Event    From 25/3/1807  To 1/8/1834

Abolition of slavery

The British abolition of slavery came in two parts: first the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act became law on 25 March 1807, which left slavery itself still permitted until the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 which caused all slaves in the British Empire to be emancipated on 1 August 1834. The slaves in India and Ceylon were not freed until Britain took over from the East India Company in 1843.

Compensation was paid, but to the owners, not the slaves. Meticulous records were kept and have been analysed at Legacies of British Slave-ownership.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Abolition of slavery

Commemorated ati

Aboliton of slavery - SE1

{The statue stands at one end of a long composite stone slab inlaid with a de...

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Bronze Woman

This was the first statue of a black woman to be on permanent display anywher...

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Buxton Memorial Fountain

Due to strong shadows it was only on our fourth visit that we managed to take...

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Gilt of Cain - Slave trade

This sculpture, 'Gilt of Cain', was unveiled by Bishop Tutu in commemoration ...

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Holy Trinity Clapham - Clapham Sect

The damage on this plaque is the result of WW2 bombs.

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Show all 11

Other Subjects

Dadabhai Naoroji

Dadabhai Naoroji

The first Asian elected to the House of Commons, representing Central Finsbury for the Liberal Party from 1892 - 1895. This was 4 years after the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, had said that black...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, India

1 memorial
Maria Hawes Ware

Maria Hawes Ware

Daughter of Sir John Gurney.  Her husband, Robert Ware was a significant slave owner in British Guiana. When he died in 1824 he left 148 slaves. After a legal battle she inherited all his wealth in...

Person, Benefactor, Race Issues

1 memorial
Voltaire

Voltaire

Born in Paris as Francois Marie Arouet. Adopted the name Voltaire aged 24. The traditional story is that the intolerance of Catholic France forced this free-thinker to escape to the land of liberty...

Person, Literature, Race Issues, Seriously Famous, France

1 memorial
Elizabeth Jesser Reid

Elizabeth Jesser Reid

Founder of Bedford College, anti-slavery activist and philanthropist. Her Wikipedia page is very informative. Elizabeth Jesser Sturch was born on 15 December 1789 in the St Clement Danes district...

Person, Education, Gender Issues, Philanthropy, Race Issues

1 memorial