
Slavery Memorial - Lancaster, UK
Posted by:
martlakes
N 54° 03.101 W 002° 48.153
30U E 512926 N 5989289
Lancaster was the fourth largest slave port in Britain and around 200 voyages left the city in the eighteenth century. In 2005 a sculpture entitled 'Captured Africans' was unveiled on the quay. It was part of a Millennium project.
Waymark Code: WM3G75
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/01/2008
Views: 49
Between 1750 and 1790 alone Lancaster merchants were responsible for the forced transportation of approximately 24,950 Africans across the Atlantic and into slavery in the West Indies and the Southern States of America. Many local people are unaware of the importance of slavery to Lancaster. Much of its wealth came from the forced transportation of people, and the carrying of the resulting goods like sugar, mahogany and rum.
STAMP (Slave Trade Arts Memorial Project), inaugurated in September 2002, was an ambitious arts education outreach project. It culminated in this permanent memorial to Lancaster's role in the slave trade on the quay side in 2005.
The sculpture reflects the decks of the ships that carried the people, with various cargoes in perspex blocks. The front stainless steel column lists many of the ships that sailed from this quay and the number of slaves they picked up in Africa. A mosaic shows the origins and destinations. The statue was unveiled on Columbus Day, October 10th 2005.
The project was a partnership between the City Council, Museums Service, County Education Service, the campaigning group Globalink and University of Central Lancashire. They were funded by a grant from the Millennium Commission and from the Arts Council in the North-West as well as numerous small grants from local and county councils (total c.£60,000).
Related web site: [Web Link]
 Can you tell us who created the item: Kevin Dalton-Johnson was the artist
 Condition of the item: Good
 So what did YOU do for the millennium?: Attended a party

|
Visit Instructions:To record a visit to a Millennium Waymark, please:
Take a photo of the item during your visit.
Describe your visit and what you thought about the item.
Please also mention what you personally did to mark the new Millennium. Was it a night to remember?