Long Look Estate
Encyclopedia
Long Look Estate is an estate in East End, Tortola
, British Virgin Islands
which claims to be the oldest free black estate in the Western world.http://www.islandsun.com/2005-July/30072005/local12-v15i17.html
In 1776 one Samuel Nottingham, a Quaker, manumitted
25 slaves and gave to them 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land in Long Look in Tortola
, and directed them to cultivate it for the common good.
A report made in 1823 by one John Dougan states "So quiet and retired had these Persons lived there, that although I have been for many years residing in [sic] the Island, yet I derived no knowledge of the Situation and Circumstances regarding these People..." At the time of Dougan's report, the population of the estate had swollen to 43. He further reported that "Not one of them is in debt, and their Property is free from all Incumbrance
. That 12 of the grown up Persons are admitted Members of the Westleyan Methodist Society, and with their Children attend regularly the Methodist Chapel at the East End of the Island ... since their Emancipation to the present Day none of them have been sued in Court, or brought before a Magistrate to answer a complaint against them. One of them once obtained a Warrant against a Person who had assaulted him, who begging his Pardon, He forgave Him."
In 2002, the British Virgin Islands legislature passed laws which required residents of the estate to sell their land to other residents of the estate if they were prepared to pay the same price, to preserve the cultural heritage of the area.http://www.islandsun.com/2002-March/15032002/local4-v7i08.html The measure was not universally popular, as it made it more difficult for land-owning families in the area to sell their property, but it is nonetheless thought to be an important step in securing the historical legacy of the Territory.
The freed slaves (as was common at the time) took the surname of their last owners, and went by the family name of Nottingham. Sadly, although many other former slave owner's descendants are still well represented within the Territory, there are no longer any Nottinghams which appear either on the voter's roll or in the telephone directory.
Tortola
Tortola is the largest and most populated of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. Local tradition recounts that Christopher Columbus named it Tortola, meaning "land of the Turtle Dove". Columbus named the island Santa Ana...
, British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands, often called the British Virgin Islands , is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S...
which claims to be the oldest free black estate in the Western world.http://www.islandsun.com/2005-July/30072005/local12-v15i17.html
In 1776 one Samuel Nottingham, a Quaker, manumitted
Manumission
Manumission is the act of a slave owner freeing his or her slaves. In the United States before the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished most slavery, this often happened upon the death of the owner, under conditions in his will.-Motivations:The...
25 slaves and gave to them 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land in Long Look in Tortola
Tortola
Tortola is the largest and most populated of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. Local tradition recounts that Christopher Columbus named it Tortola, meaning "land of the Turtle Dove". Columbus named the island Santa Ana...
, and directed them to cultivate it for the common good.
A report made in 1823 by one John Dougan states "So quiet and retired had these Persons lived there, that although I have been for many years residing in [sic] the Island, yet I derived no knowledge of the Situation and Circumstances regarding these People..." At the time of Dougan's report, the population of the estate had swollen to 43. He further reported that "Not one of them is in debt, and their Property is free from all Incumbrance
Security interest
A security interest is a property interest created by agreement or by operation of law over assets to secure the performance of an obligation, usually the payment of a debt. It gives the beneficiary of the security interest certain preferential rights in the disposition of secured assets...
. That 12 of the grown up Persons are admitted Members of the Westleyan Methodist Society, and with their Children attend regularly the Methodist Chapel at the East End of the Island ... since their Emancipation to the present Day none of them have been sued in Court, or brought before a Magistrate to answer a complaint against them. One of them once obtained a Warrant against a Person who had assaulted him, who begging his Pardon, He forgave Him."
In 2002, the British Virgin Islands legislature passed laws which required residents of the estate to sell their land to other residents of the estate if they were prepared to pay the same price, to preserve the cultural heritage of the area.http://www.islandsun.com/2002-March/15032002/local4-v7i08.html The measure was not universally popular, as it made it more difficult for land-owning families in the area to sell their property, but it is nonetheless thought to be an important step in securing the historical legacy of the Territory.
The freed slaves (as was common at the time) took the surname of their last owners, and went by the family name of Nottingham. Sadly, although many other former slave owner's descendants are still well represented within the Territory, there are no longer any Nottinghams which appear either on the voter's roll or in the telephone directory.