Daniel Davis (bishop)
Encyclopedia
The Right Reverend
Daniel Gateward Davis (1788–1857) was an abolitionist and the inaugural Bishop of Antigua
from 1842 until his death.
Davis began studies at Pembroke College, Oxford
in 1808. There he became an abolitionist and a friend of William Wilberforce
.
and worked strongly, but quietly, for abolition in St. Kitts and Nevis. He later became a minister at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Nevis
, and in 1824, became the first minister at the newly-built Cottle Church
.
He found that St Kitts and Nevis were playing a part on behalf of the abolitionists out of all proportion to their size and importance. This was due to two prominent residents of St Kitts, James Ramsay
(who had introduced William Wilberforce to the abolition movement) and James Stephen, a lawyer. Both these men were so outspoken in their abhorrence of slavery that after much persecution from other members of the plantocracy they were forced to leave the island; but not before they had been able over a long period to send detailed accounts of the ill treatment of slaves in the two islands to Wilberforce and other abolitionists fighting for the cause in England. Events in these two small islands became very influential in determining the final victory for abolition.
By 1812 when he was ordained Davis was in two minds whether to take up the rectorship he had been offered of St. Paul’s, Charlestown
. He wished to see his family again but this feeling was dampened by the idea of returning to a land of slaves. But he came back, and stayed. In a letter to an abolitionist friend he wrote, “it will be my great objective to encourage the extensive propagation of our religion among the negroes, as well as to improve the impression which has already been made on the white inhabitants. It ought indeed to be considered disgraceful to the policy of any society, that the space of nearly three centuries should have expired since one people or other, professing civilization and Christianity, have made but feeble efforts, or rather no efforts, for the extension of their blessings among the laborious and ignorant”.
But it was not to be an easy ministry. He found that neither planters nor their field slaves were much interested in his invitations to come for worship and instruction. It was not until 1818 that, under the pressure of the ameliorative policies of the British government, local political circles were forced to accept that attitudes had changed back in Britain. With the help of the vigorous leadership in the church of Beilby Porteus
, the Bishop of London, Davis was slowly able to make progress. By 1822 there were Sunday schools in every parish in Nevis. Slaves on enlightened plantations were allowed markets on days other than Sundays that had otherwise prevented them from attending church. But above all Davis had begun to win the support of a growing number of planters to the cause of conversion. Towards the end of 1821 Thomas Cottle
, a former President of the Island Council and a prominent planter, came forward with a proposal to build this church.
In 1824 two Bishops (known for their opposition to slavery) were appointed for the newly created Sees of Jamaica (Bishop Lipscomb
) and Barbados with the Leeward Islands (Bishop Coleridge
). This was a signal to the local plantocracy that the British government was now fully committed to the policy of improving the condition of slaves in its colonies and was conscious that full freedom could not be very long delayed.
By the time Davis left the island for St Kitts 19 schools with an aggregate attendance of 1,247 slave pupils had been established; and just before his departure he founded, along with those who supported his views, a branch society of the Society for the Conversion of Slaves. The most active promoters of the new society’s first meeting were Thomas Cottle
and Norton Herbert, the nephew of Lady Nelson
.
Davis remained in St Kitts until 1838 and later became the first Bishop of Antigua
. Fierce to the end in attacking racial prejudice from whatever quarter it appeared Davis died in London, aged 70, in 1857.
Right Reverend
The Right Reverend is a style applied to certain religious figures.*In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church in Great Britain it applies to bishops except that The Most Reverend is used for archbishops .*In some churches with a...
Daniel Gateward Davis (1788–1857) was an abolitionist and the inaugural Bishop of Antigua
Bishop of Antigua
The Anglican diocese of Antigua and the Leeward Islands was formed in 1842, as the diocese of Barbados, then one of two covering the Caribbean, was sub-divided.There is also a Catholic diocese.-List of Anglican bishops of Antigua:...
from 1842 until his death.
Early life
Daniel Davis was born in 1788, the youngest of six children of William and Anne Davis of St Kitts. His father was a planter.Davis began studies at Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
in 1808. There he became an abolitionist and a friend of William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
.
Ministry
Davis returned to the Leeward IslandsLeeward 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...
and worked strongly, but quietly, for abolition in St. Kitts and Nevis. He later became a minister at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Nevis
Nevis
Nevis is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 350 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The 93 km² island is part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies...
, and in 1824, became the first minister at the newly-built Cottle Church
Cottle Church
The Cottle Church was an Anglican Church on the island of Nevis. It was built by Thomas Cottle, a Nevisian lawyer. Ground was broken in 1822 and the church was finally finished in 1824, after a severe economic depression....
.
