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Description: | This illustration of Robert Wedderburn is the frontispiece for his work ?The Horrors of Slavery.? Wedderburn was born in Jamaica in 1762. His father, James Wedderburn, was a Scottish plantation owner and his mother, Rosanna, was an enslaved woman owned by Wedderburn. Rosanna was sold to another plantation owner, Lady Douglas, when she fell out of favour with her master. She was pregnant with Robert when she was sold and a condition of the sale was that the child should be born free. He was well educated under the patronage of Lady Douglas and became a sailor, travelling to England in 1778. There he converted to Christianity and became involved with radical religious factions, opening his own Chapel in Soho. Wedderburn became well known for his outspoken views and his campaigns against slavery. He was unpopular with politicians who supported slavery and was eventually charged with ?blasphemous libel? and sentenced to two years in Dorchester Prison. After his release Wedderburn published ?The Horrors of Slavery? which he dedicated to William Wilberforce, who had publicly supported him during his imprisonment. | License: | http://www.bl.uk/services/copy/permission.html | Publisher: | Wedderburn | Rights holder: | British Library | Source: | Collect Britain | Creator: | Wedderburn, Robert | Identifier: | http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personal... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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