EPISODE · May 19, 2026 · 5 MIN
The 1823 Demerara Slave Rebellion: Betrayal on the Eve of Emancipation
from The Atlantic Slave Trade: Empire Built on Human Suffering — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
In August 1823, over 10,000 enslaved Africans on the sugar plantations of Demerara (modern-day Guyana) rose up in what became the largest slave rebellion in British Caribbean history. This episode tells the story of the Demerara Revolt, a rebellion that shook the British Empire and accelerated the abolition movement—yet ended in brutal suppression and the execution of its leader, a literate enslaved cooper named Jack Gladstone, along with the execution of the missionary John Smith, whose death became a cause célèbre. We explore the role of the London Missionary Society, the influence of the 'new register' slaves from Africa after the end of the legal slave trade, the complex relationships between enslaved drivers, managers, and missionaries, and the rebellion's aftermath in the British press and Parliament. Featuring the key figures of Jack Gladstone, his father Quamina, the missionary John Smith (the 'Demerara Martyr'), and Governor John Murray, as well as the plantations of Success, Le Resouvenir, and Bachelor's Adventure. A story of hope, fear, and the high cost of resistance. #DemeraraRebellion #JackGladstone #Quamina #JohnSmith #DemeraraMartyr #LondonMissionarySociety #BritishSlaveRevolt #GuyanaHistory #SugarPlantations #AbolitionMovement #1823 #SuccessPlantation #LeResouvenir #BachelorAdventure #JohnMurray #SlaveResistance #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
What this episode covers
In August 1823, over 10,000 enslaved Africans on the sugar plantations of Demerara (modern-day Guyana) rose up in what became the largest slave rebellion in British Caribbean history. This episode tells the story of the Demerara Revolt, a rebellion that shook the British Empire and accelerated the abolition movement—yet ended in brutal suppression and the execution of its leader, a literate enslaved cooper named Jack Gladstone, along with the execution of the missionary John Smith, whose death became a cause célèbre. We explore the role of the London Missionary Society, the influence of the 'new register' slaves from Africa after the end of the legal slave trade, the complex relationships between enslaved drivers, managers, and missionaries, and the rebellion's aftermath in the British press and Parliament. Featuring the key figures of Jack Gladstone, his father Quamina, the missionary John Smith (the 'Demerara Martyr'), and Governor John Murray, as well as the plantations of Success, Le Resouvenir, and Bachelor's Adventure. A story of hope, fear, and the high cost of resistance. #DemeraraRebellion #JackGladstone #Quamina #JohnSmith #DemeraraMartyr #LondonMissionarySociety #BritishSlaveRevolt #GuyanaHistory #SugarPlantations #AbolitionMovement #1823 #SuccessPlantation #LeResouvenir #BachelorAdventure #JohnMurray #SlaveResistance #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The 1823 Demerara Slave Rebellion: Betrayal on the Eve of Emancipation
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