A Lancaster University historian has appeared in a new BBC series, based on his work on the Register of British Slave Traders.
Dr Nicholas Radburn, from Lancaster’s School for Global Affairs, features prominently in two-part series Finding Britain’s Slave Traders with David Olusoga, which explores the individuals, institutions and organisations who financed Britain’s trade in enslaved Africans from the 16th to the 19th century.
The series is based on access to the findings of the major academic research project, on which Dr Radburn was co-investigator.
The second episode explores Dr Radburn’s research into the background of the founders of Bristol Old Vic theatre, and his discovery of evidence of enslaved African people being branded with the symbol of the British crown on the instructions of the South Sea Company board – a British crown-backed enterprise.
Dr Radburn made the discovery while looking through the company’s archives at the British Library.
Speaking to David Olusoga about a letter detailing precisely how the branding should be carried out, directly against the advice of medical professionals at the time, he said: “I am familiar with reading material that captures the brutality of the slave trade - it is inherent to the business - but this letter in particular stopped me in my tracks, because it is so chilling and so clear the violence that is being done”
Using the Register - the most comprehensive picture yet of Britain’s role in the Transatlantic slave trade - the series uncovers the stories of some of the 13,000 individuals and hundreds of institutions.
Their involvement was discovered by lead investigator Professor William Pettigrew - formerly of Lancaster University and now at Kings College London - and a team including Dr Radburn.
The series paints a forensic portrait of the traders and investors and the vast and complex system of investment and profits they created. It shows where they lived, how much money they made, and uncovers links between modern British institutions and the trade in enslaved people.
Dr Radburn said: “This documentary brilliantly publicises the research that’s been done here at Lancaster on the milestone Register of British Slave Traders.
‘’Featuring in the documentary was a fantastic experience that allowed me to really reveal the depths of Britain’s slaving past.”
Professor David Olusoga said: “This new series is a follow-up to a series we made over a decade ago; Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners.
‘’Both series have been built on the very latest academic research that allows us to reveal new details from our expanding understanding of slavery and the slave trade.
‘’Like the previous series Finding Britain’s Slave Traders presents the granular details and human stories that lie at the centre of this vast and complicated history.”
Finding Britain's Slave Traders with David Olusoga is available via BBC iPlayer and on BBC Two.
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