Swellendam Slave Lists 1816 - 1838 Database

The database primarily contains records of slave registrations that were made mandatory by the British from 1816 onwards. The compulsory registration of all slaves was an initiative to distinguish the slave population from manumitted former slaves and prize slaves or prize negroes, as they were sometimes referred to in the records. Before 1816 only slaves belonging to the VOC were registered. Slavery was abolished by the British at the Cape on 01 December 1834 but slaves had to serve a four year "apprenticeship".  On 01 December 1838 all forms of forced labour was ended and slavery officially came to an end. Where no exact birthdate is given, the stated year of birth is an approximation by the slave owner.

Slave records - South African National Archives

Archive copying by Lara Seaward