Bristol Slave Trade Walk

The walk on the slave trade and its impact on Bristol, will incorporate the 1,000 year history of Bristol as a port, a summary history of Bristol’s participation in the English and British slave trade including the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 and the abolition of slavery in 1833, and reference to Bristol born Edward Colston, an official of the Royal African Company, and his divisive legacy to Bristol. The walk will take in the historic harbour of Bristol including the Floating Harbour, the City Centre, Park Street, Bristol Cathedral, Pero’s Bridge, John Cabot’s statue by the Arnolfini, Queen Square and King Street.

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Guide Details

Following the end of lockdown and new government guidance in place, these public tours will be run from Sunday 23 May 2021, and then every Sunday thereafter to the beginning of November 2021. The walks are conducted on behalf of Bristol and South West Tour Guides (their website www.bristolwalks.co.uk) at 12 noon, with the starting point outside the Radisson Blu Hotel, Broad Quay, Bristol BS1 4BY. Those attending must pre-book with Rob Collin, through the Eventbrite Payment Platform on his website, BY 3 HOURS BEFORE THE WALK. THERE IS A MAXIMUM OF 12 PERSONS (WHETHER ADULTS OR CHILDREN) ALLOWED ON THE WALK. The Eventbrite Payment Platform will not allow more than 12 persons to be booked for the walk.

If attending the Bristol Tourist Information Centre, located from 7 July 2020 on the G/F, The Galleries Shopping Centre, Unit BG6, Bristol BS1 3XD (contact telephone 0117 239 7685), you will be unable to book and pay for the walking tour through their office and will be directed to Bristol and South West Tour Guides for updated information or to the Eventbrite Payment Platform on my website.

Private Bristol Slave Trade walks will be available to book, to take a maximum of 12 persons. These walks are priced individually, but start at £80 for family groups. Both the public and private tours routinely last about 2.5 hours.

Please contact Rob Collin by phone or by the contact form on this website to find out more.

AN ENGRAVING FIRST PUBLISHED IN PLYMOUTH IN 1788 BY THE PLYMOUTH CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR EFFECTING THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE DEPICTED THE INHUMAN CONDITIONS ON BOARD THE BROOKES SLAVE SHIP AND WAS AN IMAGE WIDELY USED BY ABOLITIONISTS TO PUBLICISE THE HORRORS OF THE SLAVE TRADE

LADY ELIZABETH MURRAY AND HER COUSIN DIDO ELIZABETH BELLE, BOTH GREAT NIECES TO LORD MANSFIELD, ENGLAND’S LORD CHIEF JUSTICE.  THE LEGAL STATUS OF SLAVES IN ENGLAND WAS NOT CLEAR THOUGHOUT THE 18TH CENTURY.

JOSIAH WEDGWOOD DESIGNED THE ABOVE MEDALLION TO PROMOTE INTEREST IN THE ABOLITIONIST CAUSE. THE DESIGN WAS USED IN ITEMS OF CROCKERY AND IN ITEMS OF FASHION SUCH AS SNUFFBOXES AND LADIES’ BRACELETS AND HAIRPINS. © WWRD / Wedgwood Museum

SLAVE SHIP FROM METAL ENGRAVING 1881

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