Fair Trade and Supply Chains: History, Policy and Action

"In the years following the abolition of slavery in the British Empire many British subjects remained interested in slavery and the slave trade in the wider world. My doctoral dissertation explores how this profiting from slavery was understood given Britain’s commitment to anti-slavery ideals throughout the 19th century. "British links to slavery took a wide variety of forms; from importing slave-grown Brazilian sugar to the export of manufactured goods for use in the slave trade. Many of these connections can be found in the Middle Passage and Legacies gallery of the museum, which detail how the profits of slavery flowed into Britain, and particularly Liverpool. "Britain’s commitment to suppressing the slave trade and opposing slavery raised difficult questions about the extensive business British subjects did with countries that still relied on unfree labour. A prime example of this was the contribution of Liverpool businesses to the Southern war effort during the American Civil War. "The Confederate states were fighting to save the institution of slavery and Merseyside businesses played a vital role in aiding their cause. From shipbuilding to the purchase of cotton by merchants, Livepudlians played a vital role in the conflict. Alongside colleagues at the University of Liverpool I recently co-authored an online exhibition exploring the city’s contribution to the American Civil War. This project focused on Charles Prioleau, the head of the Confederate operation in Liverpool whose records are held by the maritime archives. "Going forward in my research I will continue to work closely with the International Slavery Museum. This will include the panel on ‘Slavery and Supply Chains’ as part of Fairtrade Fortnight on 1 March."