Caz,
As I recall one of the many "Kaffir Wars" had just kicked off and they had
probably been brought down from Birmingham to form part of a presentation on
it. I have a copy of a leaflet which names academics and Army and RN
officers claiming knowledge of such things holding a large
meeting/exhibition in London and the group appear to have been included to
lend an authentic flavour to events. The name of the groups English agent,
(J.Tyler - an artiste - from Worcester) is the same in the census as it is
in the leaflet. Interestingly, if I remember rightly, they were being
exhibited under different titles in Birmingham than later in London -
artistic license I suspect. I can send you copies of both if you wish.
John
----- Original Message -----
From: "Caroline Bressey" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2002 11:51 AM
Subject: Re: Birmingham
> Perhaps they were in London for the Great Exhibition? They may have made
up
> part of the 'exhibits'?
>
>
> At 22:21 18/09/02 +0100, you wrote:
> >Marika,
> >thanks for this, although the two year old girl had been born in
Leicester
> >which suggests that the group had been "touring" for at least two years.
The
> >same group also appear to have toured London later in 1851.
> >John
> >
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Marika Sherwood" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2002 10:19 AM
> >Subject: Birmingham
> >
> >
> >> Has anyone come across the 'Kaffirs' on exhibition in Birmingham in
1851?
> >> They were found by John Ellis in the 1851 British Census. The
terminology
> >> perhaps illustrates the growth of racism, or attitudes in that city, or
> >> attitudes towards such 'exhibits'. It reads:
> >> 'Kaffir lodger, aged 20, male, 'exhibiting', birthplace South Africa'
> >> 'Kaffir, lodger, aged 20, male, exhibiting, birthplace South Africa'
> >> 'Kaffir, lodger, aged 20, female, exhibiting themselves, birthplace
South
> >> Africa'
> >> 'Kaffir lodger, aged 2, female, exhibiting themselves, birthplace South
> >> Africa'
> >> The address was 201 Liverty St, Birmingham.
> >>
> >> While on the subject of Birmingham: I have been trying to get some data
on
> >> gun exports from that city (and district) after 1807. Guns made up c.
25%
> >of
> >> the cargo of slaving vessels prior to the 1807. If the if the trade in
> >(the
> >> bad) guns made specifically for exchange for enslaved people was not
> >> drastically reduced, we would have some more evidence on British
> >involvement
> >> in the 'nefarious trade'. Fiona Tait, archivist in Birmingham has been
> >> helping me with this. An article she sent me by W.A. Richards, 'Black
> >> Country Guns and the Slave Trade', 'The Blackcountryman', Winter 1975
is
> >of
> >> great interest, but unfortunately does not go much beyond 1807. Does
> >anyone
> >> know of any data? research? Thank you!
> >> Marika Sherwood
> >>
> >
> >
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> T Caroline A Bressey
> Department of Geography
> University College London
> 26 Bedford Way
> LONDON
> WC1H OAP
>
> 020 7679 5527
>
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