Abolition! The Thomas Clarkson Story

I have blogged in the past about Thomas Clarkson, his links to Ipswich and the key part he played in the abolition of the slave trade.
His links to the town is something we should be proud of, and this month, Ipswich Museum have opened an exhibition about his life with plenty on the fight to abolish the slave trade.

Ipswich has recently seen a number of statues appear in the town, the most recent the Rugby playing, Russian emigre who fought with the RAF in World War II. Now he deserved a statue as he fought from Martlesham Airfield and his grave is in Ipswich cemetery, but surely a statue of Thomas Clarkson is long overdue.
Location? How about Barrack Corner, a number of the streets around that part of town are named after those from the Quaker movement and others involved in the abolition of the slave trade.
Recently I have read the biography of William Wilberforce, after his death there occurred a number of arguments between Clarkson and the sons of Wilberforce about who played the major role in the Abolition movement. But both have been quoted - Clarkson and Wilberforce, that this evil trade would not have been abolished with out the efforts of the other.

So Ipswich council, when ou ext get a cash handout from some property developer, a statue of Thomas Clarkson would be a excellent visual reminder of a son this town can be proud of.

Hand in Hand- A poem of hope and freedom.

I am fortunate to be a governor at Sidegate Primary School- and I am pleased to see that they have been researching the connection between Ipswich and the slave abolition movements- I have blogged on a number of occasions about the work of local man - Thomas Clarkson.
12 young Sidegate pupils have worked on a poem to commemorate the life and work of Thomas Clarkson and this was read at the opening of an exhibition at Ipswich Museum. the exhibition is worth visiting as it looks at the life of Clarkson and the effects of the evil slave trade.

Here is the poem:

Hand in Hand

The sun rises on another hopeful day

As we walk down Clarkson Street

West towards the river

Our journey to the future starts today

Today we live Dr King's dream

"Judge me by the content of my character"

We are the future, a future that is free

As we walk to the river

Hand in Hand

The same sun rose on an African plain 250 years ago

Stolen people dragged from their homes

Walk west towards the river

Monster ships carry them beyond the horizon

Sugar, cotton, filthy money

Unheard voices call for freedom

As they walk to the river

Chain by chain

The sun rises on another hopeful day

As we walk down Clarkson Street

West towards the river

Clarkson, Gibbons and Wilberforce

Dr King, Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela

Showed us the way

I choose freedom, happiness and hope

As we walk to the river

Hand in Hand

By the pupils of Sidegate Primary School, Ipswich

What is also pleasing is the comment received from the museum:

"Thank you again- the children were so beautifully behaved and a real credit to Sidegate Primary School and we hope we can work together in the future"

Abolition of the Slave Trade- a reason for Ipswich to be proud.

Today is the 200th anniversary of the passing into law of the Slave Trade Act. This Act abolished the British slave trade, the US passed a similar law the following year.
This has rightfully caused a significant amount of media interest, much has been on whether we should be celebrating this occasion at all. though the act was passed in 1807 it was not until the Abolition of Slavery Act was passed in 1833 that slavery ended in the British Empire. When it ended the government compensated slave owners in the West Indies - the slaves getting nothing! It was also a further 20 odd years before the slave trade finished in the United States. We must also remember that recent reports still put the number of slaves in the world at over 27 million! For further reading on the current slave trade, try this site for starters.

But I feel we should celebrate the passing of this act and more importantly honour the men and women who bought it about.

William Wilberforce is still the key figure we remember when discussing this topic but in Ipswich we should also be proud of local man, Thomas Clarkson. Though born in Wisbech, he had many Suffolk connections, marrying a Bury St Edmunds girl and eventually settling just outside Ipswich in Playford, where he died and is buried at the local parish church.

It was in 1785 that Clarkson penned an essay about the slave trade (the essay included the diagram of the Brookes Slave Ship, and how 600 slaves were fit into the hold.)that led to him devoting his life to the ending of this cruel trade. one of his supporters was an Ipswich Quaker - Richard Dykes Alexander, and it is on land that he owned that you can now find the Ipswich streets, Clarkson , Wilberforce and Bezenet (also involved in the stopping of the slave trade).

There is a call for Tony Blair to make an apology for our involvement in this vile trade but I feel that is of little benefit to anyone. instead we should remember those who helped pass this act and also focus on passing laws in this county that stop events like the drowning of the cockle pickers in Morecombe happening- they were slaves to the gang masters of the modern day.

I do feel angry that Ipswich itself has not made more of our Clarkson connection, a service is being held today in Playford and also in Bury, the Suffolk Record Office is holding a number of lectures but it is all very low key. The local Tories often complain when they are accused of being a racist party but it is simple thing like celebrating Clarkon's life that lead to such accusations, they seem very keen on promoting a link with Jamestown in the USA- I am sure which will involve a number of visits but can not celebrate an event on their own doorstep.