Cod has given a very detailed response, but I would just add that though there may not appear to be a DIRECT link between Aberdeenshire or North-East Scotland and the slave trade, one should certainly consider the possible involvement of the Scottish ship-building industry in the slave trade. Though Bristol & Liverpool were probably the two most important slave-trading ports in Britain, they must have acquired their ships somewhere, and the most likely source would seem to me to be Scottish shipyards. In addition, the Scots were huge land-owners (often absentee landlords) with large sugar estates in several West Indian islands (in particular, but not only, in St. Vincent, Tobago, and to some extent Jamaica). Moreover, many of the attorneys, factors, overseers etc. of sugar estates may have been Scots (good with money???). David Dobson's books on Scots in The West Indies are indeed an obvious start for examining possible links. Ernest M. Wiltshire -----Original Message----- On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 5:04 PM To: [email protected] Subject: FW: Bicentenary of Abolition of the Slave Trade Dear Members I'm forwarding an email I received from David Atherton, an Arts & Education Officer in Aberdeen, currently developing a project for schools in the north-east of Scotland. I'm wondering if any of you can help/advise him? Tony T ------ Forwarded Message From: [email protected] ...The project that I am pursuing is very much based on the African experience of slavery; of the great Diaspora that occurred between the 17th and 19th centuries. My probelm is making this relevant to the North-east of Scotland, where there appears to have been little DIRECT link with slavery.... Any ideas? David Atherton No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.16/1250 - Release Date: 1/29/2008 10:20 PM