1810 SLAVERY | ABOLITION. Psalm Book of One of the Most Notorious Slave Owners in England

What a wonderful and tragic little piece of history. This sleek, full red leather edition of the Psalms was a presentation copy to William Barton, Esq, Mayor of Liverpool. Barton was one third of the Liverpool shipping firm, Barton, Irlam, and Higginson. Sensing the change in England, the firm kept their own fleet clear of charges of slave trading, opting instead to concentrate on moving slave goods, i.e. cotton, sugar, etc.,

That said, their hands were filthy with slave blook. The firm owned plantations in Barbados which owned thousands of slaves. The "British Slave-Owners Legacy" project denotes them as one of the largest slave owners in Barbados. The firm nearly owned the sugar cane production during the early part of the 19th century. Their history is detailed in "The Economics of Emancipation" by K. M. Butler. 

Brady & Tait. The New Version of the Psalms of David, Fitted to the Tunes Used in Churches. London. Company of Stationers. 1810. 

Absolutely charming straightgrain red leather binding with raised bands, gold tooling, and the presentation to William Barton embossed in the front cover. Very good condition.