Victorian Jamaica

This book explores the extraordinary surviving archive of visual representation and material objects to provide a comprehensive account of Jamaican society during Queen Victoria's reign over the British Empire, from 1837 to 1901. In their analyses of material ranging from photographs of plantation laborers and landscape paintings to cricket team photographs, furniture, and architecture, as well as a wide range of texts, the contributors trace the relationship between black Jamaicans and colonial institutions, contextualize race within ritual and performance, and outline how material and visual culture helped shape the complex politics of colonial society. By narrating Victorian history from a Caribbean perspective, this richly illustrated volume - featuring 270 full color images - offers a complex and nuanced portrait of Jamaica that expands our understanding of the wider history of the British Empire and Atlantic world during this period.

Object lessons : Introduction to the vignettes / Wayne Modest and Tim Barringer -- The Cruickshank lock, ca.1838 / Wayne Modest -- Ralph Turnbull, table, ca.1830-40 / John Cross -- A tread-mill scene in Jamaica, 1837 / Diana Paton -- Sligoville with mission premises, 1843 / Catherine Hall -- A view of Coke Chapel from the parade, ca.1846-47 / James Robertson -- The ordinance of baptism / Dianne M. Stewart -- Kidd's new plan of the city of Kingston, Jamaica, 1854 / Rivke Jaffe -- Grave of eighty rebels near Morant Bay, Jamaica / Wayne Modest -- Map recording the rebellion of 1865 / Gad Heuman -- Frederic Church, the Vale of St Thomas, Jamaica, 1867 / Jennifer Raab -- R. Hay, Newcastle, Jamaica / Tim Barringer -- Opening of railway line at Porus / James Robertson -- Day school children, Jamaica / Patrick Bryan -- Wedding group, Jamaica / Anthony Bogues -- Child's outdoor cap. lace-bark, ca. 1850-61 / Steeve O. Buckridge -- Portrait of a woman of Chinese origin, ca. 1895-1905 / Patrick Bryan -- Count Gleichen, Mary Seacole, 1871 / Jan Marsh -- Mrs Lionel Lee, Fatima, 1886 / Erica M. James -- Selection of Jamaican wood samples made for the 1891 exhibition / Veerle Poupeye, Nicole Smyt…