Betty's Hope
Encyclopedia
Betty's Hope in Antigua and Barbuda
was a sugar
plantation
which provided livelihood for many generations of Antigua
ns from the time it was established in 1650 during the British
Colonial rule. It flourished as a successful agricultural industrial enterprise, the first large-scale sugar plantation to operate in Antigua
, starting with Codrington family's ownership in 1674, which lasted till 1944. Sir Christopher Codrington
Governor of the Leeward Islands
in 1674 named the estate as Betty’s Hope, after his daughter.
Betty's Hope is not operational now as a plantation. However, the structures seen here at the time of restoration works initiated by the Government of Antigua
in 1990, under the OEC/ESDU Eco-Tourism Enhancement project, consisted of the twin wind mills, the Cistern Complex in serviceable condition, the Great House (Buff or Estate House) in ruins, the Boiling House where 16 copper hoppers were used to boil cane juice to produce crystalline sugar and the Still House (distillery) used for manufacturing rum
(also seen in ruins without roof but with elegant arches). Since 1995, it has been developed as an open air museum with a visitor center under the jurisdiction of the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
.
.
occupation of the islands, in 1666. The British
recaptured the island and decided to award the estate, in 1674, to the Codrington family who were then resident in Barbados
, as the British considered the earlier owners as disloyal to the British Crown having deserted the estate before the French occupied the territory.
Under the ownership of the Codringtons, the emphasis centered on sugar, in an otherwise earlier dominance of tobacco
, indigo
and ginger
crops in Antigua.
The Codrington family distinguished themselves by ensuring that Betty’s Hope was developed and functioned as the most efficient large-scale sugar estate in Antigua. Two of their family members had the distinction of holding posts of the Governor General of the Leeward Islands during 1689 to 1704; even subsequently the members of the family also had their name established as one of the most influential and prosperous planters during the colonial rule. The estate was managed by a few Europe
ans but the basic hard skilled and unskilled labour force was provided by the African slaves, which brought accolades to the estate (and then known as the "flagship estate of Antigua"); the slaves were later emancipated in 1834 and they continued to serve the estate as freed labour. The Codringtons had 150 sugar mills in Antigua of which Betty’s Hope was the first one where they had introduced technology innovations and ideas to carry out large scale cultivation, extraction and manufacture of sugar. In 1680, there were 393 slaves working on the estate. However, from 1921, sugarcane was extracted at the Central Sugar Factory, even though the Betty's Hope sugar mill was functional. After the Codrington family returned to England
, the estate was managed by attorneys, till early 1900s. In 1944, Betty's Hope was sold by the Codringtons to the Antigua Sugar Estates Ltd.
The reasons for discarding the windmill
technology for cane juice extraction was the introduction of steam. Consequent to this change, the machinery in the windmill was shifted to the boiling house complex and reinstalled next to the new steam engines. The buildings, however, became storerooms for scrap iron and other debris. As result, the Antiguan economy is no more sugar centric but is now more dependent on tourism, and Betty's Hope now remains a part of this economy.
was dried and used as fuel in the boiler and distilling process. The weekly production was generally about 5,500 gallons of cane juice from 200 tonnes of cane.
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
(OECS) and the Environmental Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) launched the Eco-Tourism Enhancement project with a grant support in collaboration with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to perpetuate the principles of environmental sustainability.
One of the two wind mills, cane crushing machinery and sails were restored. The visitor center cum museum is now located in an old cotton house store room where exhibits of plantation's history with estate plans, pictures and maps, artifacts and a model of the central site are displayed.
During May 2005, funds were raised for restoration of Betty's Hope by organising a concert called "A Penny Concert." The mill was refurbished and the sails of the first windmill were reinstalled in 1995. After recommissioning of the mill, it is run for demonstration purposes on special occasions, since the stone mill walls are old and fragile. However, the sails are kept mounted all through the year. Following the restoration, the Betty’s Hope project won the "5th Ann. Islands Eco-Tourism Award" in 1995. On 28 January 2005, the Eco-Enhancement Upgrade of Betty's Hope was also launched.
. Research had been carried out before and during restoration also, which revealed the operational pattern of the mill. It was established that cane juice produced after milling was not directly led to the boiling-house but was collected at a large iron tank located below the rollers from where it was then pumped to the boiling-house for further processing. Since 2007, excavations by California State University, Chico, have focused on the area of the Great House to correlate the Great House as well as other surrounding buildings, to the site maps recorded in the Codrington Papers.
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
was a sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
which provided livelihood for many generations of Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
ns from the time it was established in 1650 during the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Colonial rule. It flourished as a successful agricultural industrial enterprise, the first large-scale sugar plantation to operate in Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, starting with Codrington family's ownership in 1674, which lasted till 1944. Sir Christopher Codrington
Christopher Codrington
Christopher Codrington , British soldier, bibliophile and colonial governor, was born on the island of Barbados, West Indies, in 1668...
Governor of the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
in 1674 named the estate as Betty’s Hope, after his daughter.
Betty's Hope is not operational now as a plantation. However, the structures seen here at the time of restoration works initiated by the Government of Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
in 1990, under the OEC/ESDU Eco-Tourism Enhancement project, consisted of the twin wind mills, the Cistern Complex in serviceable condition, the Great House (Buff or Estate House) in ruins, the Boiling House where 16 copper hoppers were used to boil cane juice to produce crystalline sugar and the Still House (distillery) used for manufacturing rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
(also seen in ruins without roof but with elegant arches). Since 1995, it has been developed as an open air museum with a visitor center under the jurisdiction of the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda is a museum in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. It is housed in the colonial Court House, constructed in 1747 on the site of the first city market, and is the oldest building still in use in the city. The museum displays both Arawak and colonial artifacts recovered...
