MEMORY OF THE WORLD REGISTER
Documentary Heritage of the Indian Indentured Labourers
(Fiji, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago)
Ref N° 2010-35
PART A – ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
1
SUMMARY
 Documentary Heritage of the Indian Indentured Labourers
This is a joint submission for the inclusion of “Indian Indentured Laborers” records to
be inscribed in the International Register of Memory of the World Programme. The
Indian Indentured immigration was first accounted for in the 1830s and over a period of
roughly 100 years 1,194,957 Indians were -relocated to 19 colonies. These records are
the only documents for ancestral and lineage research for the numerous descendants of
those Indian Laborers.
At the peak of colonialism in the early 19th century, slavery was finally abolished,
however colonial administrators were hard-pressed to find alternative cheap labor from
the Indian sub-continent to meet the burgeoning cost of maintaining
their empires particularly the colony’s vast sugar plantations
The recruitment process was often hasty and unorthodox targeting the populous of
poverty stricken Indian provinces some landless and affected by food shortages and
unemployment due in part to the commercialization of the Indian economy generated by
British economic policies. Given the circumstance many were easily lured and deceived
about the work on offer, they were hustled aboard the waiting ships, unprepared for the
long and arduous four-month sea journey.
The arrival of large groups of Indian laborers in the receiving colonies had immense
repercussions, many of which are still being felt today. This mass movement of labor was
meticulously recorded by former colonial powers and stored in the archives of many
receiving colonies around the world. As a result, the documents relating to the Indian
Indentured Laborers dispersed all over the world offer a unique perspective of
colonialism as a major phenomenon in the unfurling of world history.
The loss of such records would deprive humanity of the enduring knowledge of the legacy
of indentured labour against the backdrop of Colonialism and the concept of “Empire”
which are so vigorously debated in learning institutions the world over. The study of
history is the study of humanity, and to loose lose such an important documentary
heritage would be to loose lose an inimitable part of our humanity.
It is tantamount to consider that the Indian Diaspora to these island nations had an
enormous impact on the local economy, the politics and the socio-cultural make up of the
colonies. The Indentured descendants have gone on to create new livelihoods and
expanded their horizons beyond the colonies some taking their place in the world as
1
renowned sportsmen, politicians, dignitaries and professionals. Their stories are
compelling and demand the equal attention of the international community through the
preservation and accessibility of their documentary heritage.
This submission is put forward by Guyana, Surinam, Trinidad & Tobago, and Fiji, with
Fiji as the primary nominator.
2.0
DETAILS OF NOMINATORS
2.1
Name (person or organisation)
1)
2)
3)
4)
2.2
The National Archives of Fiji
The National Archives of Guyana
The National Archives of Surinam
The National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago
Relationship to the documentary heritage nominated
The above institutions are the official custodians of the records of the
Indian Indentured Labourers for their countries.
2.3
Contact Person (s)
Mr Setareki Tale – Government Archivist
National Archives of Fiji
Fiji Islands
2.4
Contact details (include address, phone, fax, email)
i.
Setareki Tale – Government Archivist
The National Archives of Fiji
25 Carnavon Street,
Suva,
Fiji.
Phone: (679) 3304144
Fax: (679) 3307006
Email: stale@info.gov.fj
ii.
Ms June Du’Bissette
Head Archivist
The National Archives of Guyana
26 Main Street
Georgetown
Guyana
Tel: 00 579 (227) 7687
2
Email: narchivesguyana@yahoo.com
iii.
Rita Tjien Fooh- Hardjomohamad
The Republic of Surinam
National Archives of Surinam
Ministry of Home Affairs
Doekhieweg Oost 18 A / Zorg en Hoop
Paramaribo
Suriname
Phone: (597) 498222 or (597) 464943
Fax : (597) 498222
e- mail: rtjienfooh@nationaalarchief.sr
a.ammersing@hotmail.com
minbiza@sr.net or mhassan@cq-link.sr
iv..
Ms Cheryl Lee Kim - The Acting Government Archivist
National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago
105 St. Vincent Street
Port of Spain
Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Phone/Fax: 1 – 868-265-2689
Email: leekimc@moi.gov.tt
3.0
IDENTITY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE DOCUMENTARY HERITAGE
3.1
Name and identification details of the items being nominated
Records of the Indian Indentured Labourers
Fiji (1879 – 1962)
Guyana (1838 – 1917)
Surinam (1853 – 1946)
Trinidad & Tobago (1851 – 1917)
3.2
Description
3
These records are in secure storage in the nominating institutions.
(Refer to Appendix I, II, III, VI and V for full description of series in Fiji,
Guyana, Surinam, and Trinidad & Tobago))
In terms of bibliography references, these are a few of the many renowned
scholars & historian who have extensively worked with the nominated
documents
Fiji
 Ali. A. “Girmit: Indian Indentured Experience in Fiji” Suva, Fiji: Ahmed Ali,
2004.
 Gillion K.L “Fiji’s Indian Migrant: A history to the end of Indenture in
1920” Canberra: The Australian National University, 1962.
 Lal. Brij V “ Girmityas: the origins of the Fiji Indian” Canberra: The
Australian National University, 1983
Guyana
 BEAUMONT J. The New Slavery. An Account of the Indian and Chinese
Immigrations in British Guiana 1871
.
 BISNAUTH Dale
“East Indian Immigrant Society in “ British Guiana,
1891-1930” Unpublished PhD. Thesis Mona, 1977.
 BRONKHURST, H.V.P The Colony of British Guiana and its Labouring
Population London: 1883.
 DABYDEEN D and SAMAROO B (eds.) India in the Caribbean London,
1987.
Suriname

Gobardhan- Rambocus, L., Onderwijs als sleutel tot maatschappelijke
vooruitgang. Een taal – en onderwijs geschiedenis van Suriname, 16511975., , Zutphen 2001. (“Education as a key to societal progress. A
language- and educational history of Suriname.”)

