Slave trade archive online
p2pnet.net OT news:- A UK genealogy and family history site has launched an online archive with the records of nearly 100,000 slaves ‘owned’ by British colonists in Barbados.
“Over almost 200 years from the mid-1600s many thousands of black slaves were transported from Africa to work the sugar plantations,” says Ancestry.uk.co, going on, “the slave trade was not abolished until 1807 and slavery until 1834.
“Today, people all over the world are the descendents [sic] of these slaves and efforts to trace their slave ancestors are being expedited by the increase in historical records available online, the growing popularity of black family history and the overcoming of research obstacles specific to black history.”
How do people go about using the archive?
The first step to tracing a bloodline is to, “Find out all you can from parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters,” says the site. “Also look for any family records lying around the house, in the attic, or at the back of old cupboards. Write everything down and discard nothing – it may be the piece in the puzzle you need later on. If you can trace your four grandparent’s lines to 1901 or before, then you can take the next step.”
The UK Census can be used to trace relatives living in the UK before 1901, it says, pointing out census records were taken every 10 years from 1841 to 1901 and, “This [sic] data also has details of birthplace, which you can use to trace the origins of your family.
People whose relatives came to Britain after 1901 can search their own country’s records through various sources and national libraries, as well as the national archives, which holds records of all British immigrants.
“Once you know the country of origin of your ancestors, you can use local records to trace when they came to that area, and if they were slaves, when they were set free,” says Ancestry.uk.co, adding:
And don’t just rely on the surname of your ancestor corresponding to the slave owner’s surname, as this is not always the case – also use occupation and address, age and birthplace (if listed). Parish records should also be searched.
Once the name of the last slave owner is identified, the next step is to research the history of slavery and understand the conditions, laws, customs, and
practices that governed slavery and enslaved Africans. Then you need to research the slave owner to see what he did with his property, because slaves were property — bought, sold, and traded. At this point you are doing the genealogy of the slave owner as well as the genealogy of the slave. While it is twice the work, it will also help you better understand the life and circumstances of your slave ancestor.
The Barbados Slave Register is an excellent place to search both your ancestors, and their slave owners, while the Barbados Baptisms, Marriages and Wills may help in further establishing the identity of slave owners.
Says The Telegraph:
Many Americans of British descent can trace their origins to the island because it was used as a point of departure between the mother country and the colonies of Virginia, Georgia and the Carolinas.
Surviving parish records were copied in the mid 19th century and the details online come mostly from those. They vary in the amount of detail, but can be very informative and include baptismal records, marriage certificates and documents dealing with wills and administration of estates.
In 1834, the Slavery Abolition Act came into force across all of Britain’s territories, forbidding the “possession of enslaved persons” within the empire or by British subjects anywhere in the world.
Every slave over the age of six became an indentured labourer and was required to serve an apprenticeship. Full emancipation came in 1838.
Compensation of £20 million (£21 billion by the most accurate computation of lump sum values at today’s rates) was awarded, not to the slaves, but to their former owners
_Also See:
The Telegraph – Online slave records help Britons trace past, April 28, 2007
