Bill of exchange on the abolition of slavery
The Netherlands was comparatively late in abolishing slavery: 1863 – two years before the United States, but 30 years after the UK. The owners of enslaved people received compensation of 300 guilders per person for the loss of free labour. The enslaved persons themselves got nothing at all and were even forced to continue working on plantations for a pittance for 10 more years under state supervision.
What does it say?
The bill of exchange is signed by the governor of the Colony of Suriname, Van Lansberge. The amount is 40,600 guilders. The bill of exchange passed through several hands. The signatures on the back include the colonial paymaster and receiver H. Charlouis, and E.J.F. van der Schrieck and J.J. van der Schrieck of Amsterdam on behalf of the plantation De Goudmijn. J.C. van de Watering’s signature confirms that stamp duty amounting to 28.29 guilders was paid on 6 August 1864. The imprint and stamp image of the embossed stamp are visible on the back of the wisselbrief, along with the curved text: Ministerie v Kolonie Suriname zegel 1863.
Who?
The first recipient was Carl Reinhard Berner for the plantation La Tourtonne, near Paramaribo. In 1844, he appears in the civil registry of Paramaribo as a merchant and the husband of Ester Adolphina van Maarsen. He lived on Watermolenstraat with their two children: a 4 year old, a 7-month-old baby and another 7-month-old child with a different surname (Jantje van Drumont) plus a white woman aged 20. Probably this woman, Nanny van der Mee, was a relative as she is listed without a profession. They lived with seven enslaved women.
Berner died on 9 November 1868, aged 66.
Where?
La Tourtonne was a plantation of some 1,500 acres, growing coffee and cocoa in Boomskreek.
Alexander Lavaux’s 1758 map shows a La Tourtonne plantation (No 5).