1796–1842: British Guiana, formed from the Dutch colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice, saw a massive influx of African captives following the British…

1796–1842: British Guiana, formed from the Dutch colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice, saw a massive influx of African captives following the British seizure in 1796. Merchants from Liverpool managed over 70 percent of this traffic, utilizing their dominant position in the European-based trade during the Napoleonic era. The enslaved population was drawn from across all regions of Atlantic Africa, a diversity that mirrored the wide reach of Liverpool’s maritime networks. This sustained inflow of labor was fundamental to the expansion of the colony’s sugar and coffee production under British administration.