Lloyd’s Register and the Transatlantic Trafficking of Enslaved African People
From the 17th to 19th century, the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved African people involved a triangular route between Britain, Africa, and the Caribbean, where goods were exchanged for kidnapped African people. These individuals were forced into a life of slavery and transported under terrible conditions to work on plantations in return for products like sugar and tobacco.
In 2022, we began re-examining our own history as an organisation to better understand our connections to the injustices of transatlantic slavery.
The historical context
Britain was a major participant in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved African people. From 1640 to 1807, British ships made around 10,000 voyages, forcibly taking and transporting about 3.4 million people. 800,000 of whom died in transit. The effects of this trade are still felt today.
During this time, our business - known then as the Society for the Registry of Shipping - provided information about ships' quality and safety, compiling records that helped contextualise the risks of maritime trade. Many of these early records include details of ships that transported kidnapped African people under horrific conditions.
Our archives hold important information to help us better understand this period of history and take restorative action to address this past and build a fairer future.
Our research
In July 2022, we commissioned research with the Wilberforce Institute, a world-leading institute in the study of slavery, to investigate our historical connections to transatlantic trafficking of enslaved African people. This initial research focused on records from 1764 to 1834.
It found:
- Lloyd’s Register recorded information about their seaworthiness, helping those involved in the trade to buy, sell and insure the vessels. It then sold that information on to subscribers, many of whom were actively involved in the slave economy.
- Some of our early committee members were involved in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved African people. Notably, at least six committee members of the Society for the Registry of Shipping from 1764 were identified as enslavers, while another six were involved in the trafficking of enslaved Africans.
What is clear from this initial research is that, from our founding in 1760 until the UK’s Slavery Abolition Act in 1833, we played an important role supporting a maritime system that enabled the slave economy.
Action
We are deeply sorry for this part of our history. Acknowledging this legacy is important for our organisation, the descendants of those affected and those who still live with the consequences of this trafficking, and society as a whole.
In response to the findings of the research with the Wilberforce Institute, Lloyd’s Register Foundation is taking two immediate steps:
- We have made a grant of £1m to The National Archives to launch PASSAGE (Partnership for Atlantic Slavery Scholarship, Archiving and Global Exchange). This partnership will catalogue, open and share archived materials and support scholarship in the Caribbean and West Africa for the development of new narratives surrounding the history of transatlantic slavery.
- A proposed partnership with the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool. We anticipate supporting their ‘Connector’ project which will convene a global network of academic, heritage and cultural institutions around this topic and channels grants to local communities seeking to research their own histories as they relate to the slave economy.
More about these Foundation-funded initiatives will be shared as they develop.
Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Lloyd’s Register both continue to foster a culture where every colleague feels included and empowered. Lloyd's Register has taken several actions to better understand how colleagues feel about inclusion to further shape ongoing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion activities, including the introduction of new Steering Committees and further investment in Colleague Network Groups to discuss experiences and challenges.
Lloyd's Register has also committed to the continuing sponsorship of up to five Post Graduate students from Africa studying maritime subjects through the Chevening Programme and has signed the Race at Work Charter.
Conclusion
Confronting our role in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved African people is challenging, but necessary. We’re committed to being open about our findings and taking these real steps to acknowledge its impact. Through partnerships and funding, we also aim to support those affected by these historical injustices.
We invite you to learn more about this history by visiting our Lloyd's Register of Ships online page.
We will continue to reflect on our past and listen to those impacted by it. We know it’s important to learn from history: it shapes who we are and the responsibilities we hold today.