A group of institutions and individuals from or linked to the City of Wells in Somerset, have come together to explore how Wells is connected to transatlantic slavery. The project aims to make these histories visible across the city and consider the enduring legacies of transatlantic slavery in Britain and the Caribbean.
Jess Witchell is the Learning Manager at Wells Cathedral and Susann Savidge is the Chair of the Somerset African Caribbean Network. They co-chaired the conference on 16th March 2023. They present here a brief overview of the Wells and Transatlantic Slavery project and the work that has been done so far. The group welcomes further contributions and members.
The institutions involved so far are Wells Cathedral, Wells Cathedral School, Wells & Mendip Museum, St. Cuthbert’s parish church, The Bishop’s Palace, City Archives, Somerset African Caribbean Network the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda and interested individuals including Stephanie Mathivet, and members of the Tudway family. Professor James Clark of the University of Exeter and consultant Rob Mitchell are acting as mentors for the group, and, together with MA student Tommy Maddinson undertake aspects of research.
