When I first heard the news that Ancestry.co.uk had computerised the Barbadian slave registers between 1807 and 1838, and that they were available on the net, I was doubtful there would have been free access. The British media had said it was free.

I was disappointed that the National Archives and/or ancestry.co.uk did not also issue a press release giving full details about the service the later would be providing.

Having accessed the site, I have discovered that the service is not free. The company should never have been allowed to get so much free publicity so as to make money from African Caribbean people.

The information that is available is not helpful. It is obvious to a Barbadian or anyone whose ancestors were enslaved, that they were given the slave master’s surname. That is exactly what is on the slave register. This is pointless information if we are not told the country where the enslaved Africans on the registers were from.

For those of you who have not bothered to access the website, I have attached a Torrington search, which indicates how ancestry.co.uk wishes to make money on services which should be free. In view of the many questions about reparations, etc, why aren’t the National Archives providing this service on the net??

Arthur