Emancipation

• Abolition Act of 1833

  An act introduced by Thomas Buxton, an anti-slavery activist, in 1833 that did not signal full freedom for the slaves but introduced a period of Apprenticeship as a transition period between full slavery and full freedom
• Main Clauses of the Abolition Act of 1833

  1. Slavery was to be abolished on August 1, 1834

  2. Children 6 and under on August 1, 1834 were to be freed immediately

  3. All other slaves were to serve a period of Apprenticeship: 4 years for non-praedials and 6 years for praedials

  4. Apprentices were to give 3⁄4 of the working week (401⁄2 - 45 hrs) free of pay to their masters. Additional hours were with pay

  5. Apprentices were to be provided with food, shelter, clothes and medical care by their planters. Planters could also choose to give provision grounds rather than provide food

  6. During Apprenticeship the ex-slaves were to remain on the plantation in order to give planters a steady supply of labour

  7. Apprentices were not to be sold unless the estate was being sold

  8. Apprenticeship was to be supervised by Stipendiary/Special Magistrates

  9. Apprentices could buy their freedom without their master's consent

  10. Apprenticeship could be shortened but there was to be no alternative

  11. Compensation of £20 million was to be paid to planters within the Empire
• On August 1, 1834, 668,000 British slaves were partially freed but in Antigua and Bermuda, there was full emancipation on August 1, 1834
• Slavery to be abolished


  August 1, 1834
• Children 6 and under on August 1, 1834


  Freed immediately
• Apprenticeship


  1. 4 years for non-praedials

  2. 6 years for praedials
• Apprentices


  • Give 3⁄4 of the working week (401⁄2 - 45 hrs) free of pay to their masters
  • Additional hours were with pay
  • Intended to teach the ex-slaves to become accustomed to working for money
  • Allowed planters to become used to paying wages
• Planters


  • Provide food, shelter, clothes and medical care for apprentices
  • Could choose to give provision grounds rather than provide food
• During Apprenticeship the ex-slaves were to remain on the plantation in order to give planters a steady supply of labour
• Apprentices were not to be sold unless the estate was being sold
• Apprenticeship would be: by Stipendiary/Special Magistrates

  • Ex-military officers sent to the region to ensure that apprenticeship functioned as it was expected to
• Apprentices could buy their freedom without their master's consent
• Apprenticeship could be shortened but there was to be no alternative
• Compensation of £20 million was to be paid to planters within the Empire