FEBRUARY

1. February 1791. George Lisle bought the trust deeds for the Windward Road Chapel, from James Whitfield Smith. It was the first Black-led church on the island. The signatories to the Trust deeds for the church were George Liele, John Lisle, Windsor Cole, John Gilbert, William Beckford, Thomas Nicholas Swigle, John Harris, Thomas London, George Gibb, Cupid Wilkins, William Kitt, and John Cahill.

2. February 23, 1841. John Rowe, the first Baptist missionary, together with his wife, arrived in Montego Bay.

3. February 12, 1825. William Knibb, commissioned as a school teacher, arrived in Jamaica.

4. February 5, 1832. Dr Lawson, the younger “was going about, endeavouring to form a mob, for the destruction of the Baptist Chapel in Montego Bay” … the principal actors were eleven magistrates, and numerous officers of the militia.

5. February 10, 1832. Thomas Burchell, having been arrested on his return to Jamaica on January 7, 1832, was kept a prisoner on the Garland Grove ship, until he was released, and encouraged to leave the country.

6. February 14, 1832. William Knibb was declared innocent of all the charges regarding being involved in organising the ‘Baptist War.’

7. February 7 to 15, 1832. Colonial Church Union burnt down Baptist chapels. In each instance actions were justified by accusations made against frightened missionaries and their families. In fact, such was the anger of the CCU that many missionaries were forced to flee burning buildings. The destruction of the Baptist chapels began with the burning down of Montego Bay, Falmouth, and Salter’s Hill.

8. February 1836. Symbolic of the treatment meted out during the Apprenticeship years, the following story was recorded by abolitionists: 

Five women had been sentenced to two day’s imprisonment with hard labour on the treadmill for disobedience of orders, when in consequence of the reported death of one of them on the mill, ordered an inquiry, the result of which is stated in the following words: “­e women who refused to work on the treadmill were fastened to it by ligature round the arms for twenty-four successive hours, in such a manner as to endanger the lives of all, and actually to occasion the death of one of them!” In the report of the custos on this case, we found no expression of regret at what had occurred, no promise of amendment for the future, but an attempt at justification, with which he hoped the governor would be satisfied.