EC1 Echo had a guided tour of the new exhibition at the Postal Museum, before it opened to the public on Saturday 5th April.
By Penny Dampier
Voices of Resistance: Slavery and Post in the Caribbean, ‘exposes how 19th century British postal services profited from and enabled transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans, by exploring the lives and legacies of those enslaved’. Read more about the exhibition in our previous article here.
Lovingly curated by Joanna Espin and Hannah Clipson, it is a truly collaborative show, giving voice to the enslaved people of the Caribbean island of St Thomas. These coal bearers, most of whom were women, worked tirelessly, carrying coal to fuel the steam ships of the ill-fated Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.
One of the enslaved women, Nancy Brown, is highlighted in the exhibition as she bravely protested about a lack of cloth provided to the workers for protective clothing. A letter from the estate manager to Sir Henry Fitzherbert, the plantation owner describes how he punished Nancy by imprisoning her in a ‘dark hole’:
‘I am happy to hear you was pleased with our negroes good behaviour at Xmas you are perfectly right I wonder we have not yet had an open Rebellion – I served our cloth on the 26th the people thanked me but in that next year they hoped I will give them more. I told them I could make no promise but I could tell them that if sugar did not sell better next year that their master would have to sell half of them to pay Taxes, this of course put a stop to the demand and one woman of the name Nancy Brown threw up her cap in the air but I had the lady seized and confined in the dark Hole which I have now made.’
Alongside historical documents, letters, and artefacts, there are modern art pieces inspired by these stories. An example of which, is this beautiful embroidery by Joy Gregory (pictured below).
There is also an intriguing artwork made by a group of African, Caribbean and Black diaspora women working for Royal Mail in London. Working with artist Ella Phillips, they created a reimagined map using lengths of ribbon inscribed with various words and phrases. As Carol, one of the Royal Mail ‘Culture Bearers’ says:
“The project was a form of diversity, people from different cultures working together to analyse four main topics of food, culture, resistance and freedom.”
Serena, another workshop participant said:
“The workshops made me reflect deeply on the resilience and strength of the women during the slave trade period. It was inspiring to think about their contributions and sacrifices, which are often overlooked.”
Taking up one whole wall, is a projection of a specially commissioned film, showing the annual celebration honouring coal workers, organised by Dollar fo’ Dollar – the St. Thomas based organisation which researches and raises awareness of the rich legacy of the island’s coal workers.
I would urge you to go and see this enlightening exhibition. As one of the ‘Culture Bearers’ from St Thomas says:
“It is very important to know where you came from, a person having no knowledge of their history, culture or origin is like a tree without roots.”
More images on our social media!
Voices of Resistance: Slavery and Post in the Caribbean is open from 5 April 2025 to 5 January 2026 and is included in a general admission ticket to the museum. Tickets include 1x ride on Mail Rail on your first visit and unlimited entry to The Postal Museum’s galleries and exhibitions for one year from the date of your first visit. Pre-booking is recommended.
For more information and to book your tickets go to The Postal Museum website.
