About the book
The Women of Rendezvous is a dramatic transatlantic story about five women who birthed children by the same prominent Barbados politician and enslaver. Two of the women were his wives, two he enslaved, and one was a servant in his household. All were determined to make their way in a world that vastly and differentially circumscribed their life choices. From a Barbados plantation to the center of England’s empire in London, Hester Tomkyns, Frances Knights, Susannah Mingo, Elizabeth Ashcroft, and Dorothy Spendlove built remarkable lives for themselves and their children in spite of, not because of, the man who linked them together.
Mining seventeenth- and eighteenth-century court records, deeds, wills, church registers, and estate inventories, Jenny Shaw centers the experiences of the women and their children, intertwining the microlevel relationships of family and the macrolevel political machinations of empire to show how white supremacy and racism developed in England and the colonies. Shaw also explores England’s first slave society in North America, provides a glimpse into Black Britain long before the Windrush generation of the twentieth century, and demonstrates that England itself was a society with slaves in the early modern era.
Editions of The Women of Rendezvous
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469682754
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469682761
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469679082
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469682785
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469682792
- PDF
- ISBN 9781469682778
Read an Excerpt
The Women of Rendezvous is a dramatic transatlantic story about five women who birthed children by the same prominent Barbados politician and enslaver. Two of the women were his wives, two he enslaved, and one was a servant in his household. All were determined to make their way in a world that vastly and differentially circumscribed their life choices. From a Barbados plantation to the center of England’s empire in London, Hester Tomkyns, Frances Knights, Susannah Mingo, Elizabeth Ashcroft, and Dorothy Spendlove built remarkable lives for themselves and their children in spite of, not because of, the man who linked them together.
Mining seventeenth- and eighteenth-century court records, deeds, wills, church registers, and estate inventories, Jenny Shaw centers the experiences of the women and their children, intertwining the microlevel relationships of family and the macrolevel political machinations of empire to show how white supremacy and racism developed in England and the colonies. Shaw also explores England’s first slave society in North America, provides a glimpse into Black Britain long before the Windrush generation of the twentieth century, and demonstrates that England itself was a society with slaves in the early modern era.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Women of Rendezvous about?
The Women of Rendezvous is a dramatic transatlantic story about five women who birthed children by the same prominent Barbados politician and enslaver. Two of the women were his wives, two he enslaved, and one was a servant in his household. All were determined to make their way in a world that vastly and differentially circumscribed their life choices. From a Barbados plantation to the center of England’s empire in London, Hester Tomkyns, Frances Knights, Susannah Mingo, Elizabeth Ashcroft, and Dorothy Spendlove built remarkable lives for themselves and their children in spite of, not because of, the man who linked them together.
Mining seventeenth- and eighteenth-century court records, deeds, wills, church registers, and estate inventories, Jenny Shaw centers the experiences of the women and their children, intertwining the microlevel relationships of family and the macrolevel political machinations of empire to show how white supremacy and racism developed in England and the colonies. Shaw also explores England’s first slave society in North America, provides a glimpse into Black Britain long before the Windrush generation of the twentieth century, and demonstrates that England itself was a society with slaves in the early modern era.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Women of Rendezvous?
History and Archaeology > History > European history
Where can I read a sample of The Women of Rendezvous?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469682754
How long is The Women of Rendezvous and how many pages does it have?
The Women of Rendezvous has 280 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Women of Rendezvous?
Jenny Shaw
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Women of Rendezvous is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469682754) and paperback(ISBN 9781469682761) and ebook(ISBN 9781469679082) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682785) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682792) and pdf(ISBN 9781469682778)
Where can I buy The Women of Rendezvous online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Women of Rendezvous from below
Where can I buy The Women of Rendezvous?