After Abolition - Britain And The Slave Trade Since 1807

With the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 and the emancipation of all slaves throughout the British Empire in 1833, Britain washed its hands of slavery. Not so, according to Marika Sherwood, who sets the record straight in this provocative new book. In fact, Sherwood demonstrates Britain continued to contribute to and profit from the slave trade well after 1807, even into the twentieth century. Drawing on unpublished sources in areas of British history which have been previously overlooked, she describes how slavery remained very much a part of British commerce and empire, especially in the use of slave labour in Britain's African colonies. She also examines some of the causes and repercussions of continued British involvement in slavery and describes many of the shady characters, as well as the heroes, connected with the trade - at all levels of society. After Abolition contains important revelations about a darker side of British history which will provoke real questions about Britain's perceptions of its past.