Ahead of tomorrow's proposed Black Lives Matter demonstration in Cleethorpes, the Grimsby News has been poring through the archives to see if Grimsby, Cleethorpes or Immingham has had any historic associations with the slave trade. None has come to light. However, it emerged that there were anti-slavery meetings in Boston, Horncastle and Spilsby. There was also this report in a Lincolnshire newspaper, dated August 28, 1846.
On Monday evening last, a fine-looking negro, reputed to have escaped from American slavery, delivered an address on that painfully interesting topic.
The statement was made in so unsophisticated a manner as to convey to the mind of the hearer a conviction of its truth.
It was stated that Curtis (such being the name of the speaker) was of the tribe of the Bechuanas in South Africa.
Along with some other youths, he been enticed on board a slavers' boat by offers from the crew of toys.
They were then carried all the way across the Atlantic and sold into the direful captivity of the so-called free American states, becoming the property of the largest slaveholder in the southern parts of the continent
Curtis himself went on to become the unwilling driver of a portion of a gang of 800 on the plantation.
Possessing an inquisitive mind and an indomitable resolution, he perceived, as he grew up, the decided injustice of the outrage committed upon him in keeping him in captivity contrary to his will.
Along with others of his enslaved countrymen, he not infrequently the victim of various cruelties.
He often attempted to escape, but, with the aid of bloodhounds, his captors reclaimed him whereupon he was severely punished.
On the last of these occasions, he crossed a river in which he was attacked by an alligator which sought to make him his supper.
But after a struggle, Curtis managed to reached the bank.
Hearing a noise and seeing nothing (for it was night), he climbed a tree which he had no sooner done than his worst suspicions were confirmed.
His enemies, with their rifles and bloodhounds, were at the foot of the tree, the hounds having traced the scent across the river.
His pursuers fired into it, Curtis fell, and he was transported back to the plantation where he was severely punished and put in an iron collar (some thousands of which were manufactured in Birmingham, for the use of the American slaveholders)
Manacles were also fixed to his person in the belief that it was utterly improbable that he should ever again attempt to escape.
This, however, Curtis did, and, happily, this time he succeeded.
One day, wandering heedlessly through the plantation, and seeing no one near, it struck him he might as well proceed, and, quickening his pace, he fell in with a gentleman who, touched with sympathy for his case, took off his collar.
Curtis, at last falling in with some humane Quakers, along with some others in similar circumstances, was put on board a British ship just in time to elude the grasp of his foes who had demanded his restoration.
The fears of the trembling fugitive were soothed by the assurance of his new friends that he was now safe from the fangs of his enemies.
The same message being repeated to his fellow-sufferers, a burst of triumph rent the air, then the ship set sail and Curtis was conveyed to Canada.
Thence he came to England where he picked up some of the more useful social skills, and a considerable stock of knowledge.
He now contemplates going (under the favour of the Anti-Slavery Society), in about three weeks' time, to Southern Africa, hoping to be rendered useful to his countrymen in communicating to them, in the capacity of schoolmaster, those principles of knowledge and liberty which are alike their inalienable birthright.
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