Hassankhan, M.S. and Sandew Hira , The Historical Database of
Suriname, series of three publications www.nationaalarchief.nl/suriname/

Klerk C.J.M. de, De Immigratie der Hindostanen in Suriname,Amsterdam,
1953. (“ The Immigration of Hindustani’s in Suriname.”)
4
Trinidad & Tobacco
 De Vertueil, Anthony. Eight Indentured Indians. Port of Spain: Paria
Publishing, 1989.
 Deen, Shamshu. Solving East Indian Roots in Trinidad. Freeport, Trinidad:
Self Published, 1994.
 Jha, J.C. “The Indian Mutiny Cum Revolt of 1857 and Trinidad.” Research
Papers Indentured Indians in Trinidad and Tobago 1845-1917. Trinidad W.I.
: University of the West Indies, 1985.
(Please refer to Appendix VI for full listing)
4.0
JUSTIFICATION FOR INCLUSION/ASSESSMENT AGAINST CRITERIA
4.1
Authenticity
These records are official records, generated in compliance with several laws and
regulations concerning immigration, and their authenticity is verified by the
National Archives of Fiji, the National Archives of Surinam, and the National
Archives of Trinidad & Tobago who are the relevant custodial institutions.
These documents have been used by many renowned scholars in the
reconstruction of the history of these former colonies and in the exploration of
issues surrounding Indentured Labour.
(Please refer to Appendix VII for referees)
4.2
World significance, uniqueness and irreplaceability

The records of the Indian Indentured Labourers or girmityas (contracted
labourers) are of world significance in documenting a period of movement
which was initiated and managed by the machinery of Colonialism. They
constitute a body of documentation which details personal information of a
mass of people who were contracted as cheap indentured labourers. The
personal information contained within the records is the only source for
genealogy search for the descendants of girmityas worldwide.

The descendants of the girmityas have become have become an integral part
of the former colonies that received them; the records pertaining to their
forbears are of irreplaceable social, cultural, and historical significance.
5
4.3

These records capture a unique migration history of Indian communities
around the world. They offer researchers a distinctive opportunity to study the
effects of a different migration support on network establishment and studies
of the caste system, and the effects of indenture on migrant and indigenous
populations.

They support inquiry of universally relevant questions of social inequality,
gender inequality, racism, crime, and social injustices, in colonial and post
colonial societies.

They comprise the most detailed record extant of the strategy of the indenture
system and the colonial powers and its consequences for human rights of the
labourers

And most importantly, these records are unique and irreplaceable, as
originals and the only authentic documentation available. Their deterioration
or loss would leave a void in the memory of many former colonies, and erode
the sense of belonging of many of descendants of the original labourers.
Criteria
(a) Time
The records in question are work products, reflecting the underpinning
philosophies and priorities prevalent at the time of their creation. Their thorough
nature and near completeness makes them an extremely valuable resource and a
testament which will continue to be relevant; connecting and enlightening people
all over the world well into the future.
(b) Place
These official records provide a tangible connection between India and the
former colonies which received Indentured Labourers. Equally as important is
that the records provide an indelible connection between descendants of those
labourers and the former colonies they now call home. In fact, the practice of
engaging indentured labour from India was a genesis of the “Diaspora,” which
has taken members of the Indian race to all corners of the globe, where they have
had an immediate and lasting impact on the growth and development of their new
homes.
(c) People
As the most detailed record of the strategy of the indenture system these
documents contain important personal details which provide an immensely
important source of information for the descendants of the Indentured Labourers
and researchers concerned with humanities and development issues. These
records hold considerable social and historical value, and are among the most
requested and used documents in the National Archives of former colonies which
received Indentured Labour.
6
4.4
Rarity
The documentations are originals and therefore rare. Their authenticity remains
unchallenged, and is frankly un-contestable. These collections are the only
existing evidence that records the origins of the indentured labourers from the
vast districts of India where they were contracted from. They are the original
documentation of Indenture relating to the former colonies, and are the only
extant records available, making them extremely rare.
Integrity
The collections as a whole are comprised of primary source materials in their
original state. They therefore remain accessible for research purposes. The
records are largely complete and legible in their original form and have not been
altered; some minimal tears have not affected the value or access to the
collection. Bindings of the majority of bound documents are original; the few that
have been changed are due to professional remedial conservation carried out to
protect their integrity.
Threat
The collection due to its age is of course under threat of deterioration. However,
a preventative conservation management program is in place to ensure its
survival, an effort that is constrained by funds. At the same time a conservation
assessment of the collection has been carried out to ensure its longevity and
preventative conservation plans are developed to sustain the collection.
Management
The documents are secured and arranged in their original order. They have also
been described, all of which makes them very searchable, and ensures they are
readily available to the general public. Of all the records these holdings the
Indian Immigration Records are highly sought after and are among the most
requested archival documents in the National Archives.
7
5.0
LEGAL INFORMATION
5.1
Owner of the documentary heritage (name and contact details)
1.
Republic of the Fiji Islands
National Archives of Fiji
25 Carnavon Street
Suva
P.O Box 2125
Government Buildings
Suva
Fiji Islands
Phone: [679] 3304144
Fax: [679] 3307006
Email: stale@info.gov.fj
2.
The Republic of Guyana
National Archives of Guyana
26 Main Street
Georgetown
Guyana
Tel: 00 579 (227) 7687
Email: narchivesguyana@yahoo.com
3.
