Robert Bostock (slave trader, born 1743) facts for kids

Robert Bostock (born in 1743 in Tarvin, died in 1793 in Liverpool) was an English merchant involved in the slave trade. He was known as a very important "African merchant" during his time. His old letters, written between 1779 and 1792, have been very helpful for historians studying the slave trade from that period. These letters show how busy he was in his business. It's interesting to note that today, his family includes people of mixed race, with Aboriginal heritage.

Early life

Robert Bostock was the son of Peter Bostock, a joiner (someone who builds things with wood) who lived in Tarvin. His mother was Elizabeth Blease, but she sadly died soon after Robert was born. His father remarried two years later, but his second wife, Ann, also passed away in 1748.

Slave trader in Liverpool

Robert Bostock married Elizabeth Wilkinson in Tarvin in 1770. By 1772, he had moved to Liverpool, a major port city. He became a member of St Anne's Church there, even having three pews (seats) for his family. Charles Wilkinson, who was related to Robert's wife, worked as his agent in London. An agent helps with business deals. Charles later moved to the Rio Pongo in Africa, and Robert Bostock kept in touch with him through letters.

Slave trading voyages

Robert Bostock was involved in many voyages that transported enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean. These journeys were part of the terrible slave trade, where people were forcibly taken from their homes in Africa and sold in other parts of the world.

He owned several ships, including the Little Ben, Townside, Burrowes, Bostock, Matty and Betty, Bud, Bloom, and Jemmy. These ships sailed from Liverpool to the coast of Africa, where enslaved people were bought or captured. They were then forced onto the ships and taken to places in the Americas, like Dominica, South Carolina, Barbados, Jamaica, Antigua, and St Kitts.

Here are some examples of his voyages:

• In 1769, his ship Little Ben carried 79 enslaved Africans from Cape Mount to Dominica.
• In 1771, his ship Townside transported 197 enslaved Africans from the Windward Coast to Dominica.
• In 1773, his ship Burrowes took 220 enslaved Africans from the Windward Coast to Barbados.
• In 1776, the ship Bostock carried 328 enslaved Africans from Bonny to Saint Croix.
• Some voyages ended in disaster. For example, the Townside was shipwrecked near Cape Mount in 1773, and another Little Ben was shipwrecked off the coast of Africa in 1774.
• In 1777, the ship Matty and Betty was captured by an American privateer (a private ship authorized to attack enemy ships) off Barbados. The enslaved Africans on board were taken to Martinique.
• In 1783, the ship Bloom carried 307 enslaved Africans from Cape Mount to Antigua. In Antigua, Robert Bostock sold the enslaved people for a lot of money. He then bought goods like molasses and tobacco to take back to Liverpool. This trip alone made a profit of over £9,600, which was a huge amount of money at the time.
• In 1786, Bostock bought a schooner (a type of sailing ship) called Jemmy. He captained this ship himself. He acquired about 161 enslaved Africans from the Windward Coast and transported 150 of them to Antigua.

You can find more details about these voyages on the Slave Voyages database.