Runaway slaves in Jamaica in the 19th century.

[William Douglas]

County a Mundingo, to Mr Drysdale, a Carpenter, Kingston, marked PR both shoulders.

George, a Chamba, to Mr Drysdale Port Royal Mountains formerly to PA and Richards marked HD, both breasts. Left shoulder, apparently PR

[William Douglas]

Henry Drysdale 21st Mar 1836 | 16 Enslaved | Kingston

John Drysdale held the life rental from Hugh Bogle for a group of the enslaved people on the estate (Roaring River, St Thomas-in-the-East, Surrey), and was the owner of others between 1811 and 1839

[Russell Lynn Drysdale]

 

Free not slave - 

...A bit about Eleanore Drysdale:
Born on 25 Nov 1785,  the daughter of Catherine Drysdale, a free negro woman and Dr John Drysdale . Eleanore's mother Catherine Drysdale was baptised at about the age of 25 on Oct 25 1784 along with Eleanore's sister (also daughter of Dr Dryslade) who was 7 yrs old at the time...Dr John Drysdale was originally from Scotland and was a member of the Society of Physicians in Edinburgh. He was married to Ann Drysdale whose brother was Robert Drysdale, Town Clerk of Kirkcaldy. Dr Drysdale and his wife Ann had a daughter also named Ann. It appears that Dr. Drysdale returned to Scotland with his wife and children before his death on 1 April 1790 in Kirkaldy, Scotland, leaving his illegitimate family behind in Jamaica. During his time in Jamaica Dr Drysdale was a Surgeon in Kingston and held the position of workhouse and hospital surgeon from about 1782 to 1787.        source  https://jatree.blogspot.com/2012/04/constantines.html?view=timeslide

[William Douglas]

I am really distressed to have lost that Drysdale database.  I recall working on this family at the time.

[Ronald Drysdale]

Of course there must be black sheep in every family but I would suspect that, at that time, the great majority of Drysdales, who historically had often been Vassals or servants, abhored slavery in all of its forms:

1792  - Robert Drysdell, President of the Beneficiary Society of Borrowstouness, publishes a declaration by that Society, in the national press, condemning slave traffic in America and the British West Indies.

Reference: Borrowstouness - Being Historical Sketches of Kinneil, Carriden, and Boness 1550-1850

https://archive.org/details/borrowstounnessd00salmrich

…..About 1792 Great Britain, as we know, was roused to indignation by the revelations of William Wilberforce and others as to the cruelties connected with the slave traffic in America and the British West Indian possessions. Following the example of other similar societies throughout the kingdom, the members of the Beneficent Society held a special general meeting on the subject in the Mason Lodge, under the presidency of Robert Drysdell. While not presuming to petition the Legislature, the members considered it right to declare and publish in the leading newspapers in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London their denunciation of the slave traffic. They objected to it as cruel, immoral, and unjust. Cruel in separating husband and wife, parents and children, brothers and sisters; immoral in exposing them promiscuously for sale like cattle ; and as rendering callous and hardened the mariners who were employed in capturing and transporting them. They finally approved of the conduct of all those members of Parliament who had so long and steadily laboured for the abolition of slavery in the British Dominions. The local meeting was large and enthusiastic; the resolutions, which were six in number, were, after a full discussion, voted on one by one, and unanimously carried

1792%20-%20Borrowstouness%20-%20Being%20Historical%20Sketches%20of%...

[William Douglas]

If one searches the excellent slavery database, one finds that there were indeed those who benefitted from slavery
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/search/ 

I think that we have to recognise that those were different times.

[Russell Lynn Drysdale]

Different times indeed , Once upon a time Scots were taking Scots as slaves-Shameful 

the Act 1641 c 100 That all maisterfull and strong beggaris fund efter the twentie day of August nixt may be tane be any man and being broght to any sheref bailyie of regalitie or burgh and gettand thame declairit maisterfull beggaris may set his burning irne upon thame and reteane thame as slaves and gif any of thame thairefter escaipe the awner may have repetition of thame as of uther gudes f By this Act to which thirteen Protestant prelates were privy any man in need of labour could seize the first tramp he found hale him to a sheriff or bailie and in the event of conviction as an able bodied beggar brand him with his branding iron as he branded his cattle and recover him if he strayed as he recovered them his other goods

The slavery contemplated is manifestly perpetual Next year 1606 as we have seen the Scots Parliament went a step further and endowed coalmasters and saltmasters with the power of apprehending and enslaving tramps without asking the sanction of a magistrate and in the year following 1607 these new powers of the coalmasters were conferred by the Privy Council on the owners or lessees of the metal mines of the kingdom in an Act authorising them to apprehend all masterless vagabonds and sturdy beggars and put them to work and hold them to the same after sic manner as they shall find convenient Act 1600 c 28 f Register of Privy Council vii 56 3 Ibid vii 434 

https://douglashistory.ning.com/profiles/blogs/slavery-in-modern-sc...

[William Douglas]

That is a useful reminder.