Website launches searchable register of British Empire's slaves
A website specialising in family geneaology launched a massive online searchable register of slaves of the British Empire Wednesday, allowing descendants of slaves to discover their origins.
By Agencies |
LONDON: A website specialising in family geneaology launched a massive online searchable register of slaves of the British Empire Wednesday, allowing descendants of slaves to discover their origins.
The social history website Ancestry.co.uk has compiled the details of more than 2.7 million slaves and 280,000 slave-owners from 17 former British colonies for Internet users to explore.
Stretching from 1812 to 1834, the records of the slaves are searchable by name, year of birth and gender, as well as by the name of their holder.
According to the website, more than half a million Britons are originally from black Caribbean former colonies, the majority of them descended from slaves.
"The slave registers are a vital resource and are for many the only record of their ancestor's existence," said Simon Harper, a spokesman for Ancestry.co.uk.
Last year, Britain commemorated 200 years since it outlawed slavery. The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed on March 25, 1807, imposing a 100-pound fine for every slave found aboard a British ship.
The 1833 Slavery Abolition Act outlawed slavery itself throughout the British Empire. However, some slaves did not gain their final freedom until 1838.
The social history website Ancestry.co.uk has compiled the details of more than 2.7 million slaves and 280,000 slave-owners from 17 former British colonies for Internet users to explore.
Stretching from 1812 to 1834, the records of the slaves are searchable by name, year of birth and gender, as well as by the name of their holder.
According to the website, more than half a million Britons are originally from black Caribbean former colonies, the majority of them descended from slaves.
"The slave registers are a vital resource and are for many the only record of their ancestor's existence," said Simon Harper, a spokesman for Ancestry.co.uk.
Last year, Britain commemorated 200 years since it outlawed slavery. The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed on March 25, 1807, imposing a 100-pound fine for every slave found aboard a British ship.
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The 1833 Slavery Abolition Act outlawed slavery itself throughout the British Empire. However, some slaves did not gain their final freedom until 1838.
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