1787-Summer: Thomas Clarkson, who would later befriend King Henry Christophe, conducted extensive research on the docks of Bristol and Liverpool to gather ev…

1787-Summer: Thomas Clarkson, who would later befriend King Henry Christophe, conducted extensive research on the docks of Bristol and Liverpool to gather evidence against the slave trade. He discovered a deep-seated resentment among former seamen regarding their brutal treatment and exploitative working conditions. Clarkson’s findings destroyed the popular myth that the slave trade served as a “nursery” for the British Navy. To his surprise, scores of common sailors approached him to share damaging testimony that would later be presented to Parliament. This evidence proved critical in allowing William Wilberforce to characterize the trade as a “grave” for British mariners.