Parliament and the British Slave Trade 1600-1807

Related Material

Documents

Petition from the inhabitants of Manchester in support of the Foreign Slave Trade Abolition Bill, 1806

Pictures

William Wilberforce by George Richmond, 1833
The slave ship Brooks of Liverpool, 1791
Sir Nicholas Crisp

Objects

Model of the Brooks (reproduction)

Sounds

On the Bill Which Was Passed in England for Regulating the Slave-Trade; A Short Time Before Its Abolition, by Helen Maria Williams
Epistle to William Wilberforce Esq., on the Rejection of the Bill for Abolishing the Slave Trade, by Anna Letitia Barbauld
The Slave Trade, by Hannah More
Letter to William Pitt, from Olaudah Equiano, 15 July 1788
A Poem on the African Slave Trade. Addressed to Her Own Sex, by Mary Birkett
Letter to the Rev. Raymond Harris, from Olaudah Equiano, 28 April 1788

Learning

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About the Archives

Behind the scenes look at the Parliamentary Archives.

Document: Petition from Manufacturers and Merchants of Manchester against the Foreign Slave Trade Abolition Bill, 1806

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Sir Robert Peel M.P. (1750-1830) saw the Foreign Slave Trade Abolition Bill as a threat to the cotton industry and to the cotton town of Manchester. He raised this petition thereby highlighting the risk it presented to the merchants and their trade interests.

Peel's own firm, Peel, Yateses, Halliwell & Co., signed the petition together with other merchants and manufacturers. It was presented to the House of Lords on 13 May 1806.

The Foreign Slave Trade Abolition Bill prevented the importation of slaves by British traders into territories belonging to foreign powers. In the event the Bill was passed on 23 May 1806.

You can search our transcripts for names here. This special search facility looks for occurrences of each individual letter as you enter it. This works very well with names which are often abbreviated. It's best to type fairly slowly though, and keep an eye on the results as you do so - it works faster than you might expect!

