Built in Deptford in 1551, the Primrose sailed from Deptford on what was to become the first 'triangle' slave trade voyage in 1562
John Hawkins, Captain of the Primrose, which sailed to the Kingdon of Benin in 1553, and then made the first slaving trip to Guinea in 1562
A Benin Leopard statuette
Entry in the parish records for 1593 recording the burial of 'Cornelius a Blackamoor' on 2nd March at St Margaret's, Lee
Record in the Parish register for the baptism of Francis Lee, "a black boy belonging to Major Ascough" on 30th April 1710
Belinda Charlton, 'a black maid lodging at Blackheath' was baptised at St Margaret's Lee on 13th June 1725
Ignatius Sancho. Born on a slave ship in 1729, he arrived in England in 1731 and lived at Blackheath. His book 'The Letters of Ignatius Sancho, An African' was published in 1782
Leonard Parkinson, Captain of the Maroons, who rose up against British rule in Jamaica in 1730
John Cuffey, 'a negro manservant of Mr Collett' was baptised at St Margaret's, Lee on 11th July 1737.
View of the Royal Dockyard at Deptford
A model of the Brookes, a slave ship
Account book for The Molly, a slave ship. It records details of the Africans purchased at Bonny, in Ghana, for a voyage to the Caribbean in 1759.
Olaudah Equiano. Arrived at Deptford in December 1762 where he was sold by his master. His book 'The interesting narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African written by himself' is published in 1789.
Thomas Clarkson. Campaigner against the Slave Trade, a frequent visitor to Hatcham House in New Cross, where he wrote part of his 'History of the Abolition of the Slave Trade'.
William Wilberforce. Campaigner against the Slave Trade. Lived at Dartmouth Grove, Blackheath from 1785-1788, during which time he made many speeches in Parliament on abolition.
1807 Abolition medal
The Lee Petition 1814. Signed by local residents from aristocrats to blacksmiths and hairdressers, this asked Parliament to enforce abolition of the Slave Trade on France after the Napoleonic Wars.
The Lee Petition 1814
