Slave Trade History in Liverpool

An 1805 Slaver Ship Notice Uncovered in Liverpool's Docklands 

An advertisement for a vessel that transported enslaved individuals has been located by academics focused on Black history in Liverpool. This finding, which specifies the ship could hold around 185 people, has emerged while a historic dock in the city is being repurposed into a public area for reflection, exposing a long-obscured past. 

The discovery concerning the ship Metis was made by the Liverpool Black History Research Group (LBHRG). This notice, which bears the date of 25 July 1805, was found while the group was researching the history of Canning Dock on the River Mersey for a project commissioned by National Museums Liverpool. 

A Chilling Discovery in an Old Newspaper 

Appearing in Gore's Liverpool General Advertiser almost 220 years ago, the notice advertised the private contract sale of the Metis. It portrayed the ship as exceptionally swift, having been built in Liverpool approximately nine years earlier and featuring a copper-fastened hull. The announcement declared the vessel would, under the laws of the period, transport about 185 enslaved people. It also noted the vessel was available for inspection at the No. 3 graving dock. This discovery creates a tangible and stark link to the city's direct participation in the human trafficking economy. The language of the advertisement is disturbingly business-like, framing human lives as capacity for cargo. 

This find underscores the public and routine nature of the slave trade in nineteenth-century Liverpool. The newspaper details position the industry of slavery squarely in the open, far from a clandestine or concealed enterprise. For researchers, it represents a crucial piece of evidence. It forges a connection between the physical docklands and the global commerce in enslaved Africans. The information also offers a specific ship name and a point in time, enabling a more focused investigation into the city's slaving operations and those who profited from them. 

The Brutal Commerce of the Graving Docks 

Known as a type of dry dock, a graving dock is a basin designed to be filled with water, permitting a vessel to float in, and then can be emptied to facilitate repairs. For two centuries, these facilities in Liverpool were instrumental in maximising merchant profits. They offered swift and effective servicing for ships. This work extended to maintaining the vessels that transported captured people from African shores to the American continents amid the transatlantic slave era. The docks were a critical part of the infrastructure that propped up the city's dominance in this horrific trade, ensuring ships were always ready for their devastating journeys. 

The LBHRG's research uncovered a continuous commercial cycle. Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, slavers' vessels would come back to these basins, not empty, but laden with goods intended for consumers in Britain. These products, including tobacco, cotton, rum, and sugar, were often acquired through the trade of guns manufactured in Britain. This exchange fuelled more conflict in Africa, leading to more people being captured and sustaining the cycle of violence and enslavement. 

Captain John Brown and the 'Metis' 

The investigation by LBHRG also shed light on one of the individuals named in the notice about the Metis: Captain John Brown. He was not a marginal figure. Brown regularly commanded slaving expeditions during a career that spanned three decades. This detail illustrates how a single person could be directly complicit in the forced bondage of many thousands of individuals. His long career demonstrates the institutionalised and systematic nature of the slave trade. It also highlights the deep expertise Liverpool's captains had in the logistics of human trafficking, positioning the port as a leader in this inhumane industry. Brown represents a key agent in this grim history. 

The story of Captain Brown and the Metis is a small-scale representation of Liverpool's larger slaving enterprise. It involved specialised ships, experienced crews, and a vast network of merchants and financiers. The advertisement is more than a historical curiosity; it is a direct link to the men who commanded these voyages. By uncovering names like John Brown, researchers can trace the personal histories and careers of those who built their fortunes on the transatlantic slave trade. This personal connection makes the history more immediate and real, moving it from abstract statistics to the actions of specific individuals. 

Liverpool: The Hub of the British Slave Trade 

The first documented slaving journey out of Liverpool occurred in 1699. Following this, the city's maritime infrastructure expanded quickly. Sixteen years later, Liverpool's Old Dock was opened. This facility, the world's inaugural commercial enclosed wet dock, streamlined ship movements. The port's capabilities were further improved by the addition of dry docks at the Canning Dock during the decade of the 1760s. Such advances in infrastructure and technology, coupled with the strategic geographic position of Liverpool, propelled its rise as a global port. The brutal and immensely profitable commerce in people taken from Africa was at the very centre of its operations. 

The city's supremacy became absolute. By the end of the 1700s, Liverpool was responsible for an astonishing eighty percent of slaving expeditions from Britain. This dominant position was a direct consequence of its advanced dock system. The port's efficiency enabled faster turnarounds for vessels, which boosted profits for the merchants and financiers. The economy of the entire city was deeply woven into slavery. Consequently, it would have been highly unlikely for any Liverpool resident of that era to be more than a few steps removed from the riches the slave trade generated. 

