Thomas Daniel (merchant) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Daniel
Portrait of Thomas Daniel
Born	16 September 1762 Barbados
Died	6 April 1854 (Aged 91) Bristol
Occupation	Slave owner, sugar merchant, business man, local politician
Known for	Received one of the largest financial awards in UK when slavery was abolished. Tory who dominated politics in Bristol at the beginning of the 19th century. Pro-slavery.
Spouse(s)	Susanna Cave (married 1789)

Thomas Daniel (born 16 September 1762, died 6 April 1854) was a very powerful businessman in Bristol, England. He was known as the "King of Bristol" because he had so much influence in the city for over 50 years.

Daniel owned many plantations in the Americas where enslaved African people were forced to work. His family's companies, Thomas Daniel & Sons in Bristol and Thomas Daniel & Co. in London, were deeply involved in the slave economy. This meant they made money from the work of enslaved people.

When slavery was ended in 1834, the British Government paid money to slave owners as "compensation" for losing their enslaved people. Daniel's family received one of the largest payments in the UK. They were paid for owning 4,967 enslaved people.

Daniel also lent money to plantation owners. He and his brother were major lenders to estates in Barbados. This is why they received so much compensation: they became owners of plantations and the enslaved people on them when other plantations failed.

For many years, Daniel was a key member of groups in Bristol that fought against ending slavery. He was also a leading member of the Tory political party in Bristol. He served on the city's council for more than 56 years.

Despite his great power, not many people remember Thomas Daniel today. This is because he was not a philanthropist. He made a huge fortune from enslaved labor, but he did not give any of his money to the city of Bristol.

Early Life and Family

Thomas Daniel was born on 16 September 1762 in Barbados. His father, also named Thomas Daniel, was a slave owner and sugar merchant. The Daniel family had lived on the island for several generations.

In 1764, his father moved to Bristol, England. There, he started a successful business importing sugar that was produced by enslaved people. Even from England, he continued to own Blowers Plantation and enslaved people in Barbados.

In 1789, Thomas Daniel married Susanna Cave. They had six daughters and one son.

Daniel's Role in Bristol Politics

From 1785 to 1835, Thomas Daniel was a member of the Bristol Common Council. He held important positions like Alderman and Councillor. He was also the Sheriff of Bristol in 1786/7 and the Mayor in 1797/8.

For a long time, the Whig party was in charge of Bristol's council. But from 1812, Daniel and his fellow Tories took control. They had a lot of power until a new law changed local government in 1835.

Daniel was a very early member of the West India Association, which started in 1782. This group was the main way Bristol merchants talked to the government. They strongly argued against ending the slave trade. Daniel was a member for his entire life and held many important roles in the association.

He was also a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers. This group worked to protect the interests of plantation owners and anyone involved in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Daniel attended the first meeting against ending slavery held by this society in 1789.

Daniel's Business Activities

Thomas Daniel ran a sugar merchant business called Thomas Daniel & Sons in Bristol. He inherited this company from his father. They imported sugar that was produced by enslaved people from the Americas. He also worked with his brother John in a London company called Thomas Daniel & Co.

His Bristol company was one of the largest importers of slave-produced sugar into the city between 1735 and 1800. They imported a huge amount of sugar during this time.

Daniel owned or partly owned more than 25 ships between 1786 and 1831. These ships mostly sailed between Bristol and the Americas. They carried goods needed on plantations on the way out and slave-produced sugar on the way back.

He also provided mortgages (loans) to plantation owners. Between 1823 and 1843, he and his brother were the biggest lenders to estates in Barbados. They lent a lot of money, which meant they gained control of many plantations and the enslaved people on them when loans were not repaid.

Daniel was involved in many other businesses that were connected to the slave economy. He was a partner in a bank, had shares in the Bristol Dock Company, and owned parts of copper and iron companies. He also owned a lot of land in Bristol, which he rented out.

When the British Government passed the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, they paid £20 million to slave owners. This was to make up for the "loss" of their enslaved people, who were considered property. Daniel received £71,562 for 4,697 enslaved people on 29 plantations across several Caribbean islands. This amount would be worth about £10.7 million today.

Cultural and Charity Interests

Thomas Daniel helped start several important cultural places in Bristol that still exist today. These include the Bristol, Clifton and West of England Zoological Society (Bristol Zoo) and The Bristol Institution for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art (Bristol Museum and Art Gallery). He was also involved in the building of the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

He was president of Bristol charities like The Colston Society and The Dolphin Society. These groups were set up to copy the charity work of Edward Colston, another historical figure connected to slavery.

Daniel also supported the Red Maids School, a charity school in Bristol.

Daniel's Legacy

Thomas Daniel died on 6 April 1854, at the age of 92, at his home in Bristol. He was buried at St Mary's in Henbury, where he had a country home.

After his death, he was described as "amongst the mightiest of our city magnates." However, the obituary also noted that his ideas were seen as "traditions of the past."

In his will, Daniel left small amounts of money to his servants, family, and business partners. But he did not leave any money to charities. His fortune was said to be worth £200,000, all made from enslaved labor.

Today, Daniel's main home in Berkeley Square is a private club. His son, Thomas Daniel, continued to be involved in sugar plantations in the West Indies after slavery ended.

Danielstown

There is a place called "Danielstown" in Guyana (formerly British Guiana). It is believed to be named after the Daniel family. Stories say that an "Mr. Daniel," who owned a sugar factory, was very important in developing the village.

One story says that after slavery ended in 1834, Mr. Daniel sold his lands to formerly enslaved Africans. He supposedly sold his estates because they were no longer profitable without enslaved labor. A group of formerly enslaved Africans saved their money and bought Danielstown for £2000 in 1840.

The story also says that Mr. Daniel asked the new owners to rename the plantation "Danielstown" in his honor. He then donated money to help develop the village for the free Africans.

Historians are careful about whether this "Mr. Daniel" was Thomas Daniel himself. Because of his age and strong views against ending slavery, it's more likely that it refers to his son, Thomas Daniel (1798-1872). His son remained active as a landowner in the West Indies after slavery was abolished.