About:

Type: Ruin
Parish: St.George
Founding date: 1678
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generic mill image (we currently do not have any pictures of the estate in its present or past state)

Current Status

There is no longer a mill at Painter’s. The estate house was damaged by hurricanes and finally demolished when Sunnyside School, initiated by Maryellen Wilson (originally from Antigua Sugar Factory), built their Auditorium.   All that remains today is the cattle pen at the foot of the road.   When the school was first built the gallery of the old house with its front steps was used as a stage for various school productions and presentations. It was lovely to sit in the chairs lined up on the lawn in front, all in the open air, to watch the children perform.

Estate Related History/ Timeline

1678: “Lieut. Edmond Paynter (d.1711)1678 patent for 123 acres.”   Vere Oliver Vol.III p.14

1789:  Painters owned by William Gunthorpe contained 278 acres.  Vere Oliver Vol.II p.38

In 1789, this estate contained 278 acres -148 slaves

1736:  Col. Wlm Paynter of “Painter’s” of 278 acres, died 1736 

1819: A Complete List of State Trials & Proceedings.   

There is an account of Mr. John Hatchford who aimed to discredit and defame William Gunthorpe as a cruel and inhumane person by accounting for an incident of the cart-whipping of a pregnant female slave.   Gunthorpe was aide-de-camp to Governor Sir James Leith at the time and was told that he would no longer be in need of his services.   Upon receiving this directive he dressed up one of his own negro boys in his uniform and dispatched him on an ass to deliver the said note.   Upon receipt, Sir James Leith made certain that Gunthorpe was indicted for cruelty as an express order of the governor. 

1829: contained 272 acres – 94 slaves. 

1851: Antigua Almanac shows Paynter’s 272 acres belonging to K. H. Osborn, M.D.

1852: Kean Osborn, M.D. owner of Orange Valley of 735 acres in St. Mary’s, Bodkin’s of 412 acres in St. Paul’s, Room’s of 318 acres in St. Paul’s, Paynter’s of 272 acres and Carlisle’s of 388 acres in St. George’s.   Vere Oliver Vol.II p.368

1940: The Antigua Sugar Estates had reissued 18,000 shares at £1 each to three DuBuissons (James Memoth DuBuisson, Mrs. Edith Manus DuBuisson, and William Herman DuBuisson), Alexander Moody-Stuart, and Judith Gwendolyn Moody-Stuart. This signaled the final shift to the next generation, as George Moody-Stuart was offered shares but declined (Antigua Syndicate Estates minutes, 4 January 1940; 1 May 1940). The estates to be controlled by the new company were the “Gunthorpe’s” estates: Cassandra Garden, Paynter’s, Tomlinson’s, Fitche’s Creek, Donovan’s, Gunthorpe’s, North Sound, Cedar Valley, Galley Bay, and Five Islands.

Leonard Henzell was the person who built the central Antigua Sugar Factory (Gunthorpe’s) in 1945, was the manager of Gunthorpes Sugar Factory for many years, and was responsible for putting in the narrow gauge railway to bring the cane from outlying areas.   He leased the house at Paynter’s which was taken over by the Antigua Syndicate Estates, Ltd. in 1943 and the agreed value was paid for in shares of equal value.     All of the locomotives were named after his or the Moody Stuart daughters – The Lena, The Joan (which was refurbished and running in Wales on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway) The Judy, The Marion, and The Bessie… Four different types of locomotives were plucked from the bush in 2011 including “Marion” and through an MOU with the government and Lawrence Gameson of the UK, were refurbished statically and are on view in the Museum yard on Long Street.  Judy Henzell, his daughter,  married Alexander Moody-Stuart who managed the Syndicate Estates, and Frank Henzell (1908-1965), one of five sons, inherited and lived at Long Island until his death in 1965.    An interesting read by Mark Moody-Stuart (b.1940, grandson, can be found on the internet, “Responsible Leadership: Lessons from the Front Line of Sustainability and Ethics”     L.I. Henzell published “1910 Five years’ working of the Antigua Sugar Factory W I B 10(4):305-212 CIFAS Comitas Institute for Anthropological Study.

1943: The Paynters house was taken over by the Syndicate which is at present leased to Mr/M Henzell.   The house should be taken over on the same terms at present held.

There was a glass bead curtain between the dining and living room which was always fascinating for children who were constantly being told not to play with it.   Grandmother Henzell was also a sharpshooter and would throw cans in the air off the east gallery for target practice.  See Long Island (#68) for further information.   Len Moody Stuart.

“I remember riding my bike up to Paynter’s from the factory to visit Mrs. Lena Henzell (nee Sedgwick (1876-1960)) in the 1950s.    She was a wonderful old lady and would rock on the gallery in the evening with her cigar (corn cob pipe?) and brandy.” – Agnes Meeker

1969: The Lands of Antigua & Barbuda Sugar Factory, Limited and The Antigua & Barbuda Syndicate Estates, Limited (Vesting) Act.   30th December, 1969.

29.All that piece or parcel of land forming part of Paynter’s, approximately 1 acre as contained in Certificate of Title No.49211965 dated 20th December 1965 and registered in Register Book H1 Folio 110.

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 had 278 acres and 148 enslaved people in 1789 but only 272 acres and 94 enslaved people in 1829. Shortly thereafter, the entirety of those enslaved persons were liberated for the sum of £1405 6 s 8 d. We also have this intriguing account that can tell us about how certain enslaved peoples were treated: “There is an account of a Mr. John Hatchford who aimed to discredit and defame William Gunthorpe as a cruel and inhumane person by accounting an incident of the cart-whipping of a pregnant female slave. Gunthorpe was aide-de-camp to Governor Sir James Leith at the time and was told that he would no longer be in need of his services. Upon receiving this directive he dressed up one of his own negro boys in his uniform and dispatched him on an ass to deliver the said note. Upon receipt, Sir James Leith made certain that Gunthorpe was indicted for cruelty as an express order of the governor.” We will continue our quest for more information about these vital individuals.
Legacies of British Slave-owners.  
Painters was awarded £1405 6 s 8 d for 94 enslaved. Kean Brown Osborn was the single awardee.

Ownership Chronology

  • 1700 Capt. John Paynter (d.1712)
  • 1730 Col. William Paynter (d.1736)
  • 1750 William Gunthorpe – 1777/78 Luffman map
  • 1790 Hon. William Gunthorpe (c.1785-1826)
  • 1829 Dr. K.B. Osborne
  • 1843 K.B. Osborne, M.D.
  • 1860 Francis Shand (1793-1862) 1872
  • 1878 Heirs of F. Shand.
  • 1933 Heirs of DuBuisson & A.M & G.M. Moody Stuart 1933
  • 1943 The Antigua Syndicate Estates, Ltd
  • 1968 The Antigua Government – Crown Land
  • 1900 c Lennard I. Henzell. Manager of Antigua Sugar Factory ret.1937. Leased the Buff