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Slavery, Passion and Grace: COB's Edge on Research
15 November 2010
Annals of history have vividly recorded the recollections and adventures of fervent abolitionists who worked to systematically enforce the dismantling of the detestable practice of slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. But Bahamian scholars and students of history know very little of the adventures and experiences of Captain Percy Grace, a career British naval officer.
However, intriguing information researched by Dr. Daphne Grace, Assistant Professor at The College of The Bahamas, shows the extent of Captain Grace's seafaring exploits and just how important they were in helping to end the slave trade.
Dr. Grace will share her work at the 10th Anniversary of Research Edge, a staple College forum that showcases scholarly research, to be held at The College's Performing Arts Centre, Oakes Field Campus on Friday, November 19th at noon. Her research is titled, Sailing against Slavery: The story of one man's pivotal role in the prevention and suppression of the Atlantic slave trade.
"This story is especially relevant to The Bahamas since many transported Africans were released by the Navy in Nassau to create part of the new world of liberated slaves," said Dr. Grace, who won The College's Stanley Wilson Award for excellence in research in 2009. "While any discussion of the topic of slavery in the Caribbean must inevitably remain contentious, this presentation will attempt to show how bravery, goodwill and perseverance could be utilised for ends other than ruthless imperialism."
In 1807, Britain changed from being the world's major nation involved in the slave trade and the transportation of millions of Africans across the Atlantic to the Caribbean islands to becoming dedicated to a ‘global crusade' against slavery. With the end of the war against Napoleon in 1815, the British Navy engaged in an all-out war against slavery that lasted almost 60 years. Percy Grace was one of the captains of an anti slave ship who had joined the British Navy at the age of 12 and almost immediately saw action at the Battle of Copenhagen, one of the bloodiest battles in all the Napoleonic wars. By 13 years old he was serving as midshipman on a ship stationed in Jamaica, and is mentioned in Lady Nugent's famous journal of her stay (1801-1803).
Promoted to Captain by the age of 25, he was given command of HMS Cyrene for anti-slavery work, intercepting ships bound for the Caribbean islands from the Gold coast of Africa. As Commander of the Preventive squadron, his adventurous career was dedicated to the eradication of slavery in the Atlantic. He waged a relentless campaign against slave-traders on land and sea: including destroying the slave factories and negotiating with the slave trading African kings.
In placing the results of her research into perspective, Dr. Grace opined that the debate over the involvement of the British in this aspect of history is still very much alive.
"While this story is inspiring, it is simply one of the many thousands of men who served in this task of abolition—over six decades the small fleet seized 1,600 slave ships, liberated 150,000 Africans and lost 17,000 of its own men," she said. "Yet the controversy still rages over the British motivation in thus policing the Atlantic and even Captain Grace's story is difficult to comprehend in many ways since paradoxes and conflicts of interest abound in his life."
Students, scholars, researchers and the general public are invited to attend the Research Edge presentation at The College's Oakes Field Campus to learn more about what Dr. Grace has uncovered.
Dr. Grace received her Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Sussex, England, and has taught in English and the Humanities at universities in the UK, Europe and the USA, and at The College of The Bahamas since 2005. She has presented at many international and national conferences on a variety of topics in the fields of postcolonial literature, women's studies, and ethics. She has published widely, including several articles in scholarly peer-reviewed journals and two monographs: The Woman in the Muslin Mask: Veiling and Identity in Postcolonial Literature (Pluto Press 2004) and Relocating Consciousness: Diasporic Writing and the Dynamics of Literary Experience.
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