The Republic of Surinam
National Archives of Surinam
Ministry of Home Affairs
Doekhieweg Oost 18 A / Zorg en Hoop
Paramaribo
Suriname
Phone: (597) 498222 or (597) 464943
Fax : (597) 498222
e- mail: rtjienfooh@nationaalarchief.sr
a.ammersing@hotmail.com. minbiza@sr.net
3.
or mhassan@cq-link.sr
The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago
105 St. Vincent Street
Port of Spain
Trinidad & Tobago
Phone/Fax: 1 – 868-265-2689
Email: leekimc@moi.gov.tt
8
5.2
Custodian of the documentary heritage (name and contact details, if different
to owner)
Not Applicable
5.3
Legal status:
(a) Category of ownership
Government Ownership
(b) Accessibility
The records of the Indian Indentured Labourers are accessible to all
researchers upon request and when approval is attained from the Chief
Archivist. A minimal fee is levied for photocopying of these records.
Where possible portions of these different holdings are on microfilm and
are being prepared for digitisation.
(c) Copyright status
With the permission of the Minister who has the final say on access.
(d) Responsible administration
Established
(e) Other factors
None
6.0
MANAGEMENT PLAN
The Indian Immigration Records are among the most requested records in the
National Archives, and their usability and accessibility are of prime concern. In
order to ensure these records remain secure and accessible, a number of steps
have been taken. These records are being microfilmed for ease of research and to
prolong their lifespan. They are also well arranged and boxed and are priority
records as far as preservation and restoration works go. A long term preservation
plan for the National Archives is to have these records digitized from microfilm
copies.
7.0
CONSULTATION
The nominating organisation has had consistent and productive consultations
with the Fiji MOW Committee, partner organisations National Archives of
Guyana,Surinam, and the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as
seventeen (17) other former colonies who have expressed their support and are
exploring the possibility joining this nomination once they are prepared.
Constructive dialogue has also taken place with UNESCO Samoa, and with
scholars who have done extensive research using these records.
9
PART B
8.0
-
SUBSIDIARY INFORMATION
ASSESSMENT OF RISK
8.1.1 The collection is exposed to a number of risks. The threat to the collection lies in
the demand for its research potential that can place it at risk. Excessive handing
of these original documents can result in damage to the object; as such the
institution is embarking on digitization both as a preventative conservation
measure as well as providing greater access to the public. There is also the risk of
loss through theft if records are left with researchers unsupervised. Another risk
is power outages which impacts environmental conditions i.e. Air-conditioning
and de-humidifiers’ go offline.
9.0
ASSESSMENT OF PRESERVATION
9.1
The records have undergone preservation assessments and appropriated action
has been taken. All the records are secure, and are kept in environmentally
controlled storage. Programs are in place to reformat these records, with most
already copied onto microfilm with the possibility of digitization in the future.
PART C – LODGEMENT
This nomination is lodged by:
Mr Setareki Tale
National Archives of Fiji
25 Carnavon Street
Suva,
Fiji Islands
Appendix .I
Description of the Series of the Records of the Indentured Labourers of Fiji
10
NO
Series Title
Date
Range
Description
Volume
1
Indian
Emigration
Passes
1879 1916
Issued in compliance with Sec 38 of the
Indian Emigration Act, 1871 and Sec 66 of
the Indian Emigration Act, 1883. Each
emigration pass was made out at the
Emigration Depots in respect of each
emigrant leaving India for indenture service
abroad.
The passes were issued by the Emigration
Agent after endorsement by the Protector of
Emigrants and the Depot Surgeon, and give
particulars of the emigrants depot number,
name, caste, fathers name, sex, age, province
of origin, taluq[district], village, occupation,
name of next of kin, marital status and name
of spouse, height and bodily marks.
Each pass was endorsed with the date of
issue and the name and number of the
transport vessel to which the emigrant was
assigned for transportation.
On embarkation the emigrant surrender his
pass to the master of the transport for
comparison with the list of emigrants
assigned to the vessel and on arrival at the
port of destination the pass was returned to
the emigrant before disembarkation. On
landing, the immigrant surrendered his pass
to the immigration authority for comparison
with the emigrant lists. [Under the 1883 Act
the passes were retained by the master of the
transport vessel until its arrival at the port of
destination and were then handed by him
direct to the immigration authority]
Each pass was then endorsed with the
immigrant’s number, allotted from the
General Register of Indian Immigrants [See
No. 2] and retained by the Immigration
Department against the time when the
indenture expired. It was then used to
identify the immigrant should he/she apply
for repatriation to India.
344 volumes
Compiled in the office of the Agent General
of Immigration in accordance with Section ix
of Ordinance No. vi of 1878 and subsequent
legislation.
Records the name, father’s name, number,
age, sex, and country of origin of each
indentured laborer introduced into Fiji, his
date of arrival, the name of the ship on which
he arrived, the cost of his passage and the
name of the employer to whom he was
indentured.
Entries are endorsed with particulars of the
immigrant’s health, service, remuneration ,
movement between employers etc.
9 volumes
2
General
Register of
Indian
Immigrants.
(Ship
Register)
1879 1916
(Over
60, 000
individual
pass)
Catalogue/
Guides
Available
a) 23 Nominal
Indexes from
abbreviations AZ.
(Names that are
registered in
Passes & Ship
Register are
listed in
alphabetical
sequence).
b) Index to ships
& Emigration
Passes.
(Index contains
name of ship,
date of arrival in
Fiji, Volume no.
& Emigration
Pass no. that is
covered)
c) Information
contained in
Emigration
Passes are also
available on a
Database (which
is available on an
Intranet setting
within the
National
Archives
Building.)
Emigration
Passes are
registered in
numeric order on
database
a ) Index to ships
(Index contains
name of ship,
date of arrival in
Fiji, Volume no.
& Emigration
Pass no. that is
covered for each
ship)
A total of 87
ships carried the
Laborers from
1879 to 1916
11
3
Plantation
Register of
Immigrants
Series 1
1879
1919
-
4
Plantation
Register of
Indian
Immigrants.
