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Dr Peter Grant led a guided tour through the City of London, stopping at sites with historical links to the transatlantic slave trade

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In the heart of the City of London, lies the site of a former bookshop that played a pivotal role in the history of the transatlantic slave trade. On 22 May 1787, 12 men met in the upper room of the Quaker bookshop and print shop at 2 George Yard to discuss how to put an end to the enslavement of African people to the Americas.

This day marked the start of the abolitionist movement in Britain. While the bookshop has long since been demolished, you can still visit the small courtyard where it once sat. While you might expect to see a statue, plaque or some artwork to commemorate this pivotal moment in history, there is nothing to be found except an unassuming office block at the site.

“Given its importance in history it’s a travesty that the place where the British abolitionist movement was founded has no plaque or any indication of its existence,” said Dr Peter Grant of Bayes Business School.

George Yard was one of five stops on Dr Grant’s guided walk across the Square Mile, where he highlighted the often hidden histories of London’s links to the transatlantic slave trade. The walk was part of City, University of London and Bayes’ campaign to ensure staff and students have a better understanding of the history of the surrounding area of the university. Here’s a closer look at some of the stops on the 'Slavery and the City' guided walk and their links to London’s history:

George Yard

The site of the former bookstore and printing shop where the British abolitionist movement was founded

The proprietor of the bookstore and printing shop that once stood at 2 George Yard was James Phillips, publisher and printer for Britain’s small community of Quakers. It was following a meeting here on 22 May 1787 that the British abolitionist movement was formed, led by Thomas Clarkson.

Two years later Phillips published one of the most important books of the movement, the autobiography of Olaudah Equiano. ‘The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano’, in which Equiano detailed his early life and the horrors of slavery, was one of the earliest books by a Black African writer to be published.

Equiano rose to prominence in the late 18th century as the leading Black campaigner for the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. He was a prominent member of the 'Sons of Africa', a group of 12 Black men who campaigned for abolition.

Guildhall, Gresham Street

Guildhall is a municipal building in the Moorgate area of the City of London

“London’s financial roots are embedded in colonisation of the continents of Africa, India, the Far East and the Americas. Profits from slavery, the Royal African Company and the East India Company were huge and many fortunes and philanthropic donations from the 17th to the 19th centuries were based on them,” said Dr Peter Grant.

“The extent to which London was dependent on the trade and the role it played in financing Britain’s industrial revolution is disputed but was certainly highly significant. The Slave Trade was the richest part of Britain’s trade in the 18th century.”

Dr Grant explained that London also became the centre of efforts to abolish slavery, with the British abolitionist movement stating in the late 18th century when English and American Quakers began to question the morality of slavery.

“The Guildhall epitomises the involvement of London in the transatlantic slave trade. This was the meeting place between 1660- 1690 of 15 Lord Mayors of London, 25 sheriffs and 38 aldermen, all of whom were shareholders in the Royal Africa Company. It was also the site of the first trial connected with the infamous Zong Massacre,” said Dr Grant.

Fen Court and Fen Court Garden

Gilt Of Cain, Fen Court

“The Court is the site of the former St Gabriel Fenchurch which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The sculpture commemorates the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in 1807 and is a collaboration between sculptor Michael Visocchi and poet Lemn Sissay, the words being an extract from his poem ‘The Gilt of Cain’,” said Dr Grant.

“It was unveiled by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2008. The platform could represent either a pulpit or a slave auctioneers’ podium and the pillars either the congregation or stems of sugar cane. The title of the poem refers both to the biblical story of Cain, slaying his brother Abel – in other words the ‘guilt’ that should be felt about the slave trade – and also to ‘gilt’ as a reference to the riches of the City of London which were partly founded on the trade itself.”

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