Bristol Quakers and Enslavement (by Julia Bush and Claire Pickard-Cambridge)

Presentation given by Claire Pickard-Cambridge at the Bristol Conference of the Society for Caribbean Studies in July 2025

The work I am going to discuss today was done by Bristol-based former academic historian Julia Bush and myself. We are members of Bristol Quaker Meeting, which is part of a worldwide organisation formally titled the Religious Society of Friends. This Society originated in 17th century Britain, towards the end of the English Civil War, when George Fox drew together a band of preachers and inspired thousands of people to uproot the religious and political authority of the established Church.

The wider … Read on ...

Solidarity with Palestine

The genocide in Gaza continues, alongside murder and ethnic cleansing on the West Bank. The people of the Caribbean have long expressed their solidarity with the people of Palestine, but now that the Israeli state has increased its assault following its brutal attack on Iran, we need to consider how we can increase our activity.

Speakers:

  • Sybil C, Palestine Solidarity Campaign (UK) and Tower Hamlets-Jenin Friendship Association
  • Dr Dylan Vernon, Executive Director at the Belize Policy Research Institute, University of Belize
  • Nadine Finch, Caribbean Labour Solidarity

CAMPAIGN FOR ANTI-RACIST IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY LAWS

CHAIR: Victoria Holmes
Member of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC)

SPEAKERS

  • Harsev Bains Indian Workers Association
  • Nadine Finch Hon. Senior Policy Fellow, University of Bristol
  • Luke Daniels Caribbean Labour Solidarity
  • Tony Conway Status Now Network
  • Shahriar Bin Ali Bengali Workers Council

We need to challenge the anti-migrant rhetoric and government policies. The language used by the prime minister and other politicians is incendiary. Already people on work visas are victimised. Already people wait too long to get a right for British citizenship. Britain has many problems which won’t be solved by attacking the most vulnerable.