A newly formed group of British descendants of prominent families that benefited from the slave trade is backing slavery reparations sought by Caribbean nations. The support comes from heirs who say their families accumulated wealth through plantation ownership tied to slavery, and who have taken public steps such as apologies and personal payments.
According to reporting, co-founder Laura Trevelyan says she was unaware of her family’s involvement until she examined an archive of compensation claims tied to Britain’s 1833 abolition of slavery. She helped establish the “Heirs of Slavery” group, which supports “reparative justice,” and has directed voluntary personal reparations of about £100,000 toward education projects with other family members.
Other outlets also frame the story as unexpected backing for reparations, highlighting additional group members including descendants associated with former prime minister William Gladstone and the Earl of Harewood. Coverage differs mainly in emphasis and length, with one outlet providing more detail about the archive research, apologies made in Grenada and Guyana in 2023, and the group’s funding focus.
