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| Bristol's Slaving Past Bristol has been a city of merchants and traders for centuries. In the long history of Bristol as a trading port, the Transatlantic Slave Trade lasted a relatively short time, but it was of crucial economic and social importance to the city. However, Bristol's connection with slavery can be traced back to a time well before the transatlantic trade began. The first settlers of Brig-Stow (later changed to Bristol) built their houses and shops around a bridge near the confluence of the River Avon and River Frome.
But not all trade was 'normal'. By the12th century
some Bristol traders were routinely selling English children to Ireland ( especially young
girls ). In the years between 1200 and 1600, great fortunes were made by some Bristol merchants who controlled the cloth and wine trades. From the 15th century, these rich men joined together to form 'The Society of Merchant Venturers'. This Society soon controlled all the foreign trade of the city and Bristol grew steadily to become the second largest city, next to London, in the country. Official involvement in the Transatlantic slave trade began in 1698, when the monopoly of the London-based Royal African Company was ended. However there is evidence to suggest that Bristol had been illegally trading with Africa for slaves from as early as 1670. In fact, few Bristol ships had been licensed to engage in slave trading, in what is now West Africa, from 1690. But why were slaves needed and where did the slaves come from ?
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It is actually claimed that
Bristolians were not above kidnapping any 'unfortunates' they could lay their hands on as
part of this 'trade'.