Series 2
1908
1916
-
5
Plantation
Register of
Indian
Immigrants.
Series 3
Register of
Deaths of
Indian
Immigrants.
1912
1916
-
1879
1927
-
7
Register of
Deaths of
Indian
Immigrants [
By Plantation]
1899
1922
-
8
Register of
Deaths of
Indian
Immigrants by
Accident,
Violence and
Suicide
Register
of
Transfer
of
Indian
Immigrants
1914
1922
-
1911
1919
-
Alphabetical
List of FijiBorn Indians
Repatriated to
20 Dec
1924 –
30 Aug
1930
6
9
10
Compiled in the office of the Agent General
of Immigration in accordance with Section x
of Ordinance No vi of 1878 and subsequent
legislation.
Records under the name of each plantation ,
the number, name, father’s name, age and
sex of every indentured Indian allotted to it,
the name of the ship on which he arrived in
Fiji, the date and term of his service, and
date of discharge and repatriation .[ See also
no. 4 & 5]
This is the one remaining volume of a larger
series similar to No. 3, the others having
presumably destroyed. The only significant
difference in the column heading is the
substitution of “Extension Order” for “Date
of Return to India as Incapable”.
In this register the particulars of immigrants
are grouped according to the names of the
transport vessels on which they arrived in
Fiji.
9 volumes &
1 index vol.
1 Index
volumes
1 volume
No index
1 volume
No index
The entries in these registers are grouped by
the date of notification and not the date of
death. The register records particulars as
Ship No., Register No, Father’s Name, Age,
Sex, Employer, Plantation, Vessel, Date of
Indenture, Date of Death, Folio No., Cause
of Death and Remarks. There is a slight
change in the column heading, for the last
three volumes, where “Date of Indenture”
has been replaced by “Date of Arrival”. Unindentured immigrants and children born in
Fiji are entered in red ink.
The entries in these registers are grouped
according to the names of the plantations
followed by the year. Particulars in the
column heading are: Name of employer and
plantation, Serial No; Deceased’s: Name,
Registered No and Ship; If child is born in
Fiji: Mother’s name, Regd. No and Ship;
Date of arrival or Birth: Date, Year, and
Month; Date of Death, Cause of Death and
Remarks.
The entries in the register are grouped
according to years. Particulars in the column
heading are: General registered nos., Names,
Sex, Age, Plantation, Date of Death, M.P
Ref No, Cause of Death and Death
Registration No.
4 volumes
No index
4 volumes
No index
1 volume
No index
Entries in the register are grouped according
to the years. Particulars in the column
heading are: No, Date, From: Plantation,
Employer; To: Employer, Plantation,
Registered No of Immigrant, Ex ship, Date
of Expiration of Indenture and Fees.
Particulars entered in the register are Name,
Sex, Age, Name of Father, Particulars of
Father, Name of Mother, Particulars of
Mother, Place & Date of Birth, Date
1 volume
No index
1 volume
Index on front
page of volume
12
to
India
11
Register of
Fiji-Born
Indians
Repatriated to
India
6 Sept
1916 –
5 May
1962
12
Alphabetical
List of
Indentured
Indians
Repatriated to
India
Register of
Indentured
Indian
Immigrants
Repatriated to
India
Register of
Indians
[Immigrant
and Fiji-Born]
Repatriated to
India
1881 –
1892
Index of
Indian
Immigrant
Ships
13
14
15
repatriated, and ship by which repatriated. At
the front of the register is the alphabetical
index with page reference.
Register records the Name and Address, Sex,
Father’s Name, Parents particular
[Immigration particulars of father and
mother], Place of Birth, Date of Birth, Ship
and Date of Repatriation, Serial No. in
Repatriation Nominal Roll and Remarks.
The first seven pages in volume 1 do not
assign numbers to the returned immigrants.
The register records particulars such as Serial
No. of Year, Return Ship, Name of
Emigrant, Fathers Name, Sex, Age, Caste,
Registered No., Ship in which Introduced,
Returned under and Remarks.
3 volumes
No index
1 volume
No index
3 May
1892 –
22 July
1956
Particulars are similar to those of Series
No.12 except that the emigrants are grouped
by the ship followed by the year.
5 volumes
No index
3 Aug 1947
–
25 Jul
1955
The register records particulars such as
Name of Emigrant, Fathers Name, Sex, Age,
Full Ticket or Half, Caste, Registered No.,
Ship in which introduced and Remarks.
Emigrants repatriating are grouped by the
year and their destination [Madras or
Calcutta]. At the end of each year a summary
is drawn which includes Destination, gender
and the total no. of emigrants. Also included
are notes regarding mode of transportation.
A full summary of the repatriation detail is
pasted on the inside of the front cover.
1 volume
No index
14 May,
1879 - 11
Nov, 1916
The Index lists the names of the ships in their
chronological order as they departed ports
from India and their arrival in Fiji. There
were a total of 87 ships that transported the
immigrants during the years of indentured
laborers
1 index
1 index
Appendix II.
Description of the Series of the Records of the Indentured Labourers of British Guyana
No.
Series Title
Date Range
Description
1.
Ship Registers
1838 - 1917
2.
Immigrant Certificates
1865 - 1917
General Registers for
the 358 Ship Loads
from 1838 - 1917
Immigrant certificates
contains personal
information about
Volume
(Missing years 1838 – 1864)
13
3
Letter Books
1856 - 1891
4.
Register of Births
1845 - 1917
5.
Minutes of Court of Policy
(MCP)
1838 - 1917
6.
Minutes of Combined Courts
(MCC)
1838 - 1917
7.
Secretary of State Letters
1838 - 1917
8.
Governor’s Despatches
1838 - 1917
9.
