cover image: Wage book for the slave trading ship Fox captained by Robert Mitchell

Wage book for the slave trading ship Fox captained by Robert Mitchell

1774

Fox’s Wages Book This volume contains information regarding a voyage of the ship Fox, a 146 ton brigantine that left Liverpool on March 8, 1774. The ship stopped first in the Cameroons, West Africa, where 148 African people were enslaved and brought aboard. The ship then crossed the Atlantic Ocean westward, landing first in Dominica. Seventeen (17) of the enslaved people died during the Atlantic crossing. After likely making other landings in the Caribbean to sell enslaved people the ship returned to Liverpool, completing the trip on February 22, 1775. The wages book recorded wages and debts of the crew, desertions, and several deaths of crew members by drowning. There are also records of enslaved people who worked on the ship and were paid in clothing. Source: Nancy Bercaw, Curator, Slavery and Freedom This bound volume contains information regarding Captain Robert Mitchell and his crew aboard the slave trading ship Fox. The covers are made from a brown paper and the text "Fox's Wages Book / Feb.y 1775 Capt Mitchell" is written on the front cover in black ink. The thirty-six (36) total interior pages have text pertaining to wages and debts of the crew, desertions of the crew, and several deaths of crew members by drowning, all written in black ink. There are also records of enslaved people who worked on the ship and were paid in clothing. Most pages have writing on the front and back sides, but there are some blank pages toward the back of the volume. The pages are bound together with bast fiber thread. Transcribed by digital volunteers
health finance business commerce medicine african americans slavery labor labor unions african american clothing and dress trans atlantic slave trade mitchell, robert davenport, william

Authors

Captain Robert Mitchell, William Davenport, English, 1725 - 1797

Collection
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection Documents and Published Materials Slavery and Freedom Objects Slavery and Freedom NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 3, C3 053
Dates
1774-1775
Format
Ink on paper, bast thread
Pages
Closed: 12 1/2 × 8 1/2 × 11/16 in. (31.8 × 21.6 × 1.7 cm) Open: 12 1/2 × 16 5/16 × 1 3/4 in. (31.8 × 41.4 × 4.4 cm)
Place Discussed
Haiti Barbados Jamaica Ireland Cameroon
Provider
Smithsonian Institution
Published in
Cameroon
Rights
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Source
Digital Public Library of America https://dp.la/item/1e38a297c80187e95a51bd1ae5d8ef55

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