied by French under Baron de Mouans.
Apr 1781 - Feb 1782 British occupation of Berbice
(subordinated to Barbados).
Feb 1782 - 20 Feb 1784 French occupation of Berbice.
20 Feb 1784 Restored to Netherlands.
22 Apr 1796 British occupation.
27 Mar 1802 Restored to Battalion Republic (Netherlands).
20 Sep 1803 British occupation.
13 Aug 1814 Berbice a British colony.
20 Nov 1815 Formally ceded to Britain by the Netherlands.
21 Jul 1831 United with Demerara-Essequibo as British Guiana.
Commanders
1666 - 1671 Matthijs Bergenaar
1671 - 1683 Cornelis Marinus
1683 - 1684 Gideon Bourse
1684 - 1687 Lucas Coudrie
1687 - 1712 Matthijs de Feer 1712 - 1714 Steven de Waterman
1714 - 1733 Anthony Tierens
Governors
22 Apr 1733 - 6 Apr 1740 Bernhard Waterham
6 Apr 1740 - 2 May 1749 Jan Andries Lossner
7 May 1749 - 1755 Jan Frederik Colier
5 Dec 1755 - 21 Sep 1759 Hendrik Jan van Rijswick (d. 1759)
4 Apr 1760 - 1764 Wolfert Simon van Hoogenheim (b. c.1730 - d. ....)
6 Sep 1764 - 23 Nov 1767 Johannes Heijlinger, Jr.
7 Apr 1768 - 2 Jul 1773 Stephen Hendrik de la Sabloniere (b. 1714 - d. 1773)
16 Nov 1773 - 4 Jul 1774 Johan Christoffel de Winter (d. 1774)
15 Dec 1774 - 1 Dec 1777 Isaac Kaecks (d. 1777)
19 Jun 1778 - 27 Feb 1781 Peter Hendrik Koppiers (1st time)
27 Feb 1781 - Feb 1782 Robert Kingston
9 Feb 1782 - 15 Jul 1782 Armand Guy Simon de Coëtnempren, (b. 1742 - d. 1793)
comte de Kersaint (1st time)
15 Jul 1782 - 15 Sep 1782 Louis Antoine Dazemard de Lusignan, (b. 1726 - d. 1782)
marquis de Lusignan
15 Sep 1782 - 1783 Armand Guy Simon de Coëtnempren, (s.a.)
comte de Kersaint (2nd time)
20 Jan 1783 - 20 Feb 1784 Georges Manganon de la Perrière (d. 1789)
20 Feb 1784 - 23 Sep 1789 Peter Hendrik Koppiers (2nd time)
23 Sep 1789 - 27 Mar 1802 Abraham Jacob van Imbijze van (b. 1753 - d. 1806)
Batenburg (1st time)
(acting to 28 Feb 1794)
27 Mar 1802 - 20 Sep 1803 Provisional government
- J.C.W. Herlin
- G. Kobus
(acting)
20 Sep 1803 - Oct 1803 Greenfield
1 Oct 1803 - Jun 1804 Robert Nicholson (acting) (d. 1814)
25 Jun 1804 - Dec 1806 Abraham Jacob van Imbijze van (s.a.)
Batenburg (2nd time)
Lieutenant governors
Dec 1806 - Sep 1807 Robert Nicholson (acting) (s.a.)
Sep 1807 - Mar 1809 James Montgomery
Mar 1809 - Jan 1810 William Woodley (d. 1810)
Jan 1810 - Dec 1810 Samuel Dalrymple (acting) (b. 1760 - d. 1832)
Dec 1810 - Jun 1812 Robert Gordon (1st time)
Jun 1812 - Feb 1813 John Murray (1st time)(acting)
Feb 1813 - 13 Dec 1813 Robert Gordon (2nd time)
13 Dec 1813 - Jan 1814 Grant (2nd time)(acting)
Jan 1814 - Nov 1820 Henry William Bentinck (b. 1765 - d. 1820)
Nov 1820 - Jan 1821 Thistlewayte (acting)
Jan 1821 - Mar 1821 Sir John Cameron (acting) (b. 1773 - d. 1844)
Mar 1821 - Mar 1825 Henry Beard (1st time)
Mar 1825 - Jul 1826
Sir Benjamin D'Urban (acting) (b. 1777 - d. 1849)
Jul 1826 - 21 Jul 1831 Henry Beard (2nd time)
Demerara-Essequibo
1616 Dutch settlement of Essequibo.
1665 - 1666 Brief English occupation.
