The microfilm of the Senhouse Papers consists, primarily, of the records of Joseph Senhouse together with a 363 page memoir entitled, Recollections of William Senhouse. The Joseph Senhouse papers contain memoirs; letterbooks; several waste books and account books; observations; maps; leases; plantation estimates and a memorandum book; as well as a record of his experiences as a customs officer. General topics and subjects covered in the Papers include agriculture, slavery, race, Black history, geography, natural history, weather, ships, shipping, commerce, and trade. Unfortunately, Volume 1 of the Joseph Senhouse memoirs is missing. Plantation and slave records make up a substantial portion of the Papers. Other topics of interest in the Joseph Senhouse memoirs include the discussion of privateering activity and the notes in "Observations of Barbados" on "An unsolved Barbados mystery" concerning a purported poltergeist. The Recollections of William Senhouse, record his activities and travels as a customs officer and as a planter. He describes his difficulties with bad crops, drought, insects, and in particular, records a vivid description of a hurricane in 1780 that killed over two thousand slaves, thousands of horses and cattle and caused damage amounting to over one million pounds sterling on the island of Barbados. The Senhouse Papers are valuable for the fascinating glimpse they provide into the life and society of the West Indies, before, during, and immediately following the American Revolution. NOTE: An index card created by the Cumbria Council Archives Department is filmed at the beginning of each document section. Arrangement: REEL 1 1. Account book of private trade shipped on a voyage of the Earl of Middlesex to the East Indies, 1766-8 2. Book containing estimates and other memoranda concerning Joseph Senhouse's plantations in Tobago and the Ellenborough Estate, 1772, coast guard vessels in the West Indies; duties collected at Roseau, Dominica; accounts for the sloop Polly; plantation operations; crops (cacao, cotton, sugar); expenses surrounding enslaved people; etc., 1768-74 3. Joseph Senhouse's summary account book for Dominica, 1771-3 4. Lease for 40 years of 10 acres of land in St. David's parish, Dominica to Bartholomew Rosseau, 18 May 1772; also two related letters 5. Memoirs of Dominica by Joseph Senhouse, includes discussions of natural history, colonialism, military, climate, diplomacy, agriculture, geography, and government.Appendix titled "Of the Cultivation and Manufacture of Indigo."(see transcription under Electronic Finding Aids) 6. Joseph Senhouse's account book relating to the West Indies and Cumberland transaction, 1772-3. Includes cash accounts, duties accounts, stock accounts, incidentals, expenses, bills of exchange, accounts of William Senhouse, the Ellenborough Estate, Bartholomew Rosseau and the sloop Polly, profits and losses, officers, various individual accounts 7. Joseph Senhouse's letters and general memorandum book for Dominica and Barbados, 1772-7. Copies of letters written from Barbados together with memoranda on past and future correspondence; letters and memoranda from London and Dominica; accounts from Barbados; includes list of books purchased. 8. Joseph Senhouse's waste book (rough entries of transactions created before journal) accounts and memoranda for Barbados, Dominica, London and Cumberland, 1772-88 9. Joseph Senhouse's cash journal for Barbados and Dominica, 1776-7; also includes accounts of William Senhouse and other individuals and cash account current in England for 1773-5 etc. 10. Joseph Senhouse's cash account book for Barbados, Dominica and London, 1778-80 11. Joseph Senhouse's waste book accounts for London and Cumberland including Arkelby Hall farming accounts, 1789-90; includes household goods, servants wages, varieties of plants bought, clothes, bedding, tools, spices, alcohol, furniture, etc. 12. Lowther Hall (Dominica) cash account books, 1772-6: Ledger, Journal, Cash book; Memoranda of purchase of property and accounts of purchase of miscellaneous items relating to the estate; Map of location 13. Account book of remittances made by Joseph Senhouse as Collector of HM Customs at Port of Roseau, Dominica, 1772; Also includes several copy letters written in Barbados concerning bills of exchange 14. Account book of fees etc. received by Joseph Senhouse as Comptroller of HM Customs at Roseau, Dominica, 1774-6; lists of ships 15. Settlement upon the marriage of Sir Joseph Senhouse with Mary Ashley of Ashby St. Ledgers, 29 October 1787 16. Memoirs of Joseph Senhouse, journal format, volume 3, commencing in Barbados, 1 January 1779; records many social enagagements 17. Recollection of William Senhouse (1741-1800), Surveyor General of Barbados and the Leeward Island 18. "Observations on Barbados" by Joseph Senhouse, 1780 19. Printed copy of a letter on Graham Island, near Sicily, written on 5 August 1831 by Captain Humphrey Fleming Senhouse 20. Joseph Senhouse's cash account book, 1762-6; Accounts of transactions in Calcutta, Madras, Bengal, Falmouth, St. Helena, etc.; genealogical lists REEL 2 20. Joseph Senhouse's account books, 1762-6 continued 21. Memoirs of Joseph Senhouse, volume 2, commencing in Barbados, 2 June 1776 22. Notes on Joseph Senhouse's lands in Dominica, 1771-6 23. Plans and notes on woodlands purchased, 1772 24. Grant of land by George III to Joseph Senhouse, 7 April 1772 25. Two letters, 1826-7 26. Map of Lowther Hall, Barbados, nd. |