Chasing Freedom brings unique, unseen images of the Slave Trade to light at the Royal Naval Museum
The launch of new exhibition ‘Chasing Freedom -The Royal Navy and the suppression of the Transatlantic Slave Trade’ at the Royal Naval Museum, has not only attracted thousands of visitors, but has brought to light previously unseen images and unheard stories highlighting the role of the Royal Navy in suppressing the Transatlantic Slave Trade, adding a new perspective to the 2007 bicentenary celebrations.
The Museum and the Royal Navy are delighted to announce the donation of a nationally important collection of unique photographs taken by Able Seaman Joseph John Chidwick during his service on the Persian Gulf Station where the crew of HMS Sphinx were engaged in subduing the slave trade. The collection comprises a fascinating and an important ‘snapshot’ of life on anti-slavery duties off the coast of Africa, including a never before seen image of a sailor in HMS Sphinx removing the manacles of a newly freed African and the ship’s Marines escorting captured slavers.
As well as these amazing images, members of the public have brought many other unheard stories of the Royal Navy and the trade in enslaved Africans to the Museum’s attention. They include:
- Manuscripts of Commander Henry Downes of HMS Black Joke, West Coast of Africa Station, 1826-1829 have been donated by a relative, Commander Lee Grey. HMS Black Joke was originally the slave ship ‘Henriquetta’. Captured in 1827, the Royal Navy purchased the ship because of its speed. The ship went on to become one of the most successful vessels on the West Coast of Africa Station, capturing nine slavers in just 16 months, including the elusive El Almirante in a dramatic 31-hour chase. The crew freed 466 enslaved Africans. This unique manuscript contains extracts from the ship’s daily log, lists of officers and crew in action with the Almirante and Downes’ contemporary observations of the slave trade.
- A report of the capture and engagement with a slaved how at Zanzibar and information regarding Lt. Cdr Frederick John Russell of HMS Turquoise has been brought to the museum’s attention by Cdr Pegler, grandson of Lt Cdr Russell. The report of the engagement of the slave dhow, in which the crew liberated 65 slaves, and subsequent letter from the Admiralty to the C-in-C East Indies concerning the action has remained in the family together with the flag of the slaver’s dhow. Cdr Pegler has donated copies of the report and letter to the Museum.
- Sheet music for ‘The Chase – Set Every Inch of Canvas’, composed by Henry Russell. This rare piece of illustrated music features an RN vessel intercepting a slave ship at Cuba.
- The Binstead Diaries – The central feature of the ‘Chasing Freedom’ exhibition, donated by the great, great granddaughter of Midshipman Cheesman Henry Binstead who kept the diaries during his time serving on HMS Owen Gelendower of the West Coast of Africa Station. They provide gruelling accounts of life on board a ship that suffered the worst mortality rates in the entire Sqaudron. Visitors to the exhibition can hear extracts from the diaries and see the real manuscripts on display with a portrait of Binstead.
