Cape Town Slave Lists 1816 - 1838 (T - V)

! Sensitivity : It is crucial to handle this database with care and a strong sense of responsibility. Many of the terms used were originally assigned by the VOC (Dutch East India Company) and often do not reflect how individuals and groups identified themselves. The terms themselves can be misleading, as they oversimplify the complex social realities experienced by people at the time.

This database may also contains terms that are considered derogatory, offensive, or harmful. The concepts within it are deeply connected to a history of colonial violence, enslavement, and racism that persisted both during and after the VOC's existence.

This database includes records of Cape Town slave registrations mandated by the British starting in 1816. Slavery was abolished by the British at the Cape on December 1, 1834; however, slaves were required to undergo a four-year "apprenticeship." On December 1, 1838, all forms of forced labor were eliminated, marking the official end of slavery.

If no specific birthdate is provided in the register, the listed year of birth is an estimate made by the slave owner. The names of slave owners in these records highlight the universal nature of the slave trade and its social acceptance or tolerance, even among former slaves.

Slave records - South African National Archives

Archive copying by Lara Seaward

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