James Somerset facts for kids

James Somerset was an African man who lived a long time ago. He was part of a very important court case. This case helped show that slavery was not allowed in England and Wales.

James Somerset's Life Story

Early Life and Capture

James Somerset was born in West Africa around 1741. When he was about 8 years old, he was captured. He was then sold to slave traders from Europe. They took him across the ocean to a place called the Colony of Virginia. There, a Scottish merchant named Charles Stewart bought him.

In 1764, Mr. Stewart took James to Boston. Mr. Stewart had a new job there. He was in charge of collecting taxes on goods coming into the country.

Life in England

In November 1769, Mr. Stewart moved to England. He took James Somerset with him to work in his home in London. In London, James was baptized on February 10, 1771. This happened at the Church of St Andrew, Holborn. Thomas Walkin, Elizabeth Cade, and John Marlow became his godparents.

Sometimes, being baptized meant a person could become free. Perhaps because of this, James Somerset decided he would no longer serve Mr. Stewart. He left and lived freely for several months.

The Important Court Case

In November 1771, James was kidnapped. He was forced onto a ship called the Ann and Mary. The ship's captain was John Knowles. The plan was to take James to Jamaica and sell him there.

His godparents were people who wanted to end slavery. They went to court to help James. They used a special legal request called Habeas corpus. This request asks a court to decide if someone is being held illegally. They also asked Granville Sharp, a famous person who fought against slavery, to help James.

The court case was called Somerset v Stewart. Many powerful people argued on both sides. This case was very important because it questioned if slavery was legal in England and Wales.

On June 22, 1772, the judge, Lord Mansfield, made his decision. He ruled in favor of James Somerset. This meant James was free.

The judge wanted his decision to apply only to James's specific case. However, many people understood it to mean that slavery was now against the law in England and Wales. James Somerset himself seemed to believe this. He wrote to at least one enslaved person, encouraging them to leave their master.

We do not know what happened to James Somerset after 1772.

See also

• Jonathan Strong (slave)
• Somerset v Stewart
• Abolitionism in the United Kingdom
• Slavery in the British Isles