About
Type: Ruin
Parish: St.Mary
Founding date: 1678
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Current Status
There is no longer a mill at this site. It is located west of Smith’s estate, right on the water in a very picturesque setting with the mountains of the Sleeping Indian as a backdrop. Today, the ruins of the buff house still attest to its beauty in times of long ago. The building is two stories with a double stairway in the front, which leads to the second floor, while an arch beneath accesses the ground floor. Mostly of stone, with a walled garden, this dwelling is tucked in behind a hill but looks out over the bay on the right and directly towards the mountain range known as the ‘Sleeping Indian”. The access road that bypasses Smith’s and Seaforth’s Estates could not have been an easy road to traverse by horse and buggy to this rather remote estate but an extremely picturesque one rolling over the land through the hills. It still is today.
Estate Related Timeline/History
1678: Lieutenant William Tremills (d.1792) of Antigua, carpenter, granted 300 acres in St. Mary’s Parish in 1678.
1693: A record of a Levy against the Tremills family – Vere Oliver Vol.III p.144 The Tremills estate appears to have been divided up between the following offspring. William Tremills 78 acres 2 negroes
Robert Tremills 40 acres 2 negroes
John Tremills 136 acres 5 negroes
Elizabeth Tremills 18 acres 1 negro
Mathew Tremills 48 acres 0 negro
1716: Pew No.16 was allotted to John Tremills. Vere Oliver. I am not certain if this refers to a Church pew, as it was the custom to assign numbered pews in the churches to various families for which they were tithed. No one else dares sit in another’s assigned pew. This custom continued into the 1940s, where certain pews were assigned and numbered to families in the St. John’s Cathedral.
1744: Lucy Thibou (d.1744) purchased “Tremills” which she conveyed to Dr. W. Tullideph on his marriage. Vere Oliver Vol.III p.155 1726: “Dr. Walter Tullideph, Antigua c.1726 owned the “New Divison” and “Musketo Cove” plantations in 1794.” Vere Oliver Vol.III p.155
Extract from Caribbean Britain: The Cultural and Biographical Directory by Marjorie H Morgan © 2013
Dundee: Tullideph:
“Walter Tullideph was a medical doctor who trained at the University of Edinburgh. He traveled to Antigua in 1726 to act as a factor for his brother David who was trading as a merchant in England. Doctors were a vital part of the system of forced servitude; they were needed to ensure the health and recovery of the laborers on the plantations, many of whom were succumbing to European diseases. It was while performing his duties as a doctor that Tullideph began trading medicines, drugs, and British commodities, such as linen, to the planters and he decided to get involved in the plantation system for himself. He became a financier by borrowing money for investment in the plantations from the London markets and lending it at a higher rate in Antigua.
In 1736 Tullideph married the widow Mary Burroughs and acquired her 127 acres and 63 slaves. Tullideph began to increase his landholding with regular purchases of people and property. Dr. Tullideph had become a West Indian planter. His first piece of additional land of fifty acres was bought in 1739 at the cost of £700.
With a substantial portfolio producing a steady flow of income Tullideph took time to focus on his previous specialties. Medicine and science were still areas of great interest to the Scottish doctor and determined to contribute to the progress of science Tullideph sent at least two collections of plants from Antigua to Sir Hans Sloane, the renowned collector, in London. The collections were accompanied with notes concerning the medicinal value of the Antiguan plants. Tullideph’s specimens were added to Sloane’s collection and are now to be found in the Natural History section of the British Museum.
In 1739 Tullideph purchased the Baldovan Estate in Angus for £10,000. The estate was temporarily renamed Tullideph Hall to reflect his elevated status in the community. Tullideph also purchased the estates of Logie and Balgy. With his income from the West Indian plantations Tullideph was able to grant both of his daughters a large dowry of £5,000 each: this consisted of the estates of Baldovan and Balgy as wedding gifts. Charlotte Tullideph married Sir John Ogilvy in 1754 and the gifted Baldovan Estate, based around a large 18th century farmhouse, remains in that Ogilvy family; Mary, the younger sister, married the Honourable Colonel Alexander Leslie in 1760.
Walter Tullideph eventually became an absentee owner and he permanently returned to Scotland in 1758 where he lived off the profits of his plantations in Antigua. Tullideph lived a comfortable life as a Scottish laird who bestowed gifts on his progeny. To recognize his lasting influence Walter Tullideph now has roads, areas, institutions and buildings named after him.”
Further information can be found at the National Records of Scotland 1733-1745 Ref.# GD205/Box 53/8
Excerpts from Walter Tullideph’s Letter Book.
