Life as a Riggan: Riggon: A Journey from Enslavement to Freedom by a Jamaican Family: A Journey from Enslavement to Freedom by a Jamaican Family: Life as a Riggon - Softcover

Riggon, R.George

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1434321134 ISBN 13: 9781434321138

Publisher: AuthorHouse, 2008

Synopsis

Life as a RigganA Journey From Enslavement to Freedom by a Jamaican Family By R. George Riggon In 1807 the British Parliament bowed to pressure to place a legal ban on the trade in young able bodied African men and women. It then took a further 27 years before all slaves were set free in 1834. Many generations perished under the absolutebrutality of the slave system, but many were strong enough to survive andsecure freedom. This book tells the story of an African slave and the family he started in Jamaica. It starts in the year 1799 with his capture and forced transportation to the island. Renamed 'George' by his plantation owner, he managed to survive the worsteffects of slave bondage into his mid 40s to gain freedom in 1834. 'George' took the surname 'Wiggan' from his former owner and later had two sons, Peter andGeorge Jnr. When the sons came of age one remained in the parish of Trelawny while the other travelled to the parish of Hanover in search of work and land during the1870s. Thereafter the families started by the brothers, Peter and George Jnr.evolved with different surnames of 'Wiggan' and 'Riggan'. In spite of the bitter legacy ofslavery, with the ill effects of family breakdown and disintegration, the family maintained the ethos of providing support and care for oneanother. Each successive generation have attempted to pass down the values offamily unity to those who follow. As the family continue to evolve into itssixth generation since the emancipation of 'George' they are finding thechallenges of unity, care and love to be much more difficult to maintain in theexpansion of new generations in Britain, America and Canada, from the islandroot in Jamaica.

About this title

About the Author

Born into a migrantJamaican family, R. George Riggon started out on a personal quest to trace thehistorical movement and roots of his own family in searches that involved theuse of historical records of births, deaths and marriages in Africa, Jamaica,USA, Canada and Britain. A desire to explore and share the rich source ofhistorical information on African and Caribbean family genealogy between asmany people as possible was the main motivation behind these works. The author was raisedand educated in England. He attended the University of Central England inBirmingham and Warwick University where he obtained a first degree in Sociologyand a Masters in Race and Ethnic Studies respectively. Postgraduate training inresearch and management forms the basis of his professional work in public andcommunity service sectors.His two books: 'LivingAs a Riggan' and 'The Love of a Father, A Mother and A Son'celebrates the importance of family as an essential source of support andinspiration for present and future generations. Their publication alsocoincided with the bicentennial year since slave trading between the continentof Africa and the European controlled colonies of the Caribbean was ended in1807.

Edition details

• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1434321134
• ISBN 13: 9781434321138
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 136