Distribution Of the Slave Labour Force

There was a varied set of occupations outside the sugar estates in

which the slaves were involved. Coffee and Pimento estates are
prime examples of which there is statistical information from the
Accounts Produce. Slaves were also involved in plantations
producing the minor staples, livestock pens and jobbing gangs.
Less than 50% of the slave population of Jamaica was located on
sugar estates in 1832. This estimate was arrived at through the total
value of muscovado sugar produced on the 960 Accounts Produce
properties; the monetary amount was 2,399,878. This was the
produce of only 540 estates, 527 of which have been classified as
sugar monocultures and on which there were 117,670 slaves. Of
the 540 estates recorded, only thirteen properties had sugar as part
of a mixed crop combination. These estates were slightly larger
than the monoculture estates with a total of 3410 slaves. Therefore,
121,080 slaves made the total value of sugar. Based on calculations
(from the accounts Produce) of the percentage of the islands
exported sugar production and total output, it was concluded that
there was a total of about 154,500 slaves on sugar estates.
As it related to coffee, the percentage of the total output of
the cultivation exported was about 70%. The estimated total
number of slaves on these coffee plantations was no more than
45,000, considering that only 51% contributed to the total output
and that the value of the coffee exported was 643,312. Therefore,
the estimated total value of production was 919,000.
There were plantations producing pimento as well. The percentage
value of the pimento exported was 31%; monetary value being
55,585 (upper limit of total production estimated at 150,000).
Hence, it one would conclude that there were no more than 3000
slaves on monoculture pimento plantations in 1832.
The diversified plantations producing minor staples,
livestock pens and jobbing gangs exported only a small proportion
of their total output. It is therefore unsafe to estimate the real

extent from the Accounts Produce sample of the sugar, pimento

and coffee grown on the plantations. A rough estimate of 400 pens
with residence and woodland pasture producing livestock and other
minor staples is enough to have one conclude that there were at
least 100 slaves per pen. Therefore, there was 40,000 slaves locate
on these units.
The numbers of slaves worked in jobbing gangs and on wharves is
unable to be determined from the Accounts Produce. Jobbing and
wharfage were often adjuncts to estates and plantation operations
but were more frequently carried on by resident white
smallholders. Six holdings in the Accounts Produce are classified
as wharves and three are twenty-four possible identifications
operating independently of the urban ports. Assuming there were
25 slaves at each of these ports results in a total of 600 slaves on
wharves. In 1834, the Assistant Commissioners appointed to value
the slaves for the compensation of their masters at emancipation
found 2,329 slaves on wharves, shipping etc. 819 of these slaves
were in Kingston and perhaps another 500 in other urban ports.
Therefore, 1000 slaves could be located on wharves.

Sugar
Coffee
Livestock Pens
Urban
Jobbing Gangs
Pimento
Wharves
Other
Total

Number
155000
45000
40000
25000
20000
3000
1000
4000
313000

Percentage
49.5
14.4
12.8
8.0
6.4
0.9
0.3
1.3
100.0