By Simon P. Newman

Freedom Seekers: Escaping from Slavery in Restoration London reveals the hidden stories of enslaved and bound people who attempted to escape from captivity in England’s capital. In 1655 White Londoners began advertising in the English-speaking world’s first newspapers for enslaved people who had escaped. Based on the advertisements placed in these newspapers by masters and enslavers offering rewards for so-called runaways, this book brings to light for the first time the history of slavery in England as revealed in the stories of resistance by enslaved workers. Featuring a series of case-studies of individual "freedom-seekers", this book explores the nature and significance of escape attempts as well as detailing the likely routes and networks they would take to gain their freedom. The book demonstrates that not only were enslaved people present in Restoration London but that White Londoners of this era were intimately involved in the construction of the system of racial slavery, a process that traditionally has been regarded as happening in the colonies rather than the British Isles. An unmissable and important book that seeks to delve into Britain’s colonial past.

London: University of London Press, 2022.

By The University of Nottingham Rights Lab

This report presents the findings and recommendations arising from an 18-month research project, conducted between February 2021 and July 2022, which used feminist, participatory, action research methods to investigate the vulnerability to modern slavery of paid, migrant, live-in care workers in London. Live-in care represents a specific segment of the adult social care sector in England. Live-in care workers stay in their client’s home and provide around-the-clock presence and personal assistance as required with activities of daily living (for example, getting around, dressing and washing) to enable people with care and support needs to live independently in the community or remain at home with intensive and often specialised support (as opposed to moving to a care home for example). Our research sought to understand better the risks and drivers of vulnerability to modern slavery and severe forms of labour exploitation. There have been long-standing concerns about severe forms of exploitation in the UK in the care sector. The Director of Labour Market Enforcement has identified adult social care as a sector where the danger of labour exploitation is high, with live-in and agency care workers believed to be at particular risk. A specialised form of domestic work, live-in carers delivering personalised care in the home are considered vulnerable. A total of 14 semi-structured peer interviews and two peer-led focus groups were conducted with live-in migrant care workers from Hungary, Poland, South Africa and Zimbabwe. An additional three practice interviews were carried out by peer researchers with each other, which informed the research but were not used in the analysis.

London: Trust for London, 2022. 43p.

By Clifford Griffith Roe.

In the past those engaged in the girl slave traffic have managed to cast a veil of mystery about that business by keeping their operations secret. In their attempt at concealment they have been unconsciously aided by the public at large, by ministers, reformers and' social workers, since the latter too often have been unwilling to talk about the details of a subject so revolting. Yet, this very secrecy has been the chief cause of the success of the nefarious system, for it has hidden from the young girls, who are in the greatest danger, all the methods and devices by which they may be entrapped. Since this, the aiding of the evil elements in their worst phases, has been the effect of our scrupulous nicety and dislike for discussing ugly things, it is evident that we must pursue a different course. In order to save hundreds from a life, horrible be- yond words, we must cast aside all false notions of modesty. We must bring to light the methods of those engaged in the business, for we can eliminate it only by education, publicity, legislation and law enforcement. With the earnest belief that this is the only means of exterminating the panders who procure girls and sell them into slavery, I have tried in the following pages to set forth thoroughly and honestly the details of the white slave traffic and to explain the artifices and methods of the panders. The facts which appear in these pages were thrust upon me in the court room. There I heard the terrible stories of the victims, and when I learned of the vast proportions of this atrocious business, I felt I would indeed be unmindful of my duty if I did not use every effort within my power to eradi- cate this evil. In mentioning specific immoral houses in the following pages, I have purposely omitted their names and locations in order to pre-vent advertising these places. The surnames of girls who were procured have likewise been omitted for obvious reasons.

New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1910. 224p.