Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor: minutes confirming John Lemon’s appointment as one of the corporals
Catalogue reference: T 1/632 ff.105v-106v (7 June 1786)
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That he also attended last Monday at the White Raven at Mile End to confirm what he had said at Lisson Green; and that he had selected Eight of the most intelligent among the Blacks and People of Colour as Head Men, having proposed to each of them to produce a List of 12 as far as 24 Persons, as his respective Compnay, for whose Steadiness and good Behaviour thay might be respectively answerable, as it would be otherwise impracticable to bring a confused number of such kind of Persons into such order as the nature of the Case required for their common good. That the Persons of chosen were James

Names What Occupation Qualifications When Born. Age. How came into England.
James Johnston Husbandry Reads N[ew] Jersey 31 Steward of a Ship.
Jo[h]n W[illia]m Ramsay Domestic _____ N[ew] York 24 D[itto]
Aaron Brookes Husbandry Reads & writes N[ew] Jersey 25 Captain's Cook of a King's Ship
John Lemon Hairdresser & cook Reads Bengal 29 D[itt]o
John Cambridge Net Maker & Domestic Reads Africa 40 Domestic.
John Williams Seaman _____ Cha[rles] Town 25 King's Ship.
Will[ia]m Green Domestic Reads & writes Barbados 40 Domestic.
Cha[rle]s Stoddard Cooper Reads Africa 28 D[itt]o

Who appeared well inclined to take the charge. Mr Harvey aslo reported that in consequence of his Promise made to the Blacks and People of Colour on Saturday, he had digested a Paper (a Printed Copy whereof is annexed) as an Instrument of Agreement, which he thought competent for the Purpose of the most unequivocal Understanding.

That a Ninth Man, said to be a Person of weight among the Blacks, left the Room saying he would consider of it; but the Eight Persons declared they were satisfied, and that they considered it as the fairest and most just Agreement

Agreement that ever was made between White and Black People, and hoped that he (as the Present Chairman) would recommend it in the strongest Terms to the Approbation of the Committee.

 

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