A Vagabond in Paradise, Thomas Verney in Barbados
Larry Gragg recounts the attempts of a younger son to shake off his reputation in 17th-century Barbados.
In early 1639, Thomas Verney drafted a letter to his father in England about his new life on the island colony of Barbados in the West Indies. Settled in 1627, the island quickly became the richest of Britain's possessions. Because there are few descriptions of the colony's earliest years, this letter of Verney's and his subsequent correspondence with family members about his experiences on the island provide important information. His vivid description of the island's climate and abundance, the character of its settlers, and the needs of successful planters help explain how Barbados both attracted and repulsed Englishmen in the seventeenth century. Ironically, this valuable insight comes from an ordinarily unreliable source, a man one historian of the Verney family charitably called a picturesque vagabond.
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
