Val. Shawcross CBE: GLA member for Southwark & lambeth,
Mr 'Femi Falana. Dir.ic2: Alice Ukoko.Dir WOA(Women of Africa)
at the exhibition.
Slaves of Rapparee Exhibition
Wreck of the London
To commemorate the bicentennial of parliamentary act to abolish Slave trade and to celebrate Black History Month, ic2 ran the Slaves of Rapparee exhibition in October 2007.
The Slaves of Rapparee exhibition is an adaptation of the book by author Pat Barrow. A factual story about a merchant ship "The London" that sank in Rapparee cove in Ilfracombe North Devon in 1796 with about 100 prisoners of war and children on board mostly Black.
The exhibition attracted visitors from all backgrounds and many other public figures.
A visitor comment sums up the success of the exhibition thus:
"Fascinating information which should be more widely distributed. Thank you for mounting this exhibition"- M. Baldwin. Hants.
The exhibiton had wider impact as a result of the resurgence generated by the exhibition leading to the publication of a lead article on the Slaves of Rapparee in the Guardian of Tuesday 6th November 2007 page 16 with the headline:
"Prisoners or Slaves New row over wreck's bones".
There was also a full page lead article in the Western Morning News in Devon SW, source of the story published on the 7th of November 07.
A further development as a result of publicity generated by the exhibition is a BBC series starting next year titled Bone Kickers, about the discovery of murdered 18th century slaves on a beach.
Our thanks to the Mayor of Southwark Cllr. Bob Skelly, Linda Bellos, Valerie Shawcross, Caroline Pidgeon, Cllr Kingsley Abrams and all other visitors for their support and for honouring our invitation.
The Book Val. Shawcross CBE: GLA member for Southwark & lambeth, 
Mr 'Femi Falana. Dir.ic2: Alice Ukoko.Dir WOA(Women of Africa)at the exhibition.