In conclusion, Swansea’s involvement in the slave trade was intricate and
extensive, spanning from the seventeenth century until the late nineteenth
century. The expansion of colonial markets provided an opportunity to make
copper goods such as pans and stills, which were exported to the West Indies for
sugar and rum production. The investment from Bristol merchants enabled
Swansea copperworks to produce goods such as copper rods and manillas that
were exported to Africa and used to purchase slaves. Although it could be argued
that Wales was not directly involved as it did not have the capital to invest in
slave voyages, Swansea copper formed part of the cargoes exported elsewhere.
It seems that Swansea also indirectly contributed to the slave trade through
contractual agreements with the East India Company, as the copper exported to
India was traded for goods and re-exported to Africa. In addition, the copper
supplied to the Royal Navy also indirectly facilitated the slave trade as sheathing
their vessels ensured security for slave ships whose owners also sheathed their
vessels to reduce voyage time. Despite the emergence of an anti-slavery
movement in towns throughout Britain from the late eighteenth century, it was
not until the nineteenth century that men and women in Swansea joined the
campaign. Even so, companies involved with the Swansea copperworks
continued to profit from slavery, as slaves mined ore in El Cobre that was
imported to meet the demand in Swansea, and it was not until the crisis in Cuba
that ultimately ended Swansea’s links with the slave trade. Indeed, Swansea was
not as involved in the slave trade in the same manner as the large ports of Bristol
and Liverpool, but its contribution was nonetheless significant.
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