As part of the BBC Slavery season: TRADE ROOTS on Radio 4 at 11am March 26, 27, 28 2007
The roots of the British slave trade extend so far and so deep that barely any area of British life remains untouched by its impact. To mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, Radio Current Affairs carries out an extensive investigation into the far-reaching economic and cultural connections of a number of key British institutions with the highly lucrative trade.
Broadcaster Michael Buerk will call these institutions to account by revealing just how deeply they were connected with the slave trade and how those links provided the all important platforms for them to grow and flourish today.
His investigations take him around the UK and include interviews with Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury; Charles Saumarez Smith, Director of the National Gallery; Barclays Bank; David Lascelles, son of Lord Harewood at Harewood House, Leeds; Bishop Michael Doe, Director of the Church of England's missionary society.
Monday March 26 at 11am on Radio 4
Programme One explores arts and cultural institutions - focussing on the National Gallery's connections to sugar plantations of Jamaica, the Church of England's Barbados plantations where it enslaved Africans for over a hundred years, and the Codrington library at All Souls College Oxford financed entirely from slavery.
Contributors
Professor James Walvin - Emeritus Professor of History at University of York
Linda Ali - Historian
Lucy McCann - Archivist at Rhodes House
Bishop Michael Doe - Director of the USPG
Dr Jonathan Conlin - Author of The Nation's Mantelpiece: A History of the National Gallery
Jonah Albert - Inspire Curatorial Fellow, National Gallery
Dr Rowan Williams - Archbishop of canterbury
Music:
A new composition called 'Mighty River' was commissioned by the Rector and PCC (the Parochial Church Council) of Holy Trinity Clapham Common and the Revd. John Wates, for the Philharmonia Orchestra - commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade It was composed by Errollyn Wallen and premiered at Holy Trinity Church in Clapham on Saturday 24 February 2007. Errollyn Wallen's website The Philharmonia concerts for February 2007
Tuesday March 27 at 11am on Radio 4
Programme Two examines banking and finance by focussing on two families whose histories have in some way been linked to slavery - Barclays and the Lascelles family in Yorkshire, cousins to the Queen.
Contributors
David Lascelles - Son of Lord Harewood
Professor David Richardson
Professor James Walvin
Music: A new composition called 'Mighty River' was commissioned by the Rector and PCC (the Parochial Church Council) of Holy Trinity Clapham Common and the Revd. John Wates, for the Philharmonia Orchestra - commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade It was composed by Errollyn Wallen and premiered at Holy Trinity Church in Clapham on Saturday 24 February 2007. Errollyn Wallen's website The Philharmonia concerts for February 2007
Wednesday March 28 at 11am on Radio 4
Programme Three looks at how towns like Manchester and Birmingham owe their nineteenth century growth and wealth both to slavery and to a growing market for their goods in Africa.
Contributors
Barry Cook - Chief Engineer at QB Mill
Chris Guffogg - Mill Supervisor
Professor James Walvin
Emma Poulter Rita Maclean - Head of Birmingham Museums and Art Galleries
Music: A new composition called 'Mighty River' was commissioned by the Rector and PCC (the Parochial Church Council) of Holy Trinity Clapham Common and the Revd. John Wates, for the Philharmonia Orchestra - commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade It was composed by Errollyn Wallen and premiered at Holy Trinity Church in Clapham on Saturday 24 February 2007. Errollyn Wallen's website The Philharmonia concerts for February 2007
Programme One explores arts and cultural institutions - focussing on the National Gallery's connections to sugar plantations of Jamaica, the Church of England's Barbados plantations where it enslaved Africans for over a hundred years, and the 
Programme Two examines banking and finance by focussing on two families whose histories have in some way been linked to slavery - Barclays and the Lascelles family in Yorkshire, cousins to the Queen.
Programme Three looks at how towns like Manchester and Birmingham owe their nineteenth century growth and wealth both to slavery and to a growing market for their goods in Africa.
