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Family tradition is that our ancestor was Robert Duke of Newpark, Sligo, Ireland who died about 1677. The first Duke to go to the West Indies was Mansergh Pace DUKE. He was a doctor in Dublin who after the death of his wife decided to become a missionary doctor on the Emerald Isle of Montserrat around 1890. His brother, Valentine De Saumarez Duke went out to Ceylon as a young doctor, around1873. 
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| Slavery
on the island had been abolished in 1834 but the freed slaves had to work
as apprentices. Many left the island to seek paid work. The island that Mansergh
arrived in was in an impoverished state with a much depleted population in
need of medical care. Once some labourers had resources, they could buy abandoned estates by pooling their resources, sub-divide them, and establish themselves as peasant proprietors. Most of these holdings were on marginal land, with plots ranging from a half to ten acres. These smallholders grew sugar and other cash crops as well as fruit, vegetables and ground provisions, not to mention raising livestock and poultry. These small holdings eventually grew into "free villages" with the help of missionaries who would organize a church and a church school nearby. [source:History of Montserrat: http://caribbeansupersite.com/montserrat/history.htm] It is not known whether Mansergh's practice was to cover the white or black populations. Perhaps both. By 1900 his occupation was recorded as Senior Medical Officer, Bellve Vue in St.Anthony's, Montserrat. [source: birth certificate Ina Aileen Duke- 2.1.1900]. He ended his career as Chief Medical Officer for the Leeward Islands, based in Antigua. [source: Ann Winter, May 2006] Mansergh Pace Duke married Emily Wilkin(1869-1932) in 1893. Their children were: (1) Elmina, (2) Manserge Val (Vanty), (3) Oriel (Konks), (4) Sybil (m. Rev Bolton), (5)Ina Aileen (m. Gall), (6) William, (7) Ismay (m. Winter), (8) Rawson, (9) Sarah (m.Hardy), (10) Manserge Pace (Toony), (11) Basil. 
Mansergh Valentine, Sarah, Oriel, Ismay, William
Sybil, Emily, Aileen Rawson, Mansergh Pace(jnr) [taken c.1918] |
