Jonathan Strong (–1773) was an enslaved person and subject of one of the earliest legal cases relating to

slavery in Britain Slavery in Britain existed before the Roman occupation and until the 11th century, when the Norman conquest of England resulted in the gradual merger of the pre-conquest institution of slavery into serfdom, and all slaves were no longer recogni ...

and the British abolitionist movement. It is not known where Strong was born, but he was brought to Britain from the British colony of

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...

by a Barbadian lawyer and

slave trade Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

r, David Lisle. On 22 July 1765, when he was fifteen or sixteen years old, Strong was baptised at

St Leonard's, Shoreditch St Leonard's, Shoreditch, is the ancient parish church of Shoreditch, often known simply as Shoreditch Church. It is located at the intersection of Shoreditch High Street with Hackney Road, within the London Borough of Hackney in East London. The ...

. Many enslaved

black people Black is a racialized classification of people, usually a political and skin color-based category for specific populations with a mid to dark brown complexion. Not all people considered "black" have dark skin; in certain countries, often in s ...

at this time thought that they became free upon baptism, and it is possibly this fact that prompted his enslaver to severely assault him and leave Strong on the street. Strong later recalled that he could barely see or walk as a result of his injuries, but he made his way to the house of William Sharp, a surgeon who treated poor Londoners at his house free of charge. There, he was seen by William's brother Granville. William said that Strong "seemed ready to die" when he first arrived, and he and his brother both gave Strong money for clothes and food. William arranged for him to be treated at

St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by Rahere (died ...

, where Strong received over four months of treatment. The Sharps paid for his treatment and, when he was fit enough, found him employment as an errand runner with a Quaker

apothecary ''Apothecary'' () is a mostly archaic term for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses '' materia medica'' (medicine) to physicians, surgeons, and patients. The modern chemist (British English) or pharmacist (British and North Ameri ...

friend of theirs at a building near William's office. Strong worked there until Lisle saw Strong serving as a

footman A footman is a male domestic worker employed mainly to wait at table or attend a coach or carriage. Etymology Originally in the 14th century a footman denoted a soldier or any pedestrian, later it indicated a foot servant. A running footman deli ...

on the pharmacist's coach. Viewing Strong as his property, Lisle sold him to a Jamaican slave trader, James Kerr, and had him kidnapped and placed in a city jail. Strong got a message to Granville Sharp, who immediately took the legality of his detention up with the

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional powe ...

who in turn convened those laying claim to Strong. In court, Kerr's attorney produced the bill of sales from when Lisle sold Strong to Kerr. That was not enough to convince the Lord Mayor because Strong was imprisoned without ''

habeas corpus ''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, t ...

'' or a clear cause, and so he liberated Strong. Afterwards, a West India captain named David Laird grabbed Strong's arm and claimed he would take him as Kerr's property. Sharp, at the suggestion of Thomas Beech, the Coroner of London, threatened to charge Laird with assault should he attempt to take Strong by force. Laird let go of Strong and everyone who had been summoned departed without further dispute. Lisle challenged Granville Sharp to a

duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...

, but he declined, telling Lisle that he could expect satisfaction from the law. Kerr started a lawsuit against Sharp, claiming that he unlawfully had deprived him of Strong, his property. However, as a result of Sharp's legal arguments claiming that the

laws of England English law is the common law legal system of England and Wales, comprising mainly criminal law and civil law, each branch having its own courts and procedures. Principal elements of English law Although the common law has, historically, be ...

did not sanction slavery, Kerr's lawyers decided against pursuing the case, and Kerr had to pay treble costs in 1774, after Strong's death, for wasting the court's time. Strong remained free until he died in London on 19 April 1773, aged 25. His young age at death may have been a result of the beatings given by Lisle.

References

{{Reflist 1747 births 1748 births 1773 deaths 18th-century slaves Black British former slaves

See also

References