Petition from Hertford and North Herts re the abolition of slavery, 1830

By Jill Barber

Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies [Ref: 52860]

This petition was sent by Hertfordshire freeholders to William Hale, High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, calling for a county meeting to petition Parliament for the ‘early abolition of slavery’.

It is interesting to see the names of the men from Hitchin, Royston and Hertford who signed the petition.  The list includes several members of the Fordham family.

Women were not allowed to sign the petition, because they did not have the right to vote. ‘Freeholders’ were men who owned land which gave them the right to vote.

We know that their petition was successful as a county meeting was held at Shire Hall in Hertford the same year.

 

This page was added on 15/09/2010.

Add your comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.

  • One signatory was Robert Jermyn of Baldock. He was a grocer and draper with a large shop in Bell Row in Baldock.

    By Jane Havercroft (09/08/2020)