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

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
Samuel Morley

Samuel Morley

Born Well Street Hackney into a Nottingham family of wool/hosiery manufacturers and merchants. His father John, had come to London to set up an outlet for their products. Samuel went into the famil...

Person, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Religion

3 memorials
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
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...

Person, Race Issues, Science

1 memorial
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

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Sir Christopher Wren

Sir Christopher Wren

Born East Knoyle, Wiltshire, died London.  Designer of 54 London churches, of which 13 were destroyed in the Blitz. Part of one of his churches, St Antholin, has ended up in an unexpected location...

Person, Architecture, Race Issues, Seriously Famous

38 memorials
London County Council

London County Council

Prior to the LCC London matters were run by church parishes. The LCC was the first directly elected strategic local government body for London. Replaced by the Greater London Council, covering a la...

Group, Politics & Administration

279 memorials
Reverend Sydney Smith

Reverend Sydney Smith

Wit, for example "I never read a book before reviewing it; it prejudices a man so." Born Woodford, London. Died at home in Green Street, London.

Person, Literature

2 memorials
Harry Richard Skinner

Harry Richard Skinner

Auxiliary Fireman Harry Richard Skinner was born on 8 December 1908 in Southwark, the third of the six children of John William Skinner (1874-1934) and Louise Skinner née Spratley (1879-1959). His ...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Horatio, Lord Nelson

Horatio, Lord Nelson

Born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk. Naval commander who became a national hero as a result of his victories in the battle of the Nile (1798) and the Battle of Trafalgar (1805). He was mortally wounded...

Person, Armed Forces, Race Issues, Seriously Famous

17 memorials