Episode summary:
Liz Bonnin was born in Paris and grew up in the South of France until she was 10, and then in Ireland, but her family came from the Caribbean. Her mother came from Trinidad, with a mix of Indian and Portuguese ancestors, and her father from French Martinique.
Liz went to Trinidad to find out about her maternal grandfather's family who originated in India. She met up with her cousin Andrew at the family's art shop in Port-of-Spain. The art shop was formerly run by their great-aunts, one of whom was called Sybil Rawle. Their parents, Liz's great-grandparents, were George Albert and May Agnes Rawle. Andrew showed Liz Sybil's obituary, which said that she died at the age of 89, and that she had helped to set up the Susamachar Church (a Presbyterian church) and had become an ordained elder. The church was in San Fernando, in South Trinidad. Liz's and Andrew's mothers were raised as Catholics. Liz's mother's name was Joan Rawle and Liz's grandfather was Merlain Rawle.
Liz went to San Fernando to the main Presbyterian church, where she was told that the photo of her great-grandfather in a group of men was of Presbyterians. She was shown the marriage certificate of George Albert Rawle and May Agnes Sirzu, the daughter of Timothy Sirzu, dated 10 Jan 1907. They were married at the Susamachar church by Kenneth J Grant, whose book mentions Timothy as a member of the Board of Managers of the church and as a court interpreter.
Liz visited the Susamachar church and met a local historian who showed her Timothy's obituary, which said that he had died of typhoid at La Pique, leaving his mother, his wife and twelve children. Timothy was the head of the mercantile house (i.e. shop) known as "The Star", which Liz saw in an old photograph. Timothy's probate inventory showed that he also owned a cocoa and sugar plantation known as Nelson, of about 400 acres.
Andrew had more photos, one of Timothy and two of his brothers outside the store, and another of him with his mother and brothers. The brothers' names written on this photo were Samuel Bunsie, George Adhar, and James Mungal. Liz went to the Trinidad National Archives and met a genealogist who showed her the death certificate, dated 1906, of Timothy Sirzu aged 42, born in India. A ship's register from 1872 showed the family arriving at Trinidad: father Aunondee, motherSudhanee, and sons Surjoodin, Mungul, Udhar, and Bunsee. So after arrival, the boys took English first names and adapted their original names to become their surnames. The ship register showed that the family was of the Koree caste, a fairly low agricultural caste, and that they were from the village of Luchmanpoore in the district of Uttar Pradesh.
Liz was told that the family had been indentured to work for 5 years on the Palmiste estate in South Trinidad, which was run by a Scottish Presbyterian family called Lamont, who would have encouraged the children to attend school. Timothy's eldest son's birth certificate from 1882 shows that Timothy was a schoolmaster at age 18.
Liz then went to Martinique to find out about her father's family. He was born on Martinique. His mother, Julie Bonnin, died 13 years ago. Liz met up with her aunt and godmother, Marie Christine, to look at Julie's old house. She was shown a photo of Julie as a young child with her brothers and sisters after their parents had died. Julie's father's name was Achille Gros Desormeaux. Marie Christine said that Julie had told her that the family had owned plantations with slaves, and that some of the slaves had stayed on after the abolition of slavery.
Liz went to meet a researcher who had been looking into her family tree. Slavery was abolished in Martinique in 1848. Liz was shown the marriage certificate from 1907 of Achille Gros Desormeaux, the son of Louis Marie Gros Desormeaux a landowner aged 79, and Charlotte Savane. Louis died in 1911 age 83 and his death certificate showed that he was the son of Francois Alexandre Gros Desormeaux. Liz went to see one of Francois's properties. An inventory of his possessions from 1838, when he was 43 years old, included a list of his slaves and their estimated prices.
Liz went to Martinique Archives and met a local historian, who showed her the marriage certificate of Francois Alexandre Gros Desormeaux and Marie Joseph, which legitimised their eight children. She was also shown an "Act of Enfranchisement" dated 1831 which freed Marie Joseph age 40 and her six children from slavery.
The baptism record of Francois Alexandre's younger brother Marc Antoine showed that he was the natural son of mixed-race woman Pauline Zoe who had also been freed. A history of the Gros Desormeaux family, called "Sang Mele", said that Francois Alexandre's father was Francois Alexandre Gros Desormeaux sr, a white man whose father was born in Marseille. Liz went to see where Francois Alexandre sr lived with his family, a small hamlet now called Desormeaux, and met some of her distant relatives who live there today.
Francois Alexandre sr's will, written Sep 1831, left everything to Pauline Zoe, after a new law passed in 1831 allowed white men to give money to freed persons of colour. Francois Alexandre sr was 95 when he died in 1832.
Liz was shown a list of slave owners who were given compensation when slavery was abolished in 1848, and the list included Pauline Zoe as an owner.
|