Robert Wedderburn

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For the Scottish poet, see Robert Wedderburn (poet)

Robert Wedderburn was born during 1762 in Jamaica, the son of an enslaved African called Rosanna and a slave master named James Wedderburn who was born in Scotland and owned a sugar plantation in Jamaica. Rosanna was sold to Lady Douglas, stipulating that the child (Robert) should be free from birth.

Wedderburn arrived to the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1778 and became a tailor. He was converted to Christianity by a Wesleyan preacher, and later was converted to Methodism.

Politically, he was influenced by Thomas Spence and published a book against slavery, The Horrors of Slavery, in 1824.

When Wedderburn visited his father at Inveresk on the outskirts of Edinburgh, his father disavowed him and he was sent away with some small beer and a bent sixpence.

Robert Wedderburn was able to open his own Unitarian chapel in Hopkins Street in Soho in London to promote his message.

He campaigned for freedom of speech and in 1831, at the age of 68, he was arrested and sent to Giltspur Street Prison. Wedderburn wrote a letter to Francis Place from prison that serves as his last mention in the historical record. He might have died in prison but the exact year is unknown.