A quilt square design incorporating the iconic plan of a slave ship. Courtesy Parliamentary Archives
A quilt has gone on display in Westminster Hall designed by members of the public and MPs during last year’s International Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition Day.
Those visiting last year’s exhibition, Parliament and the British Slave Trade 1600-1807 held in Westminster Hall to mark the 200th anniversary of the passing of the British Slave trade Act 1807 were asked to make a square for the quilt reflecting their thoughts and feelings on the exhibition and the subject of slavery and emancipation.
The quilt has now been completed and has gone on show in time for this year’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition on August 23. This day also closely coincides with the passing of the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act which gained Royal Assent on October 28 1833.
Deputy Curator of the Palace of Westminster, Melanie Unwin explained how the quilt was made: “Some of the squares were done on the day, some were sent into us and some designs were emailed to us.”
Slavery is recognised as not only being about history. Courtesy Parliamentary Archives
“People picked up on the idea of chains and freedom and others have used African symbols. We had a writing workshop on the day as well and some of the designs reflect that experience."
"People spent so much time cutting out patterns from the fabric, some of the squares are just beautiful. Those that were made on the day during a visit to the exhibition show real feeling.”
MPs who contributed designs included David Cameron, Sidiq Khan and Simon Hughes.
The squares were made using a mixture of drawing, patchwork, embroidery, fabric paints and images. Some use just images and some use words and many use a mixture of the two. All age groups are represented.
They have been appliquéd on to old curtains – made from fabrics designed by Commons architect, Gilbert Scott. The curtains came from the two Houses of Parliament.
The fabric comes in the regulation parliamentary colours – red for the Lords and green for the Commons. The quilt is divided into two panels of each colour each measuring eight feet by four feet.
An extract from the Bill of 1833, now digitised on the Parliament and the British Slave Trade website. Courtesy Parliamentary Archives
The work of sewing the 290 squares on to the backing fabric fell to Diane Hedditch, Educational Visitors Officer at the Houses of Parliament, and her daughter, Emily.
With public tours filling Westminster Hall and many visitors attending the current exhibition, Your Parliament, the quilt will be seen by hundreds of people before the display is taken down at the end of next week. It will then be kept forever in the archives but will be put on display at various events and occasions.
Today, August 22 2008, also sees the publication of extracts from The Bill to abolish slavery in the British colonies, which received royal assent on 28 August 1833.
Digitised images from this historic document have gone online at Parliament and the British Slave Trade 1600 - 1807
See our feature on the events taking place to mark this year’s International Day for the Remembrance of Slavery.
