A bitter draught : St Helena : the abolition of slavery 1792-1840 /Colin Fox.

"A Bitter Draught tells the story of the abolition of slavery on St Helena, a small mid-Atlantic island, ruled for many years by the English East India Company. Slaves had been brought to the island from the time of its first settlement in 1659. In the late 18th century liberal-minded directors of the company wanted to see the end of slavery but were much less inclined to use their wealth to aid its eradication. Instead, it was left to the governors of the island to move matters forward, first by banning the import of slaves, then by freeing the children born of slave mothers and finally, and iniquituously, forcing the slaves to take out loans to purchase their own freedom. Repayment of these loans, hard enough under the Company's rule, became utterly unfeasible when the island's sovereignty reverted to the Crown in 1834, and the economy crashed. However, this book is more than just a narrative of these events, The author delves deeper into the story of the island's slaves - where they came from, how they lived, their occupations, their personal relationships, what they wore, ate and drank and even their humour. Small clues, hidden in the minutiae of EIC Factory records, have been collected to provide a glimpse into the lives of these unfortunate people. For many it was a terribly sad story, but there were some who strived with courage, fortitude and hard work to overcome all hardships and achieve freedom for both their families and themselves. These are their stories."--Provided by the publisher.