A bonus episode of the On the Record podcast from The National Archives will take a closer look at the records of Britain’s Colonial Office.
The office was responsible for Britain’s colonies at various points throughout the eighteenth to twentieth centuries. It issued instructions to colonial governors, authorised expenditure and determined the broad direction of policies for the Empire
This episode of the podcast covers the stories of everyday people living under British rule. It starts with a 1921 letter from black sailors in Wales to the Prime Minister, a letter strongly influenced by the black nationalist movement called Garveyism.
It’s followed by a closer look at a journal of a 17th century slave trading ship and what it tells us about the transatlantic slave trade.
There’s also a look at African soldiers fighting in the First World War and details of how you can explore more about the collection yourself.
On the Record: Colonial Office Records is available from tomorrow, 25 August on most podcast platforms.
