This paper will be detailing the various ways in which Staffordshire benefited from the slave trade, slavery and colonialism. My findings include the way in which Staffordshire’s residents were involved in slavery throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, including ownership of plantations in the Caribbean and occupying colonial positions. Furthermore, this paper analyses the figure of Josiah Wedgwood, who is best known as a revolutionary potter and a contributor to the abolition of the slave trade. Rather than focus on his well-known role as an abolitionist, this paper will explore his connections to the transatlantic economy, which slavery was central to, and demonstrate the ways in which Britain’s colonies acted as a wealthy export market for him. The design of Wedgwood’s ware was also heavily influenced by colonial ideology. My research seeks to demonstrate the multi-faceted links between Staffordshire and slavery.
I am PhD student at Keele University. My ESRC-funded doctoral research is focusing on the legacies and memory of slavery in Staffordshire. I research the way in which Staffordshire’s population was involved in the slave trade and slavery, Josiah Wedgwood’s relationship to the slave trade and colonialism, and how this is remembered within the county. I also work closely with Staffordshire’s Archives (my CASE partner) to better understand their collection and communicate their holdings to broader audiences.
