The Act for the ‘Abolition of Slavery throughout the British Colonies; for promoting the Industry of the manumitted Slaves; and for compensating the Persons hitherto entitled to the Services of such Slaves’ received Royal assent on 28 August 1833.[1]
The Act:
made the purchase or ownership of slaves illegal within the British Empire, with the exception of “the Territories in the Possession of the East India Company”, Ceylon and Saint Helena.
provided for compensation to slave-owners. The British government raised £20 million to pay out for the loss of the slaves as business assets to the registered owners of the freed slaves.[2] In 1833, £20 million amounted to 40% of the Treasury’s annual income or approximately 5% of British GDP at the time.[3] Half of the money went to slave-owning families in the Caribbean and Africa, while the other half went to absentee owners living in Britain.
To learn more, book the ANTI SLAVERY BELFAST TOUR!
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_Abolition_Act_1833 Accessed 3.1.23.
[2] Sanchez Manning (24 February 2013). “Britain’s colonial shame: Slave-owners given huge payouts after”. The Independent. Accessed 3.1.23.
[3] https://www.ukpublicrevenue.co.uk/piechart_1833_UK_total Accessed 3.1.23.
