Packing firepower – the powderflask

This gunpowder flask is a tangible link to Jamaica’s colonial past and to the central role that firearms and gunpowder played in shaping Caribbean society during the 17th to 19th centuries. It is small in size yet rich in historical significance. The flask represents an everyday object that once accompanied militiamen, plantation owners, settlers, and rebels in a highly militarised plantocracy.

Gunpowder was a vital resource in the colonial Caribbean, shaping warfare, trade, and daily life. It underpinned European military power, enabling the defence of colonies against foreign rivals, pirates, and internal resistance. Forts, coastal batteries, and naval vessels all depended on reliable supplies of powder to secure imperial control of key ports and sea lanes.

The flintlock, a standard firing mechanism at the time and used by most firearms, could fire only a single round before needing to be reloaded manually with gunpowder and ammunition. Gunpowder flasks became an essential accessory for any flintlock firearm. They allowed for safe storage and controlled dispensing of gunpowder, reducing waste, and limiting the risk of accidental ignition during loading.

A typical gunpowder flask features a spring-loaded spout that dispenses a standard amount of gunpowder or ‘charge’ for a flintlock firearm. This allowed the user to load their weapon efficiently while reducing waste and the risk of accidental overloading.

ESSENTIAL ROLE

Beyond formal warfare, firearms and their accessories played an essential role across multiple social groups in the colonial era. White planters and estate overseers used guns for small game or bird hunting, protecting property and intimidating the enslaved to enforce plantation discipline. Members of the colonial militia relied on firearms during musters, patrols, and the enforcement of local laws, particularly in periods of tension, revolt, or invasion.

Even skilled enslaved people, sometimes tasked with hunting to provide food or defending the plantations, may, on rare occasions, be allowed to handle a firearm under tight supervision. However, this was restricted under colonial laws, so in most cases, the enslaved would only handle stolen firearms during rebellions or while escaping to join maroon forces. In all these contexts, the powderflask would have been a constant companion, worn on a strap or belt and refilled as needed.

Jamaica’s high level of militarisation made gunpowder a necessary resource, stored in large quantities. Jamaican towns and ports held large amounts of black powder, tightly packed in warehouses and aboard ships. Mismanagement left these stores vulnerable, as seen in the 1702 Port Royal fire, which destroyed much of the infamous city. The 1702 fire was among the last catastrophes for the infamous town.

By the early 18th century, Port Royal had already suffered from the devastating earthquake of 1692, which submerged much of the city and reduced its importance as a commercial and naval centre. What remained was densely built, mostly wooden, and highly vulnerable to fire.

In January 1702, a fire broke out and spread rapidly through the town. Reports from the time say the fire may have started from a candle left burning by an enslaved worker in a storehouse or by the ignition of improperly stored gunpowder, a constant hazard in a port filled with flammable merchandise, wooden structures, and military supplies.

Strong winds and tightly packed buildings allowed the flames to move quickly, destroying homes, shops, and what was left of the town. The fire effectively stopped Port Royal’s recovery after the earthquake. Trade and government shifted permanently to Kingston, marking the town’s final fall and showing the dangers of poor urban planning and unsafe practices in Jamaica’s colonial ports.

This flask is housed at the National Museum Jamaica, where people can connect with the material culture of Jamaica’s past.

Submitted by Romaine Thomas, assistant curator, National Museum Jamaica, Institute of Jamaica.