How it all came about?

The question has arisen many times.  How did the Centre for Contemporary Ministry (CCM), an educational charity based in Bedfordshire get involved in a major national project?

CCM's base, Moggerhanger Park, has historic links with the Thornton family and William Wilberforce. They were cousins, and all highly involved in the 18th century abolition of the slave trade.  CCM has done in-depth research into the work of the Abolitionists and believes their objectives and strategy have relevance in the 21st century.  The Project Director, Dr Clifford Hill, author of The Wilberforce Connection, says 'Wilberforce's application of his Christian faith to the great social issues of his day provided the dynamic and persistence to change the course of world history.  That kind of dynamic is needed today.'

So how come the slave ship?

Some two years ago it was decided to mount a major exhibition of slavery past and present at Moggerhanger Park in honour of the work of Wilberforce and the 'Clapham Group' of Abolitionists.  We talked about making a model of a slave ship to give visible evidence of the horrible conditions endured by the slaves on their two months voyage across the Atlantic from Africa to the Caribbean islands.

Then we heard that the replica wooden 18th century sailing ship used in shooting the film Amazing Grace (about the slave trade and the work of Wilberforce and John Newton) was moored at Charlestown in Cornwall.  So we got in touch with the owners and arranged to rent it for two weeks in March 2007 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade and sail it up the River Thames to London and open it to the public.

We thought of mooring up alongside HMS Belfast so we talked to the Navy and they said, 'If you rent the slave ship we will send a warship to escort it up the in the same way as if we had captured a ship involved in illegal slave trading after the Abolition of 1807.  As ‘The Zong’ came in, the Navy sent HMS Northumberland, complete with helicopter on board for TV cameramen to get aerial shots of the two ships coming through Tower Bridge at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday 29th March 2007.