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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Other Subjects

Darcus Howe

Darcus Howe

Broadcaster, writer and civil liberties campaigner. Born as Leighton Rhett Radford Howe in Moruga, Trinidad. He moved to England at the age of 18 and initially studied law before moving to journali...

Person, Journalism / Publishing, Race Issues, TV & Radio, Caribbean Islands

2 memorials
Robert, Lord Clive, Clive of India

Robert, Lord Clive, Clive of India

Soldier and administrator. Born Shropshire. With the East India Company he effectively founded the British Empire. Spent much of his adult life in India, making his fortune there and becoming Gover...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Bengal, India

2 memorials
The Right Reverend Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston, CR, KCMG.

The Right Reverend Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston, CR, KCMG.

Bishop and archbishop. Born Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston in Bedford. Ordained in 1937, he became the Bishop of Masai, Tanzania, then the Bishop of Stepney, London, and eventually the second Archb...

Person, Race Issues, Religion, South Africa

1 memorial
Clementia Taylor

Clementia Taylor

Women's activist. Born Clementia Doughty at Brockdish, Norfolk. She married Peter Alfred Taylor in 1842, and they became involved with many social and political movements, particularly anti-slavery...

Person, Gender Issues, Race Issues, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Sir John Cass

Sir John Cass

Tory politician, slave trader and philanthropist. Date of birth unknown so we use his date of baptism, which took place at St Botolph, Aldgate. 1705 became a director of the Royal African Company w...

Person, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

2 memorials

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Helen Carte

Helen Carte

Born Wigtown, Scotland as Susan Helen Couper Black. Later changed "Black" to "Lenoir", apparently the family's original name in 17th century France. Starting as secretary to Richard D'Oyly Carte s...

Person, Commerce, Music / songs, Theatre, Scotland

1 memorial
G. D. Godfrey

G. D. Godfrey

Member of the staff at the Public Record Office. Andrew Behan has researched Godfrey: Bombardier George Digby Godfrey was born in Plaistow, Essex and his birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of...

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Greater London Council

Greater London Council

Replaced the LCC. The GLC was abolished, some say, because Mrs Thatcher could not abide its left-wing politics, nor its leader, Ken Livingstone.  On its 50th anniversary Diamond Geezer posted a goo...

Group, Politics & Administration

241 memorials
Battle of St Vincent

Battle of St Vincent

A British fleet, lead by John Jervis, defeated a Spanish fleet almost twice its size, near Cape St Vincent, Portugal. Nelson distinguished himself in this battle where he commanded HMS Captain and ...

Event, Armed Forces, Portugal, Spain

3 memorials