25 March 2007

200 years ago today

How slaves were loaded on the Slave ship The Brooks

Today is the 200th anniversary of the passing into law of the Slave Trade Act. This Act abolished the British slave trade, the US passed a similar law the following year.

It was not until the Abolition fo Slavery Act was passed in 1833 that slavery ended in the British Empire. When ite ended the government compensated slave owners. Interestingly one of the recipients of compensation was the BishopExeter who received over £12,000 for his 665 slaves. Needless to say the slaves got nothing....

3 comments:

elasticwaistbandlady said...

My Papi and I saw a making of documentary for the movie about the important slave abolitionist, William Wilberforce, called Amazing Grace. It looks really, really, good and we'll definitely catch it on its DVD release.

On a completely shallow note......Ioan Gruffud is so smokin hot! My oldest daughter has a crush on him and says that the Fantastic Four casting crew got it right because he is indeed, Mr. Fantastic.

jams o donnell said...

It is getting mixed reviews here. Wilberforce was an important abolitionist and deserves credit for the part he played. Many others do too of course!

I think she will have to fight teh not wife for him.. then again her thoughts about him are very impure!

jams o donnell said...

the not=wife's thoughts that is!