Dear Descendants of Nottingham Estate,
There are some places that are not simply where we come from. They are who we are.
For me, Nottingham Estate is just that. It is my family’s story. It is the soil beneath my feet, the voices of my ancestors, the memories of generations, and the foundation upon which I stand today.
As an eighth-generation direct descendant of Margaret Nottingham, one of the 25 enslaved Africans freed by Samuel and Mary Nottingham in 1776, my roots run deep.
But the story of Nottingham Estate is bigger than my family.
It is one of the most remarkable and under-appreciated stories in Virgin Islands history.
In 1776, while slavery remained firmly entrenched throughout much of the Caribbean and the Americas, 25 enslaved people on Nottingham Estate were granted their freedom. Their descendants would become among the earliest communities of free Black people in the Western Hemisphere. Long before emancipation became law in the British Caribbean in 1834, our ancestors were already building lives as free men and women, creating families, establishing roots, and laying the foundation for generations to come.
As we approach and celebrate 250 years since that historic act of manumission, we are reminded that Nottingham Estate is not just a place on a map. It is a living testament to freedom, perseverance, resilience, and possibility.
For nearly two and a half centuries, the descendants of those original 25 freed people have helped shape the Virgin Islands. They became farmers, fishermen, labourers, entrepreneurs, church leaders, teachers, public servants, mothers, fathers, and community builders. Through hardship and triumph alike, they carried forward a legacy of freedom that continues to inspire us today.
When I traverse Long Look, Fat Hogs Bay, Greenland and other areas where the descendants of Nottingham Estate have settled in the eastern districts, I do not see strangers. I see family.
Many of you knew my mother, Mrs. Naomi, from down the Bay. Some of you remember my aunties, Tonton Lilly (Lillian Stevens), and Tonton Sita (Rosita Davies). Others knew my great-grandmother, Melvina “Ms. Melly” Stevens, whose wisdom, strength, and kindness touched countless lives.
Our family story is woven into the story of this community. Melvina Stevens (maternal side) was the daughter of Melvina Pickering, who was the daughter of Meshack Pickering, who was the son of Diana Nottingham, who was the daughter of Margaret Nottingham. My great-grandmother Melvina (paternal side) was the daughter of James Pickering, who was the son of Aneas Pickering, who was the son of Andrew Pickering. Andrew and Meshack were sons of Diana Nottingham and Jeffrey Pickering.
Generation after generation, our family remained connected to this place and to the people who call it home.
For nearly 250 years, our ancestors have lived, worked, worshipped, loved, struggled, celebrated, and persevered right here.
The blood that runs through my veins is the blood of Nottingham Estate.
It is the blood of free people.
People who understood the value of freedom because they knew what it meant to have it denied. People who built lives from determination and faith. People who believed that each generation had a responsibility to leave something better for those who followed.
When I think about Nottingham Estate and Long Look, I think about resilience.
I think about children playing freely in the neighbourhood. I think about neighbours looking after one another. I think about church services, family gatherings, funerals, celebrations, and the countless moments that turned a collection of houses into a true community.
I think about the values that have sustained us for generations: faith, hard work, respect, family, service, and love.
These are the values that shaped me.
These are the values that guide me.
And these are the values I will always carry with me.
Today, our community faces a range of challenges. Families are grappling with the rising cost of living. Young people are struggling to find themselves. Infrastructure requires investment. Opportunities must be created and expanded.
Yet despite these challenges, I remain hopeful because I know the people of Nottingham Estate and Long Look.
We are descendants of survivors.
We are descendants of pioneers.
We are descendants of free people.
For 250 years, generation after generation we have overcome obstacles that may have seemed impossible at the time. That same spirit remains alive in our community today.
Whether you have known me all my life or only recently, I want you to know that my commitment to this community comes from a place of love.
A love rooted in family.
A love rooted in history.
A love rooted in gratitude.
I carry the legacy of Margaret Nottingham and the original 25 freed people of Nottingham Estate. I carry the lessons of my mother Naomi, my aunties, my grandparents, and all those who came before me.
Their story is my story.
Your story is my story.
And Nottingham Estate will always be my foundation.
As we celebrate 250 years of freedom, let us honour our ancestors not only by remembering their names, but by embracing their values. Let us preserve their history, protect their legacy, and continue building a community worthy of the sacrifices they made.
I am grateful for the values instilled in me. I am eternally proud to be part of this powerful legacy, extraordinary community and this extraordinary story.
No matter where life takes me, my heart will always belong to Nottingham Estate and Long Look.
Because Nottingham Estate is more than a community.
It is a legacy.
It is a family.
It is a story of freedom.
And it is home.
With love, gratitude, and unwavering respect,
Cindy Rosan
Proud Eighth-Generation Descendant of Margaret Nottingham, the Nottingham Estate and the free people of Long Look