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SNIPPETS OF OUR PAST

10/28/2021

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How many of us have even heard about this woman Rosetta Smith? Of what historical significance is she to the history of Trinidad and Tobago? Another blast from the past courtesy Angelo Bissessarsingh , Historian, Author and Researcher.
Written March 10, 2013
ROSETTA SMITH, LADY GOVERNOR OF TRINIDAD
It is no secret that the immensely diverse ethnic potpourri of Trinidad’s history has produced the most beautiful women in the world. Almost every white man of substance had his coloured mistress in days of yore. The fabled attraction of the mulatto woman had its effect on the fearsome Sir Thomas Picton, who ruled with an iron hand as the first British governor from 1797-1803. Picton sent forth pimps to search out a mistress.
They came across Rosetta Smith, a free coloured belle who was married and who lusted after power and wealth. She was persuaded to leave her husband to share the bed of the most powerful man in the colony.
As is the paradox of most tyrants, Picton was completely bazodee over Rosetta. In order to give her a personal income, he played Trinidad’s national game of bobol and awarded her the lucrative firewood-supply contract for the encamped British regiment.
With this, Rosetta was able to acquire a residence, which she transformed into a high-class bordello where the most influential men of the colony (senior military officers, rich planters, merchants etc) would seek pleasures. This was often to be their bane, however, since Rosetta bribed every one of her female “friends” to extract personal secrets from the ravished men on their personal assets as well as their opinions of Governor Picton.
Rosetta became the Lady Governor in all but name. She would visit well-to-do prisoners in the gaol which stood near Marine Square and elicit bribes from them to have their sentences lightened. She would whisk magnificently into all the stores and make off with whatever merchandise tickled her fancy—no charge, of course, for the Governor’s “Lady.”
One Scotsman dared to protest, sending Rosetta in a huff to her man, who had the merchant dragged before him to be incarcerated, saying:“You are a pretty fellow, a damned insolent Jacobite rascal. I’ll make an example of you to show the rascals I govern that I will be obeyed.”
Twice a week, Rosetta held a levee at her personal chambers where sycophants and petitioners for favour flocked thickly. There were those whose sense of honour did not allow them to grovel to Rosetta, and among these were the Widow Griffith and her two young daughters. Rosetta made them an “offer” to buy their house on Queen Street, and when the widow refused, the residence was barricaded by soldiers, thus confining the occupants to house arrest.
They were even deprived of food and water, being surreptitiously aided by a gentleman neighbour who smuggled in small provisions through a back window until the soldiers discovered his guile and encamped in the backyard too.
After two days of complete siege, Mrs Griffith sold the house to Rosetta for a mere pittance. Picton was recalled to England in 1803 and Rosetta married a respectable coloured man and raised the two children she had by the Governor. She died in relative obscurity, but her descendants still exist in Trinidad in several present-day families.
This photo of a coloured Trinidadian woman from 1908 is what Rosetta Smith might have looked like. She died before the invention of modern photography,
Source: Virtual Museum of T&T, October 8 2021
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  • HOME
    • About >
      • TTAO EXECUTIVE 2021-23 >
        • Executive Archives 2018-2019
        • Executive Archives 2017 - 2018 >
          • Past Presidents of the TTAO
        • TTAO PROJECTS
        • Chaconia newsletters >
          • 2019 issues
        • Membership form
        • 2025 SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED AND CALL FOR APPLICATIONS >
          • 2024 Scholarship Winners >
            • 2023 Winners
            • SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS 2014 - 2022
            • 2018 Winners of CLR James Scholarship
  • PHOTOS
    • 2025 >
      • Photo Arhives >
        • 2024 >
          • 62nd independence day celebration
          • Jamaica vs Trinidad comedy battle and food festival
          • Children's carnival 2024
        • 2020 >
          • Photos - Carnival 2020
        • 2019 >
          • Republic day, Sept 21, 2019
          • Trinbago Day August 2019
          • Carivibe 2019
          • Night at the Races 2019
          • Indian Arrival/African Caribbean Emancipation dinner 2019
          • Hero the movie April, 2019
          • Farewell to Vanessa Ramhit-Ramproop
          • Carnival 2019
          • National Disaster Flood Relief for TT
      • 2018 >
        • Community Builder Award >
          • C hildren's Christmas party 2018
          • Parang, Nov. 2018
          • Ottawa Food Bank 2018
          • Presentation to TTAO President
          • Trinbago Day, Aug 19, 2018
          • Health and Wellness Seminar(s) 2018
          • T&T Carnival 2018
          • Calypso Rose Jan 2018
        • 2017 >
          • Inspiration Village June 17, 2017
          • Photos Post Carnival Fete March 25, 2017
          • Photo archives
          • Childrens Christmas party 2017
          • 55th Independence Day Gala
          • Canada 150 Celebration/Trinbago Day >
            • TrinbaGold 2012 >
              • Carnival 2012
          • Folklarama 2017
          • Day at the Races June 22nd
          • Indian Arrival Day & Emancipation Celebration June 10, 2017
          • Photos - Carnival 2017
          • Activities of the TTAO in the 80's and 90's
        • 2016 >
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          • Trinbago Day 2016
          • TTAO All Inclusive Party 2016
          • GM June 2016
      • 2015 >
        • Children's Christmas Party 2015 >
          • Christmas 2011
      • Videos >
        • Indian Arrival Day & Emancipation Celebration June 10, 2017
        • 40 YEARS OF TTAO
        • Children's Christmas Party 2018
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        • Children's Christmas Party 2016
        • Trinbago Day 2016
        • Soca Parang Lime Nov 27, 2016
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    • Letters of Appreciation
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