The East Indians in British Guiana

The East Indians or "Hindoo Coolies" were brought to British Guiana to supplement the workforce of the colony after the emancipation of the slaves. They came from the mountain regions of Calcutta and referred to as "Hill Coolies" or Hill Labourers. A first experiment was tried in 1838 and about 400 East Indians of good labourer stock arrived from Calcutta and found immediate employment on the Plantations of British Guiana. Two ships (Whitby and Hesperus) were chartered to bring this first batch of East Indians. The Whitby arrived in British Guiana on 5th May 1838 in Berbice and there were 244 persons alive (233 men, 5 women and 6 children) who disembarked with five casualties during the 112 days journey. The Hesperus also arrived on 5th May 1838 with 152 persons alive (135 men, 6 women, and 11 children) with 13 casualties. These two test groups did not fear well in terms of health and working conditions. The living conditions were also very poor at the "logies" or tenement ranges. But the immigration continued and the East Indians subsequently came in large numbers. There were about five thousand who arrive annually and were given a free passage to British Guiana, five years industrial service to a plantation assigned to them, and a free passage to return back to India. As of 23rd March 1889 there were about 90,000 East Indians in British Guiana. They were primarily sugar workers and developed an attitude of being willing and regular workers. Not many returned to India, but in 1891 three vessels took away 2,151 Coolies back to India. Those who remained became horse and cattle owners and small shopkeepers. The images show scenes from the early years of the East Indian experience in British Guiana.

Image 01 - East Indian immigrants on the journey (1884).

Image 02 - The immigration depot with filtering shed at Garden Reach, Calcutta (1889).

Image 03 - Mealtime at the embarkation shed in Calcutta (1889).

Image 04 - An estate hospital for the sick in British Guiana (1889).

Image 05 - Medical examination of the East Indian arrivals in British Guiana (1890s).

Image 06 - Hospital at the British Guiana immigration depot for 94 patients (1890s)

Image 07 - At meal time in British Guiana (1890s).

Image 08 - The tenement ranges or "logies" in British Guiana (1890s).

Image 09 - East Indian workers constructing a path through the British Guiana forest (1900).

Image 10 - East Indian hut in British Guiana (1910).

Image 11 - Coolie house on the Corentyne Coast, Berbice (1910).

Image 12 - Coolie huts on a sugar estate in British Guiana (1910).

Image 13 - Group of Indian Coolies in British Guiana (1924).

Sources

[Image 01] - The Graphic, British Guiana, 1884-09-17.
[Image 02] - Illustrated London News, 1889-03-23.
[Image 03] - Illustrated London News, 1889-03-23..
[Image 04] - Illustrated London News, 1889-03-23.
[Image 05] - National Archives UK.
[Image 06] - National Archives UK.
[Image 07] - National Archives UK.
[Image 08] - Unknown.
[image 09] - The New York Public Library.
[Image 10] - Unknown.
[Image 11] - Unknown.
[Image 12] - Unknown.
[Image 13] - Unknown.


Bibliography

• The arrival of East Indians in Guyana. Horizons.