Ruimveldt Riots in British Guyana 1905

The 1905 Ruimveldt Riots rocked British Guyana (also British Guiana). The Georgetown stevedores provided the spark of rebellion when they decided to take a stand on the question of the wage rate, which had stagnated for nearly three decades. At the time, casual "outside" laborers received two guilders, or 64 cents, on completion of a day's work of ten and one-half hours. One of the major complaints of these laborers was that they were paid pro rata on the basis of the daily wage when work ran out before the day finished. A second sore point among the waterfront workers was that "boys" earned 48 cents per day and adults were often categorized as "boys." On Sunday, November 26, 1905, the New Colonial Company offered a special rate of 16 cents an hour to have laborers complete the loading of a steamer. This was a practical demonstration of the value of their labor, and it precipitated strike action to back demands that wages be raised to that level. The severity of the protests that followed reflected the workers' widespread dissatisfaction with their standard of living.

It was on Tuesday, November 28, that a strike was called on the wharf of Sandbach, the "boys" refusing to take less than sixteen cents an hour. There was no disorder. On the following day the number of strikers increased considerably. From early in the day, a gang of about three hundred young stevedores marched from place to place and persuaded to join them. Meanwhile, porters employed by Ruimveldt estate (East Bank Demerara) began a strike at midday.

On November 30, masses of people took to the streets in Georgetown. Those who were on strike set out to persuade other workers to join the protest. Sometimes workers were coerced by the strikers. During the morning, domestics laborers were dragged out of private houses, while workers at the Railway Goods Wharf were threatened and pushed off the job site. By the afternoon, crowds roamed through the business center and some looting took place. The police response suggested events were understood as social rebellion. The Riot Act was read around 6:00pm on Thursday, at four different points of the city of Georgetown. The crowds dispersed, but instead of going home, people gathered that night in animated groups in Bourda, Alberttown, Wortmanville, and Albouystown.

In the early morning hours of December 1, 1905, a day now referred to as Black Friday, at the Plantation Ruimveldt, laborers confronted the manager, who not only rejected their wage demands, but sent for the police, alleging that he was assaulted and that the workers were rioting. By 7:55am, the police and a detachment of artillery were in position. The Riot Act was read, and the police opened fire when the crowd failed to disperse. Four workers were seriously injured. Word of the shooting spread through the city of Georgetown. A hostile crowd invaded the Public Buildings. One man was killed by police fire in the vicinity of the Public Buildings. The crowds vented their anger on any individuals identified with the authorities. The dead and the dying in the Colonial Hospital attracted many rioters to that part of the city. Police patrols were attacked and they responded with rifle fire. By the end of the day, seven people were dead and seventeen badly injured.

In a panic, the British colonial administration called for help. Two cruisers, HMS Diamond and HMS Sappho arrived with reinforcements. The British troops finally quelled the uprising. By Tuesday, December 5, the streets of Georgetown were back to normal though the wharves continued to be at practically a standstill. For the first time in decades, managers were forced to negotiate with their employees. Although the strike by the stevedores ultimately failed, the riots had planted the seeds of what would become an organized trade union movement.

References

History of the Guyanese Working People, 190-4; Guyana - A Country Study.

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