“Scotland’s role in the slave trade has long been a contentious issue. In modern times, a myth of denial has evolved. It has been almost casually accepted that ‘it wisnae us’.

The level of Scots’ involvement has been disputed at all levels, including numbers of slave ships and the extent of the wealth produced through ‘chattel slavery’. One common misconception is that no slave ships left from Scottish ports.

In all, there were twenty-seven recorded slave voyages that left Scottish ports, a further four were funded from Scotland. The majority of them left from Glasgow’s ports. The number of african slaves transported on these Scottish slave voyages was c.5,000, with Glasgow ships carrying some 3,000 of the total.

Scots were involved at all levels in the slave trade – as suppliers, financiers and independent slave traders.” – Dr Stephen Mullen, UoG