Although slavery may have been abolished in the 19th century, historians from University College London (UCL) have methodised the 46,000 British subjects who were compensated by the British government for losing 800,000 slaves, due the abolition of slavery.
Those who are descendants of the last British slave owners are now able to find out about their ancestors' involvement in the slave trade.
It is said that 46,000 British slave owners were compensated a total of £20 million, which is the equivalent of £17 billion today. The research also suggest that slaves were not only owned by the rich, but clergymen, shop owners, as well as “ordinary” members of the British middle classes owned slaves.
This may receive many criticism from many sectors of society whose ancestry stem from slavery. Many people of South Asian ethnicity, or those who have African or African Caribbean roots may find the results from the research as absurd. Paying a compensation to slave owners after the abolition makes one think about humanity, or the lack of it.
