Dated April 10 1810 a Commission issued by George III on behalf of the Vice Admiralty court to George Rickards, High Sheriff of Sierra Leone to examine all those people seized in the practice of the slave trade.
Commission to examine and seize slave ships
Archive Collection
- For more information, email the repository
- Advice on accessing these materials
- Cite this description
- Bookmark:http://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb150-ms503
- This material is held at
- ReferenceGB 150 MS503
- Dates of Creation1810
- Language of MaterialEnglish
- Physical Description1 item
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
The Court of Vice-Admiralty was established in Sierra Leone in 1808, ostensibly to bring a legal dimension to the due process of seizing slave ships operating in the waters off the territory. Its other purpose however was to ensure the systematic asset stripping of each and every vessel - a practice which very rapidly grew into a hugely lucrative bonus for the British. Thus financial gain to be obtained from the seized cargoes of the slave ships was added to the humanitarian dimension to drive ahead the total abolition of slavery.
Source: Sale catalogue
Access Information
Open. Access to all registered researchers.
Other Finding Aids
Please see full catalogue for more information.