Rules, Regulations
1838 - 1917
individuals such as
name, sex, age, district,
taluq, village
Books contain
correspondences to and
from India and officials
Birth records of those
that were born in
British Guyana and are
descendents of
indentured laborers
Minute Books of Court
Policy that were
convened to provide for
procedures and
explanations during
court proceedings
Minute Books of
combined courts that
were convened for
disputes regarding the
labourers
Letters to and from the
Secretary of State in
regarding the Indian
laborers
Volume containing
Governor’s Despatches
to and from the
Colonial Secretary in
Britain
Volumes containing
rules & regulations set
up.
Appendix .III
Description of the Series of the Records of the Indentured Labourers of Surinam
NO
A
Series Title
Correspondence
Date Range
1853 – 1943
Description
In the correspondence are included all the incoming
and outgoing minutes of outgoing documents / letters
between various official institutions and persons (in
India and Suriname) who were involved with the
Emigration such as the Immigration Fund, Agent
General from Suriname and India and other authorities
for example Depot Surgeon (doctors), District
Commissioners, Emigrants.
Documents such as reports / complaints of the Districts
Commissioners regarding Emigrants, payments to
emigrants, arrival and departure of emigrants, overview
of emigrants (men and women) working on the
plantation, departure of emigrants from Suriname to
Volume
597
14
Guyana, re-contracting, repatriation of emigrants,
compulsory education for the children of the emigrants,
correspondence from and to Calcutta (‘Calcutta
Letters’) and letters from Georgetown and documents
regarding the working conditions / terms of the
emigrants are included in these documents
B
Maintenance of the
Immigration
Department
1887 – 1944
Includes: the tasks and responsibilities of the Agent –
General (Government-Paper of the Colony of Suriname
1872 no. 8 and 1896 no. 8) as Head of the Immigration
Department and the tasks of the Sub-Agent.
Accountability documents including estimates of
revenue of the divisions such as 4e division of
Emigrants and Colonization. Documents regarding
repatriation of emigrants, transport and subsidy. Also
documents regarding the appointment and dismissal,
salaries / payments of the staff of the Immigration
Department.
C
Transport of
Emigrants
1886 – 1939
In these registers the entries are grouped according to
the year of departure with headings as date of
departure, date of registration, caste, religion, arrival
ship in Suriname and age. (Government-Paper of the
Colony Suriname 1872 no.8 art. 30)
Also:
- List of ships with the embarked Emigrants and an
abstract of number and description of accompanied
persons arrived per ship s.s. Sutley III includes name,
date of departure, costs of passage.
- Documents regarding the transport of emigrants to
Suriname with reports of eventual calamities.
- Emigration passes from men and women and children
who came with the ship Sutley III with particulars as
number of registration, name, fathers name, sex,
province of origin, if married name of wife/husband,
height, age, religion, village or town, occupation in
India and signed by the Protector of Emigrants, the
Surgeon Superintendent and the Government
Emigration Agent of Suriname.
- Documents regarding the purchase of plots in
Calcutta to build a ‘Cooly depot’.
- Books of receipts of transactions made by the Agent
General from Suriname and to the Agent General of
India, 1873.
- Documents regarding the health of the emigrants.
22
N.B. Only two registers regarding the arrival of the
emigrants are available.
D
Supervision
1875 – 1948
1. Labour and wages.
Emigration reports from the plantations in the districts
with entries as health, production, name, plantation,
1902 – 1936 and registers including the wages of
emigrants 1918 - 1928
223
2.Remittance
This includes documents regarding the received
remittance from the District Commissioner with entries
15
as name and amount of remittance. Documenst.
regarding emigrants who are informed about their
remittance sent to their relatives in India.
3.Complaints (Civil Cases):
Overviews of complaints by the emigrants from the
districts 1888 – 1935. Also are included overviews of
convicted emigrants on accounts of murder, 1875 –
1913. Reports regarding the ‘dispute’ (controversy)
between Hindu and Muslims in 1933. Documents
regarding criminal cases against the Emigrants, 1927 –
1930
4. Inheritance: Documents regarding inheritance of
deceased Emigrants, 1866 – 1936 and registers
regarding inheritance of Emigrants, 1915 - 1919
5. Finance: Documents regarding the savings of the
emigrants at the Colonial Savings-Bank (Koloniale
Spaarbank), 1883 – 1925. The bank was established in
1897(Government-paper of the Colony Suriname 1897
no. 29) and also include lists of repayment, 1915 1920
6. Health: Documents regarding the arrival of the
Indian immigrants to Suriname for inspection including
the Health report 1897 – 1915 and documents
regarding the health conditions of the emigrants, 1913.
7.Documents regarding the medical disapprovals of
emigrants, 1904 – 1933 on grounds of diseases as
Lepra and emigrants who were unable to work after
their recovery (incapacity), 1904 - 1933
8.Social conditions 1897 – 1933
Documents regarding the establishment of schools for
the children from the emigrants ( Koeli scholen- Cooly
schools) 1897 – 1908 and documents regarding
inspections on the plantation by inspectors from the
Agent General, 1929 – 1933.
E
Civil Registration.
1872 - 1937
These documents include registers of birth, death,
marriage and divorce between the emigrants
(Government-Paper of the Colony Suriname 1872 no. 8
art.17), the obligation to choose a family name. Entries
in these registers are number of the immigrant from the
ship’s register(munster-rol), number of registration,
fathers name, number of children, age, sex, parents
name, repatriation or death of the emigrants.
F
Mutation
1886 - 1933
Documents regarding contract with emigrants, birth
and transfer on the plantations, 1886 – 1939. Also
documents about the conditions / situation on the
plantation in Suriname and Trinidad
49
G
Certificates of
dismissal and leave
passes
1900 - 1938
Includes documents regarding the exchange of leave
passes into certificates of dismissal, 1929 – 1936 and
registers of certificate of dismissal presented to the
emigrants, 1900 – 1939.