.
Geography
Betty’s Hope estate is in a rural area where the geological formation, in a rolling landscape, is limestone. Its location is at 17°4′0"N 61°44′0"W, to the south of the township of ParesPares, Antigua and Barbuda
Pares is a small township in central Antigua. it is located to the north of Potworks Dam and south of the township of Parham on the road between Freemans and Willikies.-References:...
.
History
History of the sugar plantation at Betty’s Hope is traced to 1650 when Governor Keynel founded it in Antigua. After his death, his wife inherited the estate, in 1663. However, she abandoned the estate during the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
occupation of the islands, in 1666. The British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
recaptured the island and decided to award the estate, in 1674, to the Codrington family who were then resident in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, as the British considered the earlier owners as disloyal to the British Crown having deserted the estate before the French occupied the territory.
Under the ownership of the Codringtons, the emphasis centered on sugar, in an otherwise earlier dominance of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, indigo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
and ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
crops in Antigua.
The Codrington family distinguished themselves by ensuring that Betty’s Hope was developed and functioned as the most efficient large-scale sugar estate in Antigua. Two of their family members had the distinction of holding posts of the Governor General of the Leeward Islands during 1689 to 1704; even subsequently the members of the family also had their name established as one of the most influential and prosperous planters during the colonial rule. The estate was managed by a few Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans but the basic hard skilled and unskilled labour force was provided by the African slaves, which brought accolades to the estate (and then known as the "flagship estate of Antigua"); the slaves were later emancipated in 1834 and they continued to serve the estate as freed labour. The Codringtons had 150 sugar mills in Antigua of which Betty’s Hope was the first one where they had introduced technology innovations and ideas to carry out large scale cultivation, extraction and manufacture of sugar. In 1680, there were 393 slaves working on the estate. However, from 1921, sugarcane was extracted at the Central Sugar Factory, even though the Betty's Hope sugar mill was functional. After the Codrington family returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the estate was managed by attorneys, till early 1900s. In 1944, Betty's Hope was sold by the Codringtons to the Antigua Sugar Estates Ltd.
The reasons for discarding the windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
technology for cane juice extraction was the introduction of steam. Consequent to this change, the machinery in the windmill was shifted to the boiling house complex and reinstalled next to the new steam engines. The buildings, however, became storerooms for scrap iron and other debris. As result, the Antiguan economy is no more sugar centric but is now more dependent on tourism, and Betty's Hope now remains a part of this economy.
Extraction process
In the 18th century (1737 as per a plaque at the main entrance), at Betty’s Hope, twin windmills were used to crush sugar cane. Initially, the windmills had three vertical rollers to crush the cane fed by two men and it could crush and extract only 60% of cane juice even after two rounds of crushing. This process underwent improvements with three horizontally placed rollers which increased the efficiency of extraction by another 20%. Each wind driven mill extracted cane juice from cane produced from 2 acre (0.809372 ha) of land and carted to the mill. The extracted juice was collected in an underground collection chamber from where it was conveyed through a pipe to the boiling house. The bagasseBagasse
Bagasse is the fibrous matter that remains after sugarcane or sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juice. It is currently used as a biofuel and as a renewable resource in the manufacture of pulp and paper products and building materials....
was dried and used as fuel in the boiler and distilling process. The weekly production was generally about 5,500 gallons of cane juice from 200 tonnes of cane.
Conservation
A programme of restoration of the heritage status of the Betty’s Hope estate, as a major West Indian heritage monument, was initially started by "The Friends of Betty's Hope", between 1987 and 1990, which eventually was institutionalized as a trust called the "Betty’s Hope Trust", in 1990. The objective was to develop it as an open air museum and also an interpretation center to bring out the profound influence that the estate had "in Antigua and Barbuda’s history and influenced the lives of many generations of Antiguans." For this purpose, a committee was set up in 1987-90. Restoration work was started in 1990 and completed in 1995.The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , created in 1981, is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance between countries and dependencies in the Eastern Caribbean...
(OECS) and the Environmental Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) launched the Eco-Tourism Enhancement project with a grant support in collaboration with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to perpetuate the principles of environmental sustainability.
One of the two wind mills, cane crushing machinery and sails were restored. The visitor center cum museum is now located in an old cotton house store room where exhibits of plantation's history with estate plans, pictures and maps, artifacts and a model of the central site are displayed.
During May 2005, funds were raised for restoration of Betty's Hope by organising a concert called "A Penny Concert." The mill was refurbished and the sails of the first windmill were reinstalled in 1995. After recommissioning of the mill, it is run for demonstration purposes on special occasions, since the stone mill walls are old and fragile. However, the sails are kept mounted all through the year. Following the restoration, the Betty’s Hope project won the "5th Ann. Islands Eco-Tourism Award" in 1995. On 28 January 2005, the Eco-Enhancement Upgrade of Betty's Hope was also launched.
Archaeological excavations
Archaeological research to establish the archaeology of the early colonial period has been initiated at Betty's Hope by the City University New York, BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Research had been carried out before and during restoration also, which revealed the operational pattern of the mill. It was established that cane juice produced after milling was not directly led to the boiling-house but was collected at a large iron tank located below the rollers from where it was then pumped to the boiling-house for further processing. Since 2007, excavations by California State University, Chico, have focused on the area of the Great House to correlate the Great House as well as other surrounding buildings, to the site maps recorded in the Codrington Papers.