A Fantastic Voyage

Diigo

A special exhibition at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard’s Royal Naval Museum will explore the hitherto little known key role played by the Royal Navy’s West Africa Squadron in helping to combat slavery.  "Chasing Freedom: The Royal Navy and the Suppression of the Transatlantic Slave Trade” opens on February 3rd 2007 until 27th January 2008.

By 1865 nearly 150,000 people had been freed through anti-slavery operations by the Royal Navy and many sailors had given their lives to end the suffering of the slaves.  Boarding disease-ridden slave ships posed dangerous risks of infection and the unfamiliar climate was similarly unhealthy. Many sailors died from the tropical diseases common on the squadron, including dysentary, yellow fever and malaria.

Through moving accounts written by men serving in the Africa Squadron, the exhibition will illustrate these very personal experiences and the human stories behind the slave trade and its suppression.

Chasing Freedom will draw on documents such as diaries kept by Midshipman CH Binstead who, in 1823-1824 was 27 and serving on HMD Owen Glendower, the flagship of the squadron.

He wrote in diaries given to the Royal Naval Museum by descendent Miss Rosa Lee: “I never witnessed a more horrid description than my messmates gave me of the wretched state they were in on Board actually dying 10-12 a day owing to the conferment below all the men are in Irons and the women confined under them by a small partition.”

“Many large whales and sharks about us the later is owing to the number of poor fellows that have lately been thrown overboard – the ship is now truly miserable many of our own crew very sick and the decks crowded with black slaves who are dying in all directions and apprehensive their cases of fever are contagious.”
 
Visitors will be able to see for themselves the key figures of the Abolitionist movement in one of two films produced especially for Chasing Freedom. The politicians involved in both sides of the Abolition campaign can be seen arguing their case and even Nelson himself presents his arguments for and against the Navy’s involvement in the suppression of the slave trade.  In the second film, liberated Africans and an African Chief, King Guezo of Dahomey, describe first-hand their experiences of the suppression of the trade.

A series of paddle wheels – reminiscent of those found on the steamers used in the latter years of the Squadron – describe different aspects of life for the sailors on the Squadron, including outbreaks of disease, the ships used by the Royal Navy to suppress the trade and the many dangers, problems and issues of daily life patrolling the African coast. 

Visitors will be able to imagine the traumatic crossing endured by millions of enslaved Africans during the Middle Passage in the reconstruction of a slave deck. They can also handle artefacts related to the slave trade, including leg irons, handcuffs and a neck collar used to restrain Africans after their capture, during their journey and in the plantations.

The displays will also highlight the historic and continuing role of the modern Royal Navy in combating people trafficking and piracy and defending human rights.

Dr Colin White, Director of the Royal Naval Museum explains: “The role of the Royal Navy in combating this infamous trade cannot be underestimated.  Chasing Freedom will really bring home the human situation for sailor and slave alike and chart the relentless efforts by the Royal Navy to combat slavery. ”

Tickets to the Royal Naval Museum are required to visit the exhibition.  All inclusive tickets give entry to each of the attractions on site, including HMS Victory, Mary Rose, HMS Warrior 1860 and Action Stations.  Tickets are also available just for the Royal Naval Museum.  For further information visit www.historicdockyard.co.uk or ring 24 hour recorded information line 023 9286 1512.
January 2007

For further information please contact:
Jacquie Shaw, Public Relations Office
Tel: 023 9289 4550
Mobile: 07775 837912Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Diigo

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