SLAVE TRADE JOURNALS AND PAPERS

Part 1: The Humphrey Morice Papers from the Bank of England

In the ten years between 1721 and 1730 the British carried around 100,000 slaves from Africa to the Americas. In this period, the majority of the ships sailed to Africa from London which sent an average of around fifty-six ships a year, while Bristol sent thirty-four ships and Liverpool eleven. Humphrey Morice, who was to serve as Governor of the Bank of England, 1727-1729, set up business in London in 1700 and traded extensively with Africa, North America, Holland and Russia. By 1720, he was one of the main slave merchants of London, owning eight slave ships and exporting from London metal, pewter, brass, swords, guns, beads and textiles and often loading a second cargo of goods in Rotterdam of gunpowder and spirits. He sometimes preferred to sell the slaves he bought on the Gold Coast to the Portuguese in Africa, but he also sent them to Virginia, Maryland, Jamaica and Barbados.

The Papers of Humphrey Morice afford the researcher a wealth of detail for the history of slavery during a period when London was the focus of the slave trade. They are particularly valuable for the evidence that they provide concerning the trade on the African coast with European slave traders and with Africans.

The Slave Journals cover the period from 1721 to 1730 and are all in excellent condition. They contain the orders and instructions to the captains of Morice’s slaving ships for the purchase and disposal of the slaves together with lists of goods to be exchanged.

The slaves bought are listed by age and divided into Man, Woman, Boy and Girl. Prices are given,
a man costing an average of £24 and a woman £16. The prices are either in coastal units of account or in sterling. In the instructions in the journal of the Judith of September 1721 Morice tells William Clinch, the Captain: " In the choice of your Negroes, I would have you have a regard no Negroes be under twelve years of Age nor any... above Twenty five years old and if possible buy two males to one
Female ... and observe that your Negroes are sound, Good and healthy and not blind, Lame or Blemished".

In the same journal is a list of the goods which were "to be disposed of in exchange for negroes". They include "Tobacco, guns, Sringe, corrall, Amber, Pipes, gunpowder, spirits and beans". In the journal of March 1725 he tells Captain Edmund Weedon of the Anne: "I am in hopes you will be able to purchase upwards of Two hundred Negroes, besides Gold, Elephants Teeth and Bees Wax...."

His concern for the welfare of the slaves is shown in the instructions of March 1730 to Captain Jeremiah Pearce of the Judith: "Be carefull of and kind to your Negroes and let them be well used by your Officers and Seamen...." He does however also instruct the same Captain "You must be mindful to have your Negroes shaved and made Clean to look well at every Island you touch at and to strike a good Impression on the Buyers...."

Two additional Journals of Humphrey Morice cover the years 1708-1710 and give details of money paid and received from his business transactions with North America, Jamaica, Barbados, Africa, Brazil and Guinea. His Letter Book of 1703 contains business letters for that year. Also included are five volumes of Trading Accounts and Personal Papers, three volumes of miscellaneous letters and one volume of Documents relating to British Trade with Africa, America and the West Indies.

The papers contain letters from the captains of the slave ships giving accounts of voyages; letters to captains with orders for the purchase of cargo and slaves and lists of goods sold with details on slaves; information on Morice’s business accounts and private papers.

This little known collection provides a solid basis for the examination of both economic and human aspects of the early eighteenth century slave trade. It offers an opportunity to examine rare historical evidence concerning the enslavement of Africans. Who were the agents? Who kept the profits? How was the trade carried out?