A Waterfront Transformed: Confronting a Painful Legacy 

The immense human suffering connected to the past of these basins is at last receiving formal recognition. This acknowledgement is a feature of a substantial £100 million initiative to redevelop the waterfront. A key part of these plans involves repurposing the No. 2 dry dock—a location once dedicated to servicing slaving vessels—into a public area for contemplation. This undertaking seeks to establish a powerful and reflective environment where people can learn about and consider the site's link to transatlantic slavery. It marks a major advance in publicly addressing a history that was long concealed in plain view. 

Liz Stewart, who is in charge of the Museum of Liverpool, has verified that the project's design stage is finished. The design resulted from a joint effort. It brought together Liverpool-based community organisations such as Squash, 20 Stories High, and Writing on the Wall, with the LBHRG providing essential historical guidance. Now that planning approval has been granted, work on this landmark project should start this summer. This cooperative method will ensure the new space is meaningful to Liverpool's diverse communities. 

The Voices of the Community 

The involvement of local organisations is central to the project's integrity. Writing on the Wall is a community writing and literary organisation that uses creative writing to engage with social justice issues. Their role involves helping to shape the narrative and interpretive elements of the contemplation space. They work to ensure the stories told are authentic and impactful. 20 Stories High is a theatre company that creates work with and for young people from culturally diverse backgrounds. Their involvement brings a youth-focused perspective to the project, ensuring that the history is communicated in a way that engages the next generation. 

Squash, a community-led food and arts organisation based in Liverpool, also plays a key role. The group focuses on using creativity to foster health, wellbeing, and social connection. Their contribution to the waterfront project brings an emphasis on healing and communal reflection. By integrating arts and nature into the contemplation space, they aim to create an environment that is not only educational but also restorative. This holistic approach acknowledges the deep trauma associated with the site's history. It seeks to provide a space where remembrance can be paired with a sense of peace and forward-looking community resilience. 

Unearthing a Hidden History 

Liz Stewart has commented on the coded language often found in historical documents. She explained that when examining Liverpool's archives from the eighteenth century, one often finds ships vaguely described as being outfitted for trade with Africa. She contrasted these ambiguous statements with the stunningly direct advertisement concerning the Metis. This notice acts as a clear confirmation of the ship's intended function. Its frankness cuts through any historical vagueness, offering an undeniable link to the slave trade and making it a precious piece of evidence for historians and the public alike. 

Stewart further detailed the bustling economic activity that surrounded the docks. Vessels would enter the wet docks and promptly secure any open space within the dry docks for necessary maintenance. While the ships underwent repairs, their cargo was unloaded and sold along the dockside. These items were deeply connected to the colonial past and the work of enslaved individuals. The goods included tobacco, sugar, coffee, cotton, rum, exotic fruits, mother of pearl, and Nicaragua wood, a rosewood variant. This commerce demonstrates how the economy of slavery infused all parts of Liverpool's commercial existence. 

The Economic Foundations of a City 

The wealth generated from the transatlantic slave trade profoundly shaped modern Liverpool. The profits from trafficking human beings and trading in goods produced by the labour of enslaved people funded the construction of many of the city's grand buildings. Banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions flourished as they provided the capital and services needed to sustain the trade. This economic boom transformed Liverpool from a relatively small port into a major international city. The very layout and architecture of Liverpool's historic centre are a testament to the immense fortunes that were built on the foundation of slavery. 

This dark legacy is not confined to Liverpool. The economic impact of the slave trade was a crucial component in Britain's industrial revolution. The capital accumulated from slavery and the trade in its products was invested in new industries, such as textiles and manufacturing. British-made goods, like guns and chains, were traded for enslaved people, creating a vicious cycle of supply and demand that powered economic growth at home. Therefore, confronting Liverpool's history is also about understanding the foundations of Britain's rise as a global economic power and acknowledging that this prosperity came at an incalculable human cost. 

Continuing the Conversation 

The discovery of the Metis advertisement is not an isolated event. It is part of a wider, ongoing effort by researchers and institutions to uncover and confront Liverpool's role in the slave trade. The LBHRG and other historians continue to delve into archives, seeking to piece together a more complete and unvarnished account of the past. Each new finding, whether it is a ship's log, a merchant's letter, or a public advertisement, adds another layer of detail to this complex history. This work is essential for ensuring that future generations understand the full extent of the city's involvement. 

This historical reckoning is vital for contemporary society. The legacies of slavery are still evident today in the form of systemic inequalities and racism. By openly addressing the most painful aspects of its past, Liverpool can contribute to a broader national and international dialogue about memory, justice, and repair. The waterfront transformation project is a physical manifestation of this commitment. It creates a permanent site for education and remembrance, guaranteeing that the stories of the enslaved—and the past of the port that trafficked them—will not be forgotten.