PDFPrintE-mail

Great Britain: William Wilberforce Abolition of Slave Trade

Great Britain: William Wilberforce Abolition of Slave TradeGreat Britain: William Wilberforce Abolition of Slave Trade
Great Britain: William Wilberforce Abolition of Slave TradeGreat Britain: William Wilberforce Abolition of Slave Trade
Form: Circular
By: Thomas Webb
Date: 1807
Ref:  AM2: 7; BHM: 627; Eimer: 983; Laidlaw: 0014;
Variations:
SizeMetalMassValue
53.6 mmSilver71.4 gm$1,300
53.7 mmBronze58.3 gm$500

Edge: Plain.

Obverse: Bare head of William Wilberforce, right, in high relief. Signed: "Webb" in script on the truncation. Legend: “WILLIAM WILBERFORCE M.P. THE FRIEND OF AFRICA”.

Reverse: On the right, Britannia seated facing left on a dais inscribed: “I HAVE HEARD THEIR CRY” holding a scroll in her left hand and her right hand raised in command. Beside her, a shield displaying the British Union flag. Winged Victory reclining on a cloud above holding a cross and a wreath. Standing figures of Mercury, Prudence and Justice in attendance. In the exergue: “SLAVE TRADE / ABOLISHED / MDCCCVII”.

Notes: William Wilberforce (1759-1833) was a slavery abolitionist and philanthropist.

The Slave Trade Act was passed by the British parliament in 1807 abolishing the slave trade within the British Empire. The act did not prohibit the ownership of saves, but made it illegal for slaves to be exported from, or imported into, British Colonies; for slaves to be transported on British ships; and prohibited slave ships of other nations from using ports and territorial waters under British control.

The Act did not halt the slave trade but changed its nature, and more slave ships came to operate from the east coast of Africa. The voyage to the Americas was much longer and the ships had to round the Cape of Good Hope. The British Navy in South Africa was charged with the task of enforcing the Act which could be diplomatically difficult when foreign vessels were challenged. There could be horrific consequences when captains of British slave ships would chose to jettison their cargo rather than face the penalty of £100 per slave.

Re-strikes of the medal are seen with specking caused by pit marks on the dies as a result of rust which has been removed by cleaning.