1737: “Dr. Sydsderfe has purchased John Martin’s and John Manwarings estate at Five Islands. “When Alexander Middleton went to Boston Some years ago.”
1738: “May 29 Dr. Young’s purchase of Dabron’s estate.”
1739: “Old Tomlinson (dyed) about 8 days agone; he dyed suddenly of fits.”
1742: “October 18 John Watkins hath rented The Judges for 450 pounds sterling.”
1744: “Mrs. Shepherd had purchased Henry Osborne’s estate and gives 10,500 for it and 30 negroes.”
1746: “I have shipt 8 hogseads sugar to Col. Samuel Martin in Bristol .. for about 15 years gone I came to this Island in his employ – also to Mrs. Mary Sydeserfe at Bath.”
1746: To Mrs. Eliz. Gamble of Cork. “Have seen a letter from Mr. Samuel Lyons to his friend here within, he mentions his having purchased Golden Grove of you for 1,200 Irish money.” 1741 – “Thomas Hanson’s death and September 25 Dr. Young’s death.” “February 5 Dr. Dunbar’s death”
1755: Walter Tulideph was given permission to work Monteroes, a nearby estate. “Monteroes in parish of St. Mary’s and in New Division of Antigua and contains 250 acres….”
1755: John Watkins grants to Walter Tullideph and Christopher Baldwin, in their possession now being, all that plantation called Monteros in trust to the use of Charles Alexander for 100 years.” Vere Oliver Vol.III p.205
1755 August 30: “My New Division estate, containing that formerly Tremills, William Yorke’s and Samuel Martin’s, is for Polly.”
1767: Walter Tulideph rated on 144 slaves and 236 acres, and in 1785 his estate on 325 acres (St. Mary’s Vestry Book)
1780: Mary Smith rated on 160 acres & 59 slaves (she also owned “Smiths”)
1794: Will of Walter Tullideph. “in trust all my “New Division” estate containing the lands formerly Tremills & Devereux’s and the lands bought of Mr. William York and Capt. Sam Martin. I have bargained to sell Mr. Morris of Antigua my “Musketo Cove” estate for 18,000 st….., all my estates to Dame Charlotte Ogilvy for life, then to Walter Ogilvey, 1st son of Sir John Ogilvey.” Vere Oliver Vol.III p.156
1800: “Sir John Ogilvie had an elicit relationship with a female Molly belonging to the family, in 1800, who proved `enceinte’ by her lover, a boy named Martin. She planned the murder of Sir Ogilvie, and though the rest of the plan was brought to justice, Molly and her child continued to live on the Estate” Antigua and the Antiguans Vol.II. p.83
1804: “Mary Smith Will 1804 died in 1806. “To Jas Nibbs & Thos. Kerby of Antigua, Esq., my plantation called “New Division” in trust for my sister Sarah Smith, to receive the rents then to sell …..”
1823: R.H. Jefferson, wine and spirits merchants, of Whitehaven, Plantations in Antigua including Will of Walter Tulidelph 1767 – inventory of estate of William Ogilvie 1823, and Dame Charlotte Ogilvy 1810 and other papers re estates in Antigua. Held by Cumbria Archive and Local Studies Centre, Whitehaven, Date 1767-1880 Ref.#YDB 18/66/3.
1829: This Estate contained 1059 acres – 404 slaves along with York’s estate.
1861: Stray cash expenditure and returns for Yorks, New Division and Yeamans estates. Cumbria Archive and Local Studies Centre, Whitehaven Ref.#YDB 18/66/9, also YCB 18/66/7 and YCB. 18/66/8. 1851-58 Ref.#YDB 18/66/6.
April 1861: A paragraph in a letter from Robert Jefferson to his brother giving a report pertaining to New Division.
“New Division – I had hoped ten days ago I had sold to McGuire for one thousand guineas Cash to be delivered up as soon as I finished crop leaving him one piece of very late Canes, but after visiting the Estate, I am sorry to say I got the enclosed note — he is quite right – there is not actually a cart on the Estate (it uses one of Yorks) & though I don’t mean to say he may not yet become the purchaser from the tenor of his note, he expressed himself to Nugent yesterday in anything but favorable terms — he has cash however & I must not lose sight of him on any account — with regards to …” June 1961. “At ND, the sprouts look well & promising & evidently in better heart — we will go on grinding all off here, say ND, except the very late piece alluded to before & will finish, I hope, with equal to 34 to 35 hhds.”
