The Bitter Cauldron

Boiling Sugar: The Bitter Side of Sweet



The Rise of Sugar in Barbados. Sugarcane cultivation began in Barbados in the early 1640s, when Dutch merchants introduced sugar production. The island's soil and favourable climate made it an ideal location for harvesting sugar. By the mid-17th century, Barbados had become one of the wealthiest colonies in the British Empire, earning the nickname "Little England."By the mid-17th century, Barbados had become one of the wealthiest nests in the British Empire, earning the label "Little England." But all was not sweetness in the land of Sugar as we discover next:

The Dangerous Labour Behind Sugar

In the shadow of Barbados' sun-soaked coasts and dynamic plant lies a darker tale of resilience and difficulty-- the hazardous labour behind its once-thriving sugar economy. Central to this story is the large cast iron boiling pots, essential tools in the sugar production process, but also painful signs of the gruelling conditions faced by enslaved Africans.

The Boiling Process: A Lealthal Job

Sugar production in the days of colonial slavery was  an unforgiving procedure. After gathering and crushing the sugarcane, its juice was boiled in huge cast iron kettles until it crystallized into sugar. These pots, often arranged in a series called a"" train"" were warmed by blazing fires that enslaved Africans had to stoke constantly. The heat was extreme, and the work unrelenting. Enslaved employees sustained long hours, often standing near the inferno, risking burns and fatigue. Splashes of the boiling liquid were not uncommon and could cause serious, even fatal, injuries.

Living in Peril

The threats were constant for the enslaved workers tasked with tending these kettles. They laboured in sweltering heat, breathing in smoke and fumes from the boiling sugar and burning fuel. The work demanded extreme effort and precision; a minute of inattention might lead to accidents. In spite of these obstacles, shackled Africans brought amazing skill and ingenuity to the procedure, guaranteeing the quality of the final product. This item sustained economies far beyond Barbados" coasts.


Now, the big cast iron boiling pots serve as pointers of this unpleasant past. Spread throughout gardens, museums, and archaeological sites in Barbados, they stand as quiet witnesses to the lives they touched. These relics encourage us to assess the human suffering behind the sweet taste that as soon as drove worldwide economies.


HISTORICAL RECORDS!


Abolitionist literature on The Threats of the Boiling House

Abolitionist literature, consisting of James Ramsay's works, details the horrific risks dealt with by enslaved workers in sugar plantations. The boiling home, with its alarmingly hot vats, was a fatal office where exhaustion and severe heat caused awful accidents.

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The Bitter Side of Sweet |The Hidden Side of Sugar: |Sweet Taste Forged in Fire |
Molten Memories: The Iron Pots of Sugar |

Barbados Molten Memories