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...NEDY Robt
ALSOP Richd - Cotton Merchant, Crow Alley, House, 18 Brazennnose Street (Bancks 1800)
ASSHETON Willm
ATKINSON John
ATKINSON Thos - Twist Merchant, House, 25 Princess Street (Bancks 1800)
BACKBARROW COTTON By procuration of the Co - Warehouse, 10 Cockpit Hill (Bancks 1800)
BALDWIN & CHEETHAM - Twist & Weft Dealers, New Cannon Street (Bancks 1800)
BARLOW Isaiah - Check Callenderer, 1 Back Square, House, 24 Brazennose Street (Bancks 1800)
BARNSLEY Joshua - Manufacturer, House, 18 George Street (Bancks 1800)
BARROW Thos - Merchant &c. House, 92 Alport Street (Bancks 1800)
BARTON Hen & Jno & Co - Merchants & Cotton Manufacturers, 6 Phoenix Street. Jonathan BEEVER, House, 35 Crescent, Salford, William BEEVER, House, Chorlton Row (Bancks 1800)
BATEMAN James
BATEMAN William
BAYLEY James
BEEVER Jonn & Wm - Cotton Merchants, 4 Red Lion Street, Back Square (Bancks 1800)
BENTLEY John
BLAIR, GRATRIX & Co - Calico Printers, 5 High Street (Dean 1808)
BLOMELEY James
BOARDMAN Thomas
BORRADAILES, ATKINSON & Co - Hat Manufacturer, Greengate, Salford (Bancks 1800)
BORROW & FARINGTON
BOWKER & HURST
BRADOCK James
BRADOCK, EDGE & CROMPTON - Merchants, Four Yards (Dean 1808)
BRANCH John - Appraiser, Auctioneer & General Agent, 47 King Street (Dean 1808)
CARDWELL Tho & Co - (Stockport) Muslin Manufacturer, New Cannon Street (Bancks 1800)
CARDWELL, BARTON & Co - Liquor Merchants & Distillers, 37 Cannon Street (Bancks 1800)
CHORLTON TWIST Co - Cambridge Street, Warehouse, New Cannon Street (Bancks 1800)
CLAYTON J G & W - (John, George & William), Calico Printers, McDonald's Lane (Bancks 1800)
CLEGG William & Co - Cotton Merchants, 8 New Market (Dean 1808)
CLOSE John & Co - Merchant, House, 20 Oldham Street (Bancks 1800)
COLLIER Edward & Co - Twist & Paper Dealers, 7 Back Square (Dean 1808)
COOKE James
COOKE Jno & Thos - Cotton Manufacturers, 12 Cromford Court (Dean 1808)
CRAVEN Wm - Liquor Merchant, 66 Market Street Lane (Bancks 1800)
DOUGLAS Jno - 2 Scholes Street (Dean 1808)
DOUGLAS Wm - Twist Manufacturers, Back Square (Bancks 1800)
DYSON James Senr
FEILDING Henry & Brothers - [Henry FIELDING & Brothers], Calico Printers, Johnson Street (Bancks 1800)
FOSBROOKE & ROE - Calico Printers, 5 Print Street (Dean 1808)
FRODSHAM Wm - Merchant & Manufacturer, 35 Princess Street, House, 6 St. James's Square (Bancks 1800)
GARDNER John & Saml
GASKELL ...
GILLMORE William & Co - Cotton Spinners, 1 New Cannon Street (Dean 1808)
GREEN, RATCLIFFE & Co - Cotton Manufacturers, 1 Barton's Buildings (Dean 1808)
GREENWOOD John - Manufacturer, House, 10 Brazennose Street (Bancks 1800)
HAIGH, MARSHALL & TIDSWELL - Irish Linen Merchants & Fustian Manufacturers, 24 McDonald's Lane (Bancks 1800). Their warehouse destroyed by fire 1812 (Recorder)
HALL Jos
HARDMAN Willm & Sons - Drysalters, 4 College Land, St. Mary's (Dean 1808)
HARDWICK Thomas - Merchant, House, 12 Spring Gardens (Bancks 1800)
HARRISON, NEPHEW & Co
HEATH & FALKNER PHILLIPS & Co - [Falkner PHILLIPS] Merchant &c, House, 3 South Parade (Bancks 1800)
HEYWOOD Will - Callenderer, 4 Phoenix Street, House, 8 Spring Gardens (Bancks 1800)
HIBBERD Saml Junr - [Samuel HIBBERT] Merchant, House, 10 St. Ann's Square (Bancks 1800)
HOLLAND Bernd - Attorney, Over 6 Red Cross Street, House, 4 Lever's Row (Bancks 1800)
HOLLAND Thos & Sons - Fustian Manufacturer, 5 Cross Street, King Street (Dean 1808)
HOLYWE[LL] TWIST The Coy - Twist Warehouse, 6 Back Square (Bancks 1800)
HULME Dauntesey - Cotton Merchant, House, 33 Crescent, Salford (Bancks 1800) He presented an annuity of ?10,000 to the Infirmary in 1824. He died 1829 (Recorder)
HYDE John
JACKSON & RUTHFORTH - Irish Linen Merchants & Muslin Manufacturers, 11 Tipping's Court (Bancks 1800)
JOHNSON Thos
KAY Richard
KEARSLEY Edwd & Sons - Fustian Manufacturers, Essex Street, King Street (Dean 1808)
KEARSLEY John
KEYMER R - [Robert KEYMER] Merchant, House, 9 Mosley Street (Bancks 1800)
KNIGHT Saml & Thos - [S T & N KNIGHT] Cotton Manufacturers, 3 Cromford Court (Bancks 1800)
