Last updated: September 2012 |
 Although there are records of Dukes in the early days of Barbados the first Duke from the Sligo Family to go to the West Indies was Mansergh Pace DUKE. He qualified as a doctor in Dublin. His brother, Valentine De Saumarez Duke, who was also a doctor, went out to Ceylon in the late 1870s. BACKGROUND Slavery on the island had been abolished in 1834 but the freed slaves had to work as apprentices. Many left the island to seek paid work. The island that Mansergh arrived in was in an impoverished state with a much depleted population in need of medical care. Once some labourers had resources, they could buy abandoned estates by pooling their resources, sub-divide them, and establish themselves as peasant proprietors. Most of these holdings were on marginal land, with plots ranging from a half to ten acres. These smallholders grew sugar and other cash crops as well as fruit, vegetables and ground provisions, not to mention raising livestock and poultry. These small holdings eventually grew into "free villages" with the help of missionaries who would organize a church and a church school nearby. [source:History of Montserrat: http://caribbeansupersite.com/montserrat/history.htm] |
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 Emily & Mansergh  Unknown group Until
1671 the Leeward Islands were part of the general
government of Montserrat, the Virgin Islands and Nevis
under a governor-in-chief. From 1671 a federal
legislature gradually grew up and in 1690 it was
formalized. By 1812 the Leeward Islands consisted of
two divisions: Antigua and Montserrat forming one, and
St Christopher,Nevis and the Virgin Islands the other.
In 1833 they were reunited; Dominica was then added,
but was transferred to the Windward Islands in 1940.
The Leeward Islands Federation was dissolved in 1956.
[source: The National Archives website] |
Mansergh first practised in Dominica from
around 1875/6. In 1882 he appears to have been back in
Dublin and in1883 he turned down an offer of a position
in St.Lucia. He was therefore still in Dublin when his
daughter Annie Louisa was born in January 1883. It is not known when Mansergh first practised in Montserrat, probably around 1883/84. His first wife, Louisa Anna died there in July 1890. [source: death notice; Kildare Observer 26 July 1890]. The Edinburgh Gazette records that he was appointed an Official Member of the Legislative Council of the Island of Montserrat on 17 December 1887. By 1900 his occupation was recorded as Senior Medical Officer, Bellve Vue in St.Anthony's, Montserrat. [source: birth certificate Ina Aileen Duke- 2 January1900]. He ended his career as Chief Medical Officer for the Leeward Islands, based in Antigua. Mansergh Pace Duke married Emily Wilkin(1869-1932) in 1893. Their children were: (1) Manserge Val (Vanty), (2) Oriel (Konks), (3) Sybil (m. Rev Bolton), (4) Ina Aileen (m. Gall), (5) William, (6) Ismay (m. Winter), (7) Rawson, (8) Sarah (m.Hardy), (9) Manserge Pace (Toony), (10) Basil.  Mansergh Valentine, Sarah, Oriel, Ismay,
William
Sybil, Emily, Aileen Rawson, Mansergh Pace(jnr) [taken c.1919] |
