The Beckfords and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

About

From the purchase of Fonthill in Wiltshire by William Beckford in 1744 to the death of his son in Bath 100 years later, the social advancements and retreats of the Beckford family relied upon the profits of transatlantic slavery. This talk will explore the extensive collecting and architectural creations of the Beckfords, and highlight how they were made possible by a vast fortune built from the stolen labour of thousands of enslaved Africans.

Dr Amy Frost is an expert on the life and work of William Beckford and the curator of Beckford's Tower in Bath.

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