LANARK TWIST The - Warehouse, New Cannon Street (Bancks 1800)
LEAF Jn - [John LEAF Esq.], Belle Vue, Pendleton. Magistrate for Manchester. (Bancks 1800)
LOMAX John - Manufacturer, 15 Brown Street, House, 9 Cooper Street (Bancks 1800)
LYON Jno
MARKLAND Robert - Check Manufacturer, 1 College Land, Home, Ardwick Green (Dean 1808)
MARSH, REEVE & Co - Merchants & Fustian Manufacturers, 25 Cannon Street (Bancks 1800)
MARSLAND Peter - Cotton Manufacturer, 4 New Market Lane (Bancks 1800)
MATHER Saml & Co - Silk & Cotton Manufacturers, 15 Brown Street, House, 14 Cooper Street (Bancks 1800)
MULLION John - Merchant, House, Crescent, Salford (Bancks 1800)
MYERS Wm & Nephews - Cotton Merchants, 10 Barton's Buildings, Back Square (Dean 1808)
NELSON & TAYLOR
NORRIS William
ORFORD John - Fustian Manufacturer, 2 Blue Boar Court, Home, 13 Cooper Street (Dean 1808)
PEEL, YATES & Co - Merchants, Manufacturers & Printers, 6 Peel Street (Bancks 1800)
PEEL, YATESES, HALLIWELL & Co - Merchants, Manufacturers & Printers, 5 Peel Street (Bancks 1800). The company was founded in1774 by Robwert PEEL, father of the famous statesman and William YATES (Swindells)
PHILIPS J L & Brother - [John Leigh PHILIPS] Merchants & Manufacturers, 8 Cross Street, King Street (Bancks 1800)
POOLE John & Co - Merchants & Fustian Manufacturers, 7 Peel Street (Bancks 1800)
POTTER James Jnr - Merchant, House, Polygon, Ardwick (Dean 1808)
RADFORD James
RADFORD Josh - [Joseph] Surveyor of Houses, Windows &c, 19 Hanging Ditch (Bancks 1800)
RATCLIFFE John
RIDER Robt - [& Co] Merchants, Sussex Street, House, 3 Marsden Street (Bancks 1800)
RIDINGS John - Merchant & Manufacturer, 2 Ridings Court, House, Stocks (Bancks 1800)
ROBINSON Robert
ROBINSONS & HEYWOOD - Manufacturers of African Goods, Back Mosley Street (Bancks 1800)
ROBINSONS & HEYWOOD Willm & Co.
SALISBURY John & Co - Twist Manufacturer, 1 Great St. John's Street (Bancks 1800)
SANDFORD B & W - Merchants & Cotton Manufacturers, Birchin Lane (Bancks 1800)
SCHOLES & KIRK - Cotton Merchants, New Market (Dean 1808)
SCHOLES, BIRCH & Co
SLACK Robt & Abm - Merchants & Manufacturers, 2 Dale Street (Bancks 1800)
SLATER, BOOTH & Co - Cotton Spinners & Manufacturers, 8 Half Moon Street (Dean 1808)
SMITH, MILLNES & Co - [SMITH, MILNES & SANDIFORD] Printed Calico & Muslin Warehouse, 44 Cannon Street (Bancks 1800)
SPENCER Jas & Jno - Cotton Manufacturers, 3 Half Moon Court (Bancks 1800)
TATE? Willm
TAYLOR Saml
TAYLOR Wm
TAYLOR, WITHINGTON & TAYLOR - Check & Cotton Manufacturers, 4 Church Street (Bancks 1800)
TAYLORS & WITHINGTON - Check & Cotton Manufacturers, 3 Tipping's Court (Bancks 1800)
THOMPSON, GUEST & HOLLINS - Merchants & Manufacturers, 66 Market Street Lane (Dean 1808)
TOMLIN Andw - Dry Salter, 4 Police Street, House, 8 Brown Street (Bancks 1800)
WEATHERBY Edwd
WILSON & WILLIAMS - Silk & Cotton Manufacturers, 3 St. Mary's street (Dean 1808)
WINTERS Joseph
WISE Jas & Jno & Co

Teaching notes

Can pupils list and summarise the merchants and businesspeople's objections to the Bill? Why were businesses so against the Bill?

This petition could be studied in conjunction with the other petition from Manchester, arguing the opposite point of view. Also, look at the family history research people have submitted to the website, tracing their ancestors.

Why do pupils think more people have submitted research about anti-slavery petition signers than about pro-slavery signers? Might they feel there is a stigma attached to the actions or opinions of ancestors from two hundred years ago? Should they?

This is a very difficult subject to tackle and makes a strong subject for research and debate in both history and citizenship lessons. Pupils could go on to relate the historical evidence to ongoing debates in the modern media.

As a follow-up pupils could research and and debate current issues such as the importing of cheap clothing to Britain. Why don't many shops, and customers, seem to want that to change despite an awareness of the often terrible conditions of the workers who produce the garments?