info@grimke.co.uk
31 St John's Road, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1LX
31 St John's Road, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1LX
2007 was an eventful year. As you know it commemorated the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade, with the Act being passed in Parliament in 1807. It also marked a pivotal moment in my own journey
The culmination of powerful events during 2007 brought me to a final resolution on where I now stand on the issue of apology for slavery – which I shall come to in a moment.
As a result of my experiences I am making plans for speaking tours in 2008 and am making connections with schools and colleges, and other agencies and organisations. This is particularly relevant in view of the fact that the history and legacy of slavery will form part of the National Curriculum later this year.
My talk is entitled “From Slavery to Reconciliation – A Personal Viewpoint” and includes a PowerPoint presentation. My aim is to provoke people into thinking in new ways about the past and how it effects the present so that we move into a better future, based on respect, no matter what the colour of a person’s skin, nor their background. If you know of someone who would be interested in hosting my talk, I would be very pleased to hear from them. Read More
Before I embark on a historical record of the family, it is important to emphasize that my knowledge is partial and based on the facts at my disposal. It may very well be that in future I shall have to revise any observations which I make, in the interests of accuracy and integrity.
My name is Bill Grimke-Drayton, and I am British. However, I am a direct descendant of two slave-owning families from Charleston in South Caronlina. My great-great grandfather, Theodore Drayton Grimke, left the States shortly before the Civil War of 1861-1865, taking up a position in his father-in-law's business in Lancashire, England.
He had met his English wife-to-be on the so-called Grand Tour of Europe. What were his thoughts as he left his home? I believe he was greatly influenced by the radical views of this aunts, the famous abolitionists, Sarah Moore Grimke and Angelina Grimke (wife of Theodore Dwight Weld). All resided in the north, and would certainly not have been welcome back in Charleston, I believe that Theodore Drayton Grimke through his associations would have known that the north with it's industrial might would eventually win the war....