Bristol Slave Trade Walk

The walking seminar 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, Bristol Cathedral and College Green.

The walking seminar has been conducted since March 2019 and has evolved following the toppling of Edward Colston’s statue during a Black Lives Matter demonstration on Sunday 7 June 2020. IT IS A DETAILED LOOK AT BRISTOL’S HISTORY AS A PORT, BRISTOL’S PARTICIPATION IN THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE, AND THE LEGACY OF THAT TRADE IN BRISTOL. THE WALK IS 2-2.5 HOURS DURATION AND HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO ASSIST PERSONS WITH A DETAILED INTEREST IN BRISTOL AND ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE.

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Guide Details

These public tours will be conducted from SUNDAY 6 APRIL 2024 at 12 NOON, and then fortnightly on SUNDAYS at 12 NOON thereafter (with the exception of SUNDAY 18 MAY) to SUNDAY 19 OCTOBER 2024. The walks are conducted on behalf of Bristol and South West Tour Guides (their website www.bristolwalks.co.uk).

The starting point will be outside the North Porch of Bristol Cathedral, College Green, BS1 5TJ. Those attending must pre-book with Rob Collin, through the TXGB Payment Platform on his website, BY MIDNIGHT THE DAY BEFORE THE WALK. THERE IS A MAXIMUM OF 15 PERSONS ALLOWED ON THE WALK. The TXGB Payment Platform will not allow more than 15 persons to be booked for the walk.

ADULTS £15

DUE TO THE DURATION OF THE WALK, THE WALK IS NOT SUITABLE FOR PERSONS UNDER 18

PRIVATE BRISTOL SLAVE TRADE WALKS will be available to book, to take a maximum of 15 persons. These walks are priced individually, but start at £100 for family groups. Both the public and private tours routinely last between 2 hours and 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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