Olaudah Equiano (Gustavus Vassa)

Writer and Abolitionist

In St Margaret's church Westminster is an oval memorial tablet to author and slave abolitionist Olaudah Equiano who was baptized in that church when he was a enslaved. It was unveiled, at the west end near the font, on 9th February 2009 by the Archbishop of York, and the sculptor was Marcia Bennett-Male.

The inscription reads:

'THE AFRICAN' OLAUDAH EQUIANO Baptized Gustavus Vassa in this church 9 February 1759, Author and Abolitionist

His life

He was born in Africa (probably modern day Nigeria) in 1745 and was a slave in various countries from the age of eleven. His enslaved name was Gustavus Vassa. One of his masters, Captain Michael Pascal, allowed him to be baptized in St Margaret's. He served with him in the Seven Years' War against France. Having acquired some education from British sailors he was able to do some trading on his voyages and eventually to buy his freedom in 1768.

He worked as a hairdresser in London and then returned to sea on various expeditions including one to the Arctic when Horatio Nelson was part of the group. Later he became a leading figure in the British debate for slave trade abolition (which happened in 1807). He spent some time in America.

On 7th April 1792 he married Susanna Cullen at Soham church in Cambridgeshire, and they had two daughters Ann Maria and Joanna. He died in London on 31st March 1797. His date of burial, 6th April, and original place of interment has only lately been discovered by the Equiano Society. This was in part of the Whitfield cemetery attached to a chapel built by George Whitefield, evangelical preacher. All burials were cleared in 1856 and the site is now a garden. A plaque was unveiled nearby in what is now the American International Church near Tottenham Court Road. Equiano had been connected with the committee for the Relief of the Black Poor in Warren Street and many of those who benefitted from this worshipped at Whitfield's church.