PRESIDENT George Bourne opened our meeting this week with a warm welcome for potential new member Mike Roffey of Pershore.

Our speaker last week was Chris O’Loughlin who spoke about the future in terms of medical revolutions and innovations whilst this week Martin Collisson of the Royal Wootton Bassett Probus Club spoke about the past and the abolition of the slave trade.

With the aid of a powerful visual presentation, Martin led us through the history of the slave trade, the key events, the arguments for and against and the actions that culminated with the abolition of the trade.

He focused on the triangular trade route between the UK and Portugal, the USA and Brazil when some 10 to 12 million people from West Africa were transported and forced to work for example in the sugar, coffee, cotton and tobacco plantations.

The campaign to abolish slavery led by William Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson and many Quakers lasted over 20 years and culminated in the British government’s Slave Trade Act of 1807. However, this dreadful trade worldwide lasted until 1888 when the last country, Brazil, abolished slavery.

Martin reminded us that whilst he had only featured the involvement of the UK, nevertheless he recognised that slavery in various forms had existed at least since Roman times and in fact disgracefully continues today.

Following our questions, Peter Penney thanked Martin on our behalf and commented that his presentation had brought back memories of the TV series Roots.

Information about our Club, including our programme of forthcoming talks, is on our website: www.eveshamprobus.co.uk.

CHRIS DONOUGH