Abolition of Slavery – British Empire

The phenomenon of slavery has existed for many years in Britain up to 1102 when enforced servitude was made illegal, however it was during eighteenth century that the legal status of black slaves appeared to be unclear after the case of a runaway slaves forced a legal decision on 22nd June 1772, by the Lord Chief Justice, William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, he declared; "Whatever inconveniences, therefore, may follow from a decision, I cannot say this case is allowed or approved by the law of England; and therefore the black must be discharged."

The momentum of this action underpinned the first abolishionists organisation being founded in London by Quakers in 1783. On the 17th June 1783 the issue was formally brought to the Birtish government by Sir Cecil Wray MP, who presented the Quaker petition to parliament.

This petition was not the first such motion made to parliament, however it did pave the way for subsequent united political actions.

The Slave Trade Act 1807 was passed by the British Parliament on 25th March 1807. Even though this act imposed a £100 fine for every slave found aboard a British ship, slaves were still held, though not sold, within the British Empire. In 1827, Britain Britain declared that participation in the slave trade was piracy and punishable by death.

During this decade the The Anti-Slavery Society was founded whose membership then set out to out-law the institution of Slavery itself. The society had many differing views between its members, however it was their concerted efforts which lead to the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 the compromises of which they disliked.

It was not until 1st August 1838, after much pressure from the abolitionists and other local movements, that the full working out of the Act was completed; with slavery being eventually abolished throughout the British Empire. It is said that up to £20 millions was paid in compensation to plantation owners in the Caribbean.

Black people played an important part in the move towards abolition, for example Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglass.