Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves Publishes New Book on the Portuguese in Business in Guyana 1835-1935

Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves published a new book, titled 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐮𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝟏𝟖𝟑𝟓-𝟏𝟗𝟑𝟓: 𝐀 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 in September 2025.

It is a groundbreaking study of the entrepreneurship of the Portuguese immigrants in colonial Guyana (South America). It focuses on the business ventures, as well as expansion, diversification, challenges, and triumphs.

Stellar Reviews

“This contribution is substantial. Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves’ book advances our knowledge, understanding, and complexity of the Portuguese business experience in British Guiana—its regional and international networks along with its influential engagement with the colony’s social and political system. It focused a sharp light on Guyana’s crucial post-emancipation century—a century that brought fundamental changes in the colony’s social, political, and commercial life. Changes that continue to influence contemporary life in Guyana. Specifically, this work is a substantial and pioneering contribution to Guyanese industrial history. It goes beyond the specifics of Guyana and contributes to the granularity needed in the contemporary discourse about the post-colonial condition in Guyana and the wider Atlantic World. This book met and exceeded the promise.” Professor Vibert Cambridge, Professor Emeritus, Ohio University, USA.

“It is a work of a rare breadth, Dr. Collins-Gonsalves uses an impressive number of primary sources. She analyses the growth, challenges, actions, struggles and other aspects of the Portuguese business community in urban colonial British Guiana. It is a great continuation to the classic work on the Portuguese of Guyana by Sister Mary Noel Menezes and should be made available to the scholarly community and to anyone interested in the history of Guyana and on wider social, economic and ethnic-racial dynamics in the Caribbean. No book that I know of covers this precise topic.” Professor Cristiana Bastos, University of Lisbon, Portugal.

“This focus on Portuguese business and entrepreneurship is a welcome addition to our understanding of the collage which led the creation of modern-day Guyana. It provides a comprehensive and in-depth look at the Portuguese as well as their contributions to the commercial and business sectors and ultimately Guyanese society. Not only are the key factors in their transition from indentured servants to merchants in this critical period in the emergence of modern-day Guyana identified and analyzed, but ethnicity and gender are incorporated into the framework established.” Dr. Heather Cateau, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.

Research for this book was conducted at several notable institutions internationally, including The National Archives (UK), The British Library; The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); Arquivo Regional da Madeira; Walter Rodney National Archives of Guyana; Caribbean Research Library, University of Guyana Library; National Library of Guyana; The Alma Jordan Library at The University of the West Indies, St Augustine; among others. The book also included map of Madeira, Portugal through the courtesy of Adriana Gonçalves, Associação Insular de Geografia, as well as a historic photograph of Joseph Gonsalves, from Clare Cowling of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Library, University of London. Much appreciation to Marilyn Clarke, Librarian for the IALS Library for the tremendous work being done at IALS. The book includes as well a photograph of Deolinda Maria Fernandes from the John and Deolinda Fernandes Family Archive (John Fernandes Limited). Banks DIH Limited, a leading company in Guyana was originally formed by Jose Gomes D’Aguiar. Lyn D’Aguiar graciously gave permission for the inclusion of a photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Jose Gomes D’Aguiar in this book.

Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves thanked her family for their encouragement and support. especially her husband, Serafin Gonsalves and young children, Matthew and Theresa Gonsalves,

The book is available via noted bookstores online including: