Beware of latter day slavery in our society

2:57pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

I WISH to pay tribute to our first annual ceremony at the town hall to commemorate the abolition of slavery.

It included singing by the local London Gospel Community Choir, music from Tara, a traditional Senegalese quartet and moving poetry readings from Yvonne Bailey.

It is important to remember that William Dillwyn (1743-1824), the Quaker founder of the 12-member Anti-Slavery Committee in 1785, led by William Wilberforce, lived at Higham Lodge, Waltham-stow, for over 50 years in a house where the service station stands in Blackhorse Lane today.

Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, a Liberal MP, is entombed in St John`s Church, Leytonstone, as part of the Buxton family graves.

He read the final speech in Parliament that led to the Parliamentary bill on the final abolition of the trade of slavery in the British Colonies in 1833.

It is our duty to continue to campaign to banish all forms of human servitude, under-age employment, bonded or indentured labour and all forms of child abuse, all still prevalent in the world.

This current anti-slavery work must also address the new forms of slavery of the thousands of women bought and sold for sex and brought into Britain, often against their will, every year.

The International Anti-Slavery Society, whose president John Clarkson is a direct descendant of the great Thomas Clarkson, co-founder of the first Committee for the Abolition of Slavery, campaign on behalf of 12 million ‘slaves’ who still await freedom worldwide in the 21st century.

Cllr Patrick Smith, Higham Hill ward.

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