6
16
H
Renewal of
contracts and reexamination
1904 – 1935
Registers/documents including renewal of contracts of
emigrants on the plantation. (Government-Paper 1872
no 8 art 51-53)
I
Premium / Bounties
1895 – 1938
Includes - documents regarding the renunciation of the
right of repatriation (free passage) and the request for a
premium from the Colonial Treasury (Koloniale Kas)
or Immigration Fund (Government-Paper 1872 no 8 art
7 sub 10) with entries as number of registration, name,
date of request, date of decree and date of payment.
The request to get a plot land for the purpose of small
scale agriculture.
Registers including an overview of premium given to
the Emigrants
Also included registration of certificates of emigrants
who received the premium with entries as number from
the ship’s register (munster roll), number of
registration, name, arrival date, sex and ministerial
decree of disposal, duration contract.(Alphabetical AW)
J
Repatriation
1882 – 1836
Documents regarding the arrival of emigrants and the
repatriation from Suriname via Demerary to India 1923
– 1929, Includes also receipts of savings from the
emigrants who repatriated via Demerara to Calcutta.
Registers from repatriated and recontracted emigrants
with entries as name first name, sex, date of
termination of the contracts 1896 – 1925.
(Government-Paper 1872 no 8 art.17 sub c) Documents
regarding the penal provision for the emigrants who
didn’t have a written evidence from the Agent General
for their repatriation after expiration of the contract,
1899.
51
L
Immigration
registers
1873 - 1916
48
M
1.Correspondence
of the Immigration
Fund:
The Immigration registers were kept by the
Immigration Department in Suriname in accordance to
art. 32 from the Government-paper of the Colony of
Suriname May 3, 1872 no 8). The emigration from
India to Suriname took place in the period 1873 – 1916
and the immigrations were listed with the letters
A(1872), B(1873) up to Ss(1916). These numbers are
the official identification numbers of the immigrants in
Suriname. In these registers the following information
about the emigrant is noted: contract number number
of the muster-rol, name, name of the father, sex, age at
arrival, family relations of other labourers, length,
colour of the skin, identification marks, profession,
country of birth, last residence, place of embarkation,
ship, date of departure, recruiting authority, place of
arrival, name and place of the plantation, date of
arrival, the name of the ship on which he /she arrived,
contract stipulations (such as duration of contract)
changes and movements.
The Immigration Fund was established on August 21,
1878 exactly five years after the arrival of the first
emigrants from India to Suriname. (Government-Paper
of the Colony of Suriname 1880 no. 3) The Finance-
1883 – 1931
26
17
administrator was appointed as manager of the
Immigration Fund. In the correspondence are:
Incoming documents, 1883 – 1914, outgoing
documents, 1897 – 1924 and incoming and minutes of
outgoing documents, 1894 – 1931
2. Organization of
the Immigration
Fund
1883 – 1944
1. Regulations regarding the Immigration Fund:
Documents regarding the Immigration Fund such as
documents received by the Finance-administrator
regarding renewal of contracts of emigrants, premium
and arrival of emigrants , 1883 – 1906, Amendments
on the Immigration Fund Act, 1904 – 1912 and Taxregisters regarding the formation of the Immigration
Fund, 1926.
2. Personnel management: Monthly extracts of the
‘work registers’ of the emigrants of the plantations,
Government Paper 1872 art. 55. Incoming and
outgoing documents regarding reappointment, 1919 –
1920
3. Financial management documents includes: list of
guarantee for advance given to the emigrants, 1833,
1906-1907 and a list of savings sent to Calcutta, 1899 –
1900
4. Committee of inspection includes minutes of
meetings of the Committee, 1900 -1901 and 1920 and
copies of reports of the Committee meetings.
N.B. The inventory of this archive is not yet
completed.
Appendix IV
No.
Series Title
Date Range
Description
Volume
Registers of
Criminal cases
1874 - 1895
Registers of the ‘Ommegaande rechters’are included in
the Archive of the Court of Justice. They were judges
who regularly went to the plantations to hold court
sessions accordance to the Government-paper of the
Colony of Suriname 1874, no.20. These are the
registers of those judges regarding criminal cases
against the emigrants on the account / charges such as
of murder, desertion, laziness and willful disobedience
on the plantations. The court sessions were held in the
Capital city Paramaribo and different districts. While in
the district of Commewijne it was held in
Fredricksdorp, Marienburg, Sommelsdijck, Jaglust,
Resolutie, Nijd en Spijt). (Government-paper of the
Colony of Suriname 1879, no.20). It includes the
9
18
charges, hearing of witnesses and verdicts.
These documents are an important source for the study
of the social circumstances and the resistance of the
emigrants on the plantations.
Unfortunately only a small number of registers is kept
in the National Archive.
19
Appendix V
Description of the Series of the Records of the Indentured Labourers of Trinidad &
Tobago
NO
Series Title
Date
Range
Description
Volume
Catalogue/
Guides
Available
20
1
2.
Indian
Emigration
Passes
18511917.
Although Indian Immigration was
from 1845 to 1917, not all Ship
Registers which contained the
Emigration Passes are now
available.
1.
The earliest available was
for 1851-52. Those up to
1858 contained only the
Indian’s name, Father’s
Name, Sex, Caste, Age and
Remarks, Ship Name and
Ship #, Contracts, Date of
Departure and Trinidad’s
General Register #, and
Estate of indenture.
2.
1859-1865 Emigration Passes
contained the same as 1851-58 but
now included village,
pergunnah/talook, Zillah, the
Indian’s Height, Bodily Marks and
Depot #.
3.
1866-1886 Emigration Passes
contained same as 1859-66 but
information now included Next of
Kin, and ‘If Married To Whom’, and
placed in rows rather than columns.
4.
