Research has revealed the overlooked narratives of Black Londoners who escaped slavery in the city and integrated into free communities within the East End, drawing parallels to the U.S. Underground Railroad.
Using archives from Tower Hamlets that date back to the 16th century and “runaway advertisements” from 18th-century newspapers, scholars are shedding light on historical Black populations and their grassroots efforts against slavery in London.
Between 1567 and 1802, the records show numerous births, deaths, and marriages of Black individuals in locales such as Stepney, Wapping, Shadwell, and Limehouse.
Researchers posit that these documents capture a glimpse of broader East End communities where Black individuals coexisted with their white working-class counterparts, creating refuge for those fleeing enslavement and indentured servitude. Some had evaded slave ships docked in the city, while others were already living under servitude in Britain.
This research is part of the Communities of Liberation initiative at the Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives, in collaboration with Professor Simon Newman from the University of Glasgow. According to Tony T, who leads research and engagement, the evidence suggests the existence of a British counterpart to the Underground Railroad, evidenced by runaway notices indicating that escaped individuals received assistance in finding concealment from their “masters” in London.
For instance, one advertisement dated 29 February 1748 stated, “RUN away last Thursday morning from Mr. Gifford’s, in Brunswick-Row, Queen-Square, Great Ormond-Street, an indentur’d Negro Woman Servant, of a yellowish Cast, named Christmas Bennett; she was last seen wearing a dark-grey Poplin, lined with grey water’d Silk… and is believed to be hidden somewhere in Whitechapel.
“Anyone harboring her after this notice shall face severe repercussions, and a reward of a Guinea will be provided to anyone who can give information leading to her capture.”
Another notice from 6 June 1743 describes a woman named Sabinah, who, having escaped from a ship bound for Jamaica, was “misled by some other Black individual around Whitechapel.”
Parish records indicate that the presence of free Black individuals increased across various social strata in London as maritime trade expanded from the Tudor to Georgian periods. Some, like Ignatius Sancho, had property, while others held esteemed positions within elite households, with many migrating to Britain as laborers, soldiers, sailors, and musicians.
The Black population in London grew as captains, merchants, and officials brought enslaved individuals with them, often visibly marked by injuries or collars that signified their status.
Life was often perilous for these individuals. East End refuges included the White Raven pub in Whitechapel, where Black patrons bravely resisted bounty hunters, and the church of St George-in-the-East in Shadwell, which, in the mid-18th century, took a stand to baptize those who had escaped enslavement.
Tony T remarked, “Individuals were treated as property; the desire to flee was seen as insanity and a transgression against their owners. How did they manage to stay safe? One approach was forming communities.
“Even in areas of London where people were free, they still operated under the looming presence of the slave trade.”
In the 18th-century East End, Black individuals worked in various trades, such as domestic service, blacksmithing, rope making, carpentry, and shipbuilding, often balancing between bondage and freedom, utilizing skills transferred from Africa.
As there was profit to be made from recapturing escaped individuals, a network of agents and holding locations—sometimes within pubs—emerged in London.
In 2018, the University of Glasgow initiated the Runaway Slaves in 18th-Century Britain project, compiling over 800 notices posted by “masters” into a database. Professor Newman noted that this serves as a stark reminder that “slavery was commonplace and largely accepted in Britain throughout the first three-quarters of the 18th century.”
The Communities of Liberation exhibition at Tower Hamlets town hall will be available from 1 March until 29 March before embarking on a yearlong tour.
The post Unveiling Hidden Histories: Black Londoners Resilience in the Face of Slavery first appeared on London.
Author : London News
Publish date : 2025-02-26 16:35:56
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