Black history in Liverpool

[Andrew K]

Hiya
Is anyone aware of an individual or organisation that is a specialist in the history of Liverpool's black community, particularly in the 1800s.
Andrew

[Joe Griffiths]

The Society sells a book entitled "Black Liverpool" The Early History of Liverpool's Oldest Black Community 1730-1918 see http://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/a ... ol_49.html for UK orders or http://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/a ... ol_20.html for overseas orders

[Andrew K]

Thanks Joe
I was hoping to try and get in touch with someone who might have actual lists of members of the community living in Liverpool at the time.
Cheers
Andrew

[MaryA]

I wonder if there would actually be a "census" of this kind, seems a bit unlikely to me. You might care to search the Liverpool Record Office archives which brings up a short list of documents for the words "black community", or maybe speak directly with the Record Office to see if they are aware of any sort of listings of the kind you are interested in.

[Blue70]

I've been looking at US Census records recently from 1910 and 1920 and I noticed that they included race something that the UK records didn't include. These days race is included on various forms to promote equality but the USA was not a very equal society during the times of these old census returns so emphasising race may not have been a good thing. I haven't noticed any UK references to a person being black on census records maybe I haven't seen enough records I think it's probably a good thing that on the old census returns we don't know whether a person is black or white.

Col

[Tina]

Hi Col
That's USA prejudice until Martin Luther King & others.
I have recently found a chap aged 20 bn St Helena in the wilds of the Atlanic, in the 1881 Royal Navy.
Along with quite a few born on the island listed as African Servant.
East India Co. took slaves there in the 1700s.
Interesting topic for sure Col

Tina

[Blue70]

Hi Tina,

I think with British territories overseas there would have been more of an effort to distinguish between races to ensure the hierarchy is maintained. I hope there weren't any lists of black people in the UK the idea of it has sinister overtones for me.

Col

[MaryA]

Although I feel similarly to Col, we have to remember that life was very different then and Liverpool was a major player in the slave trade, so I can well understand Andrew's interest in the historical facts and figures.

I hope you get a positive answer from the Record Office, otherwise I think the only clues you might get are from birthplaces on the census returns, and that won't be easy, but with some clues I'm sure we would help as much as we can.

[Blue70]

Here is an article that gives information about the early history of black people in Liverpool:-

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/live ... _page.html


Col

[Andrew K]

Thanks Mary
As you will know from previous posts I am trying to track down one particular releative and am trying to think of any way I can to get through the impass I have reached.
The problem is that the relative I am researching (Francis Boston) appears in Liverpool in 1847, I have his marriage certificate to Mary (ne Stubbs born Northwich but don't know date, maybe around 1825), and he dies in 1848, in Liverpool. I have his two addresses at the time of those events and they are both boarding houses of which Francis was registered as the 'keeper'.
From his marriage certificate I know he was born in 1807 but not where and I know his father was called Cato Boston, a name which appears often in slave registers from America around that time but not in England.
By 1951 Mary too has disappeared. There is no death certificate that I can find so I reckon she either remarried or moved but if she did she didn't take their child with her as she, (Lourina born 1848) was being brought up by relatives in Runcorn by 1851.
I will look into the County Record Office idea but, as I now live in sunny Devon, it will have to be done remotely which isn't the easiest way of working.
Thanks for all your help.
Andrew

[Blue70]

Hi Andrew

There's a possibility of a Black Loyalist connection with the Bostons. Black slaves escaped their masters and joined the British side in the American War Of Independence as the British promised them freedom and land. When the British lost the war they kept some of their promises including taking former black slaves to their freedom in Canada and elsewhere. They were let down though when it came to land and it was tough for them in Canada. A lot of them went on to settle in Sierra Leone. Some came to England or became seamen on British ships.

Col

[Andrew K]

That could ring True Col,
My gran lived until she was 99 and undoubtedly had negroid features. She said her grandmother Lourina (Boston) was a black lady and there was a story in the family that she was married by the ship's captain or married to a ship's captain.
We know that isn't true but Lourina's mother, who was from Northwich and unlikely to have been black, could I suppose have married someone returning to England in the way you described.
Not sure how I would find that out though.
Thanks for your help.
Andrew

[Blue70]

Hi Andrew

Have you heard of The Book Of Negroes? It's a record of all former black slaves who were given safe passage out of America by the British forces after the American War Of Independence. You might also get information from the Black Loyalist organisation in Canada:-

http://www.blackloyalist.com/

More information:-

http://www.blackloyalist.com/canadiandi ... /index.htm


Col

[MaryA]

I will look into the County Record Office idea

I would try the Liverpool Record Office first before the County one, which would be Preston.

They may well be willing to do a quick look for you, but more importantly advise you whether there are any kind of "lists" such as you are asking about, and provide you with a reference number. An actual check of the list may then be able to take place by somebody who might have a few spare minutes from their own research.

Alternatively, if you find that a more in depth search is needed, you might consider paying a local researcher. If you get to that point, contact me and I could put you in touch with one.