Black People in England, 1660–1807

Cultural archaeology and historical geographies of the black presence in rural England

“…What is certain is that theirs was not a homogenous experience. Not all Africans were enslaved, but the degree of social and geographical mobility available to black people who were 'free' is still unclear, as is the role of gender (for a discussion of the eighteenth century in this context see Chater, 2007). It is always assumed that there were greater numbers of African men than women in England, but women do appear in the archives, as servants, wives, mothers and sometimes slaves.…”

The Legacies of 2007: Remapping the Black Presence in Britain

“…2001). Africans were also an essential part of the abolition campaign in Britain, through narratives of their own experiences, including publications by Quobna Ottobah Cugoano ( Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery , London, 1787) and Olaudah Equiano ( The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa the African , London, 1789), and through their presence in the courts challenging English and Scottish law, or living and surviving among the working class (Chater 2007; Hochschild 2005; Robertson 2007).…”

Review of periodical literature published in 2007

“…Chater, meanwhile, examines wills, diaries, letters, newspapers, and coroners' inquests to examine the position of black people in England before the Abolition Act, while Bressey charts their fortunes in the wake of the Act. The murder of approximately 130 slaves on board the slave ship the Zong in 1781 receives special attention.…”