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Campaigns: Activity 1

 Harry Harper, One Little Cross and The Fight against Injustice

Background:
In the eighteenth century members of Christian religious group The Religious Society of Friends or Quakers owned land in and traded with Britain's Caribbean and America Colonies. Some traded in or used slaves from Africa.
This went against the Quaker belief that every person is of equal value to God and from 1760 the Quakers began to oppose the slave trade and the ownership of slave plantations.
Harry Gandy was a Quaker who had been a slaveship captain. He helped fellow Quaker Thomas Clarkson find out about the cruel things which happened on Bristol slave ships.
Harry Gandy was a captain of two slave ships, but came to Bristol to campaign against the trade. He wrote about the trade and tried to help black people in Bristol. Gandy tried to help a young Caribbean seaman called Harry Harper in Bristol who was about to be forced back into slavery in 1796. Harper could not read and was forced 'to put his cross' on a document which took away his freedom.

In this letter to Grenville Sharp, Harry Gandy describes what happened to Harry Harper. Harry Harper had sailed from Dominica in the ship, the Levant and was now in Newgate prison in Bristol. Harry Gandy went to visit Harry Harper in prison with Thomas Mills.

4th August 1796 Captain Alleyn of the ship Levant, arrived about 15 days ago from Dominca and brought with him a young man of colour named Harry Harper, who is now in Newgate under an Arrest at the Captain's Suit for £10 and upwards. The knowledge whereof led, me with Thomas Mills (another of the anti-slavery committee here) to visit the young man in prison, who told us he had a very severe Master in Dominico and being acquainted with one of Captain Alleyne's sailors, he got, with his cloaths, through his assistance privately on board and concealed himself there so that the Captain knew nothing of the matter till they had been 2 or 3 days at Sea from the island; when the Captain ordered him on deck, and to work as one of the sailors, which he ways he performed, even to going aloft day and night, with all diligence and that during the passage, which was about 34 days, he messed with the sailors but never drank anything stronger than water, that 2 days after they arrived in Kingroad, the Captain with some other gentlemen came on board, when the Captain called him into the cabin, and took a piece of parchment and told him he must sign it to which harry harper said, no Captain, for I can neither read nor write, and therefore, he said, he could not do it. To this the Captain said he must make his mark, and that he would teach him to write, and thereupon took him by the wrist of his right arm, and forcibly directed his hand to make a cross, on the parchment before the mate and another person whom we afterwards found was the owner's clerk. This is the tale of Harry Harper, who seems a simple-minded sensible young man, tho' an African born.

Task 1: True or false? Decide whether the statements below are true or false - clicking on the words 'true' or 'false' will tell you whether you are right or wrong.

Harry Harper had a kind master in Dominica
Harry Harper hid on the ship
Harry Harper did not take anything with him from Dominica.
We do not know the name of the ship on which Harry Harper sailed.
The Captain let Harry Harper work on the ship.
Harry Harper worked hard on the ship.
The ship took 100 days to sail from Dominica to Bristol.
Harry Harper ate and drank beer with the sailors
Harry Harper could read and write.
The Captain forced Harry Harper to sign the parchment.
Black sailors tried to help Harry Harper escape a cruel master in Dominico.

Task 2. Use Harry Gandy's letter to fill in the gaps in the story below which Harry Harper told Harry Gandy in prison. Either do this on a sheet of paper, or print off a copy and fill in the gaps

'I had a very harsh master in Dominico. I made friends with one of Captain Alleyne's sailors. This sailor helped me to board the ship and hid me. After we had sailed for about _______ or______ Days , the Captain ordered me to go on deck. I worked as one of the sailors and even climbed the masts. The voyage took about ______ days and I ate with the sailors and drank only water. Two days after we arrived in Kingroad, Captain Alleyne called me to his cabin. He told me to sign my name on a piece of parchment. I said no, because _______________________ The Captain said I must make a mark and he forced me to write a cross.' Harry Harper's Testimony to Harry Gandy in Newgate Prison, Bristol 4th August, 1796

Harry Harper had been forced to sign a contract in which he agreed to work for no wages in exchange for food and clothing. Harry Harper refused to follow this contract and had been put in prison.

Task 3. We do not know what happened to Harry Harper - Write down what you think happened