History of slavery many years of lobbying by the abolitionist movement, led primarily by William Wilberforce, the British Parliament voted to make the slave trade illegal anywhere in the Empire with the Slave Trade Act 1807. Thereafter Britain took a prominent role in combating the trade, and slavery itself was abolished in the British Empire with the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. Between 1808 and 1860, the West Africa Squadron seized approximately 1,600 slave ships and freed 150,000 Africans who were aboard. Action was also taken against African leaders who refused to agree to British treaties to outlaw the trade. Akitoye, the 11th Oba
Westminster Abbey Muniments Westminster Abbey Muniments The Westminster Abbey Muniments is a collection of muniments and manuscripts comprising archives of Westminster Abbey from the tenth century to the present day. The core of the collection contains accounts, manuscripts, and court records of the large estate. Before they were put together in the archives, they were scattered across southern and mid-England. Due to criminal activity, immigration, poverty, and immorality, the Westminster Abbey was used as a monumental court for many years. At the archives, there are many records of court cases from the Court of Burgesses. In 1700 alone the court heard sixty-eight cases