Research guides
Research guides provide introductory guidance for researchers on many of our most popular subjects. These give a brief overview of the subject together with suggestions of research sources held by The National Archives.
The National Archives holds significant collections relating to the study of slavery and the slave trade, along with its suppression and abolition. This research guide aims to introduce new researchers to the wealth of material held by The National Archives (as well as other archives) for the study of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade:
Slavery: British transatlantic slave trade
To supplement this research guide, The National Archives has provided further background information for those embarking on research into slavery and the slave trade. The following documents can be downloaded as PDF files. These are designed to supplement the research guide but do not provide information on sources at The National Archives:
- Slavery (PDF, 58kb)
- Britain and the Trade (PDF, 46kb)
- Abolition (PDF, 27kb)
- Emancipation (PDF, 34kb)
- Glossary (PDF, 35kb)
The National Archives acknowledges the contribution made by members of the previous User Advisory Group (Caroline Bressey, Louise Craven, Madge Dresser, Peter Fraser, Guy Grannum, Sara Griffiths, Georgina Kiani, Rachel Hasted, Steve Martin, John Oldfield, Angelina Osborne, David Richardson, Gemma Romain, Sam Walker, James Walvin, and Kristy Warren) in compiling these documents.
Other research guides
In addition, The National Archives has other research guides which complement the subject or expand upon some of the topics referred to:
- Indian Indentured Labour
- Foreign and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Records from 1782
- How to use the Admiralty Index and Digest: ADM 12
- High Court of Admiralty
- America and West Indies: Calendar of State Papers Colonial 1574-1739
- American and West Indian Colonies Before 1782
- Merchant Shipping: Crew Lists and Agreements, 1747-1860
- Merchant Shipping: Registration of Ships, 1786-1994
- Parliamentary Records After 1500
- Port Books, 1565-1799
- Treasury Board: Letters and Papers, 1557-1920
- Wills and Probate Records
