Uncle Tom and Little Eva

Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807 and slavery in 1834. In the United States of America, the slave trade was abolished in 1808, but slavery continued until 1865. In Britain, the Abolitionists started a new campaign in 1839, to end slavery throughout the world, and many British people were involved. Harriet Beecher Stowe's book, Uncle Tom's Cabin, was a moving account of American slavery. The market for these Staffordshire earthenware figures of Uncle Tom shows the support in Britain for the American emancipation campaign. When William Wells Brown, born into slavery in America, visited Bristol in 1850, he praised the Clifton Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society for their work for the cause.

Na2107 (image/tiff)
Acknowledgement: ©Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives Acknowledgement: ©Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives

Summary

: Na2107

: Applied Art

: figure group: Uncle Tom & Eva

: Seated black male figure, his right foot raised on tied bale, his right arm around the skirt of a young white girl who stands on his right thigh. He is dressed in white trousers, open jacket and shirt, with gilt stripes on trousers and left sleeve, black shoes; a flower garland around his neck, a yellow hat in his left hand. She has red hair in ringlets and wears a white dress with gilt details, over pantaloons and blue boots; her left arm is around man's neck, in her right hand she holds a flower branch. All on irregular shaped base with gilt line around 2 sides; modelled flower spray on ground. Inscribed on base: ' UNCLE TOM ' [lettering raised and detailed in gilt]

Uncle Tom and Little Eva

Current Location

On Display at M Shed, Bristol People Gallery

: Staffordshire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) / England, Northern Europe, Europe

:

: 1860-1870

: Purchased, 2001.

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