The Chattel House: A Symbol of Freedom
Discover Barbados' Chattel House History. The effects home is one of the most recognisable signs of Barbados-- a small wooden home with bright Caribbean colours, high gable roofs, and verandahs that invite the breeze. But beyond their beauty, goods homes bring an effective and distinctively Barbadian story. These homes emerged after emancipation, when previously enslaved people were complimentary but still had little access to land. Plantation owners controlled the majority of the island, so employees typically lived on land they did not own. Their homes needed to be theirs-- but also needed to move with them if the landowner altered, the work shifted, or the household sought a brand-new start. The option was ingenious: develop a home that might stroll. Set on coral stone blocks instead of a repaired structure, the effects home could be raised, shifted, and rolled to a new place. Neighbours would collect to assist, turning every move into a minute of community and event. It was a h...