Palm Oil and Elephant Tusks: The Merchant Kings of Bristol

By Chris Heal

Issue 22, Autumn 2010 pp 14-19

‘Over the years of the slave trade Bristol’s merchants learned the best combination of ‘sortings’ to facilitate their business in the West Indies. It was an eclectic, international collection of trade goods containing, for instance Maldive cowries, Manchester cottons, Birmingham guns, Swedish iron bars, Bristol copper and glassware, West Indian rum, Virginian tobacco and South Gloucestershire felt hats. The goods were used as customs duties and homage for the coastal kings, ‘dash’ payments for African middlemen, and barter for slaves’.


Only Associate Members of the Regional History Centre can access full articles.

Please log in to access the article

Leave a Reply