Gold Coast 1798: 25th March - July 2007

The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed by the British Parliament on 25th March 1807. The act imposed a fine of one hundred pounds for each slave found onboard a British ship.

The intention was to completely outlaw the slave trade within the British Empire, however due to vast profits this barbarous and vile trade still flourished. Captains in danger of being caught by the Royal Navy would throw slaves into the sea in order to reduce the fine.

In 1827. Britain declared that participation in the slave trade was piracy and punishable by death.

It is estimated that throughout the centuries, between twenty to forty million people were shipped as slaves from Africa by European traders, some 15% died during the treacherous journey. The vast majority were shipped to America and the West Indies, many were also transported to Europe and South Africa.


The 12 images by Pogus Caesar taken from the exhibition 'Gold Coast 1798' pays homage to the black people who never made the history books - one of the darkests chapters in world history.