'File 5/190 V Manumission of slaves at Muscat: individual cases'

Content

The volume contains correspondence related to slave manumission cases heard at the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Muscat. The majority of the manumission cases featured in the volume are straightforward, with correspondence following a regular pattern. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Muscat (Major Watts for most cases, who was in charge from June 1935 to April 1939) sent slave manumission statements to the Secretary to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in Bushire. In those cases where slaves had absconded from the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. , the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. referred the details of the case to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent at Sharjah (‘Īsá bin ‘Abd al-Latif until August 1935, 'Abd al-Razzaq Razuqi from 1936) requesting he make enquiries into the slave's story. In many of the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent's enquiries, it was found that slaves were not in fact slaves, but indebted divers who were seeking to escape their debts. In a number of cases the Sharjah Agent sent details of divers' debts to the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. (see for example, folios 170-175). In these situations the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. authorised the issue of a manumission certificate to the indebted pearl diver, on the proviso that he return to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent at Sharjah to settle his debts.

Subject 7 of the volume includes a statement made at the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. at Muscat in 1935, by a man who was seeking to retrieve his son, who he claimed had been kidnapped from him (folio 54). Enquires by the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent at Sharjah revealed that the man in fact gave his son as security against a debt, and that the boy would be sold unless the security was paid back (folio 67). Ongoing investigations carried out by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Loch) showed that the boy was sold (or 'mortgaged') three times, twice in Ajman and once in Sharjah, the last time to an uncle of the Shaikh of Sharjah. The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. wrote to Loch in July 1936, stating that there is a 'clear case against the shaikh of Sharjah for breaking his Slave Trading Agreements with us.' However, it was noted that 'any action against the shaikh of Sharjah might have an adverse effect on [Frank] Holmes' negotiations about oil, and also make us unpopular in Sharjah.' (folio 87) The Resident suggested a fine of 500 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. for the Shaikh of Sharjah, as punishment for the slave trading offence.

Extent and format

1 volume (453 folios)

Arrangement

At the front of the book (ff 1-2) is a handwritten index of the manumission subjects found in the volume. Each subject lists the names of the slave(s) involved. Although the contents pages list the subjects from 1 through to 30 (with some subjects struck out), the subjects have not been compiled in the volume in this same numerical order. As a consequence, the manumission subjects are not arranged in any chronologically order. Correspondence within each subject is arranged chronologically, from earliest to latest. The contents pages do not include page numbers.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 449; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence between ff 331-449, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.

Written in

English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/1/219

Former external reference(s)

A Series: 5/190 V

History of this record

Date(s)

5 Feb 1935-29 Jan 1939 (CE, Gregorian)

Context of creation

Manumission cases heard at Muscat were sent to the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. for final decision. The decision on each case was made according to the Guidelines for Manumission, drawn up in 1913 by then Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. Percy Cox. In the case of Muscat slaves, the granting of a manumission certificate could only be done with the acquiescence of the Sultan of Muscat, after investigation by his Highness and the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. . This particular procedure for manumission was followed by officials, because the Sultan of Muscat and his dominion was not covered by the Brussels Act of 1890.

Subjects

Indentured labourConcessionsPearl industry and trade

Places

MuscatAl-Hasa

People & organisations

Muscat Political Agency and Consulate

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'File 5/190 V Manumission of slaves at Muscat: individual cases', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/219, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x0000c0> [accessed 18 April 2024]

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