| Description | This series consists of account books relating to the business and personal activities of members of the Pinney family in both Britain and the Caribbean. While some of the account books appear to be solely related to personal expenses and estate finances in England, a large amount of the account books demonstrate the interrelation of the Pinneys' personal and business finances, in addition to the connection between the Pinneys' management of the enslaved labour plantations in the Caribbean, their wider investments in the Caribbean plantation economy, and their business in trade between Britain and the Caribbean. Due to this multifunctional nature of many of the account books, they have been arranged in a single chronological series.
Where possible, the account books have been attributed to members of the Pinney family or to the relevant business firms through which the Pinneys managed their trade and investments. The Pinneys to whom the account books relate include: Reverend John Pinney of Broadwindsor (c. 1622-1705); 'John Pinney the younger', likely a son of Reverend John Pinney; Nathaniel Pinney, likely a son of Reverend John Pinney; Azariah Pinney, son of Nathaniel Pinney; Michael Pretor, father of John (Pretor) Pinney; John Frederick Pinney I; John (Pretor) Pinney; John Frederick Pinney, son of John (Pretor) Pinney and Jane Weekes; Azariah Pinney, son of John (Pretor) Pinney and Jane Weekes; Charles Pinney, son of John (Pretor) Pinney and Jane Weekes; William Pinney, son of John Frederick Pinney and Frances Dickinson. The firms specified include: Tobin, Pinney & Tobin; Pinney, Ames & Co; Pinney & Case.
A number of the account books provide a detailed record of the operation of the Pinneys' plantation estates in Nevis. These accounts document the people whom the family enslaved, and people who were enslaved elsewhere in Nevis and the wider Caribbean. Details of these enslaved people are given in the form of transactions relating to: trafficking of people by hire, sale or mortgage; medical treatment of enslaved labourers on the Pinneys' estates, including payments to midwives for assistance in childbirth; details relating to criminalised actions of people whom the Pinneys enslaved, including alleged incidents of theft, violence and attempts to free themselves from enslavement; tasks or labour completed by enslaved people. These transactions often give names for the enslaved person or people to which they relate. Several of the account books also contain lists naming and valuing people enslaved by the Pinneys, in addition to recording births and deaths.
Where known and where possible, the names of enslaved people have been recorded in the catalogue descriptions for the account books. While in many cases dehumanising, some of the names given to enslaved people may indicate their ethnic heritage and place of birth, while other terms used to describe enslaved people indicate that they may have been of mixed race or born in the Caribbean. The original names and associated terminology have been reproduced in descriptions of relevant documents, with alternative spellings noted where possible. Please note that racist, ableist and dehumanising language is used in many of the account books, primarily in relation to enslaved people, some of which has been reproduced in descriptions through quotations from the original documents. Such language is reproduced for the purpose of accurately documenting the content of the relevant documents. Content notes have been included in the catalogue descriptions to indicate the presense of this language and sensitive subject matter.
Account books owned by the University of Bristol under the accession DM1173 have also been integrated in this series for ease of access. For account books formerly in this series but solely related to the estate of James Brodbelt and later of John Stanley, please see the following items: DM58/2/1/8/6, DM58/2/1/8/10, DM58/2/1/8/13, DM58/2/1/8/22, DM58/2/1/8/26, DM58/2/1/8/27, DM58/2/1/8/28, DM58/2/1/8/33. These items were rearranged into the relevant estate subseries (DM58/2/1/8) in the Caribbean papers of this collection as part of recataloguing. An account book of John Stanley (dated 2 March 1780-14 January 1800) which was previously thought to be missing was also identified in the Caribbean papers and is catalogued in this series under DM58/2/1/8/18. |