top of page

The Cornish in the Caribbean: from the 17th to 19th Centuries

Nominated for the 2020 Cornish Publishers
Awards - the Holyer an Gof

Listed in 'The History of Matador in 20 Books' - a video produced in 2021 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Troubador's Matador imprint - available on YouTube

The Cornish in the Caribbean is the first study to tell the stories of some of the many Cornish men and women who went to the Caribbean. Some became wealthy plantation owners, while others came as indentured servants and labourers. Cornish men were active in the armed services, taking part in the numerous sea and land battles fought by the competing European powers throughout the region. Cornish officers and crew sailed on the ships of the Falmouth Packet Service which took the mail to and from the Caribbean. Methodism was strong in Cornwall and Methodist missionaries and their wives came to the Caribbean to evangelise both the enslaved and the newly free. But the most striking transfer of Cornish skills to the Caribbean was to be found in mining. As Cornish mining declined, and the Great Emigration of miners and their families got underway, Cornish mining engineers, captains and miners went out to mines throughout the Caribbean. 

What people are saying about "The Cornish in the Caribbean"...

"You are such an incredible writer. I so enjoyed reading your book." - Nancy Aufhammer, February 21, 2021

"This is a very readable and well researched book have to say that I did not know a great deal about this topic, but all that has changed and I now have a thirst for reading more about this part of the world. You deserve every success with this book, Sue."   -  Anne Parsons, January 2021

"Fascinating connections well explored & written. Bravo Sue! This is a page turner for any Cornish person, indeed anyone interested in the history and influence of the Cornish in the Caribbean. I learnt lots and it has me set to visit islands with a list of places to seek out. This was a well received Christmas gift and has prompted some Cornish holidaymakers to visit."  -  Amazon.uk customer, July 2020

"Great book, sent a copy to my cousin who is more Cornish than I, thank you."  -  Gabrielle Harding, July 2020

 

"A very interesting read and an impressive amount of research. Chapeau!  I enjoyed it thoroughly!"  -  Stephen Raffe, March 2020

The Cornish in the Caribbean is a very well researched and readable story following the years when two distinct communities came together. You don't have to be Cornish, or know the Caribbean, to appreciate the lives of these people. As a Methodist I had a particular interest in the chapter concerning this aspect - 'Men of God: Methodist Missionaries', but I was also intrigued by the stories of other people who also brought some of the Cornish traditions and life styles to a very different environment. It is a fascinating and interesting book. A book I thoroughly recommend."  -  Irene Robinson, May 2019

"This well-documented historical work focuses on the Cornish immigration to the Caribbean in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Appleby provides insight into conditions drawing men to the islands. Mining became the chief occupation of those who settled. Because of Methodism's prevalence in Cornwall, missionaries populated the islands reaching out to the English and native inhabitants. The main text presents the lives of the men residing in the islands while the appendices provide brief histories of the islands and of Methodism's rise in Cornwall. With over 750 endnotes and an extensive bibliography, Appleby provides readers with resources for further research."

-  NetGalley review for the e-book version, April 2019

bottom of page