1750 Dutch settlement of Demerara (subordinate to Essequibo).
3 Mar 1781 - 9 Feb 1782 British occupation of Demerara and Essequibo
(subordinated to Barbados).
9 Feb 1782 - 6 Mar 1784 French occupation of Demerara-Essequibo (subordinate Berbice).
6 Mar 1784 Restored to Netherlands (Essequibo subordinated to Demerara).
22 Apr 1796 - 27 Mar 1802 British occupation of Deemerara-Essequibo.
27 Mar 1802 Restored to Batavian Republic (Netherlands).
20 Sep 1803 British occupy Demerara-Essequibo.
13 Aug 1814 Demerara-Essequibo a British colony.
20 Nov 1815 Formally ceded to Britain by the Netherlands.
21 Jul 1831 United with Berbice as British Guiana.
Governors of Essequibo
1616 - 1624 Adriaen Groenewegen
1624 - 1627 Jacob Conijn
1627 - 1638 Jan van der Goes
1638 - 1641 Cornelis Pieterszoon Hose
1641 - 1644 Adriaen van der Woestijne
1644 - 16.. Andriaen Janszoon
1657 - 19 Aug 1664 Aert "Amos" Adriaenssen
(b. 1581 - d. 1664)
Groenewegen
1665 - 1666 John Scott
1666 Abraham Crijnssen
(d. 1669)
1666 Adriaen Groenewegen, Jr.
1667 - 1670 Baerland
17 Jul 1670 - 31 Mar 1676 Hendrik Rol (Roll) (d. 1676)
31 Mar 1676 - 1678 Jacob Hars
25 Jul 1678 - 30 Oct 1690 Abraham Beekman
1690 J.P. de Jonge
9 Dec 1690 - 10 Dec 1707 Samuel Beekman (d. 1707)
10 Dec 1707 - 24 Jul 1719 Peter van der Heyden Resen
24 Jul 1719 - 12 Oct 1729 Laurens de Heere (d. 1729)
12 Oct 1729 - Apr 1742 Hermanus Gelskerke (d. 1742)
Apr 1742 - 15 Aug 1750 Laurens Storm van 's Gravesande (d. 1775)
(acting to 13 Apr 1743)
Directors-general
15 Aug 1750 - 2 Nov 1772 Laurens Storm van 's Gravesande (s.a.)
2 Nov 1772 - Mar 1781 George Hendrik Trotz (d. 1804)
Commanders of Demerara
15 Aug 1750 - 1761 Jonathan Samuel Storm van 's (d. 1761)
Gravesende
1761 - 12 May 1764 Laurens Lodewijk van Bergeijk (d. 1764)
19 Aug 1765 - 24 Dec 1770 Jan Cornelis van den Heuvel (b. 1742 - d. 1826)
1 Jul 1772 - Mar 1781 Paulus van Schuylenburgh
Governor of Essequibo
3 Mar 1781 - 1782 Robert Nicholson (d. 1814)
Governor of Demerara
3 Mar 1781 - 1782 Robert Kingston
Governors
9 Feb 1782 - 15 Jul 1782 Armand Guy Simon de Coëtnempren, (b. 1742 - d. 1793)
comte de Kersaint (1st time)
15 Jul 1782 - 15 Sep 1782 Louis Antoine Dazemard de Lusignan, (b. 1726 - d. 1782)
marquis de Lusignan
15 Sep 1782 - 1783 Armand Guy Simon de Coëtnempren, (s.a.)
comte de Kersaint (2nd time)
20 Jan 1783 - Mar 1784 Georges Manganon de la Perrière (d. 1789)
Directors-general
7 Mar 1784 - Feb 1785 Joseph Bourda (acting) (d. 1798)
Feb 1785 - 18 Aug 1789 Jan L'Éspinasse
18 Aug 1789 - 31 Mar 1793 Albertus Backer (d. 1816)
31 Mar 1793 - 6 May 1795 Johan Willem August van Sirtema, (b. 1764 - d. 1833)
baron van Grovestins
6 May 1795 - 29 Jun 1795 Provisional government
- ....
