Sugar, Slaves and High Society: The Grants of Kilgraston

In this talk Richard Blake, author of ‘Sugar, Slaves and High Society: The Grants of Kilgraston 1750-1860’ will give an illustrated talk about how one Scottish family made its fortune on the backs of enslaved people in Jamaica and how the repatriated wealth was rapidly spent. The plantation economy in Jamaica, and elsewhere, helped to supply the increasing demand in the United Kingdom and Europe for sugar, rum and coffee and, while slavery was not legal in the United Kingdom, it remained legal in the Colonies until 1833. Following abolition, significant sums were paid by the United Kingdom government to the "owners" of the enslaved as compensation.

Two Grant brothers from Strathspey travelled to Jamaica before buying Kilgraston Estate in 1787. Some years later three Grant brothers had joined the elite in society: Sir Francis Grant became the first, and only, President of the Royal Academy of Arts; General Sir James Hope Grant, G.C.B. fought in the Indian Mutiny and during two campaigns in China; and John Grant, who married a daughter of the 7th Earl of Elgin (of "the marbles"), was Captain of both the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the Royal Perth Golfing Society. In the next generation Charles Grant served with Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak, while his sister, Mary, was one of the very early, female, professional sculptors whose works can be seen in Perth: the pulpit in St John's Episcopal Church; a bas relief of Provost Fortescue in St Ninian's Cathedral; and a marble bust in the Perth Museum.

Income from this talk will be donated to The Tumbling Lassie’s charity which supports victims of modern slavery www.tumblinglassie.com

Biography

Richard Blake studied Law at the University of Edinburgh, was admitted as a Writer to HM Signet and practised as a solicitor in Perth, specialising in Rural Law. Many years later, he completed a part-time MSc in the Origins, History and Contemporary Impact of Globalisation at the University of Dundee. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in Scotland and a Past President of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, which is the oldest continuously active Natural History Society in the United Kingdom.