In 1839 the Birmingham Anti-Slavery Society became the Birmingham Branch of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society. This society was planning a major convention in 1840 with Joseph Sturge taking the lead. Knibb as invited. Thomas Swan, who led Birmingham's Cannon Street Baptist chapel, was able to meet Knibb who he and Joseph Sturge had worked hard to support. Knibb had already encouraged his congregation in Jamaica to take unilateral action and free any of their unpaid staff. Knibb had brought with him to England two deacons from Jamaica named Edward Barrett and Henry Beckford. These two men spoke to 5,000 people at Birmingham Town Hall and Beckford became the central figure in Haydon's painting that commemorated the World Anti-Slavery Convention.