- ....
(acting)
29 Jun 1795 - 22 Apr 1796 Antony Beaujon (interim) (b. c.1763 - d. 1805)
Commanders of Essequibo
Feb 1784 - Oct 1784 Albert Siraut des Touches (acting)
7 Oct 1784 - 1787 Johannes Cornelis Bert (b. 1757 - d. 1800)
1787 - 18 Aug 1789 Albertus Backer (1st time) (s.a.)
18 Aug 1789 - Apr 1791 Gustaaf Eduard Meijerhelm (interim)
Apr 1791 - 31 Mar 1793 Matthijs Thierens (interim)
31 Mar 1793 - 22 Apr 1796 Albertus Backer (2nd time) (s.a.)
Governor of Essequibo
22 Apr 1796 - 27 Mar 1802 Abraham Jacob van Imbijze van (b. 1753 - d. 1806)
Batenburg
Commander of Demerara
22 Apr 1796 - 27 Mar 1802 Antony Beaujon (s.a.)
Director-general
27 Mar 1802 - 20 Sep 1803 Antony Meertens (b. 1753 - d. 1815)
Commander of Essequibo
27 Mar 1802 - 20 Sep 1803 George Hendrik Trotz (s.a.)
Lieutenant governors
Sep 1803 - 18 Aug 1804 Robert Nicholson (1st time) (s.a.)
18 Aug 1804 - 19 Oct 1805 Antony Beaujon (s.a.)
19 Oct 1805 - 8 May 1806 James Montgomery (1st time)(acting)
8 May 1806 - 9 Mar 1807 Henry William Bentinck (1st time) (b. 1765 - d. 1820)
9 May 1807 - 19 Sep 1807 James Montgomery (2nd time)(acting)
19 Sep 1807 - 25 Jun 1808 Robert Nicholson (2nd time)(acting) (s.a.)
25 Jun 1808 - 8 Apr 1809 Andrew Ross (acting) (d. 1816)
8 Apr 1809 - 20 May 1809 Samuel Dalrymple (acting) (b. 1760 - d. 1832)
20 May 1809 - Feb 1812 Henry William Bentinck (2nd time) (s.a.)
Feb 1812 - 12 May 1813 Hugh Lyle Carmichael (acting) (b. 1764 - d. 1813)
12 May 1813 - 17 May 1813 Edward Codd (1st time)(acting)
17 May 1813 - 28 Aug 1813 John Murray (1st time)(acting)
28 Aug 1813 - 18 Dec 1813 Edward Codd (2nd time)(acting)
18 Dec 1813 - 26 Jul 1815 John Murray (2nd time)
26 Jul 1815 - 3 Oct 1815 Edward Codd (3rd time)(acting)
3 Oct 1815 - 26 Apr 1824 John Murray (3rd time) 26 Apr 1824 - 21 Jul 1831 Sir Benjamin D'Urban (b. 1777 - d. 1849) Pomeroon
Aug 1658 Pomeroon settlement; subordinated to Essequibo.
1666 - 1667 English occupation
1689 Incorporated into Essequibo.
Commanders
1658 - 1661 Cornelis Goliat (d. 1661)
1661 - 1666 François de Fijne
1666 - 1667 John Scott 1667 - 1670 Sael
1670 - 1676 Hendrik Rol (Roll) (d. 1676)
1676 - 1678 Jacob Hars
1678 - 1686 Abraham Beekman
5 Apr 1686 - Apr 1689 Jacob Pieterszoon de Jonge
Guyana
21 Jul 1831 Colonies of Demerara-Essequibo and Berbice
united as British Guiana.
