http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/2010/12/08/the-talented-mr-bridgens/ Bimonthly review of Caribbean literature and art Thu, 07 Nov 2013 03:03:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/2010/12/08/the-talented-mr-bridgens/comment-page-1/#comment-4147 Dorothy Sloan Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:52:37 +0000 http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/?p=3370#comment-4147 I am doing research on a Richard Bridgens whose suggested dates are ca. 1819-ca. 1891. The person I am working on was a surveyor, artist, map maker and architect. Here is what I have on him so far. I hope we can share information. It may be that the name Richard Bridgens was used for a father and son, or some other relation. My rough notes thus far: Little is known of R.P. Bridgens (ca. 1819-ca. 1891), whose first name may have been Richard, and who may have originated from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where at least one map was published in his name (Map of the township of Manor Lancaster County, Pa. from the original surveys by R.P. Bridgens, C.E. Philadelphia: Lith. & published by R. & H[enry] F. Bridgens, 1852; for more on the Bridgens publishing of castral maps and atlases of Pennsylvania, see Mark P. Conzen, "The county landownership map in America: Its Commericial Development and Social Transformation: 1814-1939" in Imago Mundi, Vol. 36 (1984), p. 17). In 1851, a Richard P. Bridgens engaged in a survey of Charleston, South Carolina, the field notes of which survive (Helen G. McCormack, "A Provisional Guide to Manuscripts in the South Carolina Historical Society in The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 46, No. 3 (July, 1945) p. 175. The present R.P. Bridgens is almost assuredly the architect who around 1868 went from San Francisco to Japan, where he designed several buildings, most notably the Shimbashi Railway Station (1872; documented in a wood-block print by Hiroshige), the Yokohama Railway Station (1872), and the Hōraisha office building (1872). Bridgens "was the only private architect who came to Japan in those early days, [and] very little is known about Bridgens' career" (K. Abe, "Early Western Architecture in Japan" in Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 13, No. 2, May, 1954, pp. 15-18). He was hired by the Japanese government to teach their subjects in Japan during the early Meiji era. I am doing research on a Richard Bridgens whose suggested dates are ca. 1819-ca. 1891. The person I am working on was a surveyor, artist, map maker and architect. Here is what I have on him so far. I hope we can share information. It may be that the name Richard Bridgens was used for a father and son, or some other relation. My rough notes thus far:
Little is known of R.P. Bridgens (ca. 1819-ca. 1891), whose first name may have been Richard, and who may have originated from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where at least one map was published in his name (Map of the township of Manor Lancaster County, Pa. from the original surveys by R.P. Bridgens, C.E. Philadelphia: Lith. & published by R. & H[enry] F. Bridgens, 1852; for more on the Bridgens publishing of castral maps and atlases of Pennsylvania, see Mark P. Conzen,
“The county landownership map in America: Its Commericial Development and Social Transformation: 1814-1939″ in Imago Mundi, Vol. 36 (1984), p. 17). In 1851, a Richard P. Bridgens engaged in a survey of Charleston, South Carolina, the field notes of which survive (Helen G. McCormack, “A Provisional Guide to Manuscripts in the South Carolina Historical Society in The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 46, No. 3 (July, 1945) p. 175. The present R.P. Bridgens is almost assuredly the architect who around 1868 went from San Francisco to Japan, where he designed several buildings, most notably the Shimbashi Railway Station (1872; documented in a wood-block print by Hiroshige), the Yokohama Railway Station (1872), and the Hōraisha office building (1872). Bridgens “was the only private architect who came to Japan in those early days, [and] very little is known about Bridgens’ career” (K. Abe, “Early Western Architecture in Japan” in Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 13, No. 2, May, 1954, pp. 15-18). He was hired by the Japanese government to teach their subjects in Japan during the early Meiji era.

]]> http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/2010/12/08/the-talented-mr-bridgens/comment-page-1/#comment-1583 Vahni Capildeo Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:55:04 +0000 http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/?p=3370#comment-1583 Can't wait to see this book. Essential and inspiring work. Can’t wait to see this book. Essential and inspiring work.

]]> http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/2010/12/08/the-talented-mr-bridgens/comment-page-1/#comment-980 Judy Raymond Sat, 11 Dec 2010 13:35:05 +0000 http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/?p=3370#comment-980 Bridgens drew slaves on a number of estates. The ones on his own estate were typical of the whole colony. That is, most of them were born in Africa; some were "creoles of Trinidad," ie born in Trinidad; and a few were imported from other islands--in this case, from Antigua. The Cazabons were free coloured slave-owners who probably brought their slaves with them from Martinique to Trinidad. Bridgens drew slaves on a number of estates. The ones on his own estate were typical of the whole colony. That is, most of them were born in Africa; some were “creoles of Trinidad,” ie born in Trinidad; and a few were imported from other islands–in this case, from Antigua.
The Cazabons were free coloured slave-owners who probably brought their slaves with them from Martinique to Trinidad.

]]> http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/2010/12/08/the-talented-mr-bridgens/comment-page-1/#comment-965 Lloyd King Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:03:16 +0000 http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/?p=3370#comment-965 Just a Question: would the slaves Bridgens depicted have come directly from West Africa or were they not brought' like Cazabon's family from Martinique or Haiti? Just a Question: would the slaves Bridgens depicted have come directly from West Africa or were they not brought’ like Cazabon’s family from Martinique or Haiti?

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