Come along and find out about Sheffield’s historical connections to Atlantic Slavery. Tobias Gardner will give us a broad overview of his ongoing doctoral research. One key focus has been on Sheffield’s industrial and commercial engagement with the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the plantation economies of the Americas through the production of metalware. Also, this research has explored how the system of Atlantic slavery influenced the social and political fabric of Sheffield from the emergence of the anti-slavery movement to Brazilian emancipation in 1888.
Tobias Gardner is a final year history PhD researcher. He is in the peculiar position of simultaneously being someone who grew up in Sheffield, studies at the University of Sheffield, and has become a historian of Sheffield. His project focuses on Sheffield’s broad connections to Atlantic Slavery between 1760-1888, both in terms of industry and commerce, but also society and politics. He is committed to engaging academic research with a wide audience and, through his work, has collaborated with various public organisations, including Sheffield City Archives, Museums, and the General Cemetery.
Book Here from 2nd November 2025