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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Karl Pearson

Karl Pearson

Pioneer statistician and eugenicist. Born 14 Albion Road, Islington. Had a long-running feud with his successor as Galton Professor of Eugenics at University College London, Roland Fisher. Died whi...

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1 memorial
Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King

One of the world's most famous civil rights activists, born Michael King Jr. A Baptist minister, he visited London in December 1964 on his way to Oslo to collect his Nobel Peace Prize. He stayed at...

Person, Race Issues, Religion, Seriously Famous, Tragedy, USA

4 memorials
Dorothy 'Cherry' Groce

Dorothy 'Cherry' Groce

Shooting victim. She was shot by the Metropolitan Police, on 28 September 1985, while they were searching for her son who was suspected of firearm offences. This led to the 1985 Brixton riot. She w...

Person, Race Issues, Tragedy, Caribbean Islands

1 memorial
Ira Aldridge

Ira Aldridge

Actor. Born Ira Frederick Aldridge in New York City (his date of birth is approximate). He started his acting career with the African Company in the early 1820s, but faced with racial discriminatio...

Person, Race Issues, Theatre, Poland, USA

1 memorial
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