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

Granville Sharp

Granville Sharp

Anti-slavery campaigner.  Born Durham.  1757 became Clerk in the Ordnance Office.  Became involved with the anti-slavery campaign by a personal involvement with an injured slave, Jonathan Strong, a...

Person, Law, Race Issues

1 memorial
James Stephen

James Stephen

Anti-slavery campaigner.  Born Dorset.  Trained in law and worked for a time in the Carribean where he saw the cruelty to slaves and became an abolitionist.  The death of his first wife deepened hi...

Person, Law, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Religion, Caribbean Islands

1 memorial
Samuel Pepys

Samuel Pepys

Diarist and Secretary of the Admiralty.  Born Salisbury Court, where his father ran a tailoring business. The house backed onto St Brides church. Highly regarded administrator of the navy. Served C...

Person, Literature, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Seriously Famous

16 memorials
King Charles II

King Charles II

Reigned: 1660 - 1685. Born at St James's Palace. The son of the beheaded Charles I, he was the king "restored" to the throne after the civil war. Married Catherine of Braganza in 1662 but she prod...

Person, Race Issues, Royalty, Seriously Famous

19 memorials
Robert Aske

Robert Aske

Son of a draper. Worked as a haberdasher; 1643 became a Freeman of the Haberdashers Company; 1666 elected an Alderman of the City of London. He became Master of the Haberdashers' Company. But the r...

Person, Philanthropy, Race Issues

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Orange Street Chapel - arch

Orange Street Chapel - arch

WC2, Orange Street

The dates given are the "start" dates of the two churches which have been erected on this site.

1 subject commemorated
Anthony White Southwell

Anthony White Southwell

Anthony White Southwell was born on 21 November 1936 in Surbiton, Surrey, the son of Arthur Joseph White Southwell (1897-1962) and Eva Winifred Southwell née Monk (1898-1963). His birth was registe...

Person, Sculpture

1 memorial
Edward Bowles

Edward Bowles

Horticulturalist. Born Edward Augustus Bowles but professionally known as E. A. Bowles. Born at his family's home, Myddelton House near Enfield, where he later created a garden, now open to the pu...

Person, Gardens / Agriculture

2 memorials
H. Frew

H. Frew

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Susan Lawrence

Susan Lawrence

Politician and social reformer.  Born as Arabella Susan Lawrence.

Person, Politics & Administration, Social Welfare

1 memorial