Abstract
This paper examines the history of the enrolled deeds record series in Jamaica, from its creation in the mid-seventeenth century through to the present day. It is a critical examination of a single record series through colonialism and independence. It examines the purpose of deeds and the context in which deeds registries were created before examining the history of the series through the periods of slavery and emancipation. It examines in close detail the late nineteenth century, when the Island Record Office—which has custody of the enrolled deeds—was created and several other important changes happened. It situates the enrolled deeds as archives of growing interest during the twentieth century as Jamaica’s archival infrastructure grew. It looks at how historians have used the enrolled deeds, and how they have been treated since the 1990s, when major changes were introduced in the Island Record Office’s parent agency, the Registrar General’s Department. Finally, it looks towards the future and the changes on the horizon for the enrolled deeds series, emphasizing questions of preservation and access.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Andrew
(2025)
"Enrolled Deeds as Records and Archives in Jamaica,"
Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies: Vol. 12, Article 17.
Available at:
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/jcas/vol12/iss1/17