08/10/2026
In 1830, a man named William John Brown arrived in Belfast under extraordinary circumstances.
Once enslaved in Virginia, William had secured his freedom, married and built a family in Baltimore. But years later, slave speculators abducted him from his home, stole his freedom papers and sold him back into slavery.
His remarkable journey eventually brought him to Belfast — hidden inside a bale of cotton aboard a trading vessel bound for the town.
When he was discovered, William appeared before the Belfast Police Court, supported by members of the Society of Friends. There, he told his story and was finally declared a free man.
But William’s story did not have a happy ending. He died in Belfast just a year later, aged around fifty, and was buried in an unmarked grave. His wife and five children remained enslaved in America.
Read the full article story here: https://cliftonbelfast.com/news/black-history-month-william-john-brown-and-his-escape-from-slavery/
And there’s more to come this Black History Month. Dr Jonathan Wright will be joining us at Clifton House on Monday 26 October for our annual Black History Month talk. We’d love you to join us for what promises to be a fascinating afternoon.
Book online at www.CliftonBelfast.com