An Antiguan Trading Company by Mary Gleadall.
1878: Almanac shows New Division of 243 acres belonging to Robert Dobson.
Afternoon: New Division
Clouds herd in glare their marble flock.
From hot canefields, far voices float.
The lizard, rearing from the rock,
Puffs out his tearose-colored throat
To gulp the dark-blue sequin fly.
In curd rich custard-apple burst.
And dreamy sounds the goat-herd’s cry
From bamboo hills, too bright with thirst.
By Flora Lake nee Hall (sister of Robert Hall). Pub.1938
Ghost story at New Division by Yvonne MacMillan.
In the mid-nineteen twenties, a close childhood friend of Grandmother Hall (nee Haegan) named Mary went to live in Canada after the death of her husband, who was buried in Jamaica. Mary’s desire was to be buried by her husband’s side. However, World War II broke out, and Mary realized that her wish was not to be. She used to jokingly correspond with Grandmother Hall that if she died during the war, her spirit would travel to Jamaica but, on the way, pay a visit to her dear friend.
At New Division in the 1930s to 1940s, there was no electricity, and being farm folk, the lamps were snuffed out early, and the house shut up tight. Grandmother Hall told us that one night, she, Grandpa, and Uncle Harry had just gone to bed when they heard a frightful howling like they had never heard before, coming up their long coconut and plum tree driveway. The sound approached the front of the house and then traveled round to the back. They thought a dog had been poisoned, and Grandma and Uncle Harry hastily lit a cigarette to give them some light and went to the back following the sound. They both decided that the sound was not from this world, and before they realized what was happening, Grandpa had opened the front door, and they shouted at him to shut the door, get a flashlight and pray. But too late! The sound entered the house. Uncle Harry and Grandma said they felt their hair all over, standing up straight; Uncle Harry was puffing furiously on his cigarette, trying to create light; Grandma was praying and trying to find the lamp while Grandpa was rooted to the spot because the sound was now coming from beneath the piano. A lamp got lit, and the sound left the lighted area. They went to the bedroom and shook the wooden wall under the crucifix that hung over their bed. They followed with the light, praying together, and the sound departed, going out the front door, and the howling sound receded down the driveway. Grandma told Grandpa he did a stupid thing to open the front door, and he defended himself by saying he thought it was a poisoned dog. Uncle Harry thought it required a stiff drink.
Needless to say, they had difficulty getting to sleep that night. A few days later, word came to them that Grandma’s close girlfriend had passed away in Canada. Grandma said she did not have to give them such a fright; she could have pulled her toe or something, and she would have known. This story was told to me and my cousin Phyllis in the 1950s, much to our shivering delight at minutes to seven p.m. We spent summer vacations together at New Division and loved the ghost stories with a frightened fascination.
Mrs. Hall had a table full of ‘treasures’ such as sand from the Panama Canal and lots of other things which we loved to look at when we visited. There were also always lots of ducks and other animals in the yard. Helen Abbott.
1921: 240 acres.
1941: Antigua Sugar Factory Ltd Cane Returns for 1941 Crop. New Division. Estimated 912 tons, – acres estate, – acres peasants on the estate, tons of cane delivered 781.
Legacies of British Slave-ownership: New Division was awarded £4,549 5s 10d for 309 enslaved. Awarded were Henry Jefferson and Robert Jefferson.
Enslaved People’s History
Based on contemporary research, we have little information to share about the enslaved peoples from this plantation at this time. We do know that the estate contained 404 enslaved peoples at the height of British slavery, and we also know that New Division was awarded £4,549 5s 10d for the release of 309 enslaved peoples after slavery was abolished in the Caribbean. We will continue our quest for more information about these vital individuals.
Ownership Chronology
- 1678: Lieut. William Tremills – Will sworn 1692 – Granted 300 acres in St. Mary’s parish.
- 1693: John Tremills
- 1744: Lucy Thibou (d.1774)
- 1750: Walter Tullideph (1700-1777) – Md. Mary Burroughs 1736
- 1790: Sir John Ogilvie Bart – 243 acres 1777/78 Luffman map
- 1804: Mary Smith (d.1806)
- 1820: Sir Wlm. Ogilvie
- 1843: Heirs of Sir Wlm. Ogilvie, Bart 1846 Horsford Almanac
- 1878: Robert Dobson – 243 acres 1872 Horsford Almanac
- 1891: Heirs of Robert Dobson
- 1921: Henry J. Hall – 240 acres
- 1933: Henry J. Hall 1933 Camacho map.