A new publication by Barbadian historian Sir Woodville Marshall offers a detailed study of the development of free villages in Barbados between 1840 and 1945, presenting findings that challenge a long-accepted historical perspective.
The book, Near a Plantation: Free Villages of Barbados 1840–1945, was launched in March at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. It documents the existence of nearly 500 free villages established on the island during the post-emancipation period.
Sir Woodville’s research addresses a widely cited claim by historian William Green, who wrote that “free villages did not arise” in Barbados. According to Sir Woodville, this view was based on limited local research, and his book seeks to provide a more comprehensive examination of settlement patterns after slavery.
The study outlines how freed people in Barbados navigated a range of constraints—including land scarcity, planter opposition, and high population density—to acquire land and form independent settlements.
The research identifies several contributing factors to the emergence of these villages: bequests of land by planters, the sale of small plots due to economic challenges, land speculation, and remittances sent by Barbadians working abroad, particularly in Panama.
According to the book, village development occurred in three phases: a slow-growth period until around 1870, a second phase up to 1905 influenced by financial pressures on landowners, and a third phase ending in 1945 characterized by expansion supported by external income.
By the 1940s, the study suggests that many descendants of formerly enslaved people were residing in these villages. In addition to providing housing, the villages are described as having played roles in the island’s social and political life during that era.
