Slavery around the beginning of the 18th century

[Daphnesmate02]

How could a European female learn more about the African/West Indies Slave trade at the beginning of the 18th century. How might she come across this do you think and potentially learn more?

[Doobiedooo]

Go onto amazon and search the most highly rated book on the subject! :-)

[Daphnesmate02]

Thanks Doobiedooo. There are lots of books available obviously, but I'm not sure they would answer this question. Just wondering if anyone is well read on this subject or could indeed, point me toward the most appropriate text.

[MaMaLa321]

the same way as a European male I guess.
Do the research. Go to libraries, search online. No quick answer just do the work.

[RHTawneyonabus]

Is this for a novel? If she’d lived somewhere like Bristol she’d have been aware of how the mechanics of the slave trade work as it was one endpoint of the triangle and often slaves were brought back this way too. Or she could be in contact with quakers or others who campaigned against it. I seem to remember there was a sugar boycott amongst some groups because it supports the space trade.

[RHTawneyonabus]

Urgh Slave not Space

[borageforager]

Watch David Olusoga's documentary about slavery on BBC. Might help answer some of your questions. I was amazed at how connected Britain was to the slave trade.

[RHTawneyonabus]

From this article

www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/history-of-slavery/bristol-and-the-transatlantic-slave-trad/

Some groups, notably the Society of Friends (Quakers), took up an anti-slavery stance on religious grounds as early as 1760. John and Charles Wesley, the founders of Methodism, declared themselves against the slave trade in the late 1770s.

Within ten years, the Anglican Dean of Bristol, Josiah Tucker, and the Evangelical writer Hannah More had become active abolitionists. Christian support for abolition was not necessarily because they believed in racial equality: many Evangelicals were abolitionists because they thought that slavery promoted sexual immorality, cruelty and irreligion. The Bristolian Ann Yearsley (‘the milkmaid poet’) who was from a poorer and more radical background wrote against slavery from a human rights perspective.

More personal arguments for abolition came from Olaudah Equiano, who planned to visit Bristol in 1793. Once enslaved and now free, Equiano was the first black African to publish attacks against the slave trade. In 1795, the poet William Coleridge gave an anti-slavery lecture in the city, and Bristol-born radical Anna Maria Falconbridge argued for racial equality.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

Is this for a historical novel?
Afaik the abolition movements didn’t get going till later so I would think she would have to meet someone who had been involved in some way.
Although there wasn’t widespread opposition there was some.

[Doobiedooo]

@MaMaLa321

the same way as a European male I guess.
Do the research. Go to libraries, search online. No quick answer just do the work.

OP I know my message (“look on amazon” or any other bookshop/book selling site) may have sounded trite but as MaMa says, you really do have to start somewhere. I’m a researcher and amazon really is where I start (libraries were where I started in a previous life!). A bit like record collecting: get a few books that sound relevant, read them, these will lead to more books. Of course if reading is not your thing, start with tv as suggested above, or search YouTube with key words. Start and leap off from there.

[Doobiedooo]

Eg this book might tick your boxes. But you can look into it further since just based on a quick search and not my area. Good luck.

www.amazon.co.uk/Freedoms-Debt-1672-1752-Published-Williamsburg/dp/1469629852/ref=sr_1_25?dchild=1&keywords=Slavery%20early%2018th%20century&qid=1603961633&sr=8-25&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Buttybach]

There is a fab documentary on bbciplayer at the moment With Samuel L Jackson.
She may have witnessed a wreck with loss of life.

She may have had a husband who worked on the ships

She may have read the newspapers or journals of the time if she was well educated.

In Manchester I know there was lots of opposition

[Buttybach]

This was in the Cambrian in wales in 1805

[Buttybach]

This was 1816

[MaMaLa321]

you might also be interested in researching what was happening in Liverpool during the Civil War. The North of England was heavily dependant on cotton from the Southern states of the USA. Boats were built in Liverpool for the Southern navy (illegally) and there were fund-raising events held in the city for the southern cause - which might be a way in for you.

[Daphnesmate02]

Thank you everyone. I haven't been on here for a while.

Yes, I am attempting a second novel but it's not quite getting off the ground. My first novel was partially set (dual time frame) in the Victorian era (due to self publish at the end of Jan). Research required for this obviously, but I'd already done a lot for family history research plus there is a fair bit of material around relating to that period of time. Going back further is far more difficult. I am no stranger to research or putting in the hours...but for reasons just given, I am looking for good sources of material.

Your tips have been fantastic and provided a starting place. I might have bitten off more than I can chew with this one because my next novel is set in France. Interesting about the Bristol connection though, I'm going to have a bit of a read into this whatever I decide to do.

She may have read the newspapers or journals of the time if she was well educated.

And connections...over hearing a discussion.

These are two good starting places.

[Londonmummy66]

Depending on her marital position and wealth she might even have owned slaves. The records on the slave owners compensation are online (UCL I think?) and a lot of women did.

[Vintage123]

Thank you London. That has given me an idea to work on.