Slavery was abolished on 1 August 1834 under the Abolition of Slavery Act 1834 and 20 million pounds was set aside by the British government to compensate slave owners.
The Slave Compensation Commission was set up under the act to estimate the value of slaves and to investigate claims for compensation. The Commission was ended in 1842 but one commissioner was appointed to adjudicate on outstanding claims. The records of the Slave Compensation Commission are in the National Archives in the series T 71.
The commissioners were interested in the value of slaves and evidence of ownership and, therefore, information on slaves as individuals is very limited. However, some information can be found, especially for slaves who had not been registered and those born after the last registration and before emancipation.
Evidence on the value of slaves was collected and has been preserved as exhibits. Exhibits are not indexed but include the returns of sales of slaves; for example, through the local court of chancery or marshal's office to recover taxes and debts. Slaves are often named in the exhibits and they may give relationships especially when a mother and her children were sold together. The prices paid for slaves were used to establish general values for compensation, with each slave having a different value based on their age and their work.
The National Debt Office was responsible for the payment of compensation awards and the records are in NDO 4. The records include payment books showing the sum awarded, together with miscellaneous accounts, correspondence and some death and marriage certificates. Other compensation claims are in AO 14/37-48.
The Slave Compensation Commission was set up under the act to estimate the value of slaves and to investigate claims for compensation. The Commission was ended in 1842 but one commissioner was appointed to adjudicate on outstanding claims. The records of the Slave Compensation Commission are in the National Archives in the series T 71.
The commissioners were interested in the value of slaves and evidence of ownership and, therefore, information on slaves as individuals is very limited. However, some information can be found, especially for slaves who had not been registered and those born after the last registration and before emancipation.
Evidence on the value of slaves was collected and has been preserved as exhibits. Exhibits are not indexed but include the returns of sales of slaves; for example, through the local court of chancery or marshal's office to recover taxes and debts. Slaves are often named in the exhibits and they may give relationships especially when a mother and her children were sold together. The prices paid for slaves were used to establish general values for compensation, with each slave having a different value based on their age and their work.
The National Debt Office was responsible for the payment of compensation awards and the records are in NDO 4. The records include payment books showing the sum awarded, together with miscellaneous accounts, correspondence and some death and marriage certificates. Other compensation claims are in AO 14/37-48.
[ARCHIVED CONTENT] UK Government Web Archive – The National Archives
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