26 Aug 1961 Self-rule.
26 May 1966 Independence from Britain (Guyana).
23 Feb 1970 Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
Governors
21 Jul 1831 - 26 Jun 1833 Sir Benjamin D'Urban (b. 1777 - d. 1849)
26 Jun 1833 - 4 Mar 1838 Sir James Carmichael Smyth (b. 1779 - d. 1838)
7 Mar 1838 - 9 Mar 1838 W.N. Orange (acting)
9 Mar 1838 - 28 Jun 1838
Thomas Bunbury (acting) (b. 1783 - d. 1857)
28 Jun 1838 - 19 May 1848 Henry Light (b. 1783 - d. 1870)
19 May 1848 - 12 Feb 1849 William Walker (1st time) (acting)
12 Feb 1849 - 11 May 1853 Henry Barkly (b. 1815 - d. 1898)
11 May 1853 - 23 May 1854 William Walker (2nd time) (acting)
23 May 1854 - 7 Jan 1862 Philip Edmond Wodehouse (b. 1811 - d. 1887)
7 Jan 1862 - 25 Jan 1869 Francis Hincks (b. 1807 - d. 1885)
25 Jan 1869 - 26 Dec 1873 Sir John Scott (b. 1814 - d. 1898)
27 Dec 1873 - 10 Mar 1874 E.E. Rushworth (acting)
10 Mar 1874 - 8 Mar 1877 James Robert Longden (b. 1827 - d. 1891)
(from 18 Mar 1876, Sir James Robert Longden)
8 Mar 1877 - 3 Aug 1877 William A.G. Young (1st time)
(acting)
3 Aug 1877 - 13 Dec 1881 Cornelius Hendricksen Kortright (b. 1817 - d. 1899)
13 Dec 1881 - 4 May 1882 William A.G. Young (2nd time)
(acting)
4 May 1882 - 1887 Sir Henry Turner Irving (b. 1833 - d. 1923)
26 Apr 1884 - 1884 W.F. Haynes-Smith (acting for Irving)
1887 - 1888 Charles Bruce (1st time) (acting) (b. 1836 - d. 1920)
1888 - 23 Mar 1893 Jenico William Joseph Preston,
Viscount Gormanston (b. 1837 - d. 1907)
Apr 1891 - 15 Oct 1891 Sir Charles Bruce (2nd time) (s.a.)
(acting for Gormanston)
23 Mar 1893 - 5 Jul 1893 Sir Charles Bruce (3rd time) (s.a.)
(acting)
5 Jul 1893 - Sep 1895 Sir Charles Cameron Lees (b. 1831 - d. 1898)
15 Dec 1894 - 29 Jan 1895 Cavendish Boyle (1st time) (b. 1849 - d. 1916)
(acting for Lees)
Sep 1895 - Mar 1896 Cavendish Boyle (acting)(2nd time) (s.a.)
Mar 1896 - 27 Mar 1898 Sir Augustus William Lawson Hemming (b. 1842 - d. 1907)
1 Oct 1896 - 18 Nov 1896 Cavendish Boyle (3rd time) (s.a.)
(acting for Hemming)
27 May 1897 - 28 Jul 1897 Cavendish Boyle (4th time) (s.a.)
(acting for Hemming)
27 Mar 1898 - 25 Dec 1901 Sir Walter Joseph Sendall (b. 1832 - d. 1904)
25 Dec 1901 - 26 Sep 1904 Sir James Alexander Swettenham (b. 1846 - d. 1933)
26 Sep 1904 - 5 Jul 1912 Sir Frederick Mitchell Hodgson (b. 1851 - d. 1925)
5 Jul 1912 - 15 Apr 1917 Sir Walter Egerton (b. 1858 - d. 1947)
15 Apr 1917 - 4 Apr 1923 Sir Wilfred Collet (b. 1856 - d. 1929)
4 Apr 1923 - 31 Aug 1925 Sir Graeme Thomson (b. 1875 - d. 1933)
31 Aug 1925 - 7 Nov 1928 Sir Cecil Hunter-Rodwell (b. 1874 - d. 1953)
7 Nov 1928 - 9 Jun 1930 Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg (b. 1869 - d. 1930)
9 Jun 1930 - 26 Mar 1935 Sir Edward Brandis Denham (b. 1876 - d. 1938)
26 Mar 1935 - 1937 Sir Geoffrey Alexander Stafford (b. 1881 - d. 1948)
Northcote (acting from 1936)
1937 - 19 Nov 1937 .... (acting)
19 Nov 1937 - 7 Nov 1941 Sir Wilfrid Edward Francis Jackson (b. 1883 - d. 1971)
7 Nov 1941 - 1946 Sir Gordon James Lethem (b. 1886 - d. 1962)
1946 - 12 Apr 1947 William Leslie Heape (acting) (b. 1896 - d. 1972)
12 Apr 1947 - 14 Apr 1953 Sir Charles Campbell Woolley (b. 1893 - d. 1981)
14 Apr 1953 - 25 Oct 1955 Sir Alfred William Lungley Savage (b. 1903 - d. 1980)
25 Oct 1955 - 22 Dec 1958 Sir Patrick Muir Renison (b. 1911 - d. 1965)
22 Dec 1958 - 7 Mar 1964 Sir Ralph Francis Alnwick Grey (b. 1910 - d. 1999)
7 Mar 1964 - 26 May 1966 Sir Richard Edmonds Luyt (b. 1915 - d. 1994)
Queen¹
26 May 1966 - 23 Feb 1970 the Queen of the United Kingdom
Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state)
