Sunday, September 30, 2007

Lord Bonkers' Diary: Fighting slavery in Rutland

Sunday
This year there have been many events held to celebrate the two-hundredth anniversary of the passing of the Slave Trade Act, which had the effect of ending the wretched trade within the British Empire. (At the same time Napoleon was busy reintroducing the odious practice into France’s dominions - something of which you should remind your Socialist acquaintances next time you hear them talk lightly of "revolution".)

I am proud to say that members of my family were to be found at Wilberforce’s side speaking in favour of his bill and against this abnegation of all that is noble and generous in the human spirit that slavery represented. Nearer to home, slavers’ ships were denied the use of any harbour on Rutland Water even before it was passed.

Slavery itself, of course, was not abolished until 1833. I spend the afternoon at the Bonkers’ Home for Well-Behaved Orphans which, funnily enough, was opened the very next year.

Back to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and, indeed, Saturday.

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