German Technology, Caribbean Rum: Georg Stade and the Industrialization of Rum Production in Barbados, 1892-1898

Abstract

In 1892, the German born and British naturalized engineer Georg Stade set up a modern rum factory in Barbados. Machinery, capital and technical staff came from Germany. The enterprise quickly established itself as the largest distillery on the island, pushing smaller competitors out of the market. It occupies this position up until today. The case study of technology transfer has so far not been researched, not least because some core primary sources are not publicly accessible. It is integrated into broader research on transnational entanglements between Germany, Britain and – for the first time – Barbados, questioning notions of the inherently ‘British’ nature of the Empire. Based on a broad empirical basis, the article argues that detailed case histories of mobile engineers and technology transfers can do much to explain the mechanics of nineteenth century globalization but are currently underrepresented in pertinent research. This is particularly relevant for Imperial Germany with its emerging technology and export sectors.