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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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...

Read More

Bronze Woman

This was the first statue of a black woman to be on permanent display anywher...

Read More

Buxton Memorial Fountain

Due to strong shadows it was only on our fourth visit that we managed to take...

Read More

Gilt of Cain - Slave trade

This sculpture, 'Gilt of Cain', was unveiled by Bishop Tutu in commemoration ...

Read More

Holy Trinity Clapham - Clapham Sect

The damage on this plaque is the result of WW2 bombs.

Read More

Show all 11

Other Subjects

William Smith

William Smith

Born Clapham. Lived at Eagle House on Clapham Common. M.P. Pioneer of religious liberty. Early advocate for the abolition of the slave trade. Grandfather of Florence Nightingale. Died at 5 Blan...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

1 memorial
Henry Sylvester Williams

Henry Sylvester Williams

Anti-slavery and civil rights campaigner.  Born Trinidad.  After the USA he arrived in London in 1896 to study.  Qualified in law.  Elected in 1906 for Church Street Ward, the first black councillo...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Caribbean Islands

1 memorial
Black Music Congress, etc.

Black Music Congress, etc.

A number of groups related to black music history seem to have come and gone; it's difficult to disentangle them. These links were working in 2021: Black History Month, IRDUK (mentioned on the post...

Group, Community / Clubs, Music / songs, Race Issues

1 memorial
Henry Sterry

Henry Sterry

The Quakers list a Henry Sterry born 1803 in the parish of St George the Martyr, Southwark and a Henry Sterry (1803-1869) was included in the group portrait of 'The Anti-Slavery Society Convention ...

Person, Race Issues, Social Welfare

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