Has anyone traced their ancestors slaves to pay them back?

[Marybaron]

Hi there, I'm wondering has anyone traced their relatives back to slavery times and if so would it be possible to trace the slaves and find out who are their descendants so that I could meet them and give them something in the way of a sorry for my ancestors actions. I would also like to do this as I'm genuinely interested in their views of what happened and their reaction to the descendant of the people who enslaved their ancestors as I'm thinking of writing a book about this.

[B00]

This is a UK site, and as such I doubt there'll be that many people here who'll have descendants who were slaves.

[daffy654]

Slavery was common in the UK B00, there are just as likely to be people here who may be descended from slaves, or whose ancestors owned them.

[mccfluff]

lol boo, ancestors...

i think there were plenty of slave owning brits

[daffy654]

Having said that, I do not think we can be held responsible for what our ancestors did, and we should not be obligated to make restitution for it.

[mccfluff]

have you read roots mary?

[B00]

Wow, really?

I stand corrected then. I know there were slave traders from the UK, but I was unaware that we had slaves here as well.

Apologies :-)

[Marybaron]

Have a read of this Boo.
http://en.wikipedia.o...n_Britain_and_Ireland
Daffy yes I know this but am writing a book so would be more than happy to donate some of the profits to a black charity after it's finished

[Marybaron]

No mcfluff, is it about slavery?

[Old_Geezer]

I'm unsure my ancestors were wealthy enough to own people. They seem more desperate to earn enough to survive, as the majority were.

[ojread2]

it is estimated that there are 5000 slaves today in London alone

[mccfluff]

slavery goes back years, not just the black slave trade, what about the vikings, romans etc

[B00]

Ahaa!!!

See? I was sort of right!

"Though Britain was a leader in the Atlantic slave trade, almost all of the slaves concerned were transported from Africa to the Americas and never saw the British Isles. Of those who did arrive in Britain, most worked as household servants.[19]"

[Marybaron]

Oldgeezer, what were your ancestors trade at the time of slavery?

[mccfluff]

its written by alex hayley a black african american and he traces his roots back, its part fiction part based on his own ancestry and the records he could trace. its well worth a read

[ojread2]

you've never heard of Roots by Alex Haley????

[Old_Geezer]

In may have been less common, given we had no cottonfields to work, B00, but visit Bristol sometime, take a walk up Blackboy Hill. Not all were sold on. Possibly worked out cheaper to buy a slave than pay even a meagre servant's wage ?

[B00]

Yes agree OG, however I still stand by what I say- for a wider audience for research purposes, I think a US site or forum would be the better way to go.

[jomifl]

The idea of restitution for what our ancestors did is daft. How far back do you want to go. Should the Italians compensate Britain for invading us and wiping out our the British culture? Should the Danes pay for the depradations of the vikings? Should the Catholic church compensate the descendants of the thousands that they burnt alive on bonfires in the name of god? Should the africans who sold the slaves to th arabs who sold the slaves to the Europeans shell out? I doubt that slaves were any more sqeaky clean than any of us. That was then this is now.

[Old_Geezer]

I have little info on my ancestors prior to 1837 (save for a few I obtained and taken on trust for others I have been in contact with) but those I do know of were always working class types. labourers, farm hands, etc..

[jackthehat]

As my ancestors were too busy toiling in coal-mines, stone quarries and farms to oppress anyone, I rather think that any sort of apology from 'The Hat family' is needless.