The Emancipation Act of 1833 established an apprenticeship system that gradually freed enslaved people in British colonies over a period of 6 years for field workers and 4 years for others. However, the apprenticeship system failed to adequately protect apprentices and guarantee their rights. Apprentices often worked long hours without pay and faced harsh punishments. Additionally, there were too few stipendiary magistrates to enforce the rules, and some accepted bribes from plantation owners. Due to these widespread issues, the apprenticeship period was ended early in 1838, fully emancipating all remaining apprentices earlier than originally planned.

1. THE EMANCIPATION ACT , 1833
CLAUSES: BENEFITS TO THE ENSLAVED, BENEFITS TO THE PLANTER CLASS.

2. FREEDOM
• All children under the age of six were to be free without any condition.
• The other enslaved were to be placed in two categories:
PRAEDIAL: Field workers
NON-PRAEDIAL: Domestics, artisans
• Praedials were to be placed in an Apprenticeship system for 6 years (ending in 1840)
• Non-Praedials were to be placed in an Apprenticeship system for 4 years. (ending in
1838)

3. Apprenticeship System
The Emancipation Act stipulated that an Apprenticeship system be put into place. This
guaranteed labour for the plantation owner for a certain time. (praedials 6 years, non-
praedials 4 years)
The Apprenticeship system stipulated that the Apprentice give of his labour for 40.5 hours
per week without pay. Thereafter, if he continued to work, he would be paid a wage.
Colonial Assemblies had the chance to bypass the Apprenticeship system and go to full
freedom. Only Antigua opted for full freedom in 1834.

4. Stipendiary Magistrates
Stipendiary Magistrates (Special Magistrates), were to be sent out to the colonies
to ensure that the Apprenticeship System was working well.
Total number of Magistrates: 100
Pay for each Magistrate: £300 per year
They were retired military officers (from Britain) who were unconnected to the colonies
and were therefore, able to be impartial.

5. Compensation
Compensation was paid to the planter class for the loss of their property (in
persons). This amount was £15 million pounds for the British West Indies.

6. Emancipation Act benefits to the planter class
It guaranteed plantation owners a supply of labour until
1840 for field workers and until 1838 for non field
workers.
It guaranteed plantation owners free labour for 40.5
hours per week every week.

7. Emancipation Act- Benefit to the Apprentices
(former enslaved)
• The Apprentices had the opportunity to earn wages after
40.5 hours of labour.
• The Apprentices had the opportunity to consult with
Stipendiary Magistrates in dispute cases.

8. Failure of Apprenticeship
The Apprenticeship system failed for a number of reasons, prompting its early end in 1838
when all Apprentices were freed.
Main Reason 1: The clauses of the Act were deliberately vague as it was
supposed to allow Colonial Assemblies the ability to adapt according to their
particular circumstances.
The Act was vague in classifying PRAEDIAL workers and so many planters
placed their skilled workers such as carpenters in the praedial category in order
to keep them longer under the system

9. Many plantation owners cheated the Apprentices out of their
wages. They organized “task work” for example and claimed the
Apprentice had to complete the task, even if it meant working for
free beyond the 40.5 hour week

10. Punishments continued to be harsh on the plantation. The
treadmill was used during this time to punish delinquent
apprentices.

11. Problems with Stipendiary Magistrates
There were too few Magistrates to serve the British colonies. Only 100 for all colonies
Pay was too low. Three hundred pounds per year was woefully inadequate. This was raised to
four hundred and fifty pounds per year.
This left the SMs open to bribery by the planters.

12. Apprenticeship ends
The variety of problems experienced with the system meant the early end to it. In 1838, all
Apprentices were freed.
This meant an early end to the system which was expected to free praedials two years later in 1840.