EMANCIPATIO

N AND
APPRENTICES
HIP IN THE
BRITISH
WEST INDIES
 Measures of • Slaves 6 years and older were to serve a
the 1833 Act period of apprenticeship
• Apprentices were to work for their masters
that benefitted for three- quarters of the working week (40
½ hours) without wages
the Planters • Twenty million pounds were provided to
compensate the planters for the loss of their
unpaid labour.
• Apprentices were to remain on the estates
during the apprenticeship period.
 • Children under 6 years old, on August 1st, were to be
freed immediately.
• Planters were to continue to provide food, clothing
and shelter, and medical care for apprentices, and,
Measures of the in the absence of food, provision grounds should be
provided and time to cultivate them.
1833 Act that • Work done in excess of the compulsory 40 ½ hrs per
week should be paid for
benefitted the • Apprentices could not be sold unless the estate to
Apprentices which they belonged was sold
• Stipendiary magistrates were provided to supervise
the apprenticeship system.
• Apprentices could purchase their freedom with or
without the consent of their masters
• The apprenticeship period could be shortened but
no alternative to Apprenticeship would be allowed.
 • To prepare apprentices (ex-enslaved) for
full freedom
• To teach them to be thrifty
Reasons for • To help both the planter and the
Apprenticeship apprentice (ex-enslaved) to get
accustomed to a wage economy.
(1834- 1838) • To provide the planters with adequate
labour.
• To make the continuation of a plantation
economy easier
• To give the colonies time to develop the
social necessities that were not in place
before (schools, hospitals, police forces
and jails)
 • The planters exploited the apprentices (ex-
enslaved) in many ways because they believed
that the apprenctices were their property.
• The planters found it difficult to change the
Difficulties Britain relationship to an employer – employee
faced in relationship, because they were accustomed to a
planter- slave relationship
implementing the • There were difficulties concerning the hours of
Emancipation Act work and the minimum wage to be paid for the
apprentices.
• The apprentices could not come to terms with
the reality that they (now free) could not work for
wages.
• They could not get enough foreign Magistrates to
supervise the Apprenticeship system, hence they
had to fill the gap with locals as magistrates .
• Locals tended to side with planters
 • They tried to hire Magistrates directly
from England .
Methods the British • Compensation money was linked to the
Government used to enforcement of the Act.
• The British Government monitored
make the Planters closely local laws to prevent planters
comply with their from exploiting it.
wishes • A grant of £30, 000 was given to
missionaries instead of planters to avoid
planters manipulating it to their
advantage.
• The British Government shortened the
period of apprenticeship.