1886-1917 Emigration Passes
from Calcutta contained the same as
1866-86 but now included
registration details from sub-depot
Place, date and Number in Register.
5.
1906-1916 Emigration Passes
from Madras had the same as the
Calcutta’s but no information for
sub-depot.
General
Register (GR)
of
Indian
Immigrants.
1845
to
1917.
2.
Of the 319
Voyages
from India
to
Trinidad,
Emigration
Passes
exist for
about 250.
Most of
the
missing
ones were
of the
earlier
years
when the
number
per ship
was less.
About
120,000 of
the
147,592
EPs are
available.
GR. A. 1845 to 1856 contained
Ship Name and Date of arrival, the
names of 35 Indians per page with
information on each being his/her
GR #, Name, Father’s Name, Sex,
Age, Bounty (Money) and Remarks
which mentioned a ship name of
Return to India.
17 of the
18
Volumes
still exist
covering
69 of the
GR.’s B, D, E, F, G, H 1856 to
1886 and GR 1892-96 contained
same as 1845-56 but now included
Ship #, Estate of Indenture, Remarks
72 years or
144,000
plus of the
147,592
Indians to
Trinidad.
21
as to those who died during
indenture, received Crown Lands or
Returned to India. Those who died
on the voyage were included after
the names of arrivals. Those who
arrived as (paying) Passengers were
also included .
3.
GR’s 1886-92, 1897-1906, 19101917 contained same as 1856-1886
but included Caste, District,
Transfer of Estate, Height, Bodily
Marks, Date of Indenture and
Marriage Register #.
4.
GR 1906 to 1909 is missing as are
four of the eleven Ship Registers
containing 3000 names.
3.
Estate Registers
(ER)
1845
to
1898.
One
for
1901.
4
Register of
Indians
Returning to
India.
1895
to
1950.
5
Register of
Remittances to
Relatives and
18851891
There are 15 of these
Registers. Much damage has
occurred to the first quarter of the
1845-1862 Estate Register.
The others are in good shape and
contain not as much detail as the
GR’s. ERs sometimes did not
include children under 10 years of
age and the father’s name of the
indentured. Each ER has a Table of
Contents alphabetically arranged.
Each Page has the Estate listed at
the top.
There are twenty two of these
Registers spanning up to 1950. As
expected there were no Returnees
recorded during World War
II. Information included much of
the details from the GRs but also
had complete families consisting of
sometimes the spouse and children
some of whom were born in
Trinidad.
15
Volumes
Extremely valuable Register
unfortunately covering only six
years of the 72 years of indentured
1 Volume
22
Volumes
22
labour and the years after when
Indians continued to send money.
This Register has details of the
Remitter such as his Name, GR#,
Estate, and current Trinidad address
and occupation. The Receiver’s
Name and relationship, as well as
the address in India was included
with the amount of money sent.
Some Remitters were from other
colonies who had taken up residence
in Trinidad.
Friends in
India.
6
Bounty
Registers.
18611907.
Three Bounty Registers exist.
Bounty was the name given to an
Indian who re-indentured usually for
one year after the five year contract
and not always to the same estate.
3 Volumes
7
Letters from
India
1911
to
1932
5 Volumes
8
Register of
Redemption
Fees
19091911
9
Correspondence
1927
Five Registers exist: 1914-16, 191122, 1926-27, 1928-32, and 1929.
Generally they were letters from
relatives or returned indentured in
India through the Immigration
Agent in Calcutta to contact their
Trinidad relatives.
This Register was for those Indians
who paid off their contract and
became free before their five year
indenture was complete.
Correspondence Register.
10
Immigration
Department
Marriages
Other Colonies
19141917
1896
19221930
19101922
18881911
1916
Annual Report on the Immigration
Department.
East Indian Immigration Marriages
Immigration Reports from Other
Colonies.
Contained similar information as
No. 5 above.
Two Registers covered this subject:
1888-1904 and 1904-1911.
MPS sent from Colonial Secretary
for Records in Office.
Note of Immigration from India to
Trinidad.
Register of Prohibited Immigration.
1 Volume
Refund of Deposit for Passage Paid
Register of Deceased Immigrants.
1 Volume
1 Volume
Register of Orphans were of those
children whose parents died either at
sea or during their indenture ship.
Register of Paupers.
1 Volume
One Register of the Protector of
Indians.
1 Volume
11
12
13
14
15
Money Order in
India
Mortality
20
Colonial
Secretary
Note of
Immigration
Prohibited
Immigration
Deposit Refund
Deceased
Immigrants
Orphans
21
Paupers
22
Protector
16
17
18
19
1893
1851
1931
18971919
18971916
19091922
1928
1 Volume
1 Volume
1 Volume
1 Volume
1 volume
2 Volumes
1 Volume
1 Volume
1 Volume
1 Volume
23
23
24
25
26
Returned
Passengers
Committee on
Emigration
1909 1936
1910
Convalescent
1909 1910
1871 1890
Register of
Crown Lands
Two Registers of Returned
Passengers
The Report of the Committee on
Emigration from India exists in
three parts:1,2 & 3.
Ship Register Convalescent Book
2 Volumes
Register of Crown Lands &
Monies granted to Indian
Immigrants in Lieu of return
passage to India. This had names
of Indians in alphabetical order, the
area they settled in Trinidad as
well as the acreage granted, the
wife and children’s names.
1 Volume
1 Volume
1 Volume
24
Appendix VI
Bibliography References from Fiji
Ali. A. “Girmit: Indian Indentured Experience in Fiji” Suva, Fiji: Ahmed Ali,
2004.
Gillion K.L “Fiji’s Indian Migrant: A history to the end of Indenture in 1920”
Canberra: The Australian National University, 1962.