He found that St Kitts and Nevis were playing a part on behalf of the abolitionists out of all proportion to their size and importance. This was due to two prominent residents of St Kitts, James Ramsay
James Ramsay (abolitionist)
James Ramsay was a ship’s surgeon, Anglican priest, and leading abolitionist.-Early life and Naval service:Ramsay was born at Fraserburgh, Scotland, the son of William Ramsay, ship’s carpenter, and Margaret Ogilvie. He was apprenticed to a local surgeon and later educated at King's College,...
(who had introduced William Wilberforce to the abolition movement) and James Stephen, a lawyer. Both these men were so outspoken in their abhorrence of slavery that after much persecution from other members of the plantocracy they were forced to leave the island; but not before they had been able over a long period to send detailed accounts of the ill treatment of slaves in the two islands to Wilberforce and other abolitionists fighting for the cause in England. Events in these two small islands became very influential in determining the final victory for abolition.
By 1812 when he was ordained Davis was in two minds whether to take up the rectorship he had been offered of St. Paul’s, Charlestown
Charlestown, Saint Kitts and Nevis
Charlestown is the capital of the island of Nevis, in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Leeward Islands, West Indies. Charlestown is situated on the leeward side of the island of Nevis, near the southern end of Pinneys Beach....
. He wished to see his family again but this feeling was dampened by the idea of returning to a land of slaves. But he came back, and stayed. In a letter to an abolitionist friend he wrote, “it will be my great objective to encourage the extensive propagation of our religion among the negroes, as well as to improve the impression which has already been made on the white inhabitants. It ought indeed to be considered disgraceful to the policy of any society, that the space of nearly three centuries should have expired since one people or other, professing civilization and Christianity, have made but feeble efforts, or rather no efforts, for the extension of their blessings among the laborious and ignorant”.
But it was not to be an easy ministry. He found that neither planters nor their field slaves were much interested in his invitations to come for worship and instruction. It was not until 1818 that, under the pressure of the ameliorative policies of the British government, local political circles were forced to accept that attitudes had changed back in Britain. With the help of the vigorous leadership in the church of Beilby Porteus
Beilby Porteus
Beilby Porteus , successively Bishop of Chester and of London was an Anglican reformer and leading abolitionist in England...
, the Bishop of London, Davis was slowly able to make progress. By 1822 there were Sunday schools in every parish in Nevis. Slaves on enlightened plantations were allowed markets on days other than Sundays that had otherwise prevented them from attending church. But above all Davis had begun to win the support of a growing number of planters to the cause of conversion. Towards the end of 1821 Thomas Cottle
Thomas Cottle
Thomas Cottle, Esq. was a lawyer on the island of Nevis. In 1822, Thomas started to build a church for all people on the island, including slaves. "The Cottle Church", as it is now called, was completed in 1824 and opened on May 5 that year...
, a former President of the Island Council and a prominent planter, came forward with a proposal to build this church.
In 1824 two Bishops (known for their opposition to slavery) were appointed for the newly created Sees of Jamaica (Bishop Lipscomb
Christopher Lipscomb
The Rt Rev Christopher Lipscomb was the inaugural Anglican Bishop of Jamaica. He resigned his See in 1842 and died on 4 April 1843.-Notes:...
) and Barbados with the Leeward Islands (Bishop Coleridge
William Hart Coleridge
The Rt Rev William Hart Coleridge was Bishop of Barbados from 1824 until 1842.He was born on 27 June 1789 and educated at Christ Church, Oxford.He died in 1849.-Notes and references:...
). This was a signal to the local plantocracy that the British government was now fully committed to the policy of improving the condition of slaves in its colonies and was conscious that full freedom could not be very long delayed.
By the time Davis left the island for St Kitts 19 schools with an aggregate attendance of 1,247 slave pupils had been established; and just before his departure he founded, along with those who supported his views, a branch society of the Society for the Conversion of Slaves. The most active promoters of the new society’s first meeting were Thomas Cottle
Thomas Cottle
Thomas Cottle, Esq. was a lawyer on the island of Nevis. In 1822, Thomas started to build a church for all people on the island, including slaves. "The Cottle Church", as it is now called, was completed in 1824 and opened on May 5 that year...
and Norton Herbert, the nephew of Lady Nelson
Lady Nelson
The Royal Navy purchased Lady Nelson in 1799. She spent her career exploring the coast of Australia in the early years of the 19th century. She was the first known vessel to sail eastward through Bass Strait, the first to sail along the South coast of Victoria, as well as the first to enter Port...
.
Davis remained in St Kitts until 1838 and later became the first Bishop of Antigua
Bishop of Antigua
The Anglican diocese of Antigua and the Leeward Islands was formed in 1842, as the diocese of Barbados, then one of two covering the Caribbean, was sub-divided.There is also a Catholic diocese.-List of Anglican bishops of Antigua:...
. Fierce to the end in attacking racial prejudice from whatever quarter it appeared Davis died in London, aged 70, in 1857.