Centuries-old African presence in the UK

Jerome Teelucksingh

The marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle temporarily brought into focus the black presence in Britain. However, the black presence is recorded as having existed long ago, for instance in 1555, when five Africans were recorded as having been brought to Britain. The geographical origin of these people is unknown.

The extensive British slave-trading in West Africa, which began in 1562, contributed to the growing African population at the major ports. Among the British ports associated with the slave trade were Liverpool, Bristol, Portsmouth, London and Whitehaven. There were also considerable numbers of Africans in South Shields and Cardiff.

Among the British colonies, slave-trading was ended in 1807 and slavery abolished in 1833. However, Africans continued to migrate to Britain and added to the population of these small black communities.

One of the prominent African men in the eighteenth century was Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797). He was a gifted leader of the British blacks and an outspoken abolitionist. In 1759, Equiano married a white Englishwoman, Ann Cullen. Such racial intermarriages contributed to the existing racial tension within a rigidly class-based and racist British society

The presence of blacks in the coastal areas was obvious in the 1919 anti-black riots.

The link between seafaring and Africans in England is well-illustrated with the presence of Somalis from Africa. During 1886 to 1960, Somalia was a protectorate and referred to as British Somaliland.

Some came directly from Somaliland to England, whilst there were also Somali seamen employed on British ships. Both groups of Somalis settled in such areas as East and West Ham, Stepney and Poplar.

Additionally, those Somalis who lost their lives whilst serving the British during World Wars One and Two, have their names displayed at Tower Bridge.

For military and naval records, the Public Records Office (PRO) at Kew, would be useful. And, in tracing someone of African descent, in the military or naval service, it would be helpful if one or more of the following is known – the year, rank, area and length of service and age.

Often parish or baptism registers provide limited help and the African presence remains almost invisible. For instance, in the parish register of West Kent, there were categories such as Strangers & Pilgrims, Miscellaneous, and Strays in which Africans could have been included. Occasionally, the identification of blacks in the registers reveals the homeland of these migrants. However, these were general terms used to describe everyone of African descent.

An illustration is the parish registers of Staffordshire (during 1675-1798), in which there are 14 entries of Africans. Various descriptions include – Blackmoor, African Negro, Blackamore, Niger Ethiops and negro. Other registers used similar vague terms as Dark, Ethiopian, Black and Negra(for a female African).

Another example of the generalised manner of identifying Africans is obvious in the baptism and marriage registers at Staplehurst, located at Canterbury Library:

Baptism: 1619, February 13, George, ye sonne of George, a black-man.

Marriage: 1616, October 15, George, a blackamore, and Marie Smith.

Likewise, in the baptism register of Hull Holy Trinity (at Stillingfleet), for 1792-1813: "1803, August 24, Nera Thorn (a black), 10 or 11 years of age."

Such inconsistency in recording the information poses a formidable challenge for local historians and genealogists.

Despite the shortcomings, the parish registers are a valuable tool for researchers as they often indicate the origin of Africans. For instance, in the Woolwich and Greenwich towns, the parish registers of the 18th century reveal such entries as: “Ann Unus a negro from America supposed to be born about the year 1753.”

Death certificates, such as those available at the General Register Office in London, provide a brief insight into the lives of Africans. In addition to the date and cause of death, there is also information such as occupation, age, gender and dwelling location.

Sometimes a stroll through cemeteries could also yield valuable results. For instance, at the Culworth Churchyard, at Northants, there is a gravestone with the inscription: "In Memory of Charles Bacchus (an African) Who died March 31, 1762. He was belov’d and Lamented by the Family he Serv’d was Grateful, and Humane and gave hope of Proving a faithful Servant and a Good Man.”

Often the available records on these early Africans who settled in England are obscure and incomplete.

A plausible reason is that Africans, many who came as slaves or servants, were considered as sub-human by the British society. Sometimes, the Africans transported to Britain were not aware of their age or real name. There was neither the urgency nor need to accurately record their names and ages.