How many Devonians owned slaves on 1 August 1834?

This book begins asking this single question about the day of emancipation for enslaved people across the British Empire. The answer starts a process in unravelling a complex history in which the men and women who received compensation money for the loss of their enslaved workers were supplemented by many others who also had financial, legal and social associations with slavery. This is the first such study for any county and it reveals who Devon’s slaveholders were, where they lived and what kind of lives they led.

It is sombre and thought-provoking history but it also surprises by challenging assumptions about the character of ownership on a community level in one corner of England.

Supported by Devon County Council. Foreword by the Earl of Devon. Highly illustrated.