Talk by Dr Colin Helling, Aberdeen Built Ships Volunteer.
This talk will discuss the involvement of Aberdonian shipping in the carrying of goods grown on plantations worked by the enslaved such as sugar and cotton. When the Scottish part in these trades is considered it is usually in the context of the dominance of Glasgow but Aberdeen ships sailed regularly to Caribbean islands like Jamaica or Montserrat as well as places beyond the British empire such as Brazil which also had a plantation economy. The focus will be on the period from 1800 to the end of slavery in the empire, a period which saw Aberdeen’s part in these trades expand significantly. The talk will combine an overview with examples of some of the ships and people that were involved.
Image: The brig Success carried tobacco harvested by slaves from Brazil to Britain in her first years sailing
