The Iron Kettles of Sugar

The Dire Side of Sugar

In 18th-century Barbados, sugar was made in cast-iron syrup kettles, a method later adopted in the American South. Sugarcane was squashed utilizing wind and animal-powered mills. The drawn out juice was heated, clarified, and evaporated in a series of pots of reducing size to make crystallized sugar.

The Bitter Sweet Country: Barbados Sugar Production. Barbados, frequently called the "Gem of the Caribbean," owes much of its historical prominence to one commodity: sugar. This golden crop transformed the island from a little colonial station into a powerhouse of the worldwide economy throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Yet, the sweet success of sugar was built on a structure of enslaved labour, a truth that casts a shadow over its legacy.



The Hidden Dangers Of Sugar

In the glare of Barbados' sun-soaked shores and vibrant greenery lies a darker tale of durability and challenge-- the unsafe labour behind its once-thriving sugar economy. Central to this story is the large cast iron boiling pots, vital tools in the sugar production process, but also harrowing symbols of the gruelling conditions dealt with by enslaved Africans.

The Boiling Process: A Grueling Task

Sugar production in the 17th and 18th centuries was  a highly dangerous procedure. After collecting and crushing the sugarcane, its juice was boiled in massive cast iron kettles till it took shape as sugar. These pots, frequently set up in a series called a"" train"" were heated by blazing fires that enslaved Africans needed to stoke continuously. The heat was suffocating, and the work unrelenting. Enslaved workers sustained long hours, often standing near the inferno, risking burns and fatigue. Splashes of the boiling liquid were not unusual and might cause serious, even fatal, injuries.


The Human Cost of Sweetness

The sugar industry's success came at a severe human expense. Enslaved Africans lived under harsh conditions, subjected to physical punishment, poor nutrition, and ruthless work. Yet, they showed extraordinary strength. Many found methods to preserve their cultural heritage, passing down tunes, stories, and skills that sustained their neighbourhoods even in the face of unimaginable difficulty.

Now, the large cast iron boiling pots points out this uncomfortable past. Spread across gardens, museums, and archaeological sites in Barbados, they stand as quiet witnesses to the lives they touched. These antiques motivate us to assess the human suffering behind the sweetness that as soon as drove global economies.


HISTORICAL RECORDS!


Proof of The Deadly Reality of the Boiling House

Historic accounts, such as those by abolitionist James Ramsay, discover the concealed horrors of Caribbean sugar plantations. Enslaved employees endured extreme heat and the constant danger of falling under boiling vats-- a grim reality of plantation life.



Molten Memories: The Iron Kettles of Sugar - Click the link for More

The Iron Kettles of Sugar