A single word has led to a groundbreaking discovery that reshapes our understanding of British history.
Historically, composer and abolitionist Charles Ignatius Sancho was believed to be Britain’s first Black voter, participating in the 1774 Westminster election due to his status as a property owner in Mayfair.
However, a surprising find by Dr. Gillian Williamson, a historian delving into Georgian London’s lodgers at the British Library, reveals that a Black man had actually voted 25 years earlier.
This finding highlights John London, a pub landlord in the capital, who cast a vote in 1749. His story sheds new light on an era where London’s Black population was around 10,000, and though the democratic process was limited, it was dynamic.
Dr. Williamson noted that as a Westminster ratepayer, London was among only 14% of people entitled to vote. However, during the heated Westminster by-election in November 1749, his right to vote came under scrutiny.
