The ship's crew is shown preparing the ship to set sail for Africa. A large slave ship, like the Blandford, might have a crew of about 70 on the outward voyage to Africa and the Americas. The large crew was needed once the ship reached Africa and began slaving: the crew were both seamen and guards, in charge of the ship and the 'cargo' of enslaved Africans. The crew had to be taken from the home port, as the ship could nopt take on more crew in Africa. Once the ship reached the Americas and the enslaved Africans were sold, the captain often laid off many of the crew, as he only needed a small crew to sail the ship with a cargo of sugar or tobacco.

A detail shows the ship 'On the Coast of Africa Tradeing', though there is no known record of the Blandford as a slave ship sailing from Bristol.