Bermuda and the Atlantic
World Lecture Series

'Faint and Weary by Working in the Burning Sun': Britain's Convicts in Bermuda (1824-1863)

Dr. Anna McKay | May 9, 2024

On 5 January 1824 – two hundred years ago – the HMS Antelope set sail from Spithead, near Portsmouth in Hampshire, carrying an unusual cargo: convicts. Three hundred men, selected for their youth and strength, were sent 3,000 miles from England to Bermuda, alleviating some of the overcrowding in prisons across England and marking the beginning of a forty year convict establishment in Bermuda. Far from home they were to provide the labour for one of the largest public works projects on the Island, serving the needs of the Empire by contributing to building works at the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Alongside enslaved and free workers, they quarried and built various structures crucial for the Empire, enduring harsh conditions under military supervision. Labouring under ‘the burning sun’, they died in their thousands. While some returned to England, many that survived were sent on to the Australian colonies, and never returned home. In this lecture, Dr Anna McKay will explore the lives and experiences of the convicts sent to Bermuda, following their journeys across the British Empire and their impact on the Island.

Watch Now

Download Syllabus

From Hamilton to Charleston: A History of Bermuda Stone in Charleston, South Carolina

Justin Schwebler | November 1, 2023

Bermuda stone was first used in Charleston by Bermudian immigrants and traders in the late 17th century and was imported in great quantities throughout the 18th century. Join Justin Schwebler, Property Manager at Historic Charleston Foundation, who will share the history of Bermuda stone’s importation, use, and locations in Charleston where it still exists today.

Watch Now

Download Syllabus

Societal Changes in Post-Emancipation Bermuda and the "Friendly Society" Effects 

Dr. Michael Bradshaw | July 21, 2022 

Established as early as 1832, friendly societies were vital for the empowerment of Black Bermudians in post-emancipation Bermuda, providing education and financial support to the most vulnerable members of our society. This lecture will explore the role and practices of friendly societies in the New World and how the presence and participation of the Bermuda friendly society system is linked to the familiar adage “Bermuda is another world’. Join us as Dr. Michael Bradshaw examines who these friendly societies were and their impact on Bermuda.

Watch Now

Download Syllabus

Reckoning with the Slave Ship Enterprise in Bermuda, 1835

Dr. Neil Kennedy | April 28, 2022 

In 1835, seven months after Emancipation, the American slave ship Enterprise, carrying 78 enslaved adults and children, was forced into Bermuda by bad weather. The unintended arrival of the ship and the choice for freedom made by those onboard, touched off an urgent discussion about the legal status of its human cargo.

From the role that local Black Bermudian communication networks played in securing the freedom of those on board to the connections between the Enterprise and some of the most prominent slave traders and abolitionist families in the United States, this talk by Dr. Neil Kennedy will explore how new research can help us understand this pivotal moment in our history.

Watch Now

Download Syllabus

Pushing the Boundaries of Freedom

Dr. Kristy Warren | November 18, 2020

How did free people of colour and enslaved individuals in Bermuda navigate local and international power structures in their fight for freedom?

In this third lecture of the series, Dr. Kristy Warren will explore the myriad ways in which enslaved and formerly enslaved people in Bermuda resisted their enslavement, asserted their humanity, and pushed the boundaries of freedom before and after emancipation.

Download our free syllabus which has additional reading material and video resources to allow a deeper dive into the content. Developed by members of the NMB Education Committee and Staff, the syllabus includes a number of questions to consider before, during, and after the lecture, offering an opportunity for participants to critically analyse history through their own personal lens.

Watch Now

Building a Maritime Community & Maritime State: Early Settlement and Economic Growth (1609-1800)

Dr. Clarence Maxwell | July 23, 2020

Using an inquiry-based lecture, Dr. Clarence Maxwell contextualises and examines the evolution of Bermuda as a maritime state and a maritime community. By referencing contemporary research, Dr. Maxwell discusses how Bermuda forged its place in the Atlantic World based on relationships and necessary adaptations, both of which were acts of agency that cast shadows to today.

Download our free syllabus which has additional reading material and video resources to allow a deeper dive into the content. Developed by members of the NMB Education Committee and Staff, the syllabus includes a number of questions to consider before, during, and after the lecture, offering an opportunity for participants to critically analyse history through their own personal lens.

Watch Now

The Early Atlantic Age (1250-1609): Why and How Did We Get Here?

Dr. Clarence Maxwell | March 12, 2020

The first in the series will begin Bermuda’s story in 1250, with the construction of the Atlantic System that led to the Island’s discovery, the arrival of the first man of African descent, Venturilla, and the Sea Venture wreck. Bermudian historian Dr. Clarence Maxwell will explore the historical context that put Bermuda on the map.

Watch Now