24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
Slave Traders Reveal Hidden History At Manchester Museum
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
03/04/2008
Image: Photo of an actor speaking to a crowd from a staircase landing
Thomas Clarkson speaks to the people. © University of Manchester
Slave traders, anti-slavery campaigners and an escaped slave will be seen in the Manchester Museum on April 3 and 4 2008.
The actors portraying characters from the 18th and 19th century are coming in to mark the start of a conference on the impact of performance as a medium of learning in museums and historic sites.
Visitors will be able to walk around the museum, which is part of Manchester University, with a museum curator, anti-slavery campaigner Thomas Clarkson, African and British slave traders, escaped slave James Watkins and a Lancashire cotton worker.
The play, This Accursed Thing, was developed by Tony Jackson, a senior lecturer in drama at the university, and written by one of the actors, Andrew Ashmore, based on research into the slave trade and its connections to the museum’s collections.
It explores the hidden – and often contentious – stories behind the collection.
“At first glance you might wonder why a performance about slavery is taking place alongside the famous archaeological, botanical and Egyptology exhibits – amongst others,” said Tony Jackson.
“One answer is that parts of the collection were paid for by wealthy individuals who benefited from the slave trade.”
“This is a history behind a history: it’s a chance for Manchester to acknowledge its slave trade links – but also to remember the proud contribution the city made to its abolition.”
Image: Photo of two men performing
© University of Manchester
Part of the play illustrates the actions of escaped slave James Watkins, who toured the UK lecturing in favour of Abraham Lincoln’s fight against slavery. Lancashire cotton workers subsequently voted to boycott cotton from the southern States, even though it threatened their own livelihoods.
Pete Brown, the Museum’s Head of Learning and Interpretation, said that “visitors’ eyes light up” when they see the issues played out in front of them, proving what part live interpretation has to play in presenting the past.
The performances are taking place at 3.30pm and 5pm on April 3 and 11am, 1.30pm and 3pm on April 4. The performance at 1.30pm will be audio described and at 3.30pm it will be British Sign Language interpreted. Call 0161 275 2648 to book or make further enquiries.
The conference Performing Heritage: Research and Practice is taking place April 3-5 at the University of Manchester, bringing together practitioners from around the world.
This Accursed Thing will soon be available online. Find out more about Manchester and the Transatlantic slave trade at www.revealinghistories.org.uk.
The Manchester Museum
University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, England
T: 0161 275 2634
Open: Tues - Sat:
10.00 - 17.00
Sun & Mon (including Bank Holidays):
11.00 - 16.00
Closed: Christmas closing:
23-26 December, 30 December and 1 January
Related Articles
£4 Million Boost For Museum And Gallery Projects Across England
Get Your Digs During National Archaeology Week, July 12 - 20 2008
MGM 2008 - A Top Ten Of Museums At Night Events This Weekend
MGM 2008 - Top Ten Events For The May Bank Holiday Weekend
Lindow Man - A Bog Body Mystery At Manchester Museum
News In Brief - Week Ending April 13 2008
Ilana Halperin Fuses Geology With Art At The Manchester Museum
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
Anson Engine Museum Displays The Award Winning JCB Dieselmax
News In Brief - Museums, Galleries And Heritage News
Mountain Rescue Gear Moves Star Mummy To Leeds' New Museum
Holocaust Survivors Help Imperial War Museum Launch New Holocaust Art Exhibition
Museums Libraries And Archives Get Cultural Olympiad Off To Flyer
Volunteers Looking For Stone Circle Uncover Roman Fort In Cumbria
New Darwin Centre Set To Welcome 2,500 Visitors Per Day
County Durham Launches Peace And Tranquility Week
Disability And Deaf Arts Get A Boost At 2008 DaDaFest International
3,500 Properties Open Doors To Public For Heritage Open Days 2008
British Library Acquires Dering Roll - A Who's Who Of Medieval Arms
The Rolling Stones Tongue And Lips Logo Acquired By The V&A
Nominations Open For Art Fund Prize For Museums And Galleries 2009
Belfast's Ulster Museum On Track For Dramatic New Rooftop Gallery
Brighton Art Gallery Stunned As US Artist Broken Crow Is Deported
Treasures Of National Media Museum To Be Posted On Flickr
Missing Brontë Letter Returns To The Brontë Museum In Haworth
Danish Artists Create Life-Size Walking House For Wysing Arts Centre Near Cambridge
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.