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

William Craft

William Craft

Slavery abolitionist. Born in Macon, Georgia. He and his wife Ellen were enslaved and escaped to the north of America. See her page for more details.

Person, Race Issues, USA

2 memorials
Steve Biko

Steve Biko

Anti-apartheid activist. Born Stephen Bantu Biko in Ginsberg Township, in what is now the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. He was initially involved with the multiracial National Union of Sou...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Seriously Famous, South Africa

1 memorial
Oliver Tambo

Oliver Tambo

Born Mbizana, in what is now Eastern Cape. President of the African National Congress. Fled to the UK from South Africa in 1960 to run the ANC abroad. Returned to South Africa after the collapse...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, South Africa

1 memorial
Thomas Huxley

Thomas Huxley

Thomas Henry Huxley. Biologist and anthropologist. Born Ealing.  An early adherent to Darwin's theory of evolution, he was a strong supporter while also pointing out what he saw as flaws.  At the R...

Person, Education, Race Issues, Science

2 memorials
Nirmal Roy

Nirmal Roy

Nirmal Chandra Roy first stood as a Labour party candidate in the Adelaide Ward of the London Borough of Camden in the 1978 council elections and came 6th. Four years later in 1982 he stood in the ...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

1 memorial

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Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

Originally named Sheridan Hope, then Sherringford Holmes and finally Sherlock Holmes. Created by Arthur Conan Doyle, the first story was begun in 1886. The Festival of Britain had an exhibition es...

Fiction, Fictional, Seriously Famous

7 memorials
Smithfield Fish Market opened

Smithfield Fish Market opened

Thanks to (C) Peter Gregson for the picture.

Event, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial
Moorgate tube disaster - Finsbury Square

Moorgate tube disaster - Finsbury Square

EC2, Finsbury Square

The motivating force behind this memorial, the first to the tragedy, erected 38 years after the event, was historian and writer Richard J...

44 subjects commemorated
John Jay

John Jay

American statesman. 1783 signatory for the Treaty of Paris.

Person, Politics & Administration, USA

1 memorial
William Clossan

William Clossan

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial