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

Lord Eldon

Lord Eldon

Lord Chancellor.  1st Earl of Eldon. Opposed both the abolition of the slave trade and Catholic emancipation.

Person, Law, Race Issues

1 memorial
Luis L. Ramirez

Luis L. Ramirez

Ramirez's divorced wife's lover was murdered in Texas in 1998.  Ramirez was indicted for solicitation of capital murder. In 1999 he was sentenced to death and executed in 2005.

Person, Law, Race Issues, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich

Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich

Infantry officer, naval officer and politician. Born Northamptonshire. Patron and good friend to Pepys. Fought on behalf of Cromwell's Commonwealth first in the army and then as a General at Sea.  ...

Person, Armed Forces, Race Issues

1 memorial
Sharpeville Massacre

Sharpeville Massacre

This took place near the police station in the South African township of Sharpeville in Transvaal (today part of Gauteng). After a day of demonstrations against pass laws (these were an internal pa...

Event, Race Issues, Tragedy, 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