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Slavery in Britain existed before the Roman occupation (which occurred from approximately AD 43 to AD 410) and endured until the 11th century, when the Norman conquest of England resulted in the gradual merger of the pre-conquest institution of slavery into serfdom.
The exploitation of enslaved people made many Europeans, including the British, extremely wealthy. It is estimated that British slave ships made around 10,000 voyages across the Atlantic,...
At first some African people were captured and enslaved directly by the British traders. However, most ships got their next cargo of enslaved people from British 'factors'.
- Why use this guide? Use this guide for an overview of records held at The National Archives that shed light on the slave trade, slavery and unfree labour in the British Caribbean and North American colonies.
- A brief introduction to the slave trade and its abolition. The transatlantic slave trade was essentially a triangular route from Europe to Africa, to the Americas and back to Europe.
- An overview of the records at The National Archives. Records held at The National Archives reflect Britain’s involvement in the trade and its abolition through a wide range of records and record series, such was its importance to the country at the time.
- Records relating to transportation of slaves and goods. Ships involved in the colonial trade were first required to be registered in 1696. Registers survive from 1786 in BT 6/191-193 and BT 107 (indexes in BT 111).
Enslaved people fought to retain their families, cultures, customs and dignity. Resistance took many forms: from keeping aspects of their identity and traditions alive to escaping and plotting uprisings.
Enslaved people found ways to demonstrate their resistance. The successful revolts by enslaved people in Barbados, Jamaica and Demerara shocked the British government.
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Between 1819 and 1860, 71,000 enslaved people were transported to New Orlean's slave market on slave ships that departed from ports in the United States along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans to supply the demand for slaves in the Deep South.
