Gloucestershire Record Office References to Black & Asian People, pre-1939

Here are the first 10 entries. Please download PDF Here for all 68 records.


Place Reference Date Content Notes
Bisley P47 IN 1/1 22 November 1603 John Davies ‘ye black’ was buried. Difficult to be sure that ‘black’ refers to his skin.
Arlingham P23 IN 1/3 4 December 1668 Hannah, daughter of Thomas Liston, a Barbados merchant was baptised most probably white.
Great Badminton P32 CW 2/1 1678 ‘Gave unto 3 men that came from Barbadus: 8d’ probably white indentured labourers returning to England.
Great Badminton P32 CW 2/1 1678 ‘Gave unto 5 men that had been 3 years in slavery: 1s 8d’ could be black slaves; could be white sailors captured by Barbary pirates & enslaved in N.Africa or Turkey
Driffield P120 IN 1/1 5 June 1687 Jacob the servant of George Hanger Esq ‘a moore’ was baptised.  
Great Barrington P36 IN 1/2 9 September 1705 George Tudor, ‘a native of the Kingdom of Golconda', was baptised. Golconda was the former name of Hyderabad.
Newnham on Severn Q/SO4 1714-24 Easter 1715 John Prince ‘a black boy lately bought into England’ was apprenticed to John Trigge, Attorney at Law.  
Nympsfield P234 IN 1/1 31 December 1719 Daniel ‘a black stranger’ buried  
English Bicknor Dean Forest Mercury21/9/84 6 November 1721 Charles [Ashume] ' a black servant to Mr George Wyrall who departed this life…aged about 24'. Gravestone inscription - no reference to colour in parish register.

Please download PDF Here for all 68 records.