Daddy Sam Sharpe, as he was fondly known, was born in Montego Bay in 1801. He was a Creole slave and the main instigator of the 1831 Slave Rebellion, which began on the Kensington Estate in St. James and contributed greatly to the abolition of slavery.
Although he was a slave Sam Sharpe learned to read and write and had learnt from reading newspapers that some people in England wanted to end slavery. Sam Sharpe joined the Baptist church and became a preacher. He taught his members that the Bible said that all men are equal and informed them of the changing attitude to slavery in England.
Sam Sharpe devised a plan for passive resistance, where slaves would refuse to work on Christmas Day, 1831. He wanted better treatment for the slaves and the consideration of freedom. If things had not changed, the resistance would continue. Sam Sharpe knew that ripe cane must be cut quickly, or it will spoil. As the cane would be ripe after Christmas, Sam wanted the slaves to sit down after the Christmas and do no work. He thought the owners would pay the slaves to cut the cane, so it would not spoil.
After sharing his plan with his members, they in turn informed others in St. James and the news passed to neighbouring parishes. The news also got to some planters and troops were sent to St. James and warships anchored in Montego Bay and Black River. On December 27th, 1831, the Kensington Estate Great House in St. James was set on fire as a signal that the Slave Rebellion had begun. It did not turn out to be the passive resistance that Sam Sharpe wanted.
Armed fighting and burning of property spread to Trelawny, Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth and Manchester and fourteen whites died. The rebellion was put down by early January 1832 and over 500 slaves lost their lives - many executed. The Hon. Samuel Sharpe was hanged on May 23rd, 1832.