Lal. Brij V “ Girmityas: the origins of the Fiji Indian” Canberra: The Australian
National University, 1983
Munro,Doug,Lal.V.Lal and Beechet, Edward.D. Plantation Workers: resistance
& accommodation. Hawaii.. University of Hawaii Press, 1993.
Kelly. John Durham, Discourse about sexuality and the end of indenture in Fiji:
the making of counter hegemonic discourse. History & Anthropology, New York,
Princeton University Press. 1990.
Andrews .C.F and Pearson W.W. Report on Indenture labour in Fiji: an
independent enquiry, 1916. Suva, Fiji Government Printery, 1916.
Sandhya, Totaram. My twenty-one years in the Fiji Islands. Suva, Fiji Museum,
1991
Ministry of Information. Girmit: a centenary anthology 1879 – 1970. Suva, Fiji
Ministry of Information, 1979.
Bibliography References from Guyana.
Beamont J. The New Slavery. An Account of the Indian and Chinese
Immigrations in British Guiana 1871.
Bisnauth. Dale. “East Indian Immigrant Society in “ British Guiana, 1891-1930”
Unpublished Phd. Thesis Mona, 1977.
Bronkhurst, H.V.P. “The Colony of British Guiana and its Labouring Population
London: 1883.
Dabydeen.D and Samaroo.B (eds.) “ India in the Caribbean” London, 1987.
Devouex.G.W. “Experiences of a Demerara Magistrate” Georgetown, 1948.
Gamabir, Surendra K “The East Indian Speech Community in Guyana, a
sociolinguistic study” (Unpublished Thesis Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1991).
25
Jayawardena, Chandra “East Indian Sugar Workers in British Guiana”, ISER,
UCWI, 1957.
Jenkins, Edward. “The Coolie: His Rights and Wrongs” London, 1871.
Lawrence. K.O “Immigration into the West Indies in the Nineteenth Century”.
Bridgetown, 1971.
Mangaru, Basdeo “Asian immigration and Indenture” Unpublished Georgetown,
1974.
Bibliography References from Surinam.
Gobardhan- Rambocus, L., Onderwijs als sleutel tot maatschappelijke
vooruitgang. Een taal – en onderwijs geschiedenis van Suriname, 1651- 1975., ,
Zutphen 2001. (“ Education as a key to societal progress. A language- and
educational history of Suriname.”)
Hassankhan, M.S. and Sandew Hira , The Historical Database of Suriname, series
of three publications www.nationaalarchief.nl/suriname/
Klerk C.J.M. de, De Immigratie der Hindostanen in Suriname,Amsterdam, 1953.
(“ The Immigration of Hindustani’s in Suriname.”)
Hoefte R., Plantation labour after abolitionof slavery. The case of plantation
Marienburg (Suriname), 1890-1914. Gainesville, 1987.
Historical Database of Suriname (1998).
“A database on indentured labour in Suriname (34.000 Indian immigrants,
32.000 Javanese immigrants (with 18.000 scanned photographs of Javanese) en
2.000 Chinese”.
“Encyclopedia of the colonial history of Suriname 1848-195: a database on
internet”, Forthcoming November 25th 2010
Bibliographic References from Trinidad & Tobago
De Vertueil, Anthony. Eight Indentured Indians. Port of Spain: Paria Publishing,
1989.
Deen, Shamshu. Solving East Indian Roots in Trinidad. Freeport, Trinidad: Self
Published, 1994.
26
Jha, J.C. “The Indian Mutiny Cum Revolt of 1857 and Trinidad.” Research
Papers Indentured Indians in Trinidad and Tobago 1845-1917. Trinidad W.I. :
University of the West Indies, 1985.
La Guerre, J. G. Ed. Calcutta to Caroni. Longmans, 1974.
Ram, Bindeshwar. “Bondage and Slavery in Trinidad: The Indian Diaspora of
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in Trinidad and Tobago in the Nineteenth
Century.” Conference on Challenge and Change, The Indian Diaspora in its
Historical and Contemporary Context. Trinidad: University of the West Indies,
1995.
Samaroo, Brinsley. “The India Connection.” Second Conference on East Indians
in the Caribbean. Trinidad: University of the West Indies. 1979.
Sarup, Leela Gujadhur. Annual Reports from the Port of Calcutta to British and
Foreign Colonies Volumes One & Two. Kolkata: Aldrich International, 2006.
Wellers, Judith Ann. The East Indian Indenture in Trinidad. Puerto Rico, 1968.
Appendix VII.
List of Referees
(a)
Fiji.
1. Dr Brij.V.Lal
Historian & Academic
Associate Professor
Australian National University
Canberra
Australia
Email: brij@anu.edu.au
2. Dr Sudesh Mishra
Associate Professor
Deakin University
221 Burwood
Highway 3175
Victoria
Australia.
Email: sudesh@deakin.edu.au
3. Professor John Durham Kelly
Professor of Anthropology
27
University of Chicago
62 South Gland Avenue
Poughkeepsie
NY 12603
United States of America
Email: johnkelly@uchicago.edu
(b)
British Guyana
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
(c)
Dr Basdeo Mangru
Dr David Chanderbali
Dr Yesu Persaud
Dr Prem Misir
Mr Pat Dial
Mr Tota Mangar
Republic of Suriname
1. Maurits Hassankhan
Minister for Home Affairs
Government of Suriname
mhassan@cq-link.sr
(d)
Trinidad & Tobago
1. Mr Shamshu Deen
Genealogist
9 Charlotte Street
Princes Town, Trinidad
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Tel. (868) 656 -3874
Email: shamshu@tstt.net.tt
2. Fr.Anthony de Verteuil
Author
83 Frederick Street
Port of Spain
Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Tel. (868) 623 -2792.
NOTE : This is an initial nomination and it is anticipated that other nations
which were involved in the Indian Indentured Labourer Scheme will join in
support of this nomination at some later date.
28
29