Although the slave trade was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1833, cotton mill owners in Britain still capitalized on the labour of the slaves on the plantations in the southern United States until they were emancipated by Lincoln during the Civil War in the 1860s. There was no British legislation to prevent them from doing so.

Of course, the living and working conditions of the men, women and, sadly, the children who toiled in the cotton mills in England was also unconscionable. There was no “emancipation” for them.

Although the Slave Trade was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1833, British cotton-mill owners still capitalized on the labour of the slaves in the cotton plantations in the southern U.S. until Lincoln emancipated them at the time of the Civil War in the 1860s. There was apparently no British legislation to prevent them from doing so.

Of course, the living and working conditions of the men, women and children who toiled in their mills were also unconscionable but there was not “emancipation” for them.