Wallington Hall by Samotny Wędrowiec licenced under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en
Who was Julien Fedon?
Julien Fedon was a rich, free Black person who lived in Grenada, in the West Indies. He owned a coffee plantation and also, for a time, enslaved people.
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The island of Grenada was first colonised by the French in 1650, who had to fight off fierce resistance from the indigenous people who lived there first.
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It was taken over by the British in 1763. It was then recaptured by the French in 1768. It was then retaken by the British in 1783.
In the 17 and 1800s Britain and France were often at war. Both wanted to be the strongest power in Europe and in the world.
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A French map of Grenada from 1763. https://picryl.com/media/a-new-plan-of-the-island-of-grenada-from-the-original-french-survey-of-monsieur
Why were European powers interested in Grenada?
Grenada is a mountainous area. It was good for growing coffee. Both France and Britain expanded enslavement in Grenada aong with sugar growing.
Both powers had different religions too. Britain was Protestant, France was Catholic. This was still a big cause of religious war in Europe.
The Trevelyans
The Trevelyan family were not the only British plantation owners. They owned a number of plantations around the capital of Grenada, St. George.
Who rebelled against the British?
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The British passed laws against Catholics on Grenada. Land and churches were confiscated.
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The French resented the British.
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The enslaved wanted to fight for their freedom.
Key moments of the rebellion.
On 2nd March 1795 Fedon started the rebellion from his base in Belvedere. He freed his enslaved people and with others took over Grenadian towns. The rebels captured the British Governor, Ninian Home and eventually killed him and other British people.
The British army sent thousands of troops to take back Grenada. But it was not easy for them.
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Fedon was pushed back to his Belvedere base and began to run low on food and supplies.
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By 19th June 1796 the rebellion was over. Fedon escaped capture, but was never seen again. Some believe he drowned trying to escape the island. Thousands of Grenadians were killed. Many enslaved people died in the rebellion or went sent to other islands.
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Fedon became a hero to many in Grenada.
A hole in the archives?
Often in history parts of the story remain hidden. We do not know how the Fedon rebellion affected the Trevelyan family. The archives show they kept their holdings in Grenada till at least the 1960s.
How much did the Trevelyan family profit from enslavement?
In 1834 the British government paid millions of pounds in compensation to the plantation owners after the abolition of enslavement.
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The Trevelyan family claimed for and got, £35,000 (Approximately £3 million today) for having 'owned' 1240 people.
The Trevelyan Family today
In 2022 BBC journalist Laura Trevelyan made a radio documentary on her family's past. She travelled to Grenada to learn more about her family's links and the effect enslavement had on people at that time and since.
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In 2023 the family decided to set aside £100,000 to put into reparation payments (to put right a wrong). This money will go into a community fund in Grenada to support various local causes.
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A link to the documentary is below. Caution: it contains description of violence used against enslaved people.
Over to You!
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Why would Grenada be of interest to Britain and France? Think: What would they gain? Did each want to out-do the other?
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Grenada became home to indigenous, African, British and French people with different religions. What effect would that have on the island?
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Why is it important to study rebellions against enslavement?
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