Nick Baker and the team answer listeners' historical queries and celebrate the way in which we all 'make' history.
Programme 5
14 November 2006
The Abolition of Slavery 1807
Nick Baker and the actor, writer Kwame Kwei Armah on the second leg of a journey that takes in three places associated with slavery in the UK to see how they will be marking next year’s bi-centenary and, more importantly, establishing just how each places ‘slave history’ informs the present.
Today Nick and Kwame visit Liverpool
By the end of the 17th century the English were the largest traffickers in slaves in the western world, shipping on average 6-8000 enslaved Africans a year to the Americas. By the mid 18th Century, 95% of all slave voyages took place from one Britain’s three major ports, Liverpool, London and Bristol.
Liverpool was late in entering the slave trade but she quickly surpassed London and Bristol to become the number one slave port in the whole of Europe by the 1740s. Much of the city's wealth in the 18th century came from the trade and it grew rich on the back of trading in enslaved people. Liverpool's connections with slavery continued after 1807 through cotton and other trades that were dependent on slave labour for much of the 19th century.
Making History consulted Tony Tibbles, Head of the Merseyside Maritime Museum and the new International Slavery Museum when it opens.
Making History wants to hear your views on Abolition 200. What are the lessons for today, how does the slave trade shape the present and what is your community doing to commemorate the bi-centenary?
Making History wants to hear your views on Abolition 200. What are the lessons for today, how does the slave trade shape the present and what is your community doing to commemorate the bi-centenary? Contact the programme by using this link
Seaside Landladies
The Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth are hosting a new oral history project marking the role of the seaside landlady. Making History previewed the project by visiting the town and talking to former landladies and the local theatrical impresario Peter Jay.
Vanessa has presented science and current affairs programmes for BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Discovery and has presented for BBC Radio 4 & Five Live and a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday, Scotsman and Sunday Herald.
Contact Making History
Send your comments and questions for future programmes to: Making History BBC Radio 4 PO Box 3096 Brighton BN1 1PL
Vanessa has presented science and current affairs programmes for BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Discovery and has presented for BBC Radio 4 & Five Live and a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday, Scotsman and Sunday Herald. 