26 May 1966 - 31 Oct 1966 Sir Richard Edmonds Luyt (s.a.)
1 Nov 1966 - 16 Dec 1966 Sir Kenneth Sievewright Stoby (b. 1903)
(acting)
16 Dec 1966 - 10 Nov 1969 Sir David James Gardiner Rose (b. 1923 - d. 1969)
10 Nov 1969 - 22 Feb 1970 Edward Victor Luckhoo (acting) (b. 1912 - d. 1998)
(from 1 Jan 1970, Sir Edward Victor Luckhoo)
Presidents
23 Feb 1970 - 17 Mar 1970 Sir Edward Victor Luckhoo (acting) (s.a.) Non-party
17 Mar 1970 - 6 Oct 1980 Raymond Arthur Chung (b. 1918 - d. 2008) Non-party
6 Oct 1980 - 6 Aug 1985 Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham (b. 1923 - d. 1985) PNC/R
6 Aug 1985 - 9 Oct 1992 Hugh Desmond Hoyte (b. 1929 - d. 2002) PNC/R
9 Oct 1992 - 6 Mar 1997 Cheddi Berret(sic) Jagan (b. 1918 - d. 1997) PPP/C
6 Mar 1997 - 19 Dec 1997 Samuel "Sam" Archibald (b. 1943) PPP/C
Anthony Hinds
19 Dec 1997 - 11 Aug 1999 Janet Rosenberg Jagan (f) (b. 1920 - d. 2009) PPP/C
11 Aug 1999 - 3 Dec 2011
Bharrat Jagdeo (b. 1964) PPP/C
3 Dec 2011 - Donald Ramotar (b. 1950) PPP/C
Chief minister
30 May 1953 - 9 Oct 1953 Cheddi Berret Jagan (s.a.) PPP/C
9 Oct 1953 - 5 Sep 1961 Vacant
Premiers
5 Sep 1961 - 12 Dec 1964 Cheddi Berret Jagan (s.a.) PPP/C
12 Dec 1964 - 26 May 1966 Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham (s.a.) PNC/R
Prime ministers
26 May 1966 - 6 Oct 1980 Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham (s.a.) PNC/R
6 Oct 1980 - 16 Aug 1984 Ptolemy Alexander Reid (b. 1918 - d. 2003) PNC/R
16 Aug 1984 - 6 Aug 1985 Hugh Desmond Hoyte (s.a.) PNC/R
6 Aug 1985 - 9 Oct 1992 Hamilton Green (b. 1934) PNC/R
9 Oct 1992 - 17 Mar 1997 Samuel "Sam" Archibald (s.a.) PPP/C
Anthony Hinds (1st time)
17 Mar 1997 - 22 Dec 1997 Janet Rosenberg Jagan (f) (s.a.) PPP/C
22 Dec 1997 - 9 Aug 1999 Samuel "Sam" Archibald (s.a.) PPP/C
Anthony Hinds (2nd time)
9 Aug 1999 - 11 Aug 1999 Bharrat Jagdeo (s.a.) PPP/C
11 Aug 1999 - Samuel "Sam" Archibald (s.a.) PPP/C
Anthony Hinds (3rd time)
¹
Full style:
(a) 26 May 1966 - 18 Jun 1966: "By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith
";
(b) 18 Jun 1966 - 23 Feb 1970: "By the Grace of God, Queen of Guyana and of Her other Realms
and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth."
Territorial Disputes: Aall of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters.
Party abbreviations: PNC/R = People's National Congress/Reform (socialist, populist, African-Guynanese); PPP/C = People's Progressive Party/Civic (socialist, Indian-Guyanese)